November-December 2022

am not going to sit here and watch the world go by.”

am not going to sit here and watch the world go by.”

-Deanna Enright Mankato, MN

-Deanna Enright Mankato,

MN

Deanna was just managing knee pain with cortisone shots until she returned from a trip to Vietnam & Cambodia. She consulted her doctor, Jesse Botker, and scheduled a double knee replacement. Now Deanna can go back to traveling without worry!

Deanna was just managing knee pain with cortisone shots until she returned from a trip to Vietnam & Cambodia. She consulted her doctor, Jesse Botker, and scheduled a double knee replacement. Now Deanna can go back to traveling without worry!

“It’s been wonderful! I can stand for hours and I am not in pain. I can walk and I am not in pain.”

“It’s been wonderful! I can stand for hours and I am not in pain. I can walk and I am not in pain.”

See Deanna’s full story at www.rehc.org/news

See Deanna’s full story at www.rehc.org/news

Learn more at OrthoEdgeMN.com

Learn more at OrthoEdgeMN.com

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SURGERY IMPORTANT CHOICE, EASY DECISION

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Plus, River’s Edge Hospital is top rated for patient experience!

Plus, River’s Edge Hospital is top rated for patient experience!

“I

DR. JESSE BOTKER

“I

DR. JESSE BOTKER

HOW TO STREAMLINE YOUR ACCOUNTING PROCESSES TO IMPROVE YOUR OVERALL OPERATIONS

By: Blake Bode | Audit Manager | A version of this article originally appeared on eidebailly.com.

Accounting is the language of business. Your financial data tells the story of where your organization has been, where it is now, and where it can go in the future. Because accounting is critical for your organization—in both day-to-day functions and in reaching long-term goals and profitability—it’s important to not only do it right, but to do it strategically so that you can make the best decisions with the information that you have.

Your business is like a living, breathing organism. As it grows, changes and evolves, your accounting practices must follow suit. Having stagnant accounting processes is a surefire way to stagnate your entire organization.

Whether your accounting processes need a few small tweaks or a giant overhaul, the starting point for your evaluation is the same: the beginning. By evaluating your processes and understanding the role of change management and digital transformation in your optimization, you can drive your organization toward improved operations and growth.

Determining What Information to Track

Tracking the right information is key to having accounting records you can use to make informed decisions. You’ll want to capture all transactions that occur in your business (cash and noncash) in the simplest and most efficient manner. Based on your business or industry, you may need to consider tracking your business transactions in more depth.

Oftentimes, organizations rely on information that is easy to access, rather than digging for information that is actually useful. For example, if you’re only tracking sales because those numbers are the easiest to see, you may find yourself missing a big piece of the puzzle.

If you have a steady increase in sales, but no cash or profitability, you’d need to see your sales mix to understand that you are selling a lot more low-value, lowmargin products.

It’s vital to be intentional in what you’re monitoring and measuring to track your success or anticipate your future success, and sometimes those numbers take more effort to see. It may take redesigning the reporting so that you can see a different output, which then entails also redesigning the input. It can be a timeconsuming process, but the value is in the new possibilities and opportunities you can see for your organization.

Tracking Metrics with Financial Statements

Accurate financial statements are key to effectively running your organization and making smart decisions. Your financial statements can shed light on areas of your business and can help you identify areas for growth and for improvement.

The balance sheet tells you about the resources in your organization. It is measured at a point in time and can tell you things like:

> How much cash do you have?

> How much do people owe you?

> How much do you owe others?

> How much equity is left in your business after all your liabilities are taken care of?

> How much of your business is financed by long-term debt versus financed by you or your partners?

The income statement tells you about the profitability of your organization and is measured for a certain period of time, such as a month, quarter or year.

It can tell you things like:

> What was the gross margin for the period?

> What were your operating expenses for the period?

> What was the net income for the period?

In addition, if you are tracking your income and expenses by profit centers (e.g. job, department, product line, etc.), you would be able to see measurements by those profit centers. This is especially valuable as it helps determine where you are making money or losing money. The statement of cash flows tells you about the sources and uses of your cash. In other words, where did it all come from and where did it all go?

You can take your financial statements to the next level by comparing your current performance against historical performance, benchmarking yourself against your industry and peers and projecting your future performance.

The Importance of Disrupting the Status Quo

If you always do what you’ve always done, you’re only ever going to get what you’ve always gotten—that is, until your system completely breaks and you find yourself in crisis mode. By starting to evaluate your processes now, you can get ahead of the crisis and start to see operations improve throughout your entire organization.

To learn more about how to streamline your accounting processes, visit eidebailly.com.

Stacey

Jessica

Jane Laskey EDITOR

Area Businesses Continue to Thrive Despite Mounting Financial Pressure

Our November cover story splits its focus between two wildly successful Mankato businesses: Tailwind Group and North Star Aviation. Although very different companies, they share a common ownership group, a high-energy approach to business and a target audience – the college demographic.

Our first company feature takes a look at GO! Therapy in St. Peter, which is making a name for itself with its innovative therapy methods. Teske Manufacturing in Springfield has been manufacturing utility trailers for 20 years, making it an excellent choice for our second company feature this month.

This issue’s Groundbreaker section focuses on Advanced Drainage Systems in Fairmont. Its water management systems prevent flooding and improve the quality of stadiums, parking lots and agricultural fields across the country.

Randall Wempen is our November Rising Star. As co-owner of Kato Moving & Storage, Birchwood Cottages and Owatonna Self Storage, he offers some interesting insights into being a young entrepreneur.

As always, the three Hot Startz! features are new businesses in our area. This month we introduce you to Morgan’s Meat Market in Waseca, Generations Child & Memory Care in Mankato and Fairmont Brewing in, you guessed it, Fairmont.

Until next time,

Jane

Laskey

By Jane Laskey

It would be easy to assume that Tailwind Group and North Star Aviation Inc. have nothing in common. After all, these two Mankato-based companies are in very different industries. Tailwind is in real estate, while NSA is in aviation.

But a deeper dive reveals that these companies have more in common than you’d think. For starters, they share the same ownership team. Partners Reggie Reed, Michael Sather, Kyle Smith and Landon Smith founded Tailwind in 2005, then went on to acquire NSA in 2018.

The similarities don’t stop there. Both businesses are growing exponentially, with locations scattered across the heart of the U.S. They also share similar work cultures, with seasoned business professionals leading young teams with a high-energy, go-getter approach. Perhaps most significantly, they both serve a common demographic: college students, colleges and universities.

“That's the connecting link between these two business operations,” Jerry Redman said. “They both serve universities, but in different capacities. Tailwind has other commercial properties, but its core business is student housing. North Star has other business operations with general aviation services, but its core business is flight training with colleges and universities.”

Redman is vice president at NSA, which provides state-of-the-art flight training at three different flight schools. His counterpart at Tailwind is its president, Lane Gravley, who oversees the acquisition and management of dozens of student housing developments. They share a passionate, dynamic approach to leadership and an ability to steer their companies through the challenges of rapid growth. I sat down with both men to talk about the obstacles and opportunities facing their companies today. Continues

The Quarters at Mankato

North Star Aviation Fleet

Lane Gravley and Jerry Redman

Choose from prime sites for building patio or walkout homes, in a community packed with amenities. Plus, it’s just minutes away from the best that the city has to offer.

The Tailwind Group’s focus is real estate acquisition, develop ment and management. Based in Mankato, it specializes in amenity-rich student housing.

: 250

: 80 percent student housing, 20 percent com mercial development

: Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wyoming

Could you give me a brief recap of your career and what led you to Tailwind Group?

I worked for Precision Press, which is a Taylor Corporation company, for about 30 years. I started fresh out of high school on third shift and worked my way up through the ranks into management. In my early 30s, I started night school to earn my bachelor’s degree, which took about six years. At that time, I was raising my family; we have four daughters. It was a busy time, but we got it done. Around 2008, I became the leader of the label division and eventually became the general manager.

I had several mentors at Taylor. They taught me how to lead people, helped me create a positive work culture and taught me how to grow a business. In many ways, the Taylor principles of always a better way, and creating opportunity and security for your people remain part of who I am today.

In the summer of 2020, I received a phone call from Turning Point Management, a consultant company that was working with the Tailwind Group. Tailwind was in an

aggressive growth mode and was looking for a leader for the business that could grow people and scale with the growth. I was at a place in my career where I wondered if I could take my skills outside the walls of Precision Press. I lacked real estate knowledge but enjoyed people development, leadership and working with a team to produce a positive financial statement. I think it has been a great fit, and I’m having a blast.

What is Tailwind’s focus?

About 80 percent of the business is student housing, and about 20 percent is commercial real estate. We have approxi mately 25 large student housing complexes throughout the country. We typically focus on Power Five conference schools, big schools where enrollment is growing. We tend to concentrate on colleges that are located in the center of the country. We have found it best to bet on Midwest stability and values.

A core focus we have is looking for a value-add opportunity. Many of our com

petitors want to buy an asset that is already stabilized and will pay a good distribution to investors. Often we improve a property and incorporate our management principles into the property over the course of a year or two. Ultimately these changes help grow our revenue and the reputation of the property.

We also build developments from the ground up. This building (Profinium Place) is one example of our commercial real estate. Our most recent developments are in Iowa City, Iowa and Lincoln, Nebraska.

Who are your customers, and where are they located?

We think of our tenants and our investors as our customers. Most of our residents are college students who are looking for an education and an experience. They want to live at a nice property that feels like a community where they can play, study and rest. Our properties have ample study lounges, a swimming pool, a fitness center and a game room. We usually have fun outdoor spaces, such as volleyball and

basketball. Residents can get out of their rooms, get away from their roommates and have some fun or study. Our hope for our residents is that they feel loved and cared for by our staff, that they are safe, and that they build memories that will last a lifetime.

Our investors are people that have trusted us with their investment dollars. They want a return, obviously, and they want us to manage it well. If we do that and they’re getting a great return, usually they’re a return customer and they grow their investment with us.

What’s new at Tailwind? Are there any projects you’re particularly excited about?

We just recently bought a property in Columbia, Missouri, that needs a reno vation, a big face-lift. All of the units will be renovated, as well as the exterior of the buildings. It’s going to be great when it’s done.

Our two new developments in Iowa City and Lincoln are just moving in their first residents now. Both assets have been two to three years in the making, so it is fun to

see them come to fruition.

We are also seeing some good commercial growth in the Mankato area. We’ve recently purchased the Mankato Heights Mall and a small strip mall on Sioux Road. It’s fun to renovate and improve these spaces after purchase and to help bring new businesses into the area.

How many people does Tailwind employ?

We’ve gone from about 180 employees in 2020 to about 250 today. Corporately, we have 48 employees across the country that support the business as accountants, financial analysts, sales leadership, etc. Our team really is the heart of the company. We have a dedicated staff that embodies our core values and strives to support and challenge each other.

Your website describes your team as “…unconventional thinkers who cannot and will not be out-hustled by any competitor.” How do you achieve that?

One of the things that really attracted me to Tailwind is the high energy of the workforce. For many of our employees, this is their first full-time job. They’re young and hungry to learn and grow their careers. They have a competitive spirit and a refuse-to-lose mentality. Our team takes pride in out-hustling the competition. This shows up across the organization as a nimble, effective team. You won’t typically see long, drawn-out plans for improvement, but instead see real-time solution management that simply solves

problems on the spot. A mantra we follow is, “If you’ve got a good idea, why haven’t you done it already?” Our ownership models this mentality by digging in and helping, even if it means pulling weeds or pressure washing.

The current staffing environment is tough right now. Are you having a hard time finding employees?

We normally have openings at various locations. Certain roles can be challenging to fill, but we have a really good “farm” system to grow and promote talent. Each of our student housing sites has four to eight community assistants, or CAs. They are college students that live on the property and work 12 to 20 hours per week. They help lease the place, give tours, answer questions and solve problems. When they graduate, if they enjoy the work and like Tailwind, they will move into full-time jobs with us. It becomes their first real job. Being fresh out of college and having responsibility for the property’s revenue or joining as an accountant with several properties to look after can give a young person a real sense of accountability and responsibility. They get the opportunity to learn how to engage with people and how to manage a business. It’s great training, whether they stay with us long term or move into a different field.

What are you doing to attract and retain talent?

We focus on leadership development and building an empowered culture. We do this by creating a high support, high challenge

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environment that creates opportunities for our people. It calls people up versus calling them out.

At the same time, we challenge our team to always improve and to aspire to our core values. We believe in versatility and responsiveness, to name two of them. We set challenges and goals in these areas and work towards excelling in them. For example, we have a goal of reaching 100 percent occupancy at each site. If you do, you win a sales trip. Excelling in responsiveness, versatility and innovation will have a big impact on whether or not you reach this goal.

We also encourage teamwork across the portfolio. Many of our sites are within driving distance of each other, so we encourage working together and learning from each other. I’m very proud of how our teams join forces to execute our business plans at each property. Our hope is our staff all feel connected to the team, know that their voice is heard and recognize that their leader will fight for the highest possible good for those they lead. This way of leading creates the kind of culture where people will stay and grow.

Lastly, with both our employees and our residents, we strive to show that we love and care for them. Parents are part of our customer base, and they want to know that their student is safe and cared for. So, we use terms like “love” and “care” with our residents often. We use them internally, as well, with our employees. We don’t think you can challenge someone effectively unless they know you care about them. That permeates our culture and it really starts with our owners.

Those are not terms you hear in a lot of workplaces.

No, it’s different. When you get into corporate America, it can be very performance-based, results-based. That can be successful; it really can be. But how do you keep people loving where they work and who they work with? A key for us is conducting our one-on-one meetings with each staff member. These meetings are designed to be meaningful conversations that allow the manager to get to know their direct employee in a deeper way. What is their life situation, what are their strengths and their goals? It drives engagement and inclusion.

Property values are currently pretty high. Are you putting on the breaks at Tailwind?

We haven’t yet. As long as the opportunities that are coming before us make sense, we’re going to keep growing. When they don’t make sense, we’ll hold. In the COVID years, most people pulled back and even started selling assets. We were fortunate that we kept moving forward and kept going after assets. We were able to find some great diamonds in the rough that gave us value-add opportunities. Hopefully, that will continue to be the case as we strive ahead.

What is the biggest challenge facing Tailwind today?

The current economic climate is challenging, but we are navigating through it. Our biggest challenges are rising interest rates and in creased expenses. Interest rate uncertainty has made it more difficult

to secure financing. It’s very similar to finding a loan for a home mortgage. When rates increase, sales slow down and prices taper as well.

Expense management overall has proved more challenging. Obviously, high inflation is affecting pricing in everything from a gallon of milk to rent. Property taxes have jumped, insurance rates have increased and utilities have seen increases.

Do you foresee rents increasing to meet these economic challenges?

Rent is increasing across the country in order to keep up with expense growth. Student housing normally lags the traditional market as we lease our apartments a year in advance. We work hard to manage our ex penses tightly, but we do need our revenue growth to keep up with expense growth.

Have supply chain issues affected your business?

It’s affected us quite a bit in our new developments. For example, getting coun tertops and cabinets and appliances used to take four weeks, and it can now take 16 to 20 weeks. In some cases, it’s stunted our ability to finish projects on time. For example, we built a property in Lincoln that was only about 75 percent complete when school started. Fortunately, we were able to work with the city and open the finished portion of our property for students, but we still are completing a portion of the units and amenities. Delays in the supply chain and workforce shortages were the primary contributors.

What are your future goals?

We want to continue to grow our portfolio, create opportunities for our employees and remain nimble as we grow and exceed our investors’ expectations. That’s a mouthful for sure, but we believe if we stick to our core values and to what got us to this point, we will achieve all of our aspirations.

INTERVIEW WITH

JERRY REDMAN

Vice President, North Star Aviation

North Star Companies is the parent company for three Part 141 flight schools that provide pilot training for private, instrument, commercial and instructor licenses. It also provides Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) services for the Mankato and New Ulm airports.

North Star Aviation, Mankato

• Business and operations head quarters for North Star Companies

• Flight training for Minnesota State University, Mankato

• FBO providing fuel and main tenance services for both the Mankato and New Ulm airports

• 115 employees, 36 planes

Bowling Green Flight Center, Bowling Green, Ohio

• Flight training for Bowling Green State University

• 75 employees, 18 planes

Premier Flight Center, Springfield, Missouri

• Flight training school for Ozarks Technical Community College

• 20 employees, 9 planes

What led you to North Star?

My background is heavy in finance and ac counting within businesses, more so on the construction side. I went to MSU Mankato for business. I have a business degree, with concentrations in construction management, finance and an accounting minor. I’ve spent the majority of my career in construction, whether it was highway or building construc tion, and some light manufacturing. But I was always heavy into the finance and accounting side of business operations.

In 2018 there was a transition in owners at North Star Aviation. I had a connection

Drone

Pipe Crawler

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Visualization

LiDAR Architecture

with someone at Turning Point Manage ment who was on the board of directors for North Star’s previous owners. Turning Point Management was instrumental in introducing me to the new ownership group. I became vice president of NSA in 2018. I’m also part of the North Star Companies ownership group.

What I have learned over the years is a common theme in business operations: assets, people, customers and regulations. North Star is heavy in assets, whether it’s buildings or planes, and we’re dealing with people, university contracts, and government regulations. It’s been a privilege to work here. It’s been a lot of fun.

You’ve been at North Star for four years. What have you been focusing on?

Operations, finances and investments; we literally grew from 90 employees to 210 employees in four years. I am always looking forward to see what our business structure looks like. Growth makes us con tinually adjust our employee work loads.

When do we have you take the top five tasks on your list and bring in somebody underneath you to take on your other tasks? That kind of divide and conquer has been my focus, trying to stay ahead of hiring and building the structure that supports it. That’s probably the biggest achievement, developing that structure fast.

Our growth has also created demand for more equipment and facilities. We went from 36 planes to 63 planes in four years. Everything we deal with has such long lead times. We fly Piper aircraft, and their lead times are typically 10 to 14 months. So, we’re always placing orders with long lead times, and we’re trying to project our growth in that time frame. It’s always very exciting and kind of fun when we can say, “Yeah, we got that correct.”

Are there any projects that you’re particularly excited about right now?

We’ve been building a lot of infrastructure to support our growth. We built another hangar here in Mankato, and went through

a terminal remodel in 2019 and 2020. In Bowling Green, we did a flight operations and hangar expansion. In Springfield, we did a hangar remodel. There are always projects going on at each location, which excites customers and employees and helps us to handle the growth.

Moving forward we’re focusing on the technology side of flying. When these students are in the cockpit, they’re basically working on a computer-based operating system. There is so much information the plane can display. They have to learn to fly the plane and manipulate that screen at the same time. Their focus can’t just be on the controls, they’ve got to also focus on the horizon. The question is, what can we do to advance these students, not just with airplanes, but with training devices that help them learn the skills they need?

So, we’re introducing two new simulators and we have five Precision Flight Controls devices on order that will be coming in January to all locations. That’s the next big goal.

It sounds like training pilots is an expensive business.

New airplanes and upgraded simulators are what makes us stand out, that’s why we’re seeing the growth. The average age of our aircraft is 4 years old. One of the things that draws our students, is the newness of the planes. They get to learn to fly in the latest technology, Garmin G1000 Ndi cockpits in the simulators. It’s the same technology that you’re seeing in the airlines.

What makes your flight schools stand out from your competitors?

We are an independent contractor that partners with colleges and universities. In our program, the university provides the core classes, but students do all their flight training out here with us. Being an independent contractor means that we can react faster on hiring or buying assets or making improvements. That makes us different. Most university flight schools are run by the university, so they have to deal with budget constraints, academic priorities and hiring freezes.

Another difference is the student-tostaff ratio. At the university, they may have a professor teaching four classes a semester at 30 to 35 kids a class. So, their student-to-professor ratio is very limited versus ours. In Mankato, we’re servicing roughly 600 kids and we have 110 employees here, so we’re almost one employee for every five students. Back to the numbers, it takes roughly 2.2 Certified Flight Instructors to keep each plane flying, but then we also need an average 1.8 other people per aircraft: schedulers, dispatchers, line service, fueling, maintenance, administrative staff.

What is your current enrollment?

We are at 600 here in Mankato, 350 in Bowling Green and roughly 75 in Spring field, so we have about 1,025 students between all three locations. This fall our combined enrollments were up 19 percent over fall of 2021. When you start looking year over year, we’re always pushing that 20 to 25 percent increase. Aviation is the #2 program at MSU Mankato right now and it continues to grow. We had 160 new freshmen coming in this fall.

The aviation program is very demanding on the kids. They fly roughly 250 hours for

their flight training here. They come in their freshman year, and they’ll start flying right away. Their first two lessons are ground lessons. For their first lesson, they sit down with their flight instructor and go through FAA regulations and guidelines and make sure they have all the paperwork in place that allows them to fly. The next lesson is getting into the basics: understanding the plane, its operation and its controls. The third lesson is up in a plane. Obviously, the instructor is the pilot in command, but they’re getting up there, and they’re both flying the plane at the same time.

How many flight hours are required to complete the University program?

Two hundred fifty hours. They’ll go pri vate their first year, then they earn their in strument readings their second year, which allows them to fly in the clouds. Their junior year, they start getting into the com mercial side of flying. Once they’re seniors, they’ll take classes to become a Certified Flight Instructor, along with training on an

advanced CRJ700 simulator. The majority of them will become an employee of ours, because they have to get 1,000 hours of flight time in before they can apply to go to the airlines or commercial flying. So, they become an employee to build their time up in the sky. When they go up with a student for 1.5 hours, they can also log that time, because they are the pilot in command. That’s one of the benefits of our partner ship with colleges and universities. We are a Part 141 flight school, so the flight hour requirements to become an airline pilot are lower than at schools that are not associated with a college. Our students only need 1,000 flight hours. Other programs require 1,500 flight hours.

How many years does it usually take to hit that 1,000-hour target?

Usually, a year and a half to two years, then they’re off to the airlines. So, we have a high turnover with our CFI group. We have 70 CFIs in Mankato, 35 in Bowling Green and 10 in Springfield; we will typically

turn over half of them a year, if not more. It’s exciting for us.

What types of careers are your graduates pursuing?

The majority of our students, I would say 80 percent, go off to the airlines. But we’re starting to see increasing interest in corporate flying and companies like NetJets and FlexJet that rent planes for business or for personal use. That side of things is really picking up since COVID. The standards are typically a little bit higher if you’re going to go after the corporate world. They want to see you at 1,500 or 2,000 hours of flying to start.

Are there jobs waiting for your students once they’re done?

Yes. A lot of them start the interview process and start signing contracts their sophomore or junior year. We just had a kickoff event here at NSA for our incoming freshmen. We had 10 airlines there with booths set up because they all want to

start getting in front of these kids. From Sun Country to Delta to SkyWest to En voy, all these airlines are handing out stuff and saying, “Think of us.” Plus, we’ve had corporations like Target and Cargill here in the past representing the corporate side of flying. Once the semester starts, airlines are down here on a monthly basis recruiting.

There’s a shortage of pilots right now. During COVID, the airlines … stopped hiring for a six- to nine-month window. Then they also had retirements, along with early retirement. So now things have picked up again, and they’re backlogged on hiring and they can’t train new pilots fast enough.

Once they’re hired, our graduates are starting out at $80,000 plus, with maybe a $20,000 plus signing bonus that will pay out in a couple of years. They’re highly sought-after. They’ve just got to make it to that 1,000-hour mark. To do that they’ve got to be disciplined, they’ve got to be pas sionate about it and they’ve got to be very professional. If they have one little hiccup in their training, it gets disclosed to the airlines.

What kind of a hiccup?

As you go through private, instrument, commercial and CFI ratings, you have FAA stage checks and check rides built within that. You sit with a designated pilot examiner, an FAA employee, that tests you on your skills. If you fail one of those, you must retake your exam, and that is disclosed to the airlines. If you have an incident on the ground, let’s say you cause some type of damage to an airplane, that gets disclosed. If you have a safety violation, that gets disclosed. So, they’ve got to have a pretty clean record with their flying, and for very good reason. It’s all about safety.

These kids are taking on a lot.

The students are taking on a lot of re sponsibility in handling this career path: discipline, time commitment, mental stress and the financial commitment. In today’s environment their return on educational investment has never been better.

We see that freshman year, which I think is typical for universities. We see probably

Do you see much attrition as a student gets in and realizes how challenging it is?

about 15 percent drop out that freshman year. Once we get them past their first year, only about 2 to 2.5 percent leave the program. That’s all we lose going forward. Most of these kids, they probably knew since they were 5, 6 or 7 that they were going to fly. They have that passion. That’s something different about this group of students, they’re very passionate.

I see that passion in you, too, when you talk the program.

It is exciting. You meet these students when they start their freshman year, then you see them go through their flight training and then become employees for a year or two. It’s a positive transition. We see high turnover in our business because our flight instructors are always leaving. We celebrate that because that’s success within our program. It’s high turnover, but it’s good turnover.

This passion in flight training stems back to NSA’s previous owner, Mark Smith. I’d like to give him credit for developing this program and maintaining it from 2001 till

2018, except for a five-year period when NSA stepped away. He held that baton for flight training with the university. Mark was very passionate, and he just loved the kids. He was instrumental in getting the Bowling Green contract in 2014 and the Premier Flight Center contract in 2016. He set the stage for our growth now. So

that North Star passion started with Mark.

Two members of our ownership group, Kyle Smith and Reggie Reed, went through the NSA aviation program and knew Mark, and were employees of Mark’s at one point. When it came time and Mark wanted to retire, they stepped into the business, along with the other owners.

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR $900,000 IN DEVELOPMENT/REDEVELOPMENT GRANTS

Greater Mankato Growth was awarded $1.9 million in funds that can cover 30% of the cost of development/redevelopment projects in Blue Earth/Nicollet Counties. These include the Mankato-North Mankato City Center, US Hwy 169/MN 60, and US Hwy 14 corridors.

• $1 million is expected to be granted to first-round applicants with $900,000 available to applicants who apply before December 31, 2022.

• Applicants requesting funds between $1,500 and $15,000 are especially encouraged to apply as some funds have been set aside for lower dollar grant requests.

• Review additional eligibility details and apply at the QR Code below.

This program is supported, in part, by State of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development (DEED), the state’s principal economic development agency.

Matt Holt, human resources; Ryan Williams, director of maintenance; Chris Plasek, chief flight instructor; Bryant Stiernagle, controller; Rob McGregor, general manager.

What is the NSA work culture like?

Consider the fact that our core custom ers are students and over half of our 210 employees are between the ages of 21 and 24 at each location. It’s very high energy. They’re in a race, and we’re just here helping them along in the race. They’re excited to become a flight instructor, and they’re

excited to get through that and become professional pilots. There’s a lot of passion.

We talk about the high turnover of our flight instructors, but we have a core group of employees that have been with us for a long time. I have three outstanding general managers at each location; Rob McGregor at North Star Aviation in Mankato, Melissa

Webb at Bowling Green Flight Center in Bowling Green and Corina Bond in Springfield; they all lead by example and continue to raise the bar on safety, compli ance and staff development.

I think our culture is another thing that differentiates us from the competition. Whether it’s here or at Bowling Green or at Premier Flight Center, I think we have a very good culture. You see it in how we respect people in the industry, in how we treat people coming in and in how we treat our employees. It creates an energy that staff, students and customers like. It makes it fun and exciting.

THE ESSENTIALS

North Star Aviation

3030 Airport Road Mankato, MN 56001

Phone: (507) 625-6006 Web: flymankato.com Facebook: @North Star Aviation

Tailwind Group/North Star Aviation | Mankato

2022 Department of Aviation Orientation featuring Minnesota State University Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs David Shaen Hood (located in the front row with red tie).

The Meatery

Leveraging

Start-Up Support

Services in Southern Minnesota

Southern Minnesota is defined in many ways by its vibrant food and agriculture industry, and specifically, its propensity for innovation and entrepreneurship within the space. Through a collaborative approach to connecting communities, The Meatery serves as a prime example of a small business lever aging available resources to grow their venture while elevating their mission of feeding inspiration and inspiring access.

The Meatery launched in April of 2022 with the initial goal of fostering a community of amateur meat hobbyists, or as they like to call them, Meathusiasts. The community they set out to build was curated for individuals who were interested in where their food comes from, finding quality meat products, and learning how to prepare them. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting shut down of meat packing facilities would lead The Meatery team to re-evaluate their initial vision. Colette Drager, Co-Founder of The Meatery, shared, “We knew what we were creating needed to be more than just a space to enjoy quality meat. As farmers, it was important that our business model provided folks with access to delicious products while also supporting people who produce it.”

To further refine their business plan, The Meatery sought out technical assistance from the South-Central Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The SBDC hosted at Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Strategic Partnership Center offers no-cost, customized consulting to businesses throughout their entire life cycle, alongside cohort style entrepreneurship training. One of these trainings included the Waseca New Business Challenge-a partnership between

the SBDC and the Waseca Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Waseca New Business Challenge is designed to help local entrepreneurs become pitch ready through engaging in a 10-week training program where they develop a stronger small business network and receive 1:1 mentoring from the SBDC. “The Waseca New Business Challenge is really what we needed. Something to hold us accountable, and something to get us started”, shared Molly Byron, Co-Founder and Social Media Content Creator for The Meatery. Following The Meatery’s experience in the Waseca New Business Challenge, their team would enter the state’s largest startup competi tion- the Minnesota Cup. The pitch they had refined through the Waseca New Business Challenge would land them a top 10 spot in the Food, Agriculture, and Beverage division. “The great part about participating in an entrepreneurial cohort is that we started on the right foot. It’s part of the reason I think we’ve had such a successful launch- because we had the resources provided through the SBDC.”

What started as a community of meat hobbyists has evolved into a small business partnering with other small businesses to curate personalized meat collections that cus tomers can purchase online and have shipped to their door. The Meatery’s platform allows for partner shops to expand their businesses and give meat-lovers a home to learn fresh ideas, get creative, and foster community. “The Strategic Partnership Center has been invaluable to the growth of our business, with its similar mission to expand rural resources and celebrate agriculture”, shared Byron. “Through the South-Central SBDC services and training opportunities, their support for local entrepreneurs ensures that we can keep building our businesses and working our way towards a bold future.” If you are interested in learning more about the services provided by the South-Central SBDC, please contact Mike Hahn at mike.hahn@mnsu.edu or apply for services online at myminnesotabusiness.com. To learn more about The Meatery, please visit their website at themeaterymn.com.

By Christine Nessler

COLLABORATING THERAPIES

GO! Therapy has experienced tremendous growth since it opened in 2017, multiplying its staff and moving to a new space. Certainly the need for therapy services has contributed to its rapid growth. But the clinic's success has more to do with breaking the therapy mold. At GO! Therapy the focus is on providing functional and innovative therapy. Its services are just as unique as the people it serves because its therapy methods are tailored to fit each individual's needs using co-treatment and innovative therapy methods.

"What continues to fuel our growth is the need for more services for people with different abilities in our area," co-owner Jenny Kortuem said.

Since 2017, GO! Therapy has grown to provide a wide range of services for people of all ages, from babies to adults, including speech language pathology, feeding and swallowing therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy. Combining these therapy services with a team approach is part of what makes it so unique and allows GO! Therapy to have a whole-person approach to care. Continues

Photos by Alicia Bergman

Brenna Hoisington and Jenny Kortuem

Photo by Jonathan Smith

Collaborating Therapies

Owners Jenny Kortuem and Brenna Hoisington are speech language patholo gists who are passionate about providing their clients with the best possible care. Truly a family business, the cousins came together to start GO! Therapy after seeing a common thread in their practices. Prior to working together, Kortuem provided contracted speech therapy services to hospitals and skilled nursing facilities, while Hoisington provided speech therapy services in a school district.

Although they pursued different career paths, both women reached the same conclusion: speech therapy is only one piece of the puzzle. For example, children with difficulty speaking also may have difficulty moving their bodies safely and effectively. Now, their practice brings to gether therapists with different specialties who consistently communicate with one another to better understand and then treat a patient’s underlying condition.

The collaboration between physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech language pathology came directly out of necessity. Kortuem found many instances where attempting speech therapy with a dysregulated child – someone who has difficulty managing their emotional responses, including sadness, anger and frustration – was fruitless.

Kortuem and Hoisington wondered if occupational therapy could help restless children feel good in their bodies. They discovered that it’s vital for supporting kids’ sensory needs, independence and self-regulation. So they began using oc cupational therapy tools like compression clothing, weighted vests, swings and sensory play to help children self-regulate.

Physical therapy adds an additional perspective to the whole-person approach to care. Movement is good, but the way we move can impact our development. For example, some babies are born with torticollis, when the neck muscles are tight and their head appears tilted or twisted to one side. A baby may even begin to roll over toward the tight or tilted side before expected. Parents may think this is good, but the problem is the baby may be unable to move in the opposite direction. When infants move, they integrate both sides of their brain — so rolling in just one direction limits integration, negatively impacting

development. These infants often have difficulty nursing.

“As a speech therapist working with infant feeding and swallowing, I absolutely need my physical therapist by my side,” Hoisington said.

Kortuem uses the analogy of the dande lion and orchid to describe people’s varying abilities. It has inspired their mission at GO! Therapy.

“Some people are like dandelions. You can mow them off, you can stomp them into the ground, you can even dehydrate them, and they are going to grow back and do just fine,” Kortuem said. “Yet others are like orchids. They need just the right amount of sunlight, the right temperature and the right amount of water. When their environment is supportive, they can grow and flourish as a beautiful flower.”

“Just like the orchid, there is nothing wrong with the person,” added Hoisington. “We just need to figure out how to help them flourish and thrive using their strengths.”

At GO! Therapy, patients are made to feel empowered by their strengths instead of hindered by any perceived weakness.

“On this journey, we are learning more about neurodiversity, which means under standing that people experience and interact with the world in many different ways. Our job is to help individuals identify the unique beauty they possess,” Kortuem said.

As Kortuem explained, we are not meant to be masters in all areas of life. We each have unique skill sets. At GO! Therapy, pa tients discover their strengths and use them as a foundation to learn new skills, focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses.

“Strengths promote empowerment,” Kortuem said. “With a strengths-based approach, we hone in on preferred activities, find that internal motivation, and connect

GO! Therapy | St. Peter

Collaborating Therapies

our therapy goals in a meaningful and fulfilling way. Then it doesn’t feel like work. It feels like play. But we’re learning just the same, if not more, because we’re hands-on.”

GO! Therapy follows an innovative therapy method known as Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-based Model, also known as DIR®/Floortime™. For children, this child-led, play-based model encourages play as a means for evaluation and treatment. For adults, the model is tailored to their skills and interests.

Jennifer Powers has been bringing her son, Ryan, to GO! Therapy for nearly four years. Ryan is living with autism, attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder and anxiety disorder.

“I call autism a super-secret world because no one really knows what it’s like until you’re in it,” Powers said.

The therapists at GO! Therapy understand and can adjust to a child’s varying sensory needs.

“When we first started, we had to co-treat with OT. He was just so dysregulated and overstimulated,” Powers said.

During times of transition or times when Ryan’s sensory needs have changed, an occupational therapist is brought into the session to help.

“We all have good and bad days, and when Ryan is having a bad day and he’s not super interested in any of it, they can roll with that, too, and adjust to his needs,” Powers said.

The DIR/Floortime Model at GO! Therapy was a good fit for Ryan as a method of therapy. It allowed him to take the lead, but it also gave his therapists the chance to get to know him and what makes him tick.

“Because we are child-led and play-based we are looking at what motivates that person and where their skills are, and then putting those two things together so we can have fun and learn,” Kortuem said.

This summer, Ryan was asked by his psychologist to throw out the first pitch at a town baseball game in Union Hill for an Autism Ac ceptance game. Powers and her husband were unsure if Ryan would do it. The therapists at GO! Therapy encouraged the family to try.

Since Ryan loves books, his therapists helped him create a book called Ryan Throws a Baseball to help prepare him for the big day. Then they held a therapy session at a baseball field, where Ryan was encouraged to read the book several times and try practicing the pitch.

“The day came that we were going to do it, and we were nervous, but he just rocked it,” Powers said.

Hoisington and Kortuem were at the game supporting Ryan, with Kortuem down on the pitcher’s mound with Ryan when he threw the pitch.

“He just did amazing,” Powers said. “We were floored. We didn’t think he would do it, but he wanted to play baseball. It was amazing.”

Through the years, Ryan has benefited from occupational therapy, speech therapy and feeding therapy. His family has also felt the benefits of GO! Therapy.

“Their goal is to treat a family. They are not just there for the child that needs them,” Powers said. “They are really focused on the family, and that was super important to me as we grew through Ryan’s diagnosis, and what his needs and wants were, and what our family needed and wanted out of this.” The Boelter family is another great example of how combining co-treatment and DIR/Floortime therapy can make all the difference

for a child. Nicole Boelter decided to bring her son Levi to GO! Therapy after noticing his struggle with verbal communication. When his family didn’t understand what he was trying to say, he would give up and stay quiet.

“Our child was going to think that whatever he had to say was not important,” said Boelter.

Right away, Boelter noticed a difference in how they provide care at GO! Therapy.

“This was far more than a clinical session,” Boelter said. “Who would have thought he could play during his appointments? Levi was able to play (with) his favorite toys, games and whatever he was into that week.”

What began as speech therapy developed into so much more. Levi’s team of therapists determined that he would also benefit from occupational therapy. Although this collaboration isn’t the norm in most clinical settings, it has made all the difference at GO! Therapy.

“The status quo isn’t good enough,” Kortuem said. “What we are doing is looking at that whole child versus just their speech disorder.”

“We’ve changed how we work with patients. We treat the whole body,” said Hoisington. “When we can all work in collaboration together, our outcomes have been just phenomenal.”

Levi was very content to sit and play with toys but was not interested in sports (avoiding anything with a ball) and was terrified to ride a bike. He also had trouble with everyday tasks like putting on his socks. So Levi’s occupational therapist worked with him on various activities to help him gain the skills he needed for daily living and to integrate his Moro reflex, an involuntary response to stimulation.

“After a little time in occupational therapy, we thought we needed a little dab of physical therapy to make sure Levi had all the tools he needed to be successful,” Boelter said.

Physical therapy helped Levi build a toolbox of skills he could use to be successful in the activities he was becoming interested in, in cluding sports. It helped him gain general strength, core strength and coordination, all through fun challenges, such as obstacle courses.

During his three years at GO! Therapy, Levi benefited from a collaboration of speech, occupational, physical and feeding therapies. Watching Levi gain confidence through his new skills was the best part of therapy, Boelter said.

“Levi’s toolbox continues to grow both in his body and his mind,” Boelter said. “It’s our favorite thing to watch.”

Levi wasn’t the only one building up a toolbox of skills. GO! Therapy also stands out as an educational resource for parents and caregivers.

“What we have learned during this time is literally priceless,” Boelter said. “Our therapists taught us how to better understand Levi, how to help him succeed and how to build him up. They taught us patience and what tools we can use to help him.”

One of the foundations of DIR/Floortime is teaching parents how to connect with the kids on the floor. Therapists at GO! Therapy model therapeutic skills and teach parents how to carry over that skill at home.

This summer, Levi placed his handprint on the wall of GO! Therapy. It’s a mark of achievement for all to see and a symbol of his graduation from therapy. Although they hate seeing their patients go, the ultimate goal is for them to no longer need therapy

Collaborating Therapies

services and “graduate.”

“You create a bond that is not going to be severed once that hand is on the wall,” Hoisington said. “You’re going to be friends with them forever. That is what we do here.”

Staying on top of the latest innovations in therapy through education is a key pillar of GO! Therapy.

“We see the value in continuing to educate ourselves, our families, and our community to create a more accepting and loving envi ronment for us all to thrive in,” Hoisington said.

For Kortuem and Hoisington, this includes training in orofacial myofunctional therapy. Myofunctional therapy uses exercises to train and strengthen the muscles around the face, mouth and tongue to improve talking, eating and breathing.

“We’ve been able to explore our passion for providing therapy services to nursing mamas and breastfeeding infants,” Hoisington said. “The research is in; breast is best, but what happens when it’s not going well?”

As Hoisington explains, the first stop is often a lactation consultant, who seems heaven-sent to new moms. But sometimes breastfeeding concerns are more complex and not improving. Then it’s time to look at the underlying cause. For example, if a mom is experiencing decreased milk supply, nipple pain or deformation, or difficulty with latching, or if her baby is irritable, fussy and colicky or suffering from reflux, there may be a structural concern such as tongue and lip ties.

“We’ve done a significant amount of continuing education on ties and how they may be related to feeding difficulties,” Hoisington said.

All babies are born with a fold of tissue underneath the tongue that helps to anchor and stabilize the tongue. However, for some infants, this tissue restricts tongue movement, leading to breast- or bottle-feeding difficulties.

GO! Therapy also offers therapy services for adults.

“As people age, maintaining independence can be challenging,” Hoisington said.

Medical complications related to stroke or traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, dementia and even aging, in general, can result in a lack of ability to complete daily activities like cooking and cleaning. Some adults also experience social isolation and a lack of connection.

“Our delivery model is similar with our adult population, centered around individual strengths and functional needs,” Kortuem said.

The Go! Therapy team.

“The focus is on maintaining and improving quality of life. Seeking therapy due to a loss of independence is a hard pill to swallow for any adult, but living without support is torture, in my opinion.”

For aging adults, co-treatment can be an effective method of care. Physical therapy helps people feel safe and confident in navigating their homes and the community. Occupational therapy assists in tasks of daily living like cooking, cleaning, self-care and much more. Speech and swallowing therapists may help adults who are difficult to understand, can’t think of their words, are forgetful or have poor vocal quality. Speech therapists also help adults who suffer from swallowing issues to eat and drink safely, without coughing or choking.

The next addition to their collaborative therapy approach will be in-house mental health services.

“We work very closely with many local mental health clinics and professionals. We are all collaborating more and more, but the logistics of proximity often interfere,” Hoisington said. “Building a team of professionals in-house for a more comprehensive evaluation and treatment plan is our goal.”

In a time when anxiety and depression are rising in children, an in-house mental health resource will be invaluable.

“Children aren’t naughty or behavioral, and parents aren’t to blame. There is an underlying reason the child is responding a certain way,” Kortuem said. “One of our teaching tools is an iceberg analogy. At the surface, we see a behavior or disability but understanding what

is underneath that response is critical.”

Kortuem and Hoisington continue to dream big for GO! Therapy.

“We started out with just a few therapists, and we have blossomed into an amazing team,” Kortuem said. “Our ever-growing GO! Therapy family now consists of several amazing women who play an instrumental role in bringing our mission to the community.”

Therapists Amelia Braun, Dana Siefert, Stefanie Grams, Jacey Risler and Megan Rabenberg make up the GO! Therapy dream team with specialties in speech language pathology, occupational therapy and physical therapy. Office manager Abbee Blaschko leads the GO! Therapy support professionals to keep everything running smoothly.

“It wouldn’t be possible to offer these services without these wonderful people,” Kortuem said.

The dreams and goals of GO! Therapy will continue to develop in tandem with the needs of the community. Expect to see more innovative therapy methods from them in the future.

THE ESSENTIALS

GO! Therapy

830 Sunrise Drive, Suite B St. Peter, MN 56082

Phone: (507) 934-3573 Web: gotherapymn.com

LEARN. MEET. CONNECT.

GreenSeam is dedicated to strategically building and connecting southern Minnesota’s extensive agricultural assets in order to develop and position this region as a food and agribusiness epicenter. 2022 has been a busy year for the region.

See how GreenSeam empowers new and existing businesses, their workforce, and the communities they call home.

Conagra - Waseca

GreenSeam Director, Sam Ziegler and President and CEO of Greater Mankato Growth, Jessica Beyer welcomed the new Conagra Brands processing facility to the GreenSeam! The facility construction alone has a major economic impact and will be a long-term direct economic driver for farmers, Main Street, the City of Waseca, and our entire region!

Pork Congress

From the trade show, to the seminars, to the social activities, it was a wonderful few days filled with networking and business-enhancement opportunities.

Student Farm Tours

Students, colleges and local businesses attended a variety of tours of local farms to learn about the art of farming.

Celebration of Ag 260 attendees from all around gathered at ISG Field to network with key ag leaders, hear updates from our panel of speakers and connect with GreenSeam leadership.

RURAL FORUM

December 1, 2022 | 4pm to 8pm

Crystal Valley Feed Mill

Trimont opened their doors to the new feed mill that is going to be an asset to the region.

Ag in Action

In April, 250 students in grades 4-8 from St. James, Madelia, District 77, Kato Charter and My Place joined 50 MNSU students to learn about Ag. The event focused on educating the community about career opportunities in the agribusiness sector, food and diet awareness, as well as sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices.

Board Meetings

- AGCO in Jackson , MN | 52 guests enjoyed a facility tour. - Kahler Automation in Fairmont , MN | 42 guests enjoyed a bus tour that visited Advanced Drainage Systems, CHS Soybean Processing, Rosen Diversified, Devenish Nutrition and ended back at Kahler Automation.

Global Workforce

GreenSeam brought together business and community leaders from across the region to learn about the challenges and opportunities when incorporating and accommodating:

- On April 6 | A global workforce

- On October 6 | International students and graduates into their organizations

Save the Date! The 39th annual Rural Forum is on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022 at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato. This premium event connects public leaders and a wide range of attendees from the agricultural sector, such as producers, manufacturers, educators, researches, and more. Rural Forum presents a great opportunity for conversations about key issues facing the rural economy, as well as brainstorming potential solutions.

Breaking New Ground in Water Management

If you’ve ever driven across a parking lot, attended an indoor sporting event or planted a crop, chances are good you’ve reaped the benefits of a good drainage system, whether you realized it or not. Chances are also good that Advanced Drainage Systems in Fairmont had a hand in constructing the durable, high-performance pipe used in that system.

As a leading manufacturer of stormwater and on-site septic

This

wastewater solutions, ADS helps manage one of the world’s most precious resources: water.

“We provide superior drainage solutions for a wide variety of makes and applications, including commercial, residential, infrastructure and agriculture,” ADS plant manager Josh Stangler said.

From safely pretreating and managing stormwater runoff to helping developers and property owners harvest rainwater, ADS focuses on developing water solutions that make land more arable and cities more livable. The installation of ADS drainage systems allows water to move without pooling and reduces flooding, es pecially in areas susceptible to heavy water damage. The drainage system lies beneath the targeted area, funneling excess water away to someplace where it won’t do any harm.

“These types of drainage products are everywhere,” Stangler said. “They’re under stadiums, parking lots, agriculture fields, municipalities

section brought to you in partnership with:

ADS plant manager, Josh Stangler

… what we’re doing is helping mitigate flooding and creating better experiences through the management of water.”

Founded in 1966, ADS now operates a global network of 70 manufacturing plants and 38 distribution centers. The 5,000-person company has grown mainly through acquisi tions and ships its products across the United States, Canada and occasionally, abroad.

“Each of our 70 plants is unique in what part of the process they work in, but they all have production lines and share tooling,” Stangler said.

The ADS Fairmont location has 75 em ployees. It is currently a 39,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, but it will soon double its footprint. A quick look at the expansion project plans provides a perfect example of how a drainage system works, and why it’s needed.

“We’re adding 40,000 square feet and two more production lines at our Fairmont facility,” Stangler explained. “We have it on a grid system where we have water basins in place because without them, you would have standing water when it rains. If you drive into any parking lot, you’re going to find a storm basin. If you don’t, that parking lot is going to flood. What we do here at ADS is mitigate that flooding with our drainage systems.”

Each ADS plant concentrates on different products and applications. For example, most work at the ADS Fairmont location is designed for agricultural applications. The plant supports seven states in the upper Midwest.

“Within that region, there are six plants, and most are in the ag industry, but they also help support the commercial side, too,” Stangler said. “We produce different systems that don’t just move water, but they might be managing the water source instead. We are working with an incredibly talented team at the Fairmont plant, and we couldn’t do it without them.”

ADS began working with farmers 56 years ago to solve their drainage needs. It is the leader in agricultural water management, selling 440 million feet of drainage pipe in the United States and Canada each year.

ADS manufacturing plants produce products with multiple applications, in cluding water treatment systems, infiltrator systems, drainage systems and everything in between.

“The options are endless for what we can produce,” Stangler said. “You can kind of think of the drainage systems as adult LEGO sets.”

Stangler said ADS has a diverse client base, selling its services to both individuals and large corporations. Its products are used in a wide range of industries, including agriculture, aviation and military, com mercial and mixed-use, landfills, mining, parking and structure, residential, sports turf and golf, transportation, health care, education and timber.

“We have a commitment to all of our customers as far as support goes,” Stangler said. “We serve a wide variety of markets, and we actually have one of the largest company-owned fleets in the country. So, when something is sent out to an Advanced Drainage Systems customer, it’s delivered by an ADS truck. We have a full-service com mitment to providing our product and de livering great customer service and support.”

ADS is also the largest plastic recycling company in North America, converting thousands of tons of discarded plastic into new products.

“From a sustainability standpoint, we recycle and produce over (half a billion) pounds of plastic per year,” Stangler said. “It’s part of our commitment to sustainability as a company. We want to be good stewards of the environment and land. Doing what we can to keep plastic out of landfills, oceans and water streams is our goal.”

The company purchases anything that has been recycled post-industrial or post-consumer. So when you put out your household recycling, it’s likely some of your discarded plastic items will eventu ally make their way to ADS and someday become part of a new ADS part or product.

“Basically, we’re buying what’s in your recycling bins at the end of your driveway,” he said. “We’re reusing your Tide bottles and water bottles … anything that is made with HDPE #2 plastic. We turn all of that into pipe products. We own recycling centers that can break it down into flake material, and turn around and use that material to create optimized blends to make our products.”

ADS has been promoting sustainability through recycling and utilizing recycled products for a number of years now. It plans to continue the operation as it looks

Anna Vangsness CONTRIBUTING WRITER

to expand for future growth.

“Our business continues to grow,” Stangler said. “One of our goals as a company is to produce 1 billion pounds of pipe this year. Part of that is supporting growth with passion and automation.”

By bringing in additional engineering and automation services, the company has found better ways to produce pipes and diversify its customer offerings in a competitive market.

“Our market does slow down, so this is a way we can protect the business, so we don’t have significant shortfalls,” Stangler said.

“Our company’s vision statement is ‘Our reason is water.’ That’s why we continue and expand. Right now, our markets are expanding with us, so we’re just trying to support the level of demand.”

Like most companies, ADS has been working hard to fill employment gaps. To fill the void, it has incorporated automa tion into its processes to help fill positions until new employees are hired and trained. Adding automation serves several purposes for the company.

“It’s partly due to the lack of people, to not being able to expand with people in these economic conditions,” Stangler said. “But more than anything, it’s been about improving as a company and finding better and safer ways to process our pipe.”

Looking to the future, the ADS Fairmont facility is slated to finish its expansion by summer 2023. The 40,000-square-foot ex pansion will include 13 acres of additional yard space for pipe storage. In addition, the company has set its sights on bringing in 15 to 20 employees to meet demand.

“Our business is growing fast, so we’re going to continue to grow with our mar kets,” Stangler said. “We’ll keep working to support our demand.”

WASECA Morgan’s Meat Market

Morgan’s Meat Market opened in Waseca in July 2021, but this is not owner Dean Morgan’s first rodeo. He started in the meat indus try in 1985 and opened a meat market in New Richland in 2003.

“I had worked with some of the best meat people in the indus try, but I wanted to branch out on my own. In 2003, the locker in New Richland came up for sale and I jumped at the opportunity,” Morgan said.

After almost 20 years in New Richland, Morgan sold the business and opened his newest venture in Waseca. Morgan’s is a full-service meat market offering on-the-farm butchering, wild game processing and a full line of homemade and fresh farm products. Its quality meats won seven awards from the Minnesota Association of Meat Processors in 2022.

“We take great pride in what we do. It shows with the awards we have won,” Morgan said. “We also take pride in our customer service. Our fresh meat case is cut and filled daily, and we carry over 250 different kinds of homemade products and sausages.”

Morgan said the best part of his job is getting to know his custom ers and their families: “We get to work with the best sausage guys in the country, and that helps us fine-tune our recipes as we make our product from scratch.”

Morgan is in the store seven days a week, even on holidays. He’s quick to credit his staff for their contributions to the market.

“With the success we have had, none of it would be possible without the help of our great employees,” Morgan said. “I consider them some of the best people I have worked with and the most dedicated to their profession.”

Fairmont Brewing Company

Small-town breweries have been increasing in popularity over the past several years. They’re a highlight for tourists looking for a roadtrip destination and a popular hangout for locals. Each offers its own signature beers, with flavors that capture the unique essence of the area.

The Fairmont Brewing Company was founded in February 2021 and opened in April 2022 in beautiful downtown Fairmont.

“Inspired by the natural beauty and people of our town, our beer reflects the vibrant community surrounding us: relaxed, approachable. It leaves you feeling better than when you came,” owner Joe Riemann said.

Fairmont Brewing Company offers beer, seltzers, nonalcoholic

and locally sourced charcuterie boxes,” Riemann said. “Customers are also welcome to order in, bring in takeout or bring in their own food. We also have dog-friendly, outdoor seating.”

Whether you are traveling through the area on I-90 or looking for a laid-back place to get out of town, Fairmont Brewing Company is a great destination. Its website says it best: “Come for the beer, stay for the lakes! Cheers!”

Fairmont Brewing 414 Downtown Plaza Web: fairmontbrewing.com Facebook: @Fairmont Brewing Company

MANKATO

Generations Child & Memory Care

Generations Child & Memory Care is bridging the gap between generations with an innovative approach that enriches the lives of both young and old.

“Our top priority is continuing to enrich the lives of our grand friends and kiddos in our small, person-centered facility,” Morgan Haman said. “Our focus is to provide a safe and home-like atmosphere with everyday programming that decreases isolation and continues to promote independence as long as possible.”

Haman is a licensed assisted living director and child care director at Generations.

The Generations concept was developed by co-owner Kristin Gunsolus, who wanted to build her grandmother a quality care facility that she could call home. Her grandmother, Shelby, had Alzheimer’s and needed memory care. While researching her new business idea, Gunsolus discovered a facility on the West Coast with the intergenerational concept. So, she decided to bring the concept to Mankato. Co-owners Jody Linder, Jared Linder and Brittany Linder helped her bring her vision to life.

Generations opened its door in January. It’s a one-of-a-kind Mankato facility that offers both child care and memory care, including daily cross-generational activities. Its child care center accepts children ages 6 weeks to 5 years with a total capacity of 42. The Assisted Living with Dementia Care area has a 22-tenant

capacity.

“We have 20 private suites that are equipped with their own heating and air controls, cable TV hookup, large private bathroom with a walk-in shower, vanity and natural light,” Haman said. “Our staff provides person-centered care for all and other services needed for each tenant. I care so much for my grandfriends, and I can see that my team does, as well.”

Generations Child & Memory Care 3631 Hoffman Road Phone: (507) 720-0644 Web: caremankato.com

First CNC Program in MN for Young Adults with Autism

South Central College (SCC) has expanded its o erings with a rst-of-its-kind program in Minnesota geared for young adults with autism.

e fully-funded summer program, which is called Uniquely Abled Academy (UAA), provides individuals with autism the hands-on training and high-tech skills needed to prepare for a career as a computer numerical control (CNC) operator.

Industry. “It’s not just education. It’s not just instruction. It is our goal to have them go to work in the local manufacturing industry. at’s the end goal.”

Over 12 weeks, participating students receive over 300 hours of in-class instruction and 60 hours of job readiness so skills training tailored to young adults with autism. e nal week consists of mock interviews with local employer partners who are looking to hire for their companies.

SCC’s inaugural cohort of 11 young adults with autism successfully completed the academy and are now trained as entry-level CNC operators. e students were celebrated at a special graduation ceremony on August 25, 2022.

Having completed the Uniquely Abled Academy, the graduates received job placement support, including meeting with potential employers. ey also had the opportunity to continue expanding their skills with additional CNC Machining courses as part of SCC’s Machine Tool Technology program. Two of the students have already decided to continue their education at SCC this Fall.

SCC is the 10th college in the nation to

Customized Workforce Education division is the rst one available in Minnesota, Hanson said.

Uniquely Abled Academies were developed through the Uniquely Abled Project and are also available in California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

e rst Uniquely Abled Academy at SCC was free to participants thanks to an Innovation Grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

South Central College hopes to receive additional funding support to continue the program at no cost to participants again next summer. While it costs approximately $10,000 per student to fund the program, organizers and supporters agree the bene ts that come from it are worth the investment.

FREE Mental Health First Aid Information Session

Please join us for a FREE 1-hour information session on Mental Health First Aid training in the workplace. Almost 1 in 5 American adults experience a mental health or substance use challenge that impacts them at home and work. Luckily, the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) movement has been gaining traction across the country and the world. rough MHFA training, your sta will gain the skills necessary to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health challenges, how to o er initial help, and how to connect a person to appropriate support.

November 16, 2022 | 12-1pm

Cost:

Drama-Free Work: Managing Conflict In the Workplace

is life-changing training will reveal the universal triggers of mistrust in the workplace. Learn why negative assumptions pick up momentum and spread, and how to eliminate behaviors that spark power struggles and mistrust. By the end of this course, you and your team will be able to take the drama out of disagreement, create positive change by being hard on the problem and so on the people, and create a culture of connectedness and trust in your workplace. Just one takeaway from this training will impact your life in a positive way! Register your team today and witness a shi from contempt to courage and curiosity in your workplace.

December 1 & 8, 2022 | 9am-12:30pm Cost: $495

Mental Health First Aid Certification

Invest in your team's wellbeing with Mental Health First Aid training. is comprehensive training teaches participants how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health or substance use challenges among colleagues and direct reports on the job. Mental Health First Aid can bene t your organization by helping equip your sta with the skills they may need on the job, and empowering employees with a baseline mental health literacy so they can start to better care for their own mental health and those around them. Participants who successfully complete the course will be certi ed for 3 years by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

December 14, 2022 | 12-6:30pm Cost: $195

southcentral.edu/workforce

Matt Teske and Tom Teske

By Anna Vangsness Photos by Jonathan Smith

Teske Manufacturing celebrates 20 years in the utility trailer business this year.

Led by father/son duo Tom Teske and Matt Teske, the Springfield, Minnesota, company makes single-axle trailers. Its versatile products are used to transport golf carts, ATVs, lumber, leaves and landscaping, and anything else one would like to tow. Designed to be pulled behind pickup trucks or cars, they are helpful for work, recreation and everything in between.

The business opened in 2002 when Tom worked for a business broker in Mankato. At the time, his boss was looking to acquire companies that fit within their area of expertise, which was the construction industry. Though the Mankato area didn't have a company they felt was the right fit, there was a different opportunity 55 miles west in a town with roughly 2,000 people.

"There was a small manufacturing company that was in bankruptcy in Springfield, and they were either trying to liquidate the business or sell it to get a little profit for it," Tom Teske said. "The bank was underwater with the loan. The bank's representative approached us, and they kept sweetening their offer until we finally decided to take a shot at it."

Continues

In its heyday, the former Springfield company was an agricultural confinement system builder serving the pork processing industry. When the pork industry went through a large recession, like many other companies in the same field, the business needed to switch its focus and look for other things to set its sights on.

“So, they started making trailers,” Tom explained. “When we were looking at purchasing the company, we saw some interest and value in that marketplace.”

Currently, Teske Manufacturing actively produces nine different trailer models.

the upper Midwest. The company doesn’t sell through private dealers but rather through partnerships with companies like Fleet Farm and Farm & Fleet, both 20-year customers of the Teskes.

“We’ve been very fortunate that we came to the company with two major accounts and said, ‘Give us a year to perform, and if we don’t, you can cut us loose,’” Tom said. “But we showed the companies that we knew what we were doing, and I’m proud to say they’re still with us after two decades.”

Tom didn’t have any direct experience in trailer design and sales when the company

manufacturing company was in place when Tom purchased it, the facility was not as automated as it is today.

“We could always make the trailers, but we wanted to figure out ways to make our trailers better, faster and cheaper but still high quality,” Tom said.

For roughly the past five years, Teske Manufacturing has acquired and utilized robotic elements in its business model, which helps speed up the construction process using automation.

“Automation is not meant to replace the human element,” Matt said. “The robots are here to assist wherever possible, and they are very useful when it comes to more technical and skilled jobs and the repetitive work that comes along with it.”

At its employment peak, Teske Manu facturing had 35 to 40 employees. Today, it struggles to keep 20 to 25 employees on hand.

“That’s why, in order to offset the low number of employees, we’ve invested quite extensively into automation with robotic welders and painters,” Matt said. “We

Paving the Way in the Trailer Industry

always rely on people, and our goal is to have a big, happy, strong team, but it’s been hard. That’s where automation has been helping. It’s allowing us to stay where we are and gives us the opportunity to grow.”

“Moving towards automation is helping us to ensure we have a future in this business,” Tom said. “We were close to the front of businesses with bringing in this type of automation, but a lot of organizations are starting to catch on and are doing the same thing. It’s one of the only ways to get things done these days.”

Teske Manufacturing is unique in its busi ness model of being a small, family-owned business in a small town in rural Minnesota. One of its goals is to have its employees enjoy coming to work every day.

“We want to bring people in with different backgrounds under one roof and make it an enjoyable experience for everyone,” Tom said. “It works for some people but not for others. It’s an ongoing challenge we have been working hard to face head-on.”

Currently, the company is looking to hire for multiple manufacturing positions, from the start of trailer construction to the end. Jobs include openings for fabricators, welders and assemblers.

“We need bodies. It’s as simple as that,” Tom said. “Since 2020, we’ve been struggling to find employees. The whole lack of em ployees has been a challenge in both big and small cities. Right now, that’s the biggest challenge … trying to figure out what people want. What used to make sense for the traditional workday doesn’t anymore, and that’s an unresolved challenge many of us are trying to come to grips with. We’re trying to talk to employees on both a oneon-one basis and a group basis to see what comes of it.”

The company has had much success being headquartered in Springfield. Tom attributes a portion of that success to the city and its people, which is why the business has stayed in the community for the past two decades.

“We have always hoped that the town would appreciate and support us, and they really do,” Tom said. “When Teske Manufac turing started, the employees had a lot of tribal knowledge in the building, which is what we needed at that time, and then we became comfortable being in Springfield. The town is nice, small and rural, and small

Teske Manufacturing | Springfield

Natalie Sohre Agent CHRISTCHURCHMANKATO.ORG

We take pride in our work throughout the Midwest. Because we live here too.

Martin County Veterans Memorial Helicopter Support and Foundation Design

the Way in the Trailer Industry

rural towns need places like ours to help them stay thriving. We made a 10-year commitment to stay there, and that was 20 years ago. We want to be as good to Springfield as the town has been to us.”

Through his more than 10 years of experience in the trailer business, Matt expressed that although manufacturing isn’t the easiest trade, the family-run organization continues to make high-quality prod ucts that people want. The demand allows Teske Manufacturing the ability to continue its craft while growing at the same time.

“We take a lot of pride in what we do,” Matt said. “We enjoy being able to make something that not everyone can do themselves.”

For both Teskes, the trailer design and construction process is the part of the job they enjoy the most. Tom attributes this to their entrepreneurial streaks.

“I will say that when I drive down the road and I see a Teske Man ufacturing trailer, I get a little bit excited every time,” Matt said. “I’ve been seeing them around Minnesota for years, but occasionally I’ll see one when we’re traveling out of state, and I get a jolt of excitement. It’s interesting and cool to see something that we made out in the wild with people using it.”

Tom agreed with his son and said it’s exciting to see the manu facturing process from beginning to end.

“I enjoy the whole process,” Tom said. “You start with a flat piece of steel at one end of the factory, and at the other end, you have a completed, functional product by the time it’s done. That whole piece has always been interesting to me.”

When it comes to his work, Matt said he enjoys the design aspect the most. In fact, the company has recently started manufacturing a new type of trailer with one of his ideas.

“We introduced a new kayak-hauling trailer this year, but the project is currently in the infancy stage,” Tom said. “This is a down year for most businesses due to high prices and uncertainty

Paving

Teske Manufacturing’s new kayak trailer.

in the marketplace. At the end of the day, retailers have seen slower sales in some areas than in previous years. It’s given us time to reflect and position ourselves even better for when the market comes back.”

Tom noted that the supply chain in 2022 hasn’t affected Teske Manufacturing’s work as much as it did in the previous year.

“Our business and similar businesses are seeing a downturn in sales this year,” Tom said. “The logistics are beginning to improve, but some of the longer lead times have impacted us. We’re managing through it and are giving ourselves enough of a time frame to complete our work.”

With thousands of trailer manufacturing companies in their marketplace, Matt said the company continues to put out the best product it can within price constraints.

“There’s a lot of different opportunities to buy trailers out there,” Matt said. “We want our customers to have a product that functions and looks good, and one that people can be confident is built in a high-quality manner.”

One way the business ensures its trailers meet the highest industry standards is by maintaining safety compliance verification through the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers.

When a trailer has a NATM compliance decal on its frame, the purchaser knows the trailer manufacturer meets NATM’s high standards. The NATM compliance verification program features an extensive checklist of items to ensure member manufacturers

have the proper processes to build trailers in accordance with federal safety regulations and industry best practices. According to the NATM website, a key component of the program is that an independent third party knowledgeable in the requirements conducts the consultation.

“The consultation includes things down to ‘Do the lights shine on the road the correct way?’” Tom said. “Our business is subject to National Highway Safety Transportation and Department of Transportation requirements. Even though we’re a trailer manu facturing company, we still have the same guidelines that automotive businesses do.”

That’s where the NATM comes in, he said.

“A number of years back, that organization established a strict set of compliance requirements,” Tom said. “If you build your trailers in such a way and incorporate these specific assets, you’ll get a seal for safety approval. It’s basically a way to be recognized within the industry that you have built a quality and safe product.”

When it comes to selling their products, the NATM seal of approval helps, Matt said.

“It’s almost like a way of checking our back swing,” he said. “NATM will come in during the year and perform audits to make sure we’re constructing our trailers as safely as possible. It’s a way for us to be compliant and accountable. It’s a big benefit for us. We go down this path not for recognition but to make sure our trailers are constructed correctly and as safely as possible.”

In addition to the NATM seal of approval, the Teskes pride themselves on using heavier grade materials than their competitors, along with a powder coat that is more durable than the standard wet paint.

“We try to incorporate items that we would want when buying trailers,” Matt said.

“And we’re made in America,” added Tom. “We’re picky suckers. I stress that in meetings with our team. We make stuff people want to buy, so everyone should be proud of the work that they’re doing here.”

Matt has officially been working full time at Teske for the past 10 years but has been around the shop since the beginning. He recalls that even as a young kid, he knew he wanted to be involved in the business with his dad. And a decade in, the business ven ture seems to be working well for the pair.

“We’re fortunate to have a good business relationship,” Matt said. “We, relatively, see eye-to-eye on most things. Ultimately, we both fill our roles and don’t step on each other’s toes. It’s been good.”

After 20 years at the company, Tom knows what it’s like to work with and without his son. He’s happy to have him on board.

“In terms of having Matt here, I couldn’t do it any other way at this point,” he said. “He’s critical to the operation and my sanity. We also maintain an excellent father/son relationship outside of our business rela tionship, too. I’m very fortunate on my end that we get to spend a lot of time together outside of work.”

With the end of his Teske Manufacturing tenure on the horizon, Tom said he will likely always have a role in Teske Manu facturing. However, his role will change over the coming years.

“Matt will have to take on a number of my leadership roles, and we’ll have to find some key players,” Tom said. “Teske Manu facturing will continue to grow and expand while increasing product capabilities.”

“Hopefully, we can find someone else to come from an administrative and manage

ment standpoint because I’ve got big shoes to fill,” Matt said with a laugh.

Teske Manufacturing, like all businesses, has challenges to overcome, but the Teskes know they have a good foundation to build on in the years to come, no matter who is at the helm.

“We’re very fortunate to have some key employees that are long-term, dedicated people,” Tom said. “Employees are the sink or swim component of any business, and we’re very fortunate in the core group that has helped us, and continues to help us, along the way.”

THE ESSENTIALS

Teske Manufacturing

910 Wilson St. W Springfield, MN 56087

Phone: (507) 723-4160

Web: teskemfg.com

Facebook: @Teske Manufacturing Inc.

Live Interview, Audience Q&A

Google what it means to be an entrepreneur and you’ll get a variety of answers: a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money; a person who can identify and make the most of opportunities, overcome and learn from setbacks, and succeed in a variety of settings. Indeed, Google is right. An entre preneur is all of these things. But also, so much more. The Small Business Development Center in Mankato is doing a deep dive into what it means to be an entrepreneur in southern Minnesota. And they invited the community to join them. To kick off the Behind the Success Series-Lessons Learned From Entrepreneurs series, the SBDC brought in a Minnesota State University, Mankato alum Kris Lindahl. If the name doesn’t spark recognition, his billboards will. Since launching the 600-strong billboard campaign two years ago, Kris has sold $2.5 billion in real estate. But Kris’ journey actually started more than a decade ago. It has taken time to build his success.

He shared his lessons learned with the crowd of entrepreneurs. Here are their takeaways:

Tom Clement, assistant professor of management with the College of Business, had several thoughts on the event.

“First, I enjoyed his story about selling his first several properties when it was just him and his administrative assistant. The theme was that in order for entrepreneurs to be successful, they have to be willing to put in the work. Long hours, crazy schedules, etc. Every entrepreneur needs to hear and be prepared for that,” says Clement. “Second, I appreciated that he was open to any and all questions. No filters. And he was also willing to answer and not duck those questions. Third, there was a genuineness that I was not necessarily expecting. The real estate profession has its share of disingenuous characters, especially when it comes to new approaches to making money, like the ‘Guaranteed Offer’ program. Kris was high energy, but he was a really likable guy. Approachable, not phony.”

Another set of entrepreneurs in the room, Ryan Sturgis and Mi chael Chalhoub, of True Facade Pictures, agree.

“We think his authenticity is the key to his success. It was good to hear as that’s been our approach, as well, using our clients’ truth to succeed in their market. Kris obviously gets it. He imparted so much wisdom in that hour conversation! It was an awesome event,” says Sturgis.

Colette Drager, a new entrepreneur who worked with the SBDC to start her business, The Meatery, appreciated Lindahl’s insights.

“Kris Lindahl’s speech was a powerful reminder of what you can accomplish with hard work and perseverance. The Be Generous mentality and other business leadership principles shared by Kris res onated with the room of entrepreneurs. Appreciative to the sponsors for bringing Kris, an MSU grad, back to Mankato. Successful startup stories like Kris’ are what inspires emerging businesses to keep going.”

Want to come learn for yourself? Save the date now! The next Behind the Success event is planned for January 18, 2023.

Lisa Cownie interviews Kris Lindahl

This series presented by:

After the interview, attendees join Kris Lindahl in doing “The Lindahl.”

By

What steps did you take to get here?

I started buying rental prop erties right after high school. As opportunities to buy Kato Moving & Storage and Owatonna Self Storage and to build Birchwood Cottages came up, my father and I, along with our respective part ners in each of these projects, took a chance and went for it. As time went on, we added storage units and warehousing opportu nities and have found ourselves busy with the growth of all the businesses.

Why did you choose this career path?

From a fairly young age, I knew I could not be stuck behind a desk all day. So, I spent plenty of time trying to figure out other things I might like better. As business opportunities came up, I found myself not only interest ed but excited about taking the risk and working hard to make it successful.

What personal strengths help you excel in your chosen career?

I try to look at a problem from many angles to try and come up with the best overall solution. A lot of times, there is not a perfect an swer, so you do the best you can with what you have. I also know many trades, so I can be useful when and where it’s needed.

What is your favorite part of your job?

I really enjoy the variety and challenge of things I have not done before. No day is ever the same. Somedays I am unloading a truck; others, I am going over the budget.

What advice would you give to other young professionals?

First, treat people well and things will probably be alright. Second, my advice for anyone would be to come up with a plan that makes sense for you in any part of life you are attempting to change or improve. Write it down, along with some practical steps for achieving that goal. Then follow up on that regularly to hold yourself accountable.

Is there any training or event that has had a big impact on your career?

There was not one big thing but many small ones. Many of my family members have business or finance degrees or backgrounds, so from as early as I can remember, Thanksgiving-type conversations would include discussions about compound interest or Medicare mixed in with school and sports topics. Outside of family, I would have to give a big thank you to Kyle Smith for taking the time to help someone he had never met. At about 16, I reached out to him to see if he would meet with me. One of my teachers at the time, Marti Sievek, ended up getting a meeting set up. He went through a lot of things with me, which was extremely helpful and took some of the uncertainty out of getting into business. I am extremely fortunate to have had these chances, along with a strong family background.

What books, podcasts or videos have helped you?

A friend bought me a copy of Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki in high school. I think there are a lot of good principles

for good financial health in that book, whether it is for you or your business.

What app can’t you live without?

I use the Weather Channel daily. The weather has a big impact on our move crews and their safety. Also, when the lakes are not frozen, we have a good group of people that we water ski with several times a week, so, for example, a strong wind out of the north means we probably are not going to the lake that day.

Looking back on the beginning of your career, what do you know now that you wish you’d known then?

You don’t know what you don’t know. It is crazy how long you can do something, and then all of a sudden, you learn a new way to do it. Then you are telling yourself, “I can’t believe I was doing it the hard way all this time.” Always listen to people; you never know what you might learn.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I have been trying to write my 10-year plan for the last two years and still do not have that figured out yet. On the work side, we are always looking for ways to improve our pro cesses and build our team. We have some of the best people around, which makes every thing we do possible and fun. I will try my best to have a good work-life balance. On the life side of things, I would like to do some traveling and spend more time with my family.

Sharing the stories of the next generation, and exploring the dreams that motivate them.

Ashley Hanley

Wempen

Randall Wempen is our November Rising Star. The co-owner of Kato Moving & Storage, Birchwood Cottages and Owatonna Self Storage, he spends most of his time on operations and expansion. In this interview, he shares his passions and the secrets to his success.

Henderson

From the Henderson Chamber of Commerce: The Henderson Independent Newspaper has relocated to 507 Main Street; Purdy & Co. Salon has relocated to 781 Main Street. The Henderson Fitness Center, now called Jessenland Health and Fitness is under new ownership. The resur facing of Hwy 19 east of Henderson is now complete. The 12th Annual Ladies Night/ Toy Drive will be held on November 4.

Le Sueur

From the Le Sueur Chamber of Com merce: Coffee Connections will be held at the Le Sueur Eyecare Center on October 14 and at Cornerstone Bank on November 18. Chamber membership meetings will be held on November 17 and December 15.

Mankato

JacksonThe Jackson Business Development Committee recently announced the open ing of the application period for the 2023 Jackson Business Challenge. This is the 5th year for the program with the winner receiving a prize package valued at over $20,000 in grants and services. Complete details, along with the application, are available at cityofjacksonmn.com/jbc.

Lake Crystal

From the City of Lake Crystal: Christ mas in Lake Crystal Holiday Craft & Gift Fair will be held on December 3 at the Rec Center. The City of Lake Crystal is working on a 21 acre housing development while a hotel feasibility study is being conducted. The business community is seeing growth with the addition of J & J Car Sales and Infusion Baking Company both opening their new location in downtown Lake Crystal.

Dennis Paul and Aaron Wurm, financial advisors with Wealth Management Solu tions, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC , obtained their Certified Financial Plan nerTM certification.

Long-time public safety expert and re tired Fire Chief, Jerry Streich, has joined Brunton Architects & Engineers. Streich will focus on Business Development in the Public Safety Division, helping local government officials through the process of designing new facilities.

Officials from South Central College, the SCC North Mankato Campus Foundation, and Bolton & Menk recently announced Bolton & Menk’s generous contribution to support a future Infrastructure Solutions Lab at the college’s North Mankato Campus.

Abdo, LLP, a Minnesota-based public accounting firm, announced that it is ex panding its footprint by adding an office in Arizona.

First National Bank Minnesota has promoted Janel Schmidt to Belle Plaine Branch President. In addition to managing the operations of the Belle Plaine branch location, Schmidt continues to serve

on the First National Bank Minnesota Leadership Team and leads the bank’s retail deposit team as the Vice President and Senior Retail Operations Officer.

Scooter’s Coffee and APX Construction Group recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for Scooter’s Coffee located at 1060 Madison Avenue.

The Independent Community Bankers of America recently released its rankings of the top lenders for 2022. United Prairie Bank was ranked 14th in the nation in the Ag lending category of its peers. This ranking places United Prairie in the top 1.06% of banks in this peer group, which consists of community banks with $300 million to $1 billion in asset size.

Heather Thielges is the new market leader for Eide Bailly’s Mankato office.

The Mankato Area Foundation, along with 11 partners from their public, private and nonprofit sectors, announced that they are launching one of the largest communi ty-led, mixed-method inclusivity studies in America, which gauges the current status of inclusivity for students, individuals who work in, and residents of Blue Earth and Nicollet counties.

Home For the Holidays will be held on November 13. Tickets are available at peohomefortheholidays.eventbrite.com.

Mountain Lake

The Mountain Lake Chamber of Com merce announced the opening of a new business, Six Gun Sally’s Gun Shop. The gun shop buys, sells, trades and transfers guns. They have a certified instructor for Minnesota permit to carry and offer hand

gun classes for beginners. In addition, the owner was recently certified as a Glock armorer. Upcoming City of Mountain Lake events include: Christmas at the Village at 1803 Mountain Lake Rd and Christmas at the Park at 930 Third Ave on November 25.

New Ulm

The New Ulm Area Chamber of Com merce welcomes Mathew D Sparlin Photography , MLC Early Childhood Learning Center, T-Mobile, Tallgrass Cider, Brown County Yellow Ribbon, and Tommy’s Tacos as new members. Upcoming events include: US Army Jazz Ambassadors, Holiday Shopping Opener, Parade of Lights, Small Business Saturday, and #ShopNewUlm at Night. See the Chamber’s website for more info.

North Mankato

From the City of North Mankato : Construction is underway at the Lor Ray Center (1721 Lor Ray Dr.) that will house a future Starbucks and Chipotle. This Center is expected to be completed in early 2023. Construction projects at Caswell Park are almost complete; improvements to the park include new fencing, electrical & streaming services, backstops, dugouts, scoreboards, lights and landscaping. The updated park will be open to visitors in 2023. Upcoming City of North Mankato events include: Fall into Reading Author Series at Taylor Library-check the Taylor Library’s Facebook page or their website for

To submit a press release for publication, please email production@connectbiz.com

specific dates; Shop Small: Saturday, Bells on Belgrade, Concessions on Commerce at Curiosi-Tea House, Winter Wonderland Party, and the Hometown Holiday Lights Contest. Register your lights display at the Taylor Library’s website.

St. Peter

The Saint Peter Chamber of Commerce is offering a $20 voucher to adults who spend $50 at a shopping or dining site in November or December as an incentive to attract shoppers and diners from the area. This program is supported by a tourism grant. Several boutiques and specialty shops in Saint Peter are hosting holiday open houses in early November. Stores are promoting specials for Small Business Saturday on November 26.

River’s Edge Hospital announced the addition of Jake Halstenson as the Chief Financial Officer. River’s Edge Hospital CEO, Paula Meskan, received the Health care Hero at the National What’s Right in Healthcare Conference.

River’s Edge Hospital will soon have expanded access to tele-emergency services thanks to a new tele-emergency program funded through a grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust’s Rural Healthcare Program.

Sleepy Eye

The City of Sleepy Eye continues to celebrate it’s 150th Birthday Anniversary. Activities that have been held as part of the celebration include Summer Fest, the instal

lation and dedication of a Huey Helicopter in Veteran’s Park, a community birthday party which took place at the Sleepy Eye Museum, and the 100th Anniversary Celebration of Babe Ruth playing an October 22, 1922 game in the baseball park (one of only three left in America still standing that he played in). The Sleepy Eye Brewery presented its second annual Oktoberfest. The Downtown District continues to flourish and grow. A self-guided walking tour, with access to a QR Code explaining the history of the buildings, along with historical pictures, was recently added as a downtown amenity for visitors to come and experience Sleepy Eye.

Waseca

First National Bank of Waseca has re branded and now operates as Keen Bank The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) announced that com munity banker Bernie Gaytko, President and CEO of Keen Bank was elected to the ICBA Federal Delegate Board. ICBA is the nation’s voice for community banks.

Winnebago

From the City of Winnebago: Muir Library and the Winnebago Museum will be hosting Mt. Everest climber Jen Loeb on November 12 at the Museum. She will discuss her experience in climbing Everest and share some pictures and videos. A Veterans Day celebration will be held at the Veterans Resource Center on November 11. The City of Winnebago’s annual Frosty Fest will be held on December 2.

Team Work Makes The Dream Work

I still remember how excited I was to learn that Mankato Area Foundation (MAF) was planning to hire an executive director. For over three decades, the organization had a history of supporting important initiatives in our area and had a superb reputation for engaging talented and dedicated board members. They were a hard-working volunteer-run group wanting to find someone to build on their efforts.

After I was hired in 2009, we did a strategic examination of our role in the community and dreamt big about our future. We agreed on the need to create the infrastructure that would allow MAF to engage our philanthropic community, grow assets, and ultimately increase our impact on the community.

To do that, it required the right boards AND the right employees.

The Foundation’s team has grown slowly and methodically. One at a time,

we attracted the best staff possible to advance our goals. Together, we needed to understand the challenges and op portunities facing our nonprofit sector,

The Mankato Area Foundation team, pictured left to right: Maureen Gustafson, Sarah Beiswanger, Rita Rassbach, Nancy Zallek, Ashley Eimer, Tricia Lewis and Sammi Spicer.

create an organization that embodied trust and confidence, and function as a visionary community partner. Because of this talented and committed staff, the Foundation has grown tremendously.

I want to introduce you to some of my favorite people. These dedicated individuals bring energy, enthusiasm, and professionalism to the workplace every day! I am so fortunate to work with them. I hope you will take a moment to “meet” our team and realize what it takes to transform our region through charitable giving.

–Nancy Zallek, President and CEO

Ashley Eimer, Vice President of Philanthropy

“I love that Mankato Area Foundation exists to help donors shape their legacy and serve as a resource to support this thriving community. Thanks to the work of this team of rockstars, dreams are made, plans are carried out, and our com munity’s organizations grow and thrive.

My position is new to MAF, which is exciting because it speaks to the success and growth of the organization. Each day in this job is different, but that’s what drives me! Whether it’s connecting passionate people with organizations or projects they would like to support, collaborating to find creative solutions to challenges in the community, or helping people achieve their philanthropic goals, every day is an adventure.”

Tricia Lewis, Operations and Governance Director

“It is hard to describe what I do at the Foundation because I wear so many different hats. I manage Shared Spaces, I coordinate all of our marketing efforts, I provide operational and administrative support to the team, I handle technology support, and more. I am basically the Amazon Alexa of the Foundation–if you have a question, just ask! If I don’t have the answer, I will find it.

After working here for seven years, I can easily say that no two days are the same. You can never predict what the priority is going to be from day to day, and consequently I have never once not looked forward to going to work! I love that I have the opportunity to be directly involved with so many great philanthropic initiatives happening in our community.”

Sammi Spicer, Finance Director

“My job involves being a puzzle-solver and a gatekeeper. I get to make sure our accounts are in balance, handle incoming and outgoing funds, ensure our grants go to qualified nonprofits, and work with Nancy and the board to ensure we are prepared to manage our future growth.

I just started working at MAF recently, and I applied because I was impressed by the Foundation’s history, growth, and their ability to make a real difference in our community. I quickly felt a part of this team and I thoroughly enjoy facili tating the charitable gifts of our donors.”

Maureen Gustafson, Donor Relations and Programs Director

“Every day I get to see old friends AND make new connections. And it is so fun assisting these generous individuals in fulfilling their legacy.

One particular memory that will always stay with me is that of a donor couple who had a dream of turning their passion for Maverick Hockey into a fuller experience for all who attended. They wanted to create a “wow factor” gateway to the hockey arena, and it came to fruition in the form of the amazing smoking bull statues you see in front of the Mayo Health Systems Event Center today. However, those didn’t appear by magic! It took months to imagine, design, create and install. The dedication event occurred during an April rainstorm in the middle of the pandemic. It was cold and chaotic, but everyone was too filled with joy celebrating something new together (for the first time in months!) to notice. I loved every minute of it!”

Sarah Beiswanger, Community Grants and Nonprofits Specialist

“I work at Mankato Area Foundation because it allows me to make an impact in the community I grew up in. The work I do really resonates with me because I have always been a connector–connecting peo ple to what they are looking for or need.

I love being able to help nonprofits in our area and to help students apply for the many generous scholarships our do nors have made possible. Since I started at MAF, our scholarships have increased from 3 to 19! This past year we awarded over 40 scholarships to students in this region. It’s an amazing feeling to be part of such incredible philanthropy, and

there’s truly nothing better than seeing the happy face of a kid who has just received a scholarship for college!”

Rita Rassbach, Administrative Coordinator

“Working for Mankato Area Foundation means I get to work with an amazing team of strong women who want to make the world a better place and for an organization whose focus is on philan thropy and meeting our community’s needs. If that doesn’t scream ‘dream job’ for me, I’m not sure what would!

Right now I have the most fantastic opportunity to work on the Greater Mankato Inclusivity Study. In other words, I get to work with many people from great partner organizations and diverse backgrounds with the goal of continuing to make our community a wonderful place. I am so proud of our partners and the Foundation for being invested in learning more about our community and its residents. To me, it’s like working with warm hugs every day!”