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F E A T U R E S July 2016 • Volume 8, Issue 10

Sports tournaments, a host of local sports leagues and school sports draw a lot of people who spend a lot of money locally. But high demand is putting a stress on facilities.

The Mankato Builders’ Exchange started 100 years ago and maintains its mission of bringing cooperation between a wide range of businesses involved in construction.

After a clubhouse fire in 2014, new owners took over Minneopa Golf Course and have invested steadily in improving the course and clubhouse for golf and corporate events.

Dustin Demmer started Blazing Star Gardens to pursue his passion for helping bring back wildflowers and native grasses to back yars and to business landscapes.

MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 3

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July 2016 • VOLUME 8, ISSUE 10 PUBLISHER John Elchert EXECUTIVE EDITOR Joe Spear ASSOCIATE EDITOR Tim Krohn CONTRIBUTING Tim Krohn WRITERS Kent Thiesse Heidi Sampson Nell Musolf Tim Penny PHOTOGRAPHERS Pat Christman Bre McGee COVER PHOTO Pat Christman PAGE DESIGNER Christina Sankey ADVERTISING Phil Seibel MANAGER ADVERTISING Barb Wass ASSISTANT ADVERTISING Sue Hammar DESIGNERS Christina Sankey CIRCULATION Denise Zernechel DIRECTOR

For editorial inquiries, call Tim Krohn at 507-344-6383. For advertising, call 344-6336, or e-mail mankatomag@mankatofreepress.com. MN Valley Business is published by The Free Press Media monthly at 418 South 2nd Street Mankato MN 56001.

■ Local Business memos/ Company news.....................................5 ■ Business Commentary.........................8 ■ Business and Industry trends..........24 ■ Retail trends.....................................25 ■ Construction, real estate trends.....26 ■ Gas trends........................................27 ■ Stocks...............................................27 ■ Agriculture Outlook..........................28 ■ Agribusiness trends..........................29 ■ Minnesota Business updates............30 ■ Job trends.........................................30 ■ Greater Mankato Growth..................32 ■ Greater Mankato Growth Member Activities ...........................34

From the editor

By Joe Spear

The business of sports is business

ou might say the Mankato/North Mankato region is ready to make a big score. We’re on the cusp of becoming a sports mecca. This month’s cover feature gives the landscape of the region’s burgeoning sports scene in great detail; 220 soccer teams were here a month ago; Dozens of the top teams in girl’s high school softball played for the championship in early June at North Mankato’s Caswell Park. The Mankato MoonDogs Northwoods League baseball team will sell 4,000 tickets this year; Thousands of runners and their families will descend on the area this fall and join with us in running the Mankato Marathon; Hundreds of bicyclists will tackle the hills and valleys of North Mankato in June. And that list doesn’t include the dozens of other amateur tournaments from hockey to baseball. A study on the economic impact of Caswell Park showed it generates about $3.6 million per year in visitor spending. In short, the business of sports is good business for the region. And there doesn’t appear to be a lack of interest in anything sporting at the state, national or international level. Minnesota will be adding its sixth professional sport in the coming year with a new professional soccer team, latching on to the growing popularity of that sport worldwide. The Minnesota Lynx appear headed for another championship. We’ll be opening a new billiondollar plus Vikings stadium this year. We’ll host the granddaddy of all sporting events when the Super Bowl comes to Minnesota in 2018. And the Twins, well, at least we

4 • July 2016 • MN Valley Business

still have a professional baseball team and a stadium that offers a tremendous social atmosphere when the baseball isn’t very interesting or good. But the North Mankato/ Mankato area has needs to support and grow the business of sports. A proposal before the Legislature calls for allowing imposition of a local sales tax to support anywhere from $45 million to $62 million in new facilities. And there will be a need for public/private partnerships and philanthropy to make the facilities happen, says Chris Willaert, Sports Commission director with Visit Mankato. “There will have to be significant partnerships or philanthropy. There will have to be significant other dollars secured and it won’t happen overnight,” says Willaert. But growing the infrastructure can indirectly benefit Mankato families. More tournaments can be held here instead of families traveling to the Twin Cities or Rochester. “A weekend trip like that can, in a snap of a finger, cost $500 – and that’s if you’re watching it,” Willaert says. Mankato may have a leg up in the sports market. Bigger markets in the Northwoods League, for example, don’t draw as many fans as the MoonDogs, according to Kate Froehlich, marketing coordinator for the team. There can be risk in building sports facilities of course. Many point to the debacle in Vadnais Heights where the city backed a $27 million sports facility with hopes of an annual $2 million in business to pay for it. It didn’t happen. Taxpayers footed a $6 million bailout bill and

sold the facility to Ramsey County for less half of what it cost to build. Willaert says the Vadnais Heights example isn’t typical and he points to other examples like Rochester that have done tremendously well. In the end, the business of sports thrives when there is a core of solid local enthusiasm and investments, and an ability to create signature events that draw from outside the immediate area. The region may have both. MV Joe Spear is executive editor of Minnesota Valley Business. Contact him at jspear@mankatofreepress.com or 344-6382. Follow him on Twitter @jfspear.

Local Business People/Company News

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Alliance Insurance honored

Auto-Owners Insurance announced that Alliance Insurance Agency of Mankato has been named one of the top 10 growth agencies for the company in Minnesota for 2015. Alliance has represented AutoOwners since 2011. ■■■

Schmitz joins Community Bank

Jodi Schmitz has joined Community Bank Mankato as vice president of commercial lending at the St. Andrews branch in Mankato. Schmitz has 10 years of experience in the banking industry working with clients in the Mankato area.

Hueser new TBEI GM

Truck Bodies & Equipment Inter national hired Stephen (Steve) Hueser as the new general manager of the TBEI Lake Crystal facility. Hueser is in Stephen (Steve) charge of all Hueser operations for the facility, which produces the Cr ysteel, J-Craft and Ox SuperDump brands of products. Hueser comes to TBEI with 26 years of leadership experience in production, engineering, sales and marketing, most recently as general manager at ESCO in Portland, where he managed operations at four global facilities

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MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 5

GrandStay comes to Madelia

GrandStay Hospitality has added a new hotel location in Madelia. The hotel is owned and managed by Ashok Goyal and SMK Ventures and features a variety of guest rooms including deluxe double queen and king bedded rooms along with whirlpool and an extended stay suite. ■■■

Buisman joins Design Element

The Design Element hired Heather Buisman as a designer. She graduated with a degree in interior design from Minnesota State University and has 10 years of experience in the industry. ■■■

ICA honors Connors

Fafinski opens in New Ulm

Fafinski Mark & Johnson, headquartered in Eden Prairie, opened an office in New Ulm, at 700 North Minnesota Street, Suite B. FMJ’s expansion into the southern Minnesota community is part of the firm’s plan to expand its agricultural law practice by establishing a physical presence near many of the clients it serves. FMJ has 27 attorneys in 14 primary practice areas. ■■■

Ehlers joins Weichert

Realtor Carrie Ehlers has joined Weichert Realtors in Mankato. Ehlers is a lifelong resident of Mankato. She and her husband, Dustin, have two children. The couple also owns Harbor Hill Graphics in Mankato.

Investment Centers of America recognized Brad Connors as one of its top 15 representatives at the company’s national conference. Connors is located at iWealth in Waseca, 15th Ave NE.

6 • July 2016 • MN Valley Business

Childrey honored

Bob Childrey has been selected as the 2016 Employee Owned Company of the Year award by MBW Company, which recognizes outstanding Bob Childrey e m p l o y e e contributions. MBW Company is a 100 percent employee-owned business in New Ulm, providing support services to people with physical, cognitive, intellectual, and mental health support needs. Childrey serves on the MBW company ESOP committee as cochair, advocate of ARRM’s Best Life Alliance and is active in enrichment activities throughout the community. ■■■

Thriveon a top work place

Thriveon has earned a place on the list of Minnesota’s 100 Best Companies To Work For by

Minnesota Business Magazine. The award recognizes Minnesota’s top companies and is determined by the scores of an anonymous online questionnaire filled out by the employees of each nominated company. The questionnaire uncovers employee opinions about work environment, employee benefits, and overall happiness at work. Thriveon was also on the 2014 list. ■■■

Volkmann named VP at Affinity

B r i a n Volkmann has been named executive vice president/chief financial officer of Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union, a $1.8 billion financial cooperative Brian Volkmann headquar tered in St. Paul, with 28 branches around the state. Volkmann joined Affinity in 2000 as the manager of the Mankato branch on the Minnesota State University campus. During his career, he has led numerous areas of the credit union, including accounting, finance, consumer lending, real estate, risk management, quality control, investor relations, solutions and call centers. Volkmann most recently worked as Chief Financial Officer for the past three years. Affinity Plus will open a new Mankato community branch in the next year at 1600 Madison Avenue. ■■■

Atwood, Schmidt attend training

Deb Atwood and Jen Schmidt with Lumiere Real Estate Group recently traveled to New York for more training with Barbara Corcoran and other top real estate agents around the country.

Thriveon joins Manufacturers Alliance

retail store in Santa Fe, New Mexico. ■■■

Thriveon, a managed IT services provider, has become a member of the Manufacturers Alliance. The decision to join the organization, which is focused on peer to peer education and professional development in the manufacturing industry, stems from Thriveon’s experience working with manufacturers to leverage technology for business growth. “While manufacturing companies face many of the technology opportunities and challenges that other businesses face, they have special IT needs that set them apart,” CEO Sam Bloedow said ■■■

LivingLinks names CEO

LivingLinks announced that Kim Johnson has joined the organization as the executive director. Johnson recently was the director of Clinic Operations for Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Fairmont, Clinic Administrator for Allina Medical Clinic in St. Peter and VP of Human Resources for Navitor. LivingLinks is a private, nonprofit corporation, formed in 1970, that provides residential services to people with developmental disabilities in the Mankato area. Currently, LivingLinks has 90 employees and provides services to 26 individuals through a variety of settings. ■■■

Hubbard buys company

Hubbard Feeds, a division of Ridley, acquired Ranch-Way Feeds, an animal nutrition company that has done business in the western United States for more than 60 years. Ranch-Way Feeds employs more than 50 people, producing over 50,000 tons of feed annually. The company markets its animal nutrition products and programs through an extensive dealer network in the Rocky Mountain region. The acquisition includes The Feed Bin, Ranch-Way Feeds’

BackPack gets ADM grant

Archer Daniels Midland donated $6,000 to Feeding Our Communities Partners. The donation will go toward funding the BackPack Food Program. The BackPack Food Program discreetly provides low-income students with packs of wellbalanced, child-friendly meals to take home for weekends and scheduled school breaks. Launched in March 2010, enrollment currently exceeds 940 students at all 15 public elementary schools in Blue Earth County and North Mankato. During the 201516 school year, the program was able scale its reach to include the three additional school districts of Mapleton, St. Clair, and Lake Crystal. The donation was given through the ADM Cares social investment program. ■■■

Girard earns certification

D e r r i c k G i r a r d , Investment Solutions, a division of Round Bank in Waseca, has achieved National Social Security Advisor cer tification Derrick Girard, from the National Social Security Association. The certification allows Girard to advise clients on the best way to claim Social Security benefits in order to optimize lifetime Social Security income. Girard specializes in retirement income planning and is a certified financial planner.

MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 7

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Business Commentary

By Tim Penny

Support a strong local food system with Grow a Farmer Fund

“O

ur survival relies on the ability to reintegrate investing and philanthropy,” said Woody Tasch at the second annual Slow Money Minnesota gathering recently. Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) co-sponsored this meeting, organized by our partner Renewing the Countryside. Tasch is the founder of Slow Money, an advocacy and investment group drawing from the slow food movement that is interested in bringing money back down to earth. At the Slow Money Minnesota meeting, Renewing the Countryside and SMIF announced a new fund: Grow a Farmer Fund. In its beginning stages, this will be a donation-based fund that will raise funds from individuals, restaurants, and others interested in supporting a stronger local foods economy in southern Minnesota. SMIF and its partners are aiming to raise $100,000 by Sept. 1 to launch this fund. It will be used to give

lower interest loans to farmers such as John Mesko, who shared how a $350 investment in a three-point hitch helped him move his hog farm business from “just getting by” to a profit generating enterprise. The lower interest loans will recycle into a revolving loan fund to be an “evergreen fund” that can help others down the road. Given SMIF’s 30-year history of small-scale, “seed” investments for a sustainable region and the Foundation’s shorter-term interest in supporting a local food economy, the principles of Slow Money align closely with our own philanthropic efforts. For example, Slow Money Principle Six quotes Paul Newman: “I just happen to think that in life we need to be a little like the farmer who puts back into the soil what he takes out.” Anytime I talk with a potential donor to the Foundation, whether an individual, business owner, or city/county official, I remind them that for every

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dollar they put into the Foundation, an average of $10 is re-invested back into southern Minnesota to support children, businesses, and communities. The purpose and principles of Slow Money are gaining increased attention. The Grow a Farmer Fund is timely given the SEC’s recent approval of Title IV of Obama’s 2012 JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) Act. This provision allows unaccredited investors - essentially, ordinary citizens rather than only high-worth individuals - to invest a certain percentage of their own equity in start-up businesses. CNBC called this “the biggest change to hit start-up investing in years.” Grow a Farmer Fund, while not an equity fund, does allow anyone interested in supporting a stronger local foods system to contribute, whether by money or time. In southern Minnesota, we have a long history of

agriculture. Our 20-county region houses a diversity of farmers, from commodity crop growers to smallscale farmers sowing everything from hazelnuts to hops. While both are economically important to our region, operationally, they are economically quite different. Insurance, loans, input costs, and distribution are all handled in unique ways. The Grow a Farmer Fund is targeted at smaller-scale farmers trying innovative approaches that have a harder time accessing traditional funds, don’t quality for subsidies, or lack typical collateral. The Grow a Farmer Fund is yet another outcome of the FEAST Local Foods Advisory Network, a group of many partners focused on supporting local foods makers, growers and producers in our region. The Feast! Local Foods Marketplace, held annually at the Mayo Civic Center, is another initiative of this network. Additionally, SMIF just announced a second Local Foods Peer council to provide small food businesses a chance to learn from each other to support their businesses. Farming continues to be an economic driver in southern Minnesota. As older farmers start to transition their farms to the next generation, the Grow a Farmer Fund is an innovative solution to allow a wider segment of those looking to care for the land an opportunity to plant roots and for a wider audience to support this mission. Tim Penny is a former congressman and president and CEO of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation. timp@smifoundation.org or 507-455-3215.

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MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 9

Franklin Rogers Park, home of the MoonDogs and local high school teams, is a beautiful setting but is in serious need of upgrades.

Not playing around

Cities see sports growth as economic driver

By Tim Krohn | Photos by Pat Christman

month ago 220 soccer teams, along with parents and fans, descended on upper North Mankato from across the state for a tournament. A couple of weeks later the scene repeated itself with softball teams at nearby Caswell Park. In Mankato, 40,000 fans will enjoy sitting outside 10 â&#x20AC;˘ July 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ MN Valley Business

watching the MoonDogs this summer. This fall hundreds of runners and thousands of family members and fans will come to the Mankato Marathon. Add in everything from college and high school hockey and lacrosse to aquatics and bike races and the number of participants and the money they

Cover Story

spend add up to a major economic boon. Growing sports and building the facilities to handle them has been a growing focus for Mankato and North Mankato. Chris Willaer t, Spor ts Commission director with Visit Mankato, says having facilities to handle more tournaments and events will bring more visitors and their money here and save local parents from spending as much when they have to travel with their kids’ sports teams. “If they can stay in Mankato it’s easier and cheaper for the parents than traveling to Rochester or wherever. A weekend trip like that can, in a snap of a finger, cost $500 – and that’s if you’re watching it.” North Mankato Administrator John Harrenstein said the success of Caswell and the soccer fields and other events are clearly an

economic benefit for the community. A study commissioned last year by the city to look at the economic impact of Caswell found that it generates about $3.6 million in visitor spending per year. But he said the city isn’t looking toward sports and recreation simply as an economic engine. “For the sports economy and how North Mankato approaches sporting complexes, the first is that there has to be a local need to warrant the investment of local dollars,” he said. “That’s what we’ve seen work at Caswell — energetic and active local groups to support state and national tournaments,” he said. “And we look at low overhead and operating costs. That’s been the case there for softball and soccer.” Kate Froehlich, marketing

coordinator for the MoonDogs, said the draw Mankato has as a regional center keeps fans coming from a wide area. The MoondDogs’ ability to draw an average of 1,111 fans per game outperforms most other markets in the Northwoods League. “Compared to other teams that have even bigger markets than us, we do extremely well. We draw more than many bigger markets,” she said. “It think it’s because so many people know who the MoonDogs are. Mankato’s s central location for so many towns, it’s just natural for people to come to Mankato to do things and to want to come to a game.”

MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 11

Vikings fans greet players at last summer’s Vikings Training Camp, which has been held for 50 years at Minnesota State University.

Facilities the focus

For years, the many sports enthusiasts in the area have been clamoring for upgraded and new facilities to meet growing demand and the addition of new sports in the community. The list is long: curling, ice sheets for hockey, competitionsize pools, bubble practice fields, softball fields, gym space, tennis courts and more. Mankato and North Mankato have in recent years started a more formalized approach to prioritizing and finding funding to meet some of those needs. Earlier this year a report was presented to the cities that showed sports and recreation facilities costing between $45 million and $62 million are needed in Mankato-North Mankato. The cities are relying on part of the funding to come from a proposed extension of the halfpercent local sales taxes in Mankato and North Mankato. The extension needs the approval of the Legislature and then would need approval of local voters. Part of the effort to better coordinate sports tournaments, attract visitors and aid cooperation

between different sports was the recent creation of the Sports Commission. Willaert, raised in Mankato, spent 15 years in the financial services industry and was deeply involved in Minnesota USA Wrestling and sports leagues for his kids. When he saw the job opening for director of the commission, he thought it was a good fit. “Some aspects were financial – business, marketing, sales. But from the sports aspect I knew what it took to run good events and what families are looking for.” He said the commission is still molding its role, but said its general role is to help youth sports teams as well as MSU and Bethany. “We want to do what we can to make the experience in Mankato better for people, to enhance things. “When you have a youth tournament coming to town, what can you do to make them want to come back and keep them coming back?” He said homegrown events have proven to be the most successful to build on. While they work as a coordinator

12 • July 2016 • MN Valley Business

for other groups, the commission and Visit Mankato is fully in charge of events like the Mankato Marathon. He said there are many areas for growth in sports and recreation events. “Soccer has an obvious potential for growth. And now that lacrosse has become a sanctioned sport in the schools there’s a potential boon there. There are a lot of different things when you start looking around.” But that growth brings even more strain on already overbooked facilities, Willaert said. “When you go out and ask youth basketball associations what’s the biggest thing limiting them from hosting more tournaments, it’s not lack of teams or interest, it’s lack of gym space.” He said the growth in soccer and lacrosse doesn’t just mean more demand on outdoor fields in the summer. “If they want to play year around they’re going into gyms and you have volleyball and basketball going on there too.” Hockey enthusiasts have long complained of a lack of ice sheets for practicing and playing games. “People ask why we don’t have

more big tournaments like Fargo. I say it’s because they have eight sheets of ice and we have two sheets.” He said improved and new facilities help bring in money with more tournaments but they also keep registration fees lower for kids participating in local leagues. Willaert said that no matter how much funding the city ultimately gets if the sales tax extension is approved, others will have to step up to build facilities. “There will have to be significant partnerships or philanthropy. There will have to be significant other dollars secured and it won’t happen overnight.” Willaert said the local area does well with the facilities it has but that other communities of similar or smaller size are doing some big things. Marshal is opening their large Red Baron Arena and Austin just built a bubble dome facility. He said the critics of new sports facilities often point the a sports center debacle in Vadnais Heights. In 2010 the city backed a $27 million sports complex what was to be paid with an estimated $2 million in annual revenues from the facility. The revenues fell far short and taxpayers had to cover $6 million in bond costs before the city walked away from the project and Ramsey County bought the facility in 2014 for $9.8 million. “There are detractors who point to that. We say ‘we are looking at Vadnais Heights because that’s not what we’re going to do,’ ” Willaert said. “What happened in Vadnais Heights is not what happens in most places. Rochester, everything they’ve done in recent years draws huge events and has huge economic impact.”

Building on success

Since opening in 1987, Caswell Park in upper North Mankato has been the site of numerous state and national softball tournaments. The addition of a soccer complex to the north of Caswell has quickly become a magnet for soccer tournaments. Harrenstein said the city continues to target other recreational events that draw

MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 13

visitors. “Now with the Anthony Ford (pond hockey tournament), the bike race (North Mankato Road Race) and the RipRoar Triathlon, we think the economic impact will grow.” The triathlon, in late June, drew people from surrounding states as well as regional participants. He said the city works with local groups and the Sports Commission to organize those events. “We work very much in tandem and bringing the resources to bear so this region is viewed as supporting the sports culture.” Harrenstein said those local ties are key in what programs and facilities the city supports. “The root has to be local need. Kids want to participate in sports. With the problem of obesity, I think the city is committed to healthy lifestyles. The facilities and trails and increased attention to the parks where people can enjoy the outdoors is part of that,” Harrenstein said. “The other thing is quality of life for the region and how we can we attract families and workers to

Chris Willaert is director of the Sports Commission. this region.” Harrenstein said the soccer complex, which draws hundreds of teams over several weekends for the state tournament, has the potential for much more. “I think the facility opens up different activities — coaching clinics, varsity matches. It allows the capacity for Mankato programs to grow. The smaller colleges are talking about using it

more, too.”

Play ball

The MoonDogs amateur baseball team, which started play in 1999 as the Mankato Mashers and was renamed in 2002, have shown effective in continuing to draw fans to Mankato’s Franklin Rogers Park. Froehlich said they pay attention to the details to improve the fan experience. “It’s the little things. If someone is new in town we give them a free pair of tickets to come and experience their first game on us. “If something happens that shouldn’t happen, you do everything you can to fix it.” More than other sports teams in the area, the MoonDogs focus heavily on promotions to keep fans coming back.

The Mankato Marathon draws thousands of fans and hundreds of runners each fall.

14 • July 2016 • MN Valley Business

“The promotions are important, we have some every game,” Froehlich said. “The ones that have been around a long time are fan favorites – the giveaways, the human cannon ball. If you take them away people would be upset.” Based on surveys, about 40 percent of the team’s fans come from out of town. “Starting with St. Peter and Lake Crystal and area towns, but they come from Fairmont and pretty far outside, too.” While the team plays for about three months in the summer, they have a few full-time staffers who work year around on planning and promotion. One thing the team is focusing on this year is to hold more non game day events. They will hold the second annual LEEP Legends celebrity softball game, with proceeds going to LEEP. On Aug. 27 they will host Wingfest, a fundraiser for MRCI, which will feature a band and food vendors, with visitors tasting and judging their wings. Froehlich said the No. 1 challenge for the team is the aging field. “It’s 100 percent the facility needs. We’ve been working with the City Council since 2011 on upgrades. It would be fantastic for fan experience and for player safety.” One of the biggest problems is poor drainage on the field. While new drainage tile systems are often installed in fields every 7 years or so, Franklin hasn’t had it done in 40 years. The poor drainage not only allows water to pool and stay on

the surface, but it causes bumps and holes on the field. “The high school players call it the “ghost of Franklin Rogers” for all the bad hops the ball takes because of the holes.” She said other upgrades, which could come if the local sales tax is extended, would include upgrades to the stands. “We’re handicap accessible but we’re not ver y handicapped friendly. We need more accessible grandstand room. “And we need some updates to

the deck. The wood is rotting. We want to do three levels in the Dog Pound instead of just one. And we want to sink the dugouts for better views for the fans,” she said. “There are facilities all around Mankato that need to be improved. If you improve those it will grow Mankato even more.” MV

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MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 15

Brandon Reichel (left) Jesse Christianson and Brian Gosewisch are on the current board of directors of the Mankato Builders’ Exchange, which is celebrating 100 years.

A century of building Mankato Builders’ Exchange began in 1916 By Heidi Sampson Photos by Pat Christman and submitted

he Mankato Builders’ Exchange took their first steps toward becoming a solid organization in January 1916, when a number of local builders and contractors assembled at the City Hall to hear a speech given by Eugene Young, secretary of the Builders’ Exchange of Minneapolis. According to the Mankato Daily Free Press’s January 4th, 1916 edition, Young outlined the benefits to be derived from a

Builders’ Exchange both in terms of business and socially, in that a Builders’ Exchange promoted communication, working together, as well as in developing solid relationships. Two nights later, the Mankato Builders’ Exchanged was officially organized during a get-together meeting held at Sons of Herman hall, with approximately 50 contractors, builders and material men present. The idea behind the Mankato Builders’

Cover Spotlight

16 • July 2016 • MN Valley Business

blueprint, which is especially useful if all that a particular member required was two pages of a hundred-page plan, for their own bidding purposes. Usually plans will come in from various architects or engineering firms. Sometimes it could be general contractors, – whether its hard copy or electronic – they would then make the blueprint available at the Mankato Builders’ Exchange for the purposes of bidding on a project for any of the different trades involved with construction. “It’s a pretty big investment to purchase a big printer or blotter,” said Reichel. “They cost money to maintain and are very expensive to run. Someone might bid a hundred plans a year and only get a handful of jobs; as a result they can’t see the benefit of buying a big printer themselves. They can become a member of the Exchange and get printed copies, Board of Directors or if enough people are looking at a The Mankato Builders’ Exchange particular blueprint, the plans can be board of directors is comprised of people printed and located within a centralized in different trades and aspects of the area – where people can come up and building industry, such as a general take a look, do their own take off and contractor, painter, a banker, lawn care, estimating from the centralized area.” mechanical, electrician and an engineer, But that’s not all, as a member of the who assist in bringing a wide range of Mankato Builders’ Exchange, one is also views to the organization. Jesse able to ask Ginger Burt, the Office Christianson is a banker and holds the Manager, to see the blueprints for a job in position of Executive Secretary on the International Falls. Ginger would then go Board of Directors. Brandon Reichel, a about getting the plans for that member, painter, is president of the board. Brian opening doors that may not have been Gosewisch works in construction, while visible before. The Mankato Builders’ Exchange holding a position as member on the Currently, the Mankato Builders’ has a collection of old ledgers, board of directors. Exchange membership base is at 127 annual party menus and other In a sense, the Mankato Builders’ companies. Over the years, the documents from the past century of membership base has stayed fairly Exchange operates as a chamber of the group’s existence. commerce, especially since the consistent. organization is as important to the life of Typically, the Mankato Builders’ a city, as it is to those in the building industry. In order to Exchange board of directors meets once a month. have success along either of those lines, there must be However, the membership meets once a year for a golf cooperation among members at all levels and in all outing followed by dinner and an awards ceremony. trades of the building industry. Every year since 1967, the Mankato Builders’ Exchange “My understanding,” said Reichel, “is that the has handed out an award for those who have impacted Mankato Builders’ Exchange got everyone in the same the construction industry through their participation. room and location. It allowed them to be able to talk and The very first winner was Robert Carlstrom of Carlstrom not seem like the building business was cutthroat.” Construction in 1967. Last year’s, 2015 Construction Industry Award went to Tom Hoffman. Building Community “If you look at the time slot for when the Mankato Membership within the Mankato Builders’ Exchange Builders’ Exchange was started and what came in the extends out to about an 80-mile radius around the nex10-15 years later, they were in the midst of the Great Mankato area. However, some members may be from Depression,” Reichel said. “I remember hearing stories even further out, especially if they are bidding on a job passed down through the generations, of how my greatin the area but are located in say, Sioux Falls, South grandfather told my grandfather, who told my father, Dakota. Conceivably, any interested business or that what the Mankato Builders’ Exchange did, was that individual, could become a member of the Mankato it kept things rolling. Even when times were tough, the Builders’ Exchange. However, the largest portion of Mankato Builders’ Exchange would help assist in members tends to be in or near Mankato. keeping some type of workflow happening. It still is the Membership in the Mankato Builders’ Exchange one location where people can come to find out what’s means the ability to access all plans and documents happening and where.” MV online, as well as within their office location. It also allows members to request a fraction of a plan or Exchange was to join in one association all contractors, manufacturers and dealers in building material, as well as businessmen in the Mankato area capable of advancing the interests of every branch of the building business, to establish an equitable system of dealing, and for the spreading of valuable information along those lines, according to the January 7th, 1916 issue of the Mankato Daily Review. “The main thing the Mankato Builders’ Exchange did and still does,” said Brandon Reichel, president of the Mankato Builders’ Exchange board of directors, “is to provide a central point for general commercial contractors to keep their plans and specs on file and to give a place for subcontractors to come, view and/or print copies, but basically, to use those plans however they need.”

MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 17

Minneopa Golf Club’s Kyle Bohks (left), Brandon Smith (center) and Gary Winters in the course’s new clubhouse.

A hidden treasure Minneopa Golf Course revitalized By Heidi Sampson | Photos by Pat Christman

n 2014, the Minneopa Golf Course Club House burned down, creating some difficulties for the owner at that time, Kyle Bohks. When it became clear that Bohks would be unable to rebuild, he approached a member of the Tailwind Group knowing that they often work with real estate. In the course of his discussions, a partnership of individuals interested in the golf course began to form. That partnership would be known as OPAFORE – for

Minneopa and FORE, as a play on words regarding the four partners, as displayed in golf terminology – and they purchased the Minneopa Golf Course. One of the owners, Brandon Smith, runs day-to-day operations at the golf course and also works with residential and downtown leasing for Tailwind. “I don’t have a long history of golf,” said Smith. “In fact, I didn’t even play golf in high school. However, I was drawn to the course. Even though the course is

Profile

18 • July 2016 • MN Valley Business

two miles from downtown, not a lot of people are aware that it is out here. I saw the purchase of Minneopa Golf Course as a big opportunity, a chance to revitalize the community’s hidden treasure, the second oldest golf course in Mankato.”

Rebuilding

Immediately upon the purchase of the course, construction started on the clubhouse, finishing up this past April. The new clubhouse offers a spacious interior, with views of the course, and lots of natural lighting. The spacious main floor, which seats 50, was constructed for people to hang out in, whether they were a golf lover or not. Another 25 individuals could be seated in the Golfers have been enjoying an upgraded golf course since new owners took over in 2014. basement. The previous Swing events, to name a few. Winters has been in the golf clubhouse did not have a patio, Winters own passion lies in business for since 1981, when he whereas the new clubhouse has developing a Speed Golf League. was a little kid. In fact, Winters an expansive patio capable of The idea being that the participant played competitively through seating 30 people while runs between shots as a way of high school, college and out of overlooking the greens. getting their fitness and golf college, as a professional. Beyond the new clubhouse, the experience, all in one setting. However, he got into the business Minneopa Golf Course has also Typically, the participant would side of golf as a way of continuing installed a driving range to allow carry four to six clubs. The score the sport he loves while helping for practice opportunities for and time of each participant other people to play and enjoy the those who frequent the would be weighted towards sport. establishment. points. “I love the game and want to “Every year, our opening date “The Speed Golf League meets help others enjoy it as well,” said is dependent on the weather,” early on Tuesday mornings,” said Winters. “I owned a driving range said Smith. “This year we had an Winters. “If there is a choice down in Kansas, with a traditional early spring, so we were able to between playing golf or doing golf pro business – offering open on April 1st. Last year, was fitness, this enables them to have instruction, club fitting and club the 16th of April. Typically, we a platform to come out and repair, since 1998. But, my wife don’t have a specific closing date. combine the two.” got a career job in New Ulm. It It’s just basically whenever the In June, the Minneopa Golf just so happened that when we ground freezes. Last year, I think Course will begin to offer Foot came into town, my Realtor we were open till Nov. 20th. Golf. Participants only need to introduced me to OPAFORE. I Although the golf course itself bring a soccer ball to play. They saw what they had at the time, closes, the clubhouse is available would literally set the ball on the and they were just starting to to rent all winter. In fact, last year t-box and kick it down the fairway. make improvements. Today, the we held quite a few Christmas Special holes will be dug to Minneopa Golf Course is a full parties for local companies, accommodate a nine-hole Foot service golf facility.” business events, football rival Golf Course. parties and things of that order. Foot Golf? “There has kind of been a Generally speaking, we open at 7 The Minneopa Golf Course negative stigma towards golf,” a.m. until sundown, seven days a plans to make steady said Smith, “in that you have to week.” improvements every year, as they pay green fees, have nice clubs, Kyle Bohks has remained on want to keep adding to the course, buy balls and tees, and it takes 3 staff as one of their full-time making new offerings, and small hours to play - not the case out grounds keepers. Bohks was also upgrades. They also hope to here. Parents could bring out a huge help in teaching and increase the awareness of their two kids and all of them relaying golf specific knowledge Minneopa Golf Course within the could play around of Foot Golf, for Smith, during his first year as community. for much less, and within the the operator of the golf course. Some new programs they are course of an hour to an hour and Another addition to the golf offering over the course of this 20 minutes. It doesn’t require course has been in the hiring of summer: Youth golf camps, special training or special Gary Winters, a professional Ladies Nights, and Fix Your products.” MV golfer.

MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 19

The Employment Outreach Collaboration was formed to connect employers and job seekers by developing tools, resources and leadership to promote working in greater Mankato. A wide variety members from business, education and government are members of the group. Each month in MN Valley Business the collaboration is running articles for employers and job seekers.

One-stop employment ser vices at Mankato WorkForce Center By Employment Outreach Collaboration

he Mankato WorkForce Center is a “career one-stop” that provides an array of employmentrelated services. WorkForce Center staff assist job seekers with online job searches (including career exploration), resume and interview advice and tools, job networking and use of the job bank (www.minnesotaworks.net). They also work with businesses to find, and if necessary, train workers. Any Minnesotan looking for employment or exploring and planning their career is eligible for WorkForce Center services. Any business seeking workers is also eligible. Eligibility-based programs that may provide tuition assistance for training, oneon-one employment counseling, financial support and other services are also available. For more information go to: mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/

workforce-centers/. MN DEED Business Services Representatives help companies tackle some of the most difficult workforce problems, offering solutions tailored to meet specific business needs. Business Services Representatives also connect employers to hiring sources such as job fairs, skills assessments, tax credits and labor market information. Representatives can offer customized recruitment and retention strategies, and help make connections to training providers. They can also provide referrals to local, regional, and national resources, salary survey information, plus provide business retention and layoff aversion services in coordination with the Dislocated Worker Rapid Response Team. WorkForce Centers operate through state and

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20 • July 2016 • MN Valley Business

federal investments in workforce development. The South Central WorkForce Council, made up of a majority of business representatives, provides administration and oversight of the centers providing a public private partnership in workforce development. Some of the various services available at the WorkForce Center include: Unemployment Insurance Program: Classes, guidance and application assistance. Apply through the website: www.uimn.org or by calling 1-877-898-9090 in Greater Minnesota. n Dislocated Worker Program: For individuals who have lost their job due to no fault of their own. Funding may be available for retraining, job search assistance, on-the-job training or related expenses. n Veteran Ser vices: Priority Service is provided to Veterans. Veterans Services

Representatives work exclusively with military veterans to assist with their employment and related needs. n Labor Market Information: Available through the MN Department of Employment & Economic Development website; www.mn.gov/deed/ data, including Salary Survey information on thousands of Job Titles from the Minnesota job market. Related information is also available through the US Department of Labor at www.dol.gov. n MinnesotaWorks at www. minnesotaworks.net: The free job bank is an online resume and job matching system. After registering, businesses can post job openings and job seekers can connect directly to those job openings. A job seeker resume database is available for businesses to search for qualified candidates and connect with those possible applicants directly.

n Vocational Rehabilitation and State Ser vices for the Blind: Assistance to those who have a disability for career planning, training, job placement and assistive technology. n MN DEED Business Community Development: promote business recruitment, expansion, and retention; international trade; workforce development; and community development. n Other Programs include: Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Program; Senior Community Services Employment Program; National Career Readiness Assessment: connections to various partners/programs throughout our region. Businesses looking for more information should contact Randy Long, MN DEED Business Services Representative at the Mankato WorkForce Center: (507) 344-2610. MV

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MN Valley Business â&#x20AC;˘ July 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ 21

Dustin Demmer at the wildflower garden he established at the Children’s Museum in Mankato.

Going native Blazing Star Gardens returns prairie plants By Nell Musolf Photos by Pat Christman drive down Riverfront Drive past the Children’s Museum reveals landscaping that might look new and different but actually dates back to how Minnesota looked when it was still a prairie, long before it was settled and the prairie was overtaken by parking lots and buildings. The wide variety of native grasses and wildflowers that grace the eastern side of the Children’s Museum look quite at home. There’s a reason for that: the grasses and wildflowers are at home. They are some of the native plants that once covered the area before other plants and flowers were brought in by settlers, perhaps to remind them of the homeland they left behind, but which slowly crowded out the native plants. Dustin Demmer, owner of Blazing Star Gardens, is the man behind the landscaping

at the Children’s Museum, a project he was hired to design and install in 2015. His mission at the Children’s Museum and in every project he designs is to create wildflower gardens and restoration projects that “educate and inspire others.” Demmer opened Blazing Star Gardens in 2012. Based in Owatonna, Blazing Star Gardens helps homeowners and businesses who want to have a garden that is both aesthetically pleasing and ecologically sound. In addition to designing, installing and maintaining its gardens, the business sells native plants including wildflowers, grasses, shade plants and plants for rain gardens. According to Demmer, native prairie, wetland and woodland flowers and grasses are not only attractive, they are also functional by reducing maintenance needs. Native

Feature

22 • July 2016 • MN Valley Business

wildflowers attract birds and butterflies and native grasses keep weeds down. Demmer double majored in business management and environmental studies at Hamline University and said that both of his degrees have been helpful. “Being a small business owner, it has really helped to know the fundamentals of business,” Demmer said. “You have to have basic skills in a lot of things if you don’t want to take on a lot of expenses or pay someone else to do things that you can learn to do yourself.” Demmer has a history of working outdoors. Prior to opening Blazing Star Gardens, Demmer worked for the Americorps in an environmental capacity and for the Soil and Water Conservation District. “Around that time I began noticing native plants on hikes through the woods and prairies,” Demmer said. “And I thought, ‘why not make native plants more of a part of landscaping?’” It was then that Demmer decided to open his own business where he would design, install and maintain projects based almost solely upon native plants. He began growing plants at his family’s farm in a small greenhouse that he’d built and also rents greenhouse space from Souba Greenhouse and Garden Center in Owatonna where Blazing Star Gardens sells plants during May and June. Demmer isn’t the only member of his family interested in planting. “My father and uncle had a seeding business when I was growing up,” Demmer said. “I even planted a prairie once, although I didn’t know it at the time. I was just doing what my dad told me to do.” Using native plants is an idea that is catching on and Demmer said his business is part of a growing industry. “There is a huge desire to learn more about native plants,” Demmer said. “People are discovering that it makes sense to use plants that will do well in the environment that they originated in.” Yards that are landscaped using native plants will look different from what most people are used to and they won’t be maintenance free. “You won’t mow as much with a native plants yard but you will have to weed it,” Demmer said. “There will always be some kind of maintenance of any lawn.” Demmer recommends weeding regularly by cutting weeds down at the root instead of using chemicals on them. “If you are diligent about weeding, you can control the weeds without a whole lot of spraying,” Demmer said. Since opening, Blazing Star Gardens has grown every year and has had projects throughout southern Minnesota as well as in the Twin Cities. The company designs and installs commercial rain gardens, residential native plant gardens, butterfly gardens and shoreline restoration gardens to name a few. “A lot of the time gardens are designed with a ‘paint by the number’ philosophy,” Demmer said, “where everything is planted in a predictable pattern. I don’t do that. Instead I take inspiration from the prairie and from forests and aim to use a mixture of plants that are planted closely together to make the garden as naturalistic as possible.” Demmer uses his artistic eye to make sure that each garden he designs keeps that natural flow by varying

the heights of the grasses he uses in a manner that emulates nature and while he uses mainly native plants, he will use non-native plants such as tulips when he feels they’ll be a good fit. The name of Demmer’s business was taken from the Blazing Star flower. “I saw a patch of Blazing Stars in a road ditch,” Demmer said. “Blazing Stars are a wildflower that attract swarms of Monarchs and I thought that would be a good name for my business. If you drive past the Children’s Museum in late August and early September, you’ll see tons of Monarchs around the Blazing Stars we’ve planted in the garden.” Demmer said that while popular garden plants such as day lilies will also attract butterflies, they won’t be as big as an attracter as the native plants will. “The native plants are what the butterflies really want,” Demmer explained. “When I’ve installed native gardens on construction sites, I have seen Monarchs show up every single day. If you plant what the butterflies like, they will come.” Demmer compared popular garden plants that aren’t indigenous to the area to native plants with the following analogy. “It’s like having a fast food place compared to a really good restaurant. You won’t be hungry after eating at the fast food place but you’ll get more out of the better restaurant and it’s better for you. The non-native plants will sustain birds and butterflies but not as well as the native plants.” Demmer installed the native plant garden at the Children’s Museum with the assistance of a group of volunteers and returns on a regular basis to keep the weeds down as well as other maintenance needs. Part of his installation duties included training volunteers on planting and caring for native plants. Blazing Star Gardens also offers speaking events that help promote native plant gardens and natural areas. He appreciates feedback and said that he often asks his fiancée and friends the “backyard test” question. “I ask my fiancée to look at a garden and tell me two things: first, if I offered to install a similar garden in her backyard for free, would she accept my offer? And two, would she pay to have a similar backyard? It’s important to me to know what people think of my gardens and how they look,” Demmer said. “I’m always looking for input and feedback.” With less than two percent of Minnesota’s native prairie remaining, Demmer’s work is cut out for him. “Each year our business is growing. I enjoy it because I wouldn’t plant anything that I wouldn’t want in my own garden,” Demmer said. MV

MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 23

Business and Industry Trends ■

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Economy GDP up 0.8%

The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that real gross domestic product increased at an annual rate of 0.8 percent in the first quarter of 2016. The increase in real GDP in the first quarter reflected contributions from personal consumption expenditures and residential fixed investment. Forecast real GDP growth reaches 1.7 percent in 2016, slightly lower than earlier estimates, and 3 percent in 2017.

Other indicators

Real disposable income grows by 2.8 percent in 2016 and by 3.3 percent in 2017. Total industrial production falls by 0.9 percent in 2016, but rises by 3.5 percent in 2017. Forecast growth in nonfarm employment is 1.9 percent in 2016 and 1.5 percent in 2017. Forecast private real fixed investment growth averages 1.9 percent and 5.8 percent in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Real consumption expenditures grow faster than real GDP in 2016, at 2.7 percent, and 2017, at 3.2 percent. Export growth is 0.0% and 3.6% over the same two years, while import growth is 1.9 percent in 2016 and 6.2 percent in 2017. Total government expenditures rise 1.3 percent in 2016 and 1.1 percent in 2017.

Energy

Oil output up

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24 • July 2016 • MN Valley Business

OPEC crude oil production averaged 31.5 million barrels per day in 2015, an increase of 0.8 million b/d from 2014, led by rising production in Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Forecast OPEC crude oil production rises by 0.8

million b/d in 2016, with Iran accounting for most of the increase. OPEC production rises by an additional 0.7 million b/d in 2017. Major OPEC producers are expected to continue their strategy of maintaining market share.

Natural Gas output down

Natural gas production was 79.1 billion cubic feet per day in March 2016, a 1.0 Bcf/d decline from its record high in February. Average daily production in Texas, the largest natural gas-producing state, declined, and Marcellus Shale production declined in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. One of the factors contributing to the decline in production was low prices, which fell to an average of $1.73/million British thermal units in March before rising slightly in April and May. Preliminary data indicate production has risen slightly since March, but it remains lower than previous record highs.

Renewables grow

Electricity generation by renewable energy sources (other than hydropower) are growing. In the first quarter of 2016, renewables supplied 9 percent of total U.S. utility-scale generation, up from 6.9 percent in the same period in 2015. Total renewables used in the electric power sector should increase by 13 percent in 2016 and by 3.3 percent in 2017. Forecast hydropower generation in the electric power sector increases by 11.2 percent in 2016 and then falls by 3.4 percent in 2017. Generation from renewables other than hydropower is forecast to grow by 14.5 percent in 2016 and by 8.9 percent in 2017. From 2015 to 2017, utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity will grow by about 14 gigawatts. States leading in utility-scale solar capacity additions are California, Nevada, North Carolina, Texas, and Georgia. According to EIA’s Electric Power Monthly, electricity generation from utility-scale PV in 2015 exceeded generation from wind in California for the first time. Forecast utility-scale solar power generation averages 1.2 percent of total U.S. electricity generation in 2017. Wind capacity, which starts from a significantly larger installed capacity base than solar, grew by 13 percent in 2015, and it is forecast to increase by 10 percent in both 2016 and 2017.

Ethanol output up some

Ethanol production averaged almost 970,000 barrels per day in 2015, and it is forecast to average about 980,000 b/d in 2016 and 2017. Ethanol consumption averaged about 910,000 b/d in 2015, and it is forecast to average about 930,000 b/d in both 2016 and 2017. This level of consumption results in the ethanol share of the total gasoline pool averaging 10 percent in both 2016 and 2017.

Retail/Consumer Spending Vehicle Sales Mankato — Number of vehicles sold - 2015 - 2016

571

1200

788

1000 800 600 400 200 0

Source: Sales tax figures, City of Mankato

Sales tax collections Mankato (In thousands)

600

- 2015 - 2016

Includes restaurants, bars, telecommunications and general merchandise store sales. Excludes most clothing, grocery store sales.

$389 $403

500 400 300 200 100 0

Source: Sales tax figures, City of Mankato

Lodging tax collections Mankato/North Mankato - 2015 - 2016 70000

$38,712 $35,546

52500 35000 17500 0

Source: City of Mankato

Mankato food and beverage tax - 2015 - 2016 175000 140000

$62,106 $58,500

105000 70000 35000 0

Source: City of Mankato

C. Sankey

MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 25

Construction/Real Estate Residential building permits Mankato

Residential building permits North Mankato

18000

4000

- 2015 - 2016 (in thousands)

$4,939 $1,943

13500 9000

2000

4500

1000

$452 $542

3000

Source: City of Mankato

Source: City of North Mankato

Information based on Multiple Listing Service and may not reflect all sales

Existing home sales: Mankato region - 2015 - 2016 170 204

275

Median home sale price: Mankato region - 2015 - 2016 (in thousands) $189,500 $170,000 200

160

220

120

165

110

55 0

Source: Realtors Association of Southern Minnesota

3.8%

3.5 A

20 10

3.6% M

4.0

Includes single family homes attached and detached, and town homes and condos

4.5

Source: Freddie Mac

Source: Cities of Mankato/North Mankato

Commercial building permits Mankato

Commercial building permits North Mankato

- 2015 - 2016 (in thousands)

12000

- 2015 - 2016 (in thousands) $202 4000 $1,211

$9,979

10000

3000

$1,928

8000

2000

6000 4000

1000

2000 0

- 2015 - 2016

5.0

Housing starts: Mankato/North Mankato

— 2015 — 2016 5.5

Source: Realtor Association of Southern Minnesota

Interest Rates: 30-year fixed-rate mortgage

3.0

Source: City of Mankato

26 • July 2016 • MN Valley Business

Source: City of North Mankato

C. Sankey

Gas Prices Gas prices-Mankato

SCOTT FEE, PH. D — 2015 — 2016

5 4 $2.49

3 2

$2.23

1 0

Gas prices-Minnesota

— 2015 — 2016

5 4 $2.53

3 2

$2.27

1 0

D C. Sankey

Source: GasBuddy.com

May 11

June 10

Percent change

Archer Daniels Ameriprise

$38.33

Best Buy Crown Cork & Seal Consolidated Comm. Fastenal General Growth General Mills Hutchinson Technology Itron Johnson Outdoors 3M Target

$31.60 $55.36 $24.96 $46.50 $27.40 $64.37 $3.50 $42.40 $24.93 $169.93 $76.16 $42.28 $35.00 $1.95 $41.42

$42.26 $96.60 $29.59

+10.3% +3.1% -6.4%

$52.56 $25.14 $44.15 $27.67 $64.89 $3.66 $43.00

-5.1%

Stocks of local interest

U.S. Bancorp Wells Financial Winland Xcel

$96.59

$26.35 $168.22 $67.35 $41.99 $35.50 $2.05 $42.76

+0.7% -5.1% +1.0% +1.0% +4.6% +1.4% +5.7% -1.6% -11.6% -0.7% +1.4% +5.1% +3.2%

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C. Sankey

MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 27

■

Agricultural Outlook

By Kent Thiesse

GreenSeam unveiled to grow agribusiness economy

griculture has long been an important business segment in southern Minnesota, ranging from production agriculture to food processing, professional services, education, technology, r esear ch, manufacturing, transportation, and more. The region boasts an extensive list business concentration and dominance, which is either directly or indirectly impacted by the ag economy. Many business leaders from across the region see an opportunity to expand on the extensive ag and business assets already in the region, in order to create an even more diverse, innovative, and thriving business community and economic environment. In 2014, a group of forwardthinking business and agricultural leaders from across southern Minnesota made a highly innovative decision to embark on an effort called “Project ABE”, which stands for Agriculture Business Epicenter. The vision of “Project ABE” was to build on the existing ag business prominence of the region in order to maximize the opportunities of this region as a growing economic marketplace, and to become the premier ag business epicenter in the United States. Many business and ag leaders from this region have been very dedicated to this vision, as well as to the goals and objectives of “Project ABE”. This group of business and agricultural leaders formed a steering committee in 2014, and hired Sam Ziegler as director, with a goal to propel this region into a center of ag business (similar to Silicon Valley in technology). The work of the steering committee has been aided by volunteers that have focused their efforts on the four separate teams to help develop the vision and mission of “Project

28 • July 2016 • MN Valley Business

ABE”. The four teams are Promotion, Education, Business Development, and Public Affairs. Following are the principles and goals for each of the teams: • Promotion - Developing tools for communicating the importance of the ag economy to the region in order to increase awareness and enthusiasm toward the ag industry. • Education - Investing in ag programs and resources, both inside and outside the region, that will meet the demands for a talented workforce to grow ag businesses and the ag economy. • Business Development - Using the potential of the ag industry to fuel economic growth by supporting existing business growth, as well as positioning the region as a destination for future ag related business opportunities. • Public Affairs - Integrating the region’s agriculture industry with the economic and social community in order to foster an environment and garner support that is conducive to future ag development in the region. The efforts of all of the business and agricultural leaders that have been involved in “Project ABE” for the past two years reached an important milestone on June 20th, when GreenSeam was unveiled as the title for this initiative going forward. GreenSeam will continue to build on the existing ag business prominence in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa to maximize this growing economic marketplace as a premier ag business epicenter. The work of the teams for Promotion, Education, Business Development and Public Affairs, identified earlier, will continue under

guidance and GreenSeam.

leadership

Region already an ag leader

GeenSeam has no defined physical area, and the size of this region may evolve over time, as economic, environmental and social conditions change. In the course of forming “Project ABE”, which resulted in the development of GreenSeam, some ag economic data was gathered as it relates to the southcentral Minnesota agricultural region. The area was comprised of 13 counties, primarily in southcentral Minnesota, with the Mankato/North Mankato area being the central point of the region. In 2013, this region had more than $6.3 billion in agricultural sales, which resulted in more than a $10.1 billion impact on the overall economy of the region. In 2015, this region produced approximately 600 million bushels of corn and 130 million bushels of soybeans, as well as over 5 million hogs. The region is home to 8 of the top 10 production counties in Minnesota for corn, soybeans, and hogs, and has some counties that excel in dairy and beef production, sugar beet production, and canning crops. Minnesota ranks 4th in the United States in the production of corn-based ethanol. Eleven ethanol plants, producing over 930 million gallons of ethanol per year, are located in the GreenSeam region. In addition to ethanol production, three of the largest soybean processing plants in the U.S. are located in the region. The corn and soybean processing plants add considerable value to the area’s corn and soybean production, and account for several hundred jobs. Agricultural sales in this region are nearly equal to the retail and

manufacturing sales combined. Production agriculture is the beginning of supply chains for the food processing industry and a driver for the farm machinery and other equipment manufacturing industries. While it is very hard to measure, ag-related businesses also have a large impact on retail sales across the region.

U of M Extension agbioscience study

In 2013, the Agricultural Utilization and Research Institute (AURI) gave leadership to a study of the economic impact of the agbioscience industry in Minnesota, which was conducted by the Battelle Technology Partnership Practice and University of Minnesota Extension. Co-sponsors of the study were both the Minnesota Corn and Soybean Research and Promotion Councils. The study focused on core strengths of Minnesota’s agbioscience industry, and recommended strategies for further investment and development of the State’s ag industry. In addition to statewide analysis of the ag industry, the report also looked at regional differences in the various economic development areas. In 2013, the agbioscience related businesses produced an estimated $16.6 billion in direct economic output in Greater Minnesota, beyond the Twin Cities Metro region. These businesses employed 22,760 workers that earned a total of over $1.8 billion in labor wages, or an average of $78,000 per employee in wages and benefits. The segments of the industry receiving the greatest economic benefits include corn, soybean, and wheat production, sugar beet production, and the livestock sector. These direct benefits from the agbioscience businesses were supplemented by additional economic activity provided by businesses and industries that supply goods and services to ag businesses. If you include the support business and industry, the total economic benefit from the agbioscience industry in Greater Minnesota is estimated at $23.4 billion, with employment provided to 63,750 workers. Some of the related businesses that receive significant economic impact from the ag industry include wholesale trade, trucking, equipment, and service providers. The study showed that the southern third of Minnesota received the greatest economic impact in Greater Minnesota from the agbioscience industry. The ag industry accounted for over 15 percent of the total economic output in the Southeast Minnesota Economic Region, which includes all the counties in the Region 9 Development area, as well as many of the counties in GreenSeam. In addition, approximately 11 percent of the total economic output in the Southwest Minnesota was derived from the ag industry, with portions of this region also being part of GreenSeam. (Data and information for this article was derived from the 2014 Greater Mankato Growth “Project ABE” Unifying Document, the “Agricultural Snapshot” publication, prepared by Greater Mankato Growth in 2014, and from the 2013 University of Minnesota Extension Report titled : “Economic Contribution of the Agbioscience Industry in Greater Minnesota”. MV Kent Thiesse is farm management analyst and vice president, MinnStar Bank, Lake Crystal. 507- 381-7960; kent.thiesse@minnstarbank.com

Agriculture/ Agribusiness Corn prices — southern Minnesota

(dollars per bushel)

— 2015 — 2016

$3.74

6 4 2

$3.27

Source: USDA

Soybean prices — southern Minnesota

(dollars per bushel)

— 2015 — 2016

20 16

$10.89

12 8

$9.27

4 0

Source: USDA

Iowa-Minnesota hog prices

185 pound carcass, negotiated price, weighted average

— 2015 — 2016

100

$78.63

90 80 70

$77.63

60 50

Source: USDA

Milk prices

Minimum prices, class 1 milk Dollars per hundredweight

— 2015 — 2016 25 22

$17.63

19 16

$15.50

13 10

Source: USDA. Based on federal milk orders. Corn and soybean prices are for rail delivery points in Southern Minnesota. Milk prices are for Upper Midwest points.

C. Sankey

MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 29

Minnesota Business Updates

■

■ Amazon hiring in Shakopee Amazon is looking to hire more than 1,000 people to work at its new fulfillment center in Shakopee. Shakopee Valley News says the internet giant has started hiring to fill 1,000 full-time positions at the center, which could open as early as July. Employees will pick, pack and ship items like books, electronics and other goods to consumers. And they’ll work alongside hundreds and hundreds of robots in the high-tech center. Amazon says median pay at its fulfillment centers is 30 percent higher than what workers make in traditional retail stores. The company also offers comprehensive benefits, bonuses and stock awards, among other perks.

Honey Nut Cheerios and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, two of Mills’ most popular offerings. Tiny Toast is hitting stores shelves at a time when cereal sales are squishy, having fallen 9 percent from 2011 through 2015, according to market researcher Nielsen. Cereal makers like General Mills often create line extensions of their classic brands: witness the proliferation of Cheerios flavors. New cereals are less common, since they often entail a bigger investment and more risk than a line extension. Work began on Tiny Toast more than a year ago. The last new hit cereal brand that Mills launched was Reese’s Puffs, which is made under license with Hershey Co. Launched in 1994, Reese’s Puffs is still going strong.

■ Google balloon in Minnesota

■ GM rolls out new cereal With the debut of Tiny Toast, General Mills is launching its first new cereal brand in 15 years. Tiny Toast features pieces of crunchy “toast” covered with tiny pieces of fruit. It’s one of only a few offerings in the cereal category flavored with real fruit, according to General Mills. Tiny Toast comes in two flavors; strawberry and blueberry, according to the Star Tribune. General Mills, based outside Minneapolis and one of the nation’s two cereal behemoths along with Kellogg, is positioning Tiny Toast as a family cereal, similar to

Google launched a high-altitude balloon that slowly floated across Minnesota and north of the Twin Cities metro last month as part of the tech giant’s Project Loon, an initiative to beam internet connections to rural and remote areas that lack high-speed data infrastructure. Google hopes to build a network of balloons about 20 kilometers above the ground that will ride the atmosphere’s wind streams, floating higher or lower to change speed and direction. The 12-meter-tall balloons can cover an 80 kilometer area on the ground with LTE

Employment/Unemployment Initial unemployment claims Nine-county Mankato region Major May Industry ‘15 ‘16 Construction Manufacturing Retail Services Total*

83 238 35 207 563

Local non-farm jobs Percent change ‘14-’15

196 255 52 180 683

+136.1% +7.1% +48.6% -13.0% +20.2%

Services consist of administration, educational, health care and social assistance, food and other miscellaneous services. *Categories don’t equal total because some categories not listed.

Minnesota initial unemployment claims Major Industry Construction Manufacturing Retail Services Total*

May

127,146 133000

128,245

122000 111000 100000

Minnesota Local non-farm jobs

‘15

‘16

Percent change ‘14-’15

2,300 2,548 939 4,509 10,296

3,287 2,754 959 4,521 11,521

+42.0% +8.1% +2.1% +0.3% +11.9%

Services consist of administration, educational, health care and social assistance, food and other miscellaneous services. *Categories don’t equal total because some categories not listed.

30 • July 2016 • MN Valley Business

- 2015 - 2016

Nine-county Mankato region

(in thousands)

- 2015 - 2016

2,901 2,927

3000 2000 1000 0

wireless data, according to the Star Tribune. Google started Project Loon in New Zealand in 2013 and hopes to establish “a ring of uninterrupted connectivity at latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, so that pilot testers in these latitudes can receive continuous service via balloon-powered Internet.” At 60,000 to 90,000 feet, the balloons float well above weather and the flight altitudes of commercial and civil aircraft, and can stay aloft for 100 days.

■ Fastenal releases earnings Weakness in sales of the industrial fasteners, lower sales to customers in the oil & gas industry, a stronger U.S. dollar, softness in the Canadian business and overall weakness in the industrial economy hurt Fastenal sales in the first quarter. However, Fastenal’s vending trends improved in 2015. The company reported EPS of $0.44, in line with estimates. Revenues were $986.7 million, which surpassed estimates.

■ Metro home sales strong The demand for new homes in the Twin Cities has returned to pre-recession levels, according to numbers released by the Builders Association of the Twin Cities. The number of permits issued in the Twin Cities in May rose to 496. It’s the highest number for the month since about 2009, Meg Jaeger, the Builders Association president and owner of Mega Homes told Minnesota Public Radio.

“Interest rates are still low, at an all-time low, and demand is picking up,” Jaeger said. “The growth is continual, so from month to month in 2016, the numbers have proven to be good.” Jaeger said some builders are struggling to make sure that they have enough workers to meet the demand. “We’re very concerned about the labor shortage,” Jaeger said. “The Builders Association along with a few other groups in the Twin Cities are working hard to welcome more young folks into the construction industry.”

■ 3M, Vikings team up The Minnesota Vikings have named 3M Co. the team’s official “science partner.” As part of the 10-year deal, a 4,800-square-foot banner bearing 3M’s name and logo will hang inside the northeast corner of the U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis, according to the Star Tribune. In addition, 3M Co. will be the “preferred” branded supplier of first aid stations throughout the stadium that opens later this year. The partnership will also let 3M and the Vikings work together to place creative media content on the Vikings Entertainment Network’s TV, radio or print programming as well as on 3M outlets and channels. Financial terms were not disclosed. 3M, which made 50 products used in the construction of the massive stadium, is “proud to partner with the Minnesota Vikings to help bring the story of 3M science to an even broader audience,” said 3M Chief Marketing Officer Don Branch.

Employment/Unemployment Local number of unemployed

- 2015 - 2016

Nine-county Mankato region

(includes all of Blue Earth and Nicollet Counties)

8000

5,028 4,999

6000

April Unemployment rate Number of non-farm jobs Number of unemployed

4000 2000 0

Mankato/North Mankato Metropolitan statistical area

2015

2016

2.7% 57,711 1,619

2.9% 58,496 1,735

Unemployment rates Counties, state, nation Minnesota number of unemployed

- 2015 - 2016

200000

114,237 114,639

150000 100000 50000 0

County/area Blue Earth Brown Faribault Le Sueur Martin Nicollet Sibley Waseca Watonwan Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota U.S.

April 2015 4.0% 4.1% 4.3% 5.0% 4.1% 2.5% 4.1% 4.0% 4.4% 3.3% 3.6% 5.1%

April 2016 4.2% 4.3% 4.5% 5.1% 3.9% 2.6% 4.4% 4.2% 5.0% 3.4% 3.8% 4.7%

Source: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development C. Sankey

MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 31

Pulling Back the Curtain By: Jim Santori, New Business Development Director for Greater Mankato Growth retention and expansion. Besides seeking out potential growth opportunities, the business development team will often get inquiries from businesses on such things as available properties, state or local incentives, prevailing wages and the like. They are usually in the first phase of their decision making and because they need a certain calm during that time they request anonymity.

e at Greater Mankato Growth (GMG) can sometimes look pretty mysterious. What does GMG do? It doesn’t hold property, make anything or have a profit stream. Just what is it anyway? You might say GMG is a reflection of the region. Collaborative, positive, growing and leading. What really guides our day-to-day work are our values which our founding board helped forge to lead our decision making now and in the future. This should help draw a picture of GMG’s motivations: • •

Greater Mankato Growth

• •

•

Catalysts – we will initiate action when we see a need in the region. GMG will not own it but will see if it can start some action towards filling that need. Stewards – of the area’s reputation as well as our own resources bequeathed to us by its members. Collaborative and Inclusive – decisions will not be made in a vacuum but rather together with partners. Approachable – this goes hand-in-hand with collaboration. We work for the greater good of this region and the growth of its community members and businesses. GMG is only interested in making others grow. Innovative – as the region changes so must the direction and initiatives of GMG. We are forward-focused on applying better solutions and effective processes to meet existing market and member needs. Ethical – probably the most important part of our mission. Businesses, civic leaders, community members must trust our work. Confidences are maintained and respected.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT This last part regarding confidences helps explain the “mysterious” work of GMG – business development,

32 • July 2016 • MN Valley Business

Invariably Greater Mankato area gets lumped in with others and our job is to sell the area as best we can. Our tools include robust economic modeling software, a strong marketing department using multimedia platforms, lists of available private equity and capital providers, our access to state offices, a vital website with a cornucopia of data and factors such as the livability of our region. We are in fierce competition with those areas who may not have such a diverse and healthy economy as ours. We are reaching out beyond our borders to extol the virtues of working and living in the area. We have expanded our focus to site selectors, investors and agents in the metropolitan area and soon will be knocking on doors of commercial headquarters. Trust and confidence in GMG is essential for site selectors and businesses to confide in us. We are extremely lucky to have such a great region to sell and promote. INTEGRATION While some of the work is “invisible”, the areas where GMG is visible – in its initiatives – gives a pretty good indication of our job to promote and support the economic growth and vitality of our region. The Greater Mankato Young Professionals initiative was created to help retain our talented youth. The Greater Mankato Leadership Institute prepares the future leaders of our region. The InterCity Leadership Visit brings civic leaders to other cities so we can learn how to improve our own area. (A side benefit is it helps forge bonds that otherwise may not have happened.) Public Affairs helps bring awareness of our area to statewide decision makers while we compete with other metros in Minnesota. The less mysterious elements of GMG are with our affiliates – Visit Mankato and City Center Partnership both of which are an integral part of our mission.

Visit Mankato, an affiliate of Greater Mankato Growth, Inc., works to make the area a destination point for visitors. Once they experience the area we hope they appreciate the livability, energy and opportunity the region has to offer. While its focus is primarily in Mankato, it can and will promote the region when the opportunity presents itself such as its involvement in the Governor’s Pheasant Hunt held in two counties and the international Clay Shooting Championship held in Le Sueur. City Center Partnership (also an affiliate of Greater Mankato Growth, Inc.) is focused on maintaining the economic health of the Mankato/North Mankato city core which is vital to any metropolitan area. It now is helping City of Mankato leadership develop a master plan for the Old Town area and the City of North Mankato in planning for Belgrade Avenue. GMG’s newest initiative, GreenSeam (also known as Project ABE), is working to bring global attention to the dynamics of our agricultural sector, one of the richest regions in the nation spanning southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, and helps us keep a diversified economy. But agribusiness is more than planting seeds and we will continue to bring attention to the strength and opportunities that exist in this arena. CONNECTING THE DOTS One of the great strengths of GMG is our ability to “connect the dots” – putting people in need in touch with those who have something worthwhile to provide. A critical part of that job is through networking. We are the neurons in this extensive [nervous] system referred to as the Greater Mankato area; making connections everywhere we go. This happens at our Business Before Hours and Business After Hours events where people meet, discuss their work and exchange cards. You do this often enough and it creates a

“top of mind” awareness when the actual need arises. Many deals had their seminal moment at one of these busy events. Our Business-to-Business marketing efforts ensure messages are laser focused on clientele who are relevant. Greater Mankato Growth offers a host of different options its members can utilize to market and promote their business and products from digital advertising, coupon posting and mailing list purchases to sponsorships and event promotion. There are many diverse options GMG offers to help all types of businesses and organizations be successful. MEMBERSHIP Because GMG does not produce goods or hold land we rely on our membership base to fund the work we do. We are close to 1,000 members all of whom believe in the work we do, give guidance on the overall effort and help design effective strategies. The board of directors and executive board are unpaid volunteers comprised of a cross-section of private and public individuals helping keep the organization relevant and strong. It is with them where we find strength and support needed to forge ahead. More importantly, the residents of Greater Mankato are our best ambassadors. They spread the word of all the exciting things happening in our region. Visitors continually talk about how welcomed they feel here and newcomers are taken aback by how easily they are included. While we have a lot of excellent institutions to tout, it makes the job of GMG that much easier when the region is made up of generous, friendly, inclusive people such as we have and for that we are grateful. #liveworkplaymankato #mankato

Now is your opportunity to nominate a deserving business or professional for the Greater Mankato Business Awards & Hall of Fame. The 2016 event will be held on Tuesday, November 15 and is a time where Greater Mankato Growth,Visit Mankato and City Center Partnership honor the outstanding businesses, professionals and organizations within the Greater Mankato community. Nominations will be accepted until September 20. For more information, nomination forms and to see past recipients visit: greatermankato.com/hall-fame.

MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 33

Greater Mankato Growth

NOMINATE A DESERVING BUSINESS OR PROFESSIONAL

Growth in Greater Mankato

RIBBON CUTTING

NEW LOCATION

Century 21 Atwood Realty and Atwood Property Management 209 South 2nd Street, Suite 200 Mankato atwoodrealty.com

City of Mankato Mass Transit 501 South Victory Drive Mankato mankato-mn.gov

GROUND BREAKING

NEW BUSINESS

North Central Utility 2150 Carlson Drive North Mankato

Kato Escape Room 619 South Front Street Mankato

Cavalier Calls on the Newest Greater Mankato Growth Members

Greater Mankato Growth

Cavaliers Blinds & More 424 Belgrade Avenue, Suite 105 North Mankato blinds-more.com

Commerce Drive Dental Group 2040 Commerce Drive North Mankato commercedrivedental.com

Mankato Area 77 Lancers Marching Band 110 Fulton Street Mankato 77lancers.com

M2 Lofts 1050 Marsh Street Mankato m2lofts.com

West Central Sanitation 600 Webster Avenue North Mankato wcsanitation.com

Raydiance Salon 11 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 101 Mankato raydiancesalon.com

34 â&#x20AC;˘ July 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ MN Valley Business

Greater Mankato Growth MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 35

Community Input Shapes Old Town Master Plan By: Megan Flanagan, City Center Partnership Director

he City Center Partnership was invited to partner with the City of Mankato this year on the public engagement process for the Old Town Master Plan. The two collaborated on a series of public engagement sessions where business owners, property owners and residents were invited to share their current Old Town experiences, as well as express their needs and desires for the future. The information and ideas shared at these community engagement sessions played a key role in the creation of the plan.

through an online survey, four themes emerged: Preservation and Culture, Renaissance and Renewal, Linkages and Connectivity and Partnerships to Build the Village. A second set of meetings was held on March 8 and March 12 to further explore these areas and prioritize the ideas generated at the January sessions. Participants chose one of the themes to focus on for the evening and participated in in-depth conversations with city and CCP staff on their area of interest.

Participants brainstorm ideas for the future of Old Town at the Eagles Club Ballroom during the January input sessions.

Greater Mankato Growth

There is currently strong interest among Old Town business and property owners in working together toward a prosperous future. This was very evident during the public engagement process. The kick-off stakeholder meetings were held on January 26 and January 30. More than 160 people attended these two sessions; the ballroom at the Eagles Club was filled with people and energy! Arranged in small groups, the participants were asked to answer four open-ended questions: • What is your favorite thing about Old Town/2nd Street? • What are the areas opportunities? • As the City moves forward with the planning process, what 3-5 areas should be prioritized? • What’s your BIG idea? Attendees wrote, doodled, mapped and graphed their answers on large note pads. A highlight was the end of the session, when each table was invited to share onetwo big ideas (they were told the ideas did not have to be easily achievable). Ideas included a pedestrian bridge to North Mankato, a rooftop restaurant, a marina and sports facilities at the Coughlan Quarry site. Based on all the input collected at the meetings and

36 • July 2016 • MN Valley Business

The draft plan presented at an open house on June 21 was a result of this intense community engagement. It calls for preservation of the unique Old Town look and character and promotion of the “urban village” atmosphere, a variety of housing options on North 2nd Street, increased connections to the river, initiatives to increase pedestrian safety and walkability (including improved alleyscaping and way-finding signage), opportunities for increased public art and creative placemaking, creation of a branding vision and encouragement of festivals and special events designed to increase trade and traffic in Old Town. It also calls for the formation of an Old Town Business Association to foster communication and interaction between property owners and businesses and to help boost neighborhood pride. This association would partner frequently with organizations like the City Center Partnership and Greater Mankato Growth to keep the strong momentum in Old Town moving forward and help create conditions for a prosperous future for the businesses located there. The Old Town Plan is certainly exciting; the process for developing it was equally so. More information can be found at: citycentermankato.com/old-town-masterplanning-process.

Fans (and Businesses) Experience Minnesota Vikings Fever By: Katie Adelman, Marketing & Communications Coordinator

ankato will be adorned in purple and gold as the 51st annual Minnesota Vikings Training Camp begins July 28, 2016.

Vikings fever will take over Mankato from July 28 August 9 as fans attend practices, autograph sessions and special events. Typically, camp generates about $5 million in economic impact and helps fans discover that Greater Mankato has much more to offer visitors. Every summer, our community is saturated with fans who have a case of Vikings fever when it hosts the longest continuous running training camp in the country. As a community, it is important we embrace these fans, jerseys and all, and make them feel welcome. Visit Mankato is encouraging businesses to participate in the annual Vikings Spirit Contest; deck out the workplace and employees in purple and gold throughout training camp to show their Vikings spirit. Judging will be August 2 and the winner will be announced August 5. The business that bleeds purple and gold the proudest will be awarded Vikings memorabilia from Viktor himself. Greater Mankato Growth members will be able to pre-order Vikings Training Camp shirts at a discounted price. T-shirts are $10 and orders are due July 15. To place an order, please contact Joelle at 507.385.6679 or jbaumann@visitmankatomn.com.

Friday, July 29 – The Kick Off to Camp—formerly Taste of Mankato—event will be from 5 to 8 p.m. on the 500 block of Front Street in Mankato. Great food from local businesses will be served up to fans, and profits from the evening will be split between the Vikings Children’s Fund and a local charity. Saturday, August 6 – The Vikings will practice under the lights at Blakeslee Stadium. A team introduction and fireworks display will follow the practice. Additional Training Camp events and activities will be updated frequently on the Visit Mankato Vikings webpage at: vikingsmankato.com. Show your business’ Vikings spirit. Contact Joelle at jbaumann@visitmankatomn.com or 507.385.6679 for more details or to sign up your business for the Vikings Spirit Contest. July and August allows Mankato to display all it has to offer. Show off your beads, jerseys and Vikings horns with pride. Training camp is right around the corner!

Businesses are encouraged to show off their Vikings pride with the Vikings Spirit Contest. 2015 Winners: Microtel Inn & Suites

MN Valley Business • July 2016 • 37

Greater Mankato Growth

Thousands of fans are expected to paint Mankato with purple and gold during Vikings Training Camp July 28 - August 9, 2016.

Vikings Training Camp Events not to be missed: Thursday, July 28 – The annual Welcome Party will take place as the Minnesota Vikings arrive at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Fans will be decked out in their favorite Vikings apparel, lined up for their player’s autographs and participate in fun festivities.

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