11/24/2011 - Dakota County Tribune Business Weekly

Page 1

JESSICA HARPER LAURA ADELMANN JESSICA HARPER

Hearing-aid maker moves in Eagan 2A Burnsville company expands to Farmington 2A Data center selects Eagan site 5A

dakotacountytribune.biz dakotacountytribune.biz

DATE ##, 2009 NOVEMBER 24, 2011

VOLUME 30, NUMBER # VOLUME 32, NUMBER 39

'DNRWD &RXQW\ 7ULEXQH Since 1884

B

U

S

I

N

E

S

S

w

e

e

k

Maverick honored for its innovation Tekne Award is among highest recognition a technology firm can receive by Aaron Vehling DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

This is an era in which innovative business solutions abound to help companies and em- Marty Hebig ployees compete globally amid a legion of economic challenges. Sometimes it takes a maverick to inject some creativity into the mix. Marty Hebig owns Lakevillebased Maverick Software, an aptlynamed company that provides a way for businesses to save on technology costs while offering practical job experience and opportunities to college students. The under-25 demographic faces an unemployment rate of nearly 54 percent, according to Time Magazine, so Hebig’s ability to offer cost-effective software testing to companies, and provide wellpaying jobs with real experience and job opportunities to students is a big deal. Photo by Aaron Vehling The Minnesota High Tech AsDilafruz Umarova works at Maverick Software’s University of Minnesota location. As a student, she earns sociation saw this, bestowing on a decent salary doing software work for big-name clients while gaining valuable practical experience in the Maverick the 2011 Innovative Collaboration of the Year during its field of information systems. Tekne Awards celebration on Nov. based economy,” the association posure to his company. The event The company’s clients include 3 in Minneapolis. said in a press release. is the Oscars of the Minnesota Digital River, Symantec, Merill “This collaboration creates a To win is an honor, ttechnology industry, he said, and Corporation and Thomson Reuters motivated, skilled and producHebig said, but the so large firms such as Oracle, 3M (which was the first), among others. tive workforce that sustains ceremony itself and Microsoft are well represented. Maverick’s student employees and expands Minnealso provides T The potential for networking exists earn on average about $13 an hour, sota’s technologyvaluable ex- iin droves. far outpacing retail and food indusAlong with business partner try alternatives. Clients pay MavChuck Sherwood, Hebig accepted erick about $25 per hour for those tthe honor as a two-minute video students’ services, which center on p presented the history of Maverick. software development testing, Hebig said. How it works H By managing the fixed costs asThrough the program, Maverick sociated with physical locations, sets up offices on-site at the loca- Maverick has been able to maintain ttions of its university collaborators. profitability. “ W e Currently, it has six offices with don’t go out and set up offices, hop110 students at nine universities, ing clients will come,” he said. The Hebig said. Each site has a full- offices come afterward. See Maverick, Page 5 ttime office manager.

l

y

INSIDE BIZ NEWS

Personal trainer based at Olympus 24 in Rosemount releases new workout DVD that is all about the pushup. SCOTT 2A SUTHERLIN FORUM

As much as people want to describe racino as a source of revenue for the state, it is still a tax on residents by def inition. PHIL 4A KRINKIE FORUM

Property tax increases caused by loss of Market Value Homestead Credit aid may start an uprising in the suburbs. DON 4A HEINZMAN NEWS

Curves f itness center moves around the bend to Waterford Commons in downtown Rosemount. DEE DEE 5A LIND

&

!""'! !

$

General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Advertising 952-846-2011

Founder of Belzer auto dealership in Lakeville dies Jeffrey Alan Belzer, the longtime owner of the Jeff Belzer auto dealership in Lakeville, died Sunday, Nov. 20. “He was a huge presence in anyone’s life he touched, despite being very private,” said longtime friend Bob Erickson, a Lakeville Area School Board member and former city administrator in Lakeville.

Belzer was a major donor supporting the Lakeville Area Arts Center and the police department, Erickson said. Belzer also was involved with the Lakeville Area Chamber of Commerce, sponsoring its recent gala event. Following is an account of his life from an obituary published Monday on the Hodroff-Epstein Memorial

Chapels website: Jeff Belzer was born Sept. 8, 1941, in Minneapolis to Dr. Meyer and Kathleen Belzer. He graduated from Washburn High School in 1959, attended college and moved to California. In 1968, he graduated from Drake University Law School in Des See Belzer, Page 5

Lakeville, MN

CHEVROLET • DODGE • KIA


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.