Business Connect Q4 2016

Page 1

2016 q4

NETWORKING

to build business and reconnect in a digital world pg. 16 OVERTIME Changes coming

pg. 21

pg. 4

STATE FARM - UNDER PROMISE & OVER DELIVER

pg. 8

SOLECKI - Customer service starts at the door

pg. 14

Training others can aid in development Business Connect I 1


WE ARE DEDICATED

to supporting and educating every company that does business in Greeley

1

What is Sales and Use Tax?

2

What is the City of Greeley’s Sales and Use Tax Rate?

3

When I buy something in Greeley I pay more than 4.11%, what other sales tax am I paying?

Answer: Sales tax is a tax on the sale of tangible personal property and specific taxable services as defined in the City of Greeley Municipal Code. Use tax is complementary to sales tax and is only due if a purchaser did not pay Greeley sales tax or a legally imposed sales tax as high or higher than the sales tax they would have paid had they purchased the item or service in Greeley.

Answer: The City of Greeley Sales and Use Tax rate is 4.11%. (3.46% prior to January 1, 2016). However, the City of Greeley Sales and Use Tax for Food for Home Consumption is 3.46%. The Food Tax primarily applies to grocery stores and does not include prepared foods or items that are for immediate consumption. Answer: In addition to the City of Greeley Sales and Use Tax, the State of Colorado also has a 2.9% Sales and Use Tax. The City of Greeley only administers the Greeley Sales and Use Tax. The State of Colorado Sales and Use Tax is administered by the State of Colorado Department of Revenue. The total Sales and Use tax rates in Greeley as of January 1, 2016 are as follows: Taxable Items/Service Excluding Food for Home Consumption City of Greeley 4.11% State of Colorado 2.90% Total 7.01%

4

What forms do I have to file?

5

Who has to pay Use Tax?

Food for Home Consumption City of Greeley 3.46% State of Colorado Total

0.00% 3.46%

Answer: All companies engaged in business in Greeley must file sales and use tax returns. These returns may be monthly, quarterly or annual based upon guidelines as set by the City of Greeley. These returns are used to report the sales tax you have collected as well as purchases you have made subject to use tax. Answer: Any taxpayer that makes a purchase of a taxable item or service that they are the consumer of (they are not reselling) owes Greeley Use Tax providing the following apply: -The taxpayer is not an exempt organization -The taxable item or service was used, stored or consumed in Greeley - Did not pay to the vendor they purchased the item or service from either the Greeley sales tax rate or a legally imposed sales tax as high or higher than the sales tax they would have paid had they purchased the item or service in Greeley on all taxable amounts of the purchase.

If you are engaged in any type of business in the City of Greeley, you may be liable for Use Tax. If you don’t know what this is or have never reported Use Tax, please contact the City of Greeley immediately.

Visit www.Greeleygov.com/salestax for answers to all common tax questions. City of Greeley

970-350-9733 • Email: greeleysalestax@greeleygov.com • www.greeleygov.com/salestax State of Colorado

303-238-SERV (7378) • www.colorado.gov/pacific/tax Tax Rates of other Cities, Counties and Districts and Home Rule City Contact Info

www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/DR1002.pdf


Features PG. 16

PG. 21

OVERTIME

New overtime rules set for Dec. 1 start.

PG. 4

Customer Service Winner State Farm: Under-promise and over-

deliver are keys to customer service.

NETWORKING

To build business and reconnect in a digital world.

PG. 10

Runner-Up

Tops in customer service.

PG. 8

PG. 26

starts at the door.

Move toward technology over the bricks and mortar.

Customer Service Winner Solecki Chriopractic: Customer service

PUBLISHER Bryce Jacobson EDITOR Randy Bangert CREATIVE MANAGER Kyle Knoop BUSINESS MANAGER Doug Binder MANAGING EDITOR Sharon Dunn CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Tyler Silvy

Banks

Ed Zalewski Linda Kane Luanne Kadlub Kyra Kudick Bridgett Weaver Sales MANAGERs Stephanie Mighell Bruce Dennis

BUSINESS CONNECT 501 8th Avenue, Greeley, CO 80631 P.O. Box 1690 For all editorial, advertising, subscription and circulation inquiries, call (970) 352-0211. Send editorial-related comments and story ideas to: rbangert@greeleytribune.com

Creative supervisor For display advertising inquiries, contact: bdennis@greeleytribune.com Amy Mayer Lead Designer Jeremiah Corder

2016 Q2, Volume 1, Issue 1. Published by: Greeley Publishing Co., publisher of The Greeley Tribune, Windsor Now, the Fence Post, Tri-State Livestock News, and Energy Pipeline

Business Connect I 3


WINNER

BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE

McDonald:

Under-promise and over-deliver are keys to customer service By LINDA KANE For Business Connect 4 I Business Connect


C

insurance. McDonald has worked for State ustomer service is what gives a Farm for 15 years and has had her own office business credibility. for about four years. That’s according to Melissa “I don’t see myself as an insurance agent McDonald, a Greeley State Farm anymore,” she said. “I see myself as an agent. Her office is being recognized as educator.” having excellent customer service in the A large part of her job is Greeley area. explaining insurance policies “This is a huge honor,” I don’t see to clients and helping them McDonald said. “It’s very humbling to know we’re taking myself as an work through claims. “It can be overwhelming,” she said. care of people.” insurance She and her team try to offer McDonald and two agent the highest level of customer colleagues at her office strive anymore. I service in various forms. For to exceed customer service see myself example, displaying empathy expectations. She has her office when something tragic happens to set up so customers see an as an a client. agent right when they walk in educator. “I try to tell my team, if there’s the door. If everyone is on the a house burglary, it goes a lot phone, an agent makes contact deeper than just the person’s stuff being with the customer with a wave. stolen,” McDonald said. “It’s about personal McDonald stresses the importance of safety and a stranger being in their personal answering a call by the second ring and space.” calling back within 20 minutes of receiving a For McDonald, being recognized for message, she said. “I tell my team to under-promise and over- something she tries to exhibit every day has deliver, and I really think that gives us a slight been a team effort. “I couldn’t do it without them,” she said. edge above our competition,” McDonald said. She also stresses a “smile-and-dial” ideal in which she and her colleagues physically smile while speaking on the phone. “I believe if you are physically smiling, you’re going to convey that attitude,” McDonald said. The motto she lives by? “Making sure that people are covered when the unthinkable happens unexpectedly.” State Farm provides a wide State Farm agent Melissa McDonald is show here with her associates, variety of insurance McAllister LaFrance, left, and Thomas Currington. coverage including homeowners; auto; business; health and disability; and life

Business Connect I 5


Small business, Big savings. Discounts up to

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Cut costs while still getting the coverage you need. From Business Insurance to Employee Retirement plans, I make it my business to protect yours. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.ÂŽ CALL ME TODAY.

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0907512.1

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Business Connect I 7


WINNER

BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE

Pictured, from left, Erica Cruz, C.M.T., Dr. Dave Solecki, D.C. and Tina Johnson, office manager.

Solecki Chiropractic: Customer service starts at the door

By LINDA KANE For Business Connect

D

r. Dave Solecki couldn’t have predicted that a sports injury during college at Arizona State University would set in motion his future career. But, that’s exactly what happened. “I had a great personal experience with chiropractic when I was in college,” Solecki said. “They got me well with chiropractic care and I decided then to pursue 8 I Business Connect

chiropractic as a career.” His main goal: to make people feel better. And that was more than 15 years ago already. Dr. Solecki and his wife, Nicole, who is also a chiropractor, opened Solecki Chiropractic and Acupuncture Clinic in Greeley and haven’t looked back. Solecki graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in justice studies. He received his Bachelor of


Science in human biology and his Doctor of Chiropractic from Logan College of Chiropractic. Solecki is also a Fellow with the International Academy of Medical Acupuncturists and is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner through the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians. His wife is currently taking time off from her career to care for their two young sons, Maddox and Gerard. Solecki said acupuncture is a great partner to chiropractic care. He also employs a massage therapist. “We’re a multi-disciplinary practice,” he said. “We do massage therapy and we also do laser therapy, decompression therapy and we also do some rehabilitation therapy.” Being recognized for excellent customer service is in large part due to his office manager, Tina Johnson, Solecki said. “She’s fantastic and efficient and my philosophy is, we get to know our patients. I know their names, what they do for a career, I know about their family,” he said. “Customer service from day one has been our top priority.” His office is taking new patients and treats every age.

Solecki provides chiropractic adjustments for newborns and said his oldest patient currently is 95. “Recently I had a newborn brought in to me. When the doctor delivered him, his shoulder got stuck. He had trauma to his neck and his parents were told to take him to a physical therapist. They brought him in to me at two days old and within three adjustments he had full range of motion in his arm,” Solecki said. He also commonly treats young children for ear infections, acid reflux, colic and constipation. Acupuncture is successfully used on women with fertility issues and helping individuals with neck and should pain, to name a few. “I think that our success is based on great customer service and that starts with Tina Johnson and that carries through with patient care,” Solecki said. “We get great results with the many, many ailments people present with. “Everybody is treated individually and we offer different services because people have different health care needs.”

“ Customer service from

day one has been our top priority.

Business Connect I 9


T O PS I N

BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE

COMMUNITY VOTED CUSTOMER SERVICE CONTEST 10 I Business Connect


SUBWAY 1011 9th Ave., Greeley (970) 352-9525

In 2013, the Greeley downtown Subway helped open the door to a convenient lunch right around the corner from hundreds of downtown workers. Owners Mike and Barbara Webb opened the restaurant alongside their church, the Vineyard. They have since passed the baton on the ministry, focusing instead on making sandwiches. For the Webbs, customers are an extension of their family. Webb said she and her husband have always felt the call to be in this area, in the heart of the city. “We feel they’re guests in our home in a sense,” Barb Webb said. “Hospitality and treating people like they’re guests is a high value that we have, so we emphasize and respect people’s time, and we respecting the fact that they’re extremely busy.” Webb said they also want their sandwich shop to have the feel of a nice getaway from the rigors of work. “We want people to interact and feel like we know each other,” Webb said. At the same time, the Webbs help people down on their luck to get back into the workforce. She said they have had some pretty good success with helping people with a leg up and get re-employed.

Dr. Darin Busse set up shop as Cornerstone Chiropractic in Greeley 15 years ago, and he has won over his patients with his attention to their needs and time. “We always try to exceed expectations — not just meet them,” he said of his practice in Greeley. “We treat them better than what they would expect.” Busse has earned the Five Star Award from Integrity Management for providing quality service and care to his patients. He is a member of the Colorado Chiropractic Association and is actively involved in the Greeley Chiropractic Association. Originally from Loveland, Busse graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a Bachelor of Arts in biological sciences and Northwestern College of Chiropractic with a Bachelor of Science in human biology and his Doctor of Chiropractic. He and his wife settled in Greeley. While the healthcare world is not known for its attention to people’s time, Busse values his patients’ schedules as well as his own. If he must be late, he shoots for no more than 10 minutes. “Patients needs have to come first. We’re here for them. It’s not the other way around.”

JUST BOB’S & SON LLC 500 1st Ave., Greeley (970) 351-6107

CORNERSTONE CHIROPRACTIC 2525 W 16th St., Suite B, Greeley (970) 352-9277

It’s not always a given that auto repairmen take the time to explain everything they’re doing with a customer’s car or back up their work. But “Just Bob” Reichel prides himself on giving the customer an elevated experience. Business Connect I 11


“We don’t work like other repair shops,” Reichel said. “We back up our stuff and take care of people. I take my time and talk with people. I have nothing to hide with them with their cars. I will explain everything that needs to be done until they’re satisfied.” Just Bob’s is a family business. Reichel works with his son to repair all makes and models of vehicles, whether it is a simple oil change or some major mechanical work. His wife handles the office work. A 30-year machinist for a major company in Broomfield, Reichel opened Just Bob’s in Greeley nine years ago to offer something different in an industry he believes hasn’t always made customer experience or needs a priority. “It seems like every time we hear about other repair shops, its exactly what I don’t want to be. … We’re not going to take advantage of people.”

book or movie, to name a few. “We want them to get to know us. That way, they feel welcome here.” Then the conversation flows, and the standard wait for a cup o’ joe morphs into a personal experience topped off with a smile. “We just make sure to make genuine conversation. Rather than be like a robot, we actually listen to what customers have to say and respond rather than rushing them out the door,” Archuleta said. “Even other customers get involved, we all get involved in the conversation. Everyone compares us to Cheers all the time, because all the customers and employees know each other.”

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Business Connect I 13


Training others can aid your own development By KYRA KUDICK JJ Keller & Assoc

W

hile most people recognize the value of participating in career-related education as a student, few consider the shared benefits of participating in the process as a trainer or teacher. Teaching doesn’t always need to take place in a classroom. It might mean mentoring a junior staffer or helping a new member of your professional association. It also could include volunteering to present at career day at a local high school or college. Regardless of the setting, teaching not only provides others with an opportunity to learn from your experience, but it also helps solidify the foundation of your own knowledge. Teaching enhances your own career growth and development by doing several aspects. EXPANDS YOUR KNOWLEDGE/ UNDERSTANDING A student may ask questions about the topic you are teaching and will often pose “what if ” scenarios that may require you to apply your knowledge in ways you haven’t previously faced. You may need to do some research to answer the questions, which will expand your own understanding. COMPELS YOU TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS Because everyone learns differently, you will have to work with your student to make sure the concept you are communicating is understood. This may mean making adjustments to how you explain ideas — allowing you to grow as a communicator.

14 I Business Connect

CHALLENGES YOUR ESTABLISHED OPINIONS THROUGH EXPOSURE TO FRESH PERSPECTIVES A new learner may offer a fresh viewpoint on an issue, which could result in a new way of thinking about a problem, or an improved process for handling a situation. Ongoing learning is important to career growth and development, but it doesn’t always have to be done as a student. Consider the benefits you might reap by lending your expertise to others as a teacher. —Kyra Kudick is an associate editor at J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc., a nationally recognized compliance resource company that offers products and services to address the range of responsibilities held by human resources and corporate professionals. Kudick specializes in employment law/HR issues such as employee relations, hiring and recruiting, and training and development. She is the author of J. J. Keller’s Employee Relations Essentials manual and SUPER adVISOR newsletter. For more information, visit www.jjkeller.com/hr.


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Business Connect I 15


NETWORKIN

to build business and digital world By LUANNE KADLUB For Business Connect

16 I Business Connect

W

hat’s the big deal about networking? Does it work? Can you really build business by attending social events? How do you choose which event to attend or which group to join? Just ask John Soricelli of Johnstown whether or not networking creates new business and opportunities and he will tell you about the cool new job he got as a result. And if you ask Alex Castanuela and Phil White of Greeley and Susan Jewel-Klema of Windsor, they’ll also tell you how their


NG

d reconnect in a businesses have flourished as a result of networking. Let’s start with Soricelli. The former IBMer joined the Loveland Chamber of Commerce some years back to grow his new business, Next Peak Business Solutions. Through his involvement and connections made there, he was asked last year to take on a new challenge: revitalize the JohnstownMilliken Chamber of Commerce as executive director. One of the first things he did to jump-start the chamber was to put business after hours

back on the calendar. “My mission is to help make businesses successful, and the best way to do that is to get them talking to each other. That’s why we started them up again. They’re doing quite well,” he said, noting that average attendance at the monthly event is about 40 and growing. Networking is important because “people have to know you before they can refer you,” he said, adding that it’s beneficial to socialize with “like-minded people who share your struggles and victories.” Business Connect I 17


He suggests those attending their first networking event are to go prepared with business cards and a 30-second elevator pitch. Also important is to be a good listener and to be yourself. Susan JewellKlema, owner of Something With Pizazz in Windsor, is a longtime networker. Eight years ago she helped the Women’s Network Conference transition into the Women’s Development Council with five northern Colorado Chapters in Windsor, Greeley, Loveland, Fort Collins and Firestone under its umbrella organization. Members and guests can attend one or all chapter meetings. Membership in the Windsor chapter has been cyclical, she said, with as few as eight and as many as 50 business people attending. Current attendance averages 25. “With smaller numbers you can really connect and help and support each other,” Jewell-Klema said. She said that a networking group for women – men are allowed so long as they are supportive of women in business – is needed because “we tend to handle our lives and our businesses differently than men. Men tend to be singularly focused, whereas women are constantly multitasking.” It also benefits women who operate businesses from their homes. “Sometimes it’s nice to meet with other people in whatever capacity you want or to get out of the house,” she said. And it provides opportunities to practice that all-important elevator pitch and to get feedback. “For younger women who still feel uncomfortable saying, ‘I own this business or I’m selling this product,’ it’s helpful for them to re-identify every month.” Jewell-Klema also noted that the 18 I Business Connect

automated and online aspects of conducting business today leaves many people yearning to “get back to connecting as humans again.” Networking helps people do just that. It also helps members gain an understanding of what’s happening in the region. “With Windsor, it’s nice to be aware of what’s going on. We’re the central hub. I came here when it was still Mayberry. I’ve seen a lot of growth. It does matter that what happens in Fort Collins affects Windsor.” Being himself is what prompted Alex Castanuela, owner of Maya Marketing Group and Super Dog Cleaning Services, to start the Greeley Networking Group about a year and a half ago. With a background in human resources, advertising and communications, Castanuela has always been a big fan of networking events and years ago founded a meetup group for singles that met with much success. Castanuela stepped away from administration duties once he was in a relationship himself. But the networking bug struck again about 18 months ago. This time his target would be business professionals. To get the word out about the Greeley Networking Group, he accessed his list of 1,500 contacts he accumulated while helping with the Northern Colorado Latino Chamber. Most popular are networking luncheons twice a month at Kenny’s Steakhouse in Greeley, with about 20 people attending, he said, while a couple hundred show up for sporadic business after hours that double as fundraising events for local nonprofits such as Weld Food Bank and Right to Read. The latter gained volunteer reading mentors as a result of the event, Castanuela said.


“For me, networking allows me to get in front of people, to meet more people, to build relationships. But I see a lot more other people getting more benefit from it. That’s what it’s about.” Phil White, owner of Phil’s Pro Auto Service in Greeley, has tried traditional networking events, but for him, a local leads group is more to his liking.“BNI is a memberexclusive group and I am the only auto mechanic shop in our group,” he said. Before BNI – Business Networking International – he attended 20 group meetings for non-competing auto repair professionals from throughout the country. At first it was beneficial, he said, but when it became less so he quit. Ten years ago a chiropractor friend suggested he give BNI a look. The premise behind the organization is that by giving business to others, you will get business in return. White, president of his BNI chapter, said his group closed on $1.5 million in business between members for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2016. BNI is different from other networking groups in that members must commit to attending every weekly meeting, to showing up on time, to staying until the end and to giving qualified referrals, White said. In addition, members pay annual dues on top of monthly room fees. “We have members who would tell you it’s the best marketing dollars they spend. They generate an awful lot of business from referrals they’ve gotten.”

Get Connected

Here are some local groups that offer networking opportunities:

» Greeley Chamber of Commerce 902 7th Ave., Greeley (970) 352-3566 greeleychamber.com

» Evans Area Chamber of

Commerce 2986 W. 29th St., No. 9, Greeley (970) 330-4204 evanschamber.org

» Johnstown-Milliken Chamber of Commerce 1109 Broad St., Milliken (970) 587-7042 www.jmchamber.com

» Windsor Chamber of Commerce 421 Main St. A, Windsor (970) 686-7189 www.windsorchamber.net

» Windsor Business Women’s Network 624 Main St., Windsor (970) 231-8750

» Northern Colorado Women in Business (970) 506-1882 norcowib.org » Greeley Business Women’s Network greeleybusinesswomen.com » Greeley Networking Group (720) 839-6751

» BNI BNI Front Range Pace Setters Chapter - N12 (970) 353-2431 BNI Greeley PHDs Chapter - N26 (970) 330-1706 bniamerica.com/en-us/whybni Business Connect I 19



New overtime rules set for Dec. 1 start By TYLER SILVY For Business Connect

I

n the first 37 years of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s existence, the Department of Labor raised the salary level of exempt workers six times. The idea, in 1938 and in the decades that followed, was to grant exemptions for executives and administrators who often work more than 40 hours a week so they could be paid a straight salary, rather than an hourly rate. And every six years, roughly, the federal government essentially told businesses, “You have to pay salaried workers more, or you’ll have to start paying them overtime.” The pattern — six years, raise; six years, raise — ended in 1975. The United States wouldn’t see another increase to the socalled “salary threshold” until 2004, when it was tripled, to $23,660. Yes, in 2004, an assistant manager at a retail store earning the equivalent of $12.33 an hour as salary could work 60 hours per week and not get paid for 20 of those hours. And that was a major improvement. By 2016, 93 percent of full-time, salaried workers earned more than the $23,660 salary threshold, meaning they didn’t qualify for overtime. “The absence of adjusting it over time really has created the situation we’re currently in, which is an overtime rule that really doesn’t help people,” said David Weil,

administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division. It’s a situation President Barack Obama sought to address when he signed a Presidential Memorandum in 2014 that directed the Department of Labor to update the regulations. On Dec. 1, 2016, the salary threshold will increase to $47,476, instantly granting protections to 4.2 million workers and causing another $1.2 billion in overtime and other pay and benefits to flow to those workers. Weil is a former Greeley-Evans School District 6 student, attending Greeley Central High School before dropping out. He bounced back strong, getting his GED in California and then getting an undergraduate degree at Columbia, a master’s and doctorate at Harvard. Lately, he’s been writing guidance on how the new overtime rules will affect businesses. It’s been a year since the department published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register, inviting interested parties to submit comments. Weil’s team pored through 270,000 of them. It helped lower the threshold, from an originally proposed $54,000 to the new, stillhigher-than-previous number. Based on feedback and guidance, Weil has some predictions for how the new rule will impact the U.S., and therefore Greeley and Colorado. Business Connect I 21


“We would expect most employers to say, ‘I still need assistant managers,’” Weil said. So, Weil said, employers might decide to pay overtime. They might decide to grant employees raises to put them above the threshold, and therefore exempt from overtime. “Another option, they might say, ‘Look, I have my manager do a lot of work that’s not managerial,’” Weil said. “They might take that work and hire additional people at a lower hourly rate.” The managers then, Weil said, would do more managerial duties. “That benefits the manager, the employer still gets the work done and it brings more people into the workforce,” Weil said. Above all, the department wanted to give employers flexibility, Weil said. One thing that, at least for now, isn’t going to be flexible, is the department’s mission to get back into a pattern. After Dec. 1, there are scheduled increases to the salary threshold Jan. 1, 2020, and every three years after that. Three years, raise; three years, raise — it’s a pattern Weil hopes will stick around.

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22 I Business Connect

Top 5 concerns of changing exempts to nonexempt By ED ZALEWSKI JJ Keller & Assoc

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ith the minimum required salary for certain exempt employees rising to $913 per week on Dec. 1, you may be planning to reclassify some exempt employees to nonexempt status. Before making any changes, however, you should have considered the following five issues. 1. TRACKING HOURS Exempt employees may work at home during evenings or weekends without recording their time, but after changing to nonexempt status, all working time must be recorded and credited toward overtime. Nonexempt employees don’t need to record starting and stopping times (they could simply record daily and weekly totals), but they must capture all hours, including work performed off site. You may take steps to limit overtime but should not give the impression that employees may work without reporting their time. For instance, telling employees to “limit overtime hours” might be misconstrued as an instruction to refrain from recording all hours. You should also review any policies regarding remote access. For example, nonexempt employees who spend more than a minute or two checking emails must record that time. As an alternative, you could implement a policy restricting remote access to company email accounts. 2. CALCULATING OVERTIME Most bonus or incentive payments affect the overtime rate. For example, if a nonexempt employee worked 500 hours during a calendar quarter and received a productivity bonus of $500 for that quarter, the bonus increases the average pay rate by $1 per hour. If the employee worked overtime, he or she must be paid onehalf that amount (another $0.50) for each


overtime hour to provide time-and-a-half. Payroll systems should already calculate overtime for nonexempt employees, but the need to count bonus pay toward overtime may require a new calculation procedure. One alternative is to calculate bonus amount as a percentage of wages for the covered period. For example, if a bonus is 5 percent of wages, it would already include a percentage of overtime, eliminating the need to calculate additional overtime pay. 3. REVISING BENEFITS Since exempt employees do not receive overtime, you might offer them special benefits such as faster vacation accrual, flexible hours, disability pay, or performance bonuses. A change to nonexempt status may mean that formerly exempt employees lose those benefits and get

the same package as other hourly employees. You should evaluate whether preserving these benefits is critical to morale, retention and recruiting. This might involve creating a new category of employees who are eligible for those benefits (such as “managers” rather than “exempt employees”), or making up for the loss by offering higher base pay. 4. PAY COMPRESSION Pay compression occurs when employees have a relatively small difference in pay despite a significant difference in experience, tenure, and/or responsibility. When changing employees from exempt to nonexempt status, some employers will calculate hourly rates that provide the same annual compensation. For example, if a manager’s salary is $700 per week and she ® averages 46 hours per week, you might offer

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a rate of $14.30 per hour. If the manager works the usual 46 hours, the weekly pay (with overtime) would be $700.70. However, if this hourly rate is not much higher than her subordinates, it may feel like a demotion, particularly if she loses other benefits as well. Further, if overtime hours must be reduced in the future, the loss of overtime pay could exacerbate the pay compression. 5. RECRUITING Hiring a new manager could be challenging when the job offer is expressed using an hourly rate. Offering a $40,000 salary for a management job might attract desirable candidates, but offering $15 per hour with an expectation to work up to 50 hours per week may be less effective in drawing candidates. In addition, if the position does not include extra benefits such as more vacation, bonus pay, or other perks, you may experience difficulty finding qualified or experienced candidates. —Ed Zalewski is a certified professional in human resources and an editor at J. J. Keller & Associates, a nationally recognized compliance resource company. Zalewski specializes in employment law topics such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, employee benefits, and discrimination and harassment. He is the author of J. J. Keller’s FLSA Essentials guidance manual and BottomLine Benefits & Compensation newsletter. For more information, go to www.jjkeller.com/hr.

24 I Business Connect

How does the new overtime rule affect Greeley?

H

Health care ealth care professionals will be largely unaffected by the change. Kelly Tracer, media relations specialist with UCHealth, said only about 46 total employees in the company’s northern Colorado region could potentially be impacted by the law. In northern Colorado, UCHealth employs about 6,400 people, Tracer said in an email. The majority of the employees — 82 percent — are non-exempt. UCHealth has about 1,150 exempt employees. Even with a broader stroke, it seems the impact will be minimal. Statewide, Colorado hospitals employ more than 75,000 people, said Julie Lonborg, vice president of communications with Colorado Hospital Association, in an email. At hospitals with larger business or support staff who are salaried, the impact may be more significant, Lonborg said. However, a large number of employees are clinical staff paid on an hourly basis and won’t be affected by the change. “It appears that as a percentage of the overall workforce, the impact is pretty small,” Lonborg said. Source: Tribune Health Care Reporter Kelly Ragan Business For businesses, the new overtime laws could be tricky. Meribeth Lund, vice president of Employer Solutions Group in Loveland, said she thinks a change needed to be made, but that the $47,476 threshold might be a bit much. She said, overall, the change is a good thing, but it might have been too much, too quickly. Lund said she doesn’t think employers were purposely noncompliant, but this is an opportunity for companies to reassess who


should be receiving overtime pay. “This is the perfect time to review jobs and make sure they are truly exempt,” she said. “It’s not realistic to expect somebody who performs tasks of the exempt nature to only make $23,660.” Sarah MacQuiddy, the Greeley Chamber of Commerce president, said she thinks it will be hard for small companies to make the changes. But it could have a positive effect for employees. “Could we see an improved work/life balance for some employees? Yes,” she said, but MacQuiddy worries it could come at the cost of flexibility in their work schedule. “If someone is in a salaried position and they’re sick or on vacation, they’re still paid,” she said, but that’s not always the case for hourly positions. MacQuiddy said she thinks the laws cause a lot of uncertainty for businesses and employees. Source: Tribune Business Reporter Bridgett Weaver

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Business Connect I 25


Banks move toward technology over the bricks and mortar By BRIDGETT WEAVER For Business Connect

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he days of walking into a bank to check your account balance or to cash a check are over. Bankers all over Colorado are working to make sure they offer customers the technology they crave as they are faced with a growing millennial population that prefers to conduct business at the palm of their hands. “The branch traffic per branch declines every year — not dramatically, but steadily,” said Dave Baker, president of First Bank. “That is a result of technology for the most part. People are not needing to come into the branches as many times as they historically did.” As the smart-phoneobsessed generation takes over the population, brick and mortar bank locations are becoming less necessary. With so many services available on smart phones, laptops and even at ATMs, people choose to do their banking during off hours and not during the typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. bank hours. It’s not a bad thing, though, Baker said. In fact, many customers prefer it, so banks are shifting their focus from building more branches to technology updates. “There’s decreased foot traffic for routine transactions and we’re investing more and more money into technology,” he said, “but the branch is not going away. This isn’t going to be like video stores or bookstores. There’s still going to be a blend between our branch

network and that use of technology for our customers. You still need the branches to open accounts and deal with major issues.” It used to be if banks had a significant branch network, they had a market advantage, but that’s changed. Baker said they’ve closed three to four branches a year over the last six years, but the bank isn’t hurting. “It used to be that it was a sign of weakness to close branches, but that’s not the case anymore,” he said. “Now we’re investing our money where Colorado customers want it.” Steve Rickard, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Farmer’s Bank in Ault, said that the new technology has helped create efficiency behind the counter as well. “When you used to go get your bank balance, you had to go into the bank and we had to look that up,” he said — not on a computer, in records kept on microfilm. “But today people come in, they punch in an account number and they have everything. What used to take research now is a push of a button because of technology.” The only time someone really needs to walk into a bank now is to make a cash deposit. “Brick and mortar is on the decline because people, especially younger people, go online,” Rickard said. “They’re able to pay their bills, they’re able to transfer between accounts. Anything.” One positive aspect is that it helps

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someone really needs to walk into a bank now is to make a cash deposit.

26 I Business Connect


give smaller banks a better chance when customers are shopping for a bank. Like Baker said, a bank’s success used to rely on branches. “It puts us on a more level playing field,” Rickard said. “We’re able to offer the same technology (big banks) are able to offer. You don’t have to have a location in every town, because you can bank anywhere you want and be located anywhere there’s electronic access. So I think it’s very positive for consumers.” Plus, with a banking app on their phones, people aren’t tied to the normal 9-5 bank hours. “Most of the electronic transactions do occur after 5 p.m.,” Rickard said — something that was unheard of even as recent as a decade ago. Of course, other banks have also seen the shift toward technology, too. “I think in banking, it’s certainly within the last five to10 years, you’ve seen the technologies make a big impact on the way we do business,” said Shawn Osthoff, president of Bank of Colorado, which just opened its second Greeley branch at 7017 10th St. Bank of Colorado this fall introduced a new technology in northern Colorado with their interactive teller machines to stay ahead of the curve. The ATM offers a video stream with a teller to help at any time of the day. “You have the option to talk with a live teller,” Osthoff said. “You can complete the transaction as if you’re standing in front of a teller and you can complete any transaction that you could in one of our branches.” He said the goal is “to provide customers with the convenience of a branch without all of the brick and mortar.” Dan Allen, president of First Farm Bank, 2939 65th Ave., Greeley, said he too has seen a lot of changes since he started working in the industry in 1979. “We’ve gone from

a pretty much paper-intensive industry to almost totally digital,” he said. “We used to have to (put) our deposits in a bag and out to an airport to get it processed, but we now have remote deposits. The vast majority of all transactions are reduced to digital.” A consequence to that is banks are hiring fewer employees. The rule of thumb used to be that the bank should have one employee for every $1 million in assets. Today that ratio is more like $4.5 million in assets per employee, Allen said. “So it takes about a fourth of the employees to run a bank,” he said. Money saved from lower overhead goes toward technology in most banks. Though, Allen said, the traffic in the lobby is still important to him. “We’re still working to be a relationshiporiented bank,” he said. “We’re locally owned and with that we care more about our people and we have the desire to have a relationship with our customers where we see them more often.” Amanda Averch, director of communications at the Colorado Bankers Association, said she thinks the technology is great for customers. “Today they can transact by in person, by phone, on the internet, at the grocery store and by mobile device,” she said. Banks are making the changes and updates based on customers needs, she said. “They’re doing all of this with the main goal of responding to the wants and needs of their customers,” Averch said. “I can say if it’s good for our customers, we’re consistently looking for ways to make banking more convenient and safe.” Business Connect I 27


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28 I Business Connect


Greeley area business leaders on the move Dr. Jacqueline Bowen of See Life Family Vision Source, has been elected to serve on the American Optometric Association’s Board of Trustees, according to a news release. The AOA represents more than 39,000 doctors of optometry and other eye care professionals, the release stated. Bowen was sworn into office July 2 in Boston during the association’s annual Optometry’s Meeting. Bowen served most recently on the AOA Membership and Volunteer/Member Engagement committees, and also was a member of the professional relations committee, serving as its chair from 2007-10, the release stated. As a member of the Board of Trustees, she will serve as the liaison trustee to state optometric associations in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada and Oregon, and to the Commission on Paraoptometric Certification and the National Optometric Association and Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity organizations. Dr. Bowen is the fourth Coloradan to serve on the board in its 95-year history. John Lowe this summer joined the Greeley Rotary Club. He is an associate broker with RE/MAX Alliance in Greeley, where he works with his wife, Wanda, as a husband-and-wife team. Prior to moving to Greeley from La Junta in 2012 and obtaining his real estate

license in 2005, they were in the newspaper publishing business. Since his time in Greeley they have become food delivery volunteers for the Weld Food Bank and are active members at Trinity Episcopal Church. They have two grown sons, Riley, of Greeley, and Tate, who lives in Wichita, Kan. If you are interested in learning more about Rotary, call Mark Llewellyn (970) 590-4911 or mark@markllewellyn.com. Mandy Bailey this summer joined Sears Real Estate as a broker associate. Bailey has a background in property management and specializes in helping buyers and sellers in northern Colorado. She can be reached at (970) 371-3401 or mandy@searsrealestate.com. Ron Randel, a commercial broker with Wheeler Management Group in Greeley, was recently named a master pilot at the Spirit of Flight Museum in Erie. He received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. Randel has been flying for 58 years without incident or a violation from the Federal Aviation Administration during his more than 4,000 flight hours. Randel encourages other pilots with 50 or more years of flight experience and a spotless record to apply for the award. Randel has lived in Greeley since 1999. The award is named after the Wright Brothers, the first U.S. pilots, to recognize individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least Business Connect I 29


50 years while piloting aircraft as master pilots. Go to https://www.faasafety.gov/content/ MasterPilot for more information on the award.

Greeley attorneys named as best in America 2017

Brent Coan (left) and John Madden of Coan, Payton & Payne, LLC, have been included in the 23rd edition of The Best Lawyers in America 2017. This is Coan’s fourth straight year having been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for corporate and real estate law. Madden was selected for his work in construction law for the second time. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on a peer-review evaluation. For the 2016 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America, 6.7 million votes were analyzed for this year’s selection of leading lawyers being included in the new edition. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed. Coan’s law practice focuses on corporate and real estate related matters including: purchase and sale transactions, business organization and capitalization, corporate M&A transactions, land planning and development, oil and gas development and transactions. He 30 I Business Connect

also handles all issues related to financial institutions and lender/creditors’ rights involving real estate and commercial loan transactions. Coan works out of each of the firm’s office locations in Denver, Fort Collins and Greeley. Madden has significant experience with complex real estate and construction litigation. He was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado serving in the major trials sections, trying more than 35 cases. He also was a named partner in the Denver law firm of Brownstein Hyatt Farber & Madden for 18 years and served as regional director for the Federal Trade Commission’s Denver office. Madden works from the firm’s Denver office. Banner Health’s Peter Fine was recently recognized in Modern Healthcare’s 2016 “Most Influential People in Healthcare.” Fine, Banner’s president and CEO, is listed at No. 25 on the 2016 list. In 2015, Fine was No. 27 and in 2014 he was No. 51. Fine first appeared on the list in 2011 as No. 85. Released on Monday by Modern Healthcare, a weekly trade publication, the Most Influential was compiled via national ballots and nominations by health care industry leaders and professionals, according to a news release. Topping the 2016 list is President Barack Obama. “While it’s gratifying to receive ongoing recognition, this is really a reflection of Banner Health’s position as a national leader,” Fine said in the release. Others recognized in the top 10 on the Most Influential list include Kaiser Permanente chairman and CEO Bernard Tyson, Ascension president and CEO Anthony Tersigni, Aetna chairman and CEO Mark Bertolini, HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews-


Burwell and CMS Administrator (acting) Andy Slavitt. Fine was appointed president and CEO of Banner Health in November 2000. Headquartered in Phoenix, Banner Health is one of the largest, nonprofit health care systems in the country. The system manages 29 acute-care hospitals, the Banner Health Network and Banner Medical Group, longterm care centers, outpatient surgery centers and an array of other services including family clinics, home care and hospice services, and a nursing registry. Banner Health is in seven states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. Holly Smith recently joined The Bridge at Greeley as the executive director. Smith most recently served at Brookdale Brighton, first as its sales manager and then as its executive director. She also has experience in the senior care field as a business office coordinator and a certified nursing assistant. Originally from Keenesburg, Smith earned her master’s degree in management and her bachelor’s degree in health and exercise science from Colorado State University. She lives in Johnstown with her husband, Brian, and their daughter. The Bridge at Greeley is located at 4750 25th St. Jerry Rutkey with High Country Beverage, has been recognized in the National Beer Wholesalers Association Employee Spotlight program. Rutkey, now an on-premise sales representative, began working for the company 11 years ago as a route salesman.

High Country Beverage recently recognized several of its longstanding employees as part of its 20-year anniversary in June. Many current employees, including Rutkey, have been with the company long enough to witness important milestones, such as acquiring Colorado Beverage Distributing, Inc. on the Western Slope, allowing for service to 500 customers in the Grand Junction and Montrose areas. High Country Beverage also recently announced it would build a new distribution center in Johnstown at 2534. America’s more than 3,000 independent beer distribution facilities employ 135,000 men and women in communities across the country. The NBWA Employee Spotlight Program highlights standout beer distribution employees and showcases their achievements. Shawna Gibson, cosmetologist, has moved from Scruples to Hair Design at 910 36th Ave., Greeley. Appointments are available by contacting (970) 5900343. Mark Chranowski has been named general manager of Pilgrim’s Pride Commercial Business Unit. Chranowski is an operations executive with 37 years of industry experience and will lead the unit in this newly created role. He will oversee the company’s eight commercial operations, including poultry processing complexes in Nacogdoches, Texas, Russellville, Ala., Mt. Pleasant, Texas, (East Plant), Broadway, Va., Marshville, N.C., Sanford, N.C., Sumter, S.C., and Douglas, Ga. He will report to Jayson Penn, executive vice president of sales and operations.

Business Connect I 31


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