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Tuesday, Aug. 12

Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility, 3909 W. Main St. Decatur Black Chamber of Commerce First Friday Luncheon, noon, Main Street Church Tea Room, 2000 N. Main St.

Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites

by Hilton.

Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Prairieland Kiwanis, 9:30 a.m., Decatur Civic Center.

Decatur Building Construction Trades Council, 10 a.m., IBEW Local 146 Hall, 3390 N. Woodford St. Central Illinois Ad Club, 11:30 a.m., Decatur Club.

Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club.

Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club.

Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.

Blue Mound Rotary, 6:30 p.m., Pleasantview Township shed.

Monday, Aug. 4 Decatur Noon Lions Club, St. Nicholas Grille (formerly Main Place Bar & Grill), 101 S. Main St. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club, 158 W. Prairie Ave. Women’s Progressive Club, 6 p.m., Greater Northside Baptist Church.

Tuesday, Aug. 5 Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites by Hilton, 333 W. Marion Ave., Forsyth.

Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Prairieland Kiwanis, 9:30 a.m., Decatur Civic Center.

Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club.

Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club.

Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.

Blue Mound Rotary, 6:30 p.m., Pleasantview Township shed.

Wednesday, Aug. 6 Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Breakfast, 7 a.m., Decatur Club.

Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.

Thursday, Aug. 7 Earlybird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club.

Human Service Agency Consortium (HSAC), noon, Central Christian Church, 650 W. William St. Thursday Noon Toastmasters, Greater Decatur Y, 220 W. McKinley Ave. American Business Women’s Association (Amacita), 6 p.m., location varies.

Lincolnland AMBUCS, 6:30 p.m., Easter Seals’ Building, 2715 N. 27th St.

Wednesday, Aug. 13 Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Mount Zion Chamber of Commerce Luncheon, 11:15 a.m., Mount Zion High School.

Scheduled speaker is superintendent Travis Roundcount.

Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.

Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Awards Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., Decatur Club.

Decatur Real Estate Investors Association, 6:30 p.m., Perkins Family Restaurant, 2999 N. Monroe St.

Thursday, Aug. 14 Earlybird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

GFWC Decatur Woman’s Club, 11:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Senior Resources Network (formerly Mature Resources Network), 11:45 a.m., Keystone Gardens, 1455 W. Mound Road.

Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club.

Decatur Area Women’s Network (DAWN), 5:30 p.m., location varies.

Lincolnland AMBUCS, 6:30 p.m., Easter Seals’ Building.

Friday, Aug. 15 Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Noon Women’s Network, 11:45 a.m., Decatur Club.

Monday, Aug. 18

Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Noon Lions Club, St. Nicholas Grille (formerly Main Place Bar & Grill).

Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club.

Women’s Progressive Club, 6 p.m., Greater Northside Baptist Church.

Monday, Aug. 11

Tuesday, Aug. 19

Decatur Noon Lions Club, St. Nicholas Grille (formerly Main Place Bar & Grill).

Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club.

Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites

by Hilton.

Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club.

Friday, Aug. 8

Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.

Blue Mound Rotary, 6:30 p.m., Pleasantview Township shed.

Wednesday, Aug. 20 Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Christian Women’s Network, noon, Decatur Club.

Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.

Thursday, Aug. 21 Earlybird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Christian Women’s Club, 11:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club.

Decatur AMBUCS, 6 p.m., Decatur Club.

Friday, Aug. 22 Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

American Business Women’s Association (Monarch), noon, location varies.

Monday, Aug. 25 Decatur Noon Lions Club, St. Nicholas Grille (formerly Main Place Bar & Grill).

Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club.

Tuesday, Aug. 26 Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites

by Hilton.

Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Building Construction Trades Council, 10 a.m., IBEW Local 146 Hall.

Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club.

Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club.

Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.

Blue Mound Rotary, 6:30 p.m., Pleasantview Township shed.

Wednesday, Aug. 27 Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.

Thursday, Aug. 28 Earlybird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club.

Mount Zion Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., Richland Insurance Services.

Friday, Aug. 29 Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

August 2014

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YOUR MONEY

YOUR CALENDAR

Friday, Aug. 1

www.thebusiness-journal.com

Tuesday, Sept. 2 Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites

by Hilton.

Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Prairieland Kiwanis, 9:30 a.m., Decatur Civic Center.

Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club.

Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club.

Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.

Blue Mound Rotary, 6:30 p.m., Pleasantview Township shed.

Wednesday, Sept. 3 Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Breakfast, 7 a.m., Decatur Club.

Scheduled speaker is Lisa Taylor, Decatur School District superintendent.

Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.

Thursday, Sept. 4 Earlybird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

American Business Women’s Association (Amacita), 11:30 a.m., location varies.

Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club.

Human Service Agency Consortium (HSAC), noon, Central Christian Church, 650 W. William St. Thursday Noon Toastmasters, Greater Decatur Y. Metro Decatur Home Builder’s Association, 6 p.m., Beach House.

Lincolnland AMBUCS, 6:30 p.m., Easter Seals’ Building.

Friday, Sept. 5 Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Black Chamber of Commerce First Friday Luncheon, noon, Main Street Church Tea Room, 2000 N. Main St.

To submit items for Your Calendar, contact Scott Perry at (217) 421-7976, at sperry@heraldreview.com, or click the “Submit an Event” link at www.thebusiness-journal.com.

BUSINESS JOURNAL Reader Profile: n 63% have household incomes of $60,000 or greater. 36% have household incomes of $80,000 or greater.

Your guide to the Dow The Associated Press

Journal. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. bought Dow Jones in 2007. The index is calculated and published by S&P Dow Jones Indices, a joint venture company that is majority-owned by the publishing giant McGraw-Hill. CME Group and Dow Jones hold smaller stakes.

The Dow Jones industrial average, an index of 30 U.S. blue-chip stocks, is the oldest barometer of the stock market.

Last month it jumped above 17,000 for the first time in its 118-year history.

WHAT IS IT? The Dow is a group of 30 big corporations, nearly all of them household names, and its dips and jumps during the trading day reflecting changes in their share prices. Its exclusive roster runs from American Express to Walt Disney. Other indexes, such as the Standard & Poor’s 500, open their doors to many more companies, providing a better overall picture of the market’s performance.

The Dow may not be the best measure, but the oldest index remains the best-known shorthand for the stock market.

BEGINNINGS In the late 19th century, following a number of bubbles and busts, most investors considered the stock market a dangerous place. Charles H. Dow created his index, in part, to make the market easier to understand.

The original Dow Jones industrial average had 12 big businesses including American Cotton Oil, National Lead and Laclede Gas Light Co. Dow first published his average May 26, 1896; later that year, The Wall Street Journal began running it in the daily paper.

A SELECT GROUP The number of companies making up the index expanded to 20 in 1916 and then to 30 in 1928. The number has remained the same since then, though the cast of characters changes every few years. Last September, Goldman Sachs, Nike, and Visa replaced Alcoa, HewlettPackard and Bank of America.

Entry is restricted to a company that “has an excellent reputation, demonstrates sustained growth and is of interest to a large number of investors,” according to the Dow’s managers.

LONGEST-STANDING MEMBER General Electric Co. is the only remaining original member. The industrial giant dropped out of the average for brief spells but returned for good in 1907.

BEST DAYS The Dow’s biggest point jump was on Oct. 13, 2008, when the average soared

WHAT MOVES A $1 change in any Dow stock is equal to a move of 6.42 points for the Dow. In other words, if one blue chip rose $1, and the 29 other companies sat still, the Dow would increase 6.42 points.

Associated Press

Specialist Glenn Carell, left, works at his post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped above 17,000 for the first time July 3 after the government reported a surge in hiring.

936.42 points, or 11 percent, to close at 9,387.61. That followed the announcement of a European plan to bail out financial institutions.

Its biggest percentage jump was more than 15 percent when it reopened on March 15, 1933, during the Great Depression. The newly inaugurated President Franklin D. Roosevelt had shut down the banking system earlier that month. During this extended bank holiday, Congress passed a law to shore up the financial system and Roosevelt created the country’s first insurance for bank deposits.

WORST DAYS The Dow’s biggest point drop came Sept. 29, 2008, when the average lost 777.68 points, or 7 percent. That was the day Congress rejected a plan by the George W. Bush administration to bail out the financial industry.

In percentage terms, the Dow’s biggest drop was Oct. 19, 1987, when it fell 508 points, or almost 23 percent, to close at 1,738.74. An overvalued stock market and expectations of rising interest rates combined with computerized trading to create that crash, known as Black Monday.

RECORD LOW The Dow’s lowest level was 28.48, reached Aug. 8, 1896, two and a half months after the index was started.

BUSINESS JOURNAL Reader Profile: n 72% read The Business Journal monthly. n 17% are 34 and under.

WHO OWNS IT The Dow Jones industrial average is no longer run by Dow Jones, the media company that publishes The Wall Street

EQUAL WEIGHT The Dow is a price-weighted index.

Most other indexes account for a company’s overall market value, which is found by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the stock price. For the Dow, the price is all that matters. So, a $1 rise in the price of AT&T’s stock will have the same impact on the index as a $1 gain for Nike, even though AT&T’s value is worth more than two Nikes.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index accounts for a company’s market value, making it a more accurate reflection of the market. As a result, mutual funds use it as a benchmark for their performance instead of the Dow.

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Boost productivity with tech upgrades Do you have people on your team who are so amazing, you wish you had an extra hour of their time every day? With technology you can have exactly that.

The following upgrades can save anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour EVERY SINGLE DAY. Even the smallest improvements, just a few seconds here and there, really add up when they are repeated over and over throughout the work week.

Some of these upgrades require you to spend money, but think about the benefits you’ll see when your top people – including yourself – find all that extra time.

depending on the type of work you do, but one thing is crystal clear: dual monitors are a huge productivity booster.

This can gain you a full day a week, if not more, and there’s almost no training time required. Keep email open in one screen, and whatever you are working on in another; compare spreadsheets or documents side by side; copy information from one software package to another; keep your main system front and center while browsing the Internet for research on the other monitor. It sounds simple, but that’s the beauty of it. It IS simple, and it really makes a difference.

New computer

Remote access

If your computer takes more than a few seconds to boot up every morning, it’s time for a new one, or at least a tune-up.

For best performance, replace desktop PCs every 3 to 4 years and laptops every 2 to 3 years.

If a newer computer is slow, ask your Technology IT team to check it for spyware. They may recommend wiping the entire hard drive and reloading everything, which will give you a fresh clean start. Just be sure they backup data and settings so nothing is lost during this process. With faster speeds, you’ll gain time when you log in every morning and also throughout the day.

Make it easy for people to work anytime, anywhere, and give them the flexibility they need to do just that. Switch from a desktop to a laptop, buy them an iPad or Droid tablet, or give your staff a data plan that lets them connect to the Internet anywhere they might be.

It’s not just the workaholics who will love you. Your hardworking staff who struggle to balance work and life will be especially appreciative. When they have the right technology to work remotely, along with flexible work schedules and your trust, you are likely to see them put in not only more hours, but also more productive hours because they have their home life better under control.

Wendy Gauntt

Manage email It’s common to receive dozens, if not hundreds, of emails daily. Saving a few seconds every time you check email is a big deal. To accomplish this, first make sure your spam filter is working well and customized to your needs. You should have very little spam, and your legitimate emails should nearly always make it through. If not, have your tech team fix it. Use Outlook rules to automatically filter email and move it to folders, so that you can easily find what you need. Make sure mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, sync email so that anything you read on your phone is already updated on your computer. Lastly, take an hour and go “unsubscribe.” Most people receive email newsletters they never read. Click the unsubscribe links or block them with your spam filter, and then you never have to see these again!

Add a monitor Adding a monitor is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get more done in less time. Studies show varying results

Upgrade Internet Do you use cloud-based services?

Spend a lot of time online? Check out faster Internet connections for increased speed throughout your day. High speed business-class cable Internet is one of the best values today. Fiber Internet connections cost more but provide fast speeds with extremely high reliability and very few outages.

the company. It’s more immediate and interactive than email, but less disruptive than a phone call. It’s a very efficient way to communicate and yet another way to save a few minutes here and there throughout the day.

Reorganize desktop Take a page from Lean manufacturing, and have everyone on your team reorganize their workspace to make it more efficient: make everything you do on a regular basis accessible within one to two mouse clicks.

Start with the applications you use daily. Add shortcuts to your desktop or taskbar for each of these, and clean up any that you don’t currently use. Also add shortcuts to the folders you access most. Create bookmarks for the websites you visit most often, and rearrange your browser toolbars so that you can get to those websites with a

FROM THE EDITOR During a recent rearranging of a lot of stuff I probably don’t need in my garage, I came across a really small garbage can with the words “STOP TRASHIN’ DECATUR” written on its side.

I have no idea when or where I got it, but I’m guessing it was tied to a campaign to either clean up the town or stop people from being so negative.

Unfortunately, either message still resonates today.

While great strides are being taken to make the town more “bee-utiful,” we need to do a better job of cleaning up after ourselves.

And we continue to be way too harsh when talking the Decatur area.

Yes, things are tough, there are things we’d like to have and some of us — myself included — are still coming to terms with some of the projects being undertaken by local governing bodies.

But as I was reminded during a recent brainstorming session to come up with 50 things that define the greater Decatur area and time spent with students visiting the newspaper as part of journalism camp, we still have a lot to offer.

It's fine to want more and to be critical. But if the only things you see are the negatives, you need to get off your back and look around.

You will be surprised by the good things you see.

single click. Is there a feature in Office that you use constantly but it’s hidden in the ribbon so you have to hunt for it every time? You can add that command to the very top of the window in the “Quick Access Toolbar.” Google for instructions on how to do this in your version of Office.

Ready for more?

There are always more ways technology can make your team more productive, and it’s never “one size fits all.”

The key is to be clear about what you expect and what the value will be. Then you can choose the very best technology tools for your business.

Wendy Gauntt is president of CIO Services LLC, a technology consulting company that specializes in small business solutions. Visit her website at www.cioservicesllc.com for more information, ideas and free resources.

BUSINESS JOURNAL

Head Back to School with

Earthmover!

Student Loan Student Visa Pre-Paid Visa Visa Debit Card Online Banking Mobile Banking

Information overload is a huge issue and time-waster. Employees spend hours every day searching for what they need, reformatting what they have, transferring information from one system to another and re-creating information they can’t find. At minimum, clean up and reorganize your company’s shared data drives. Communicate the new structure to your team, and challenge your managers to enforce the new structure. If you want to take it further, investigate document management systems. These provide greater structure and security to company information and include advanced search capabilities to make finding data as easy as possible.

Scott Perry, editor Business Journal of Midcentral Illinois

August2014Contents 17

Standing Features

HEALTHY BOOST

Biz Bites . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Teams sought for wellness challenge

Business Clips . . . . . . 11 Fred Spannaus . . . . . 10 Free Time calendar . . 16

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OF MIDCENTRAL ILLINOIS

VOLUME 20

ISSUE 8

601 E. William St. Decatur, IL 62523 217.421.7976 217.421.7965 (fax) PUBLISHER: Julie Bechtel EDITOR: Scott Perry ADVERTISING: AnnaMarie Hanes

STORY IDEAS: Email sperry@herald-review.com or call 217.421.7976.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: To order additional copies call 217.421.7931 ADVERTISING: The deadline for ad and ad copy for the September issue is Aug 18.

Call 217.421.7953 for rate information.

The Business Journal of MidCentral Illinois is printed monthly and is a publication of Lee Enterprises Inc.

Health calendar . . . . 18 Liz Reyer . . . . . . . . . . 20 Office Coach . . . . . . . 20 Professional profile . . 14

Wendy Gauntt . . . . . . 22

w w w . d e c u . c o m

BUSINESS JOURNAL

COVER: Photo illustration by Tronnie Goss

SCORE counselor . . . 10

Instant messaging

BUSINESS JOURNAL

LAYOUT & DESIGN: Ginger Wortman

Reader Profile: n 30% are owner/partner of their business. n 27% have household income of $100,000 to $149,000

Easier access

Instant messaging is a quick and easy way to communicate with others inside

August 2014

The opening of the Madden Arts Center a decade ago marked the culmination of a dream long held by Susan Smith to create a permanent home for the Decatur Area Arts Council and the start of so much more.

Page 15

22 ON THE CLOCK Technology upgrades that save you time

Information published is the responsibility of the author and does not reflect the opinions of The Business Journal of MidCentral Illinois. To submit articles, mail typewritten and 500 words or less to: The Business Journal, 601 E. William St., Decatur, IL 62523. Articles will not be returned. Any editorial content or advertising published is the property of Lee Enterprises Inc., DBA The Business Journal of MidCentral Illinois.

Copyright 2014 Herald & Review All rights reserved for entire content.

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TECHTALK

YOUR COMMUNITY

Abundance of passwords cause fatigue Manager programs can help with remembering

Business Journal photos/Lisa Morrison

Decatur Firefighter Tina German assists children attending the 50th anniversary celebration of the Decatur-Macon County Opportunities Corp. with a chance to spray a firehose and have a little wet fun.

DMCOC celebrates 50 years Agency assists those in need

By THERESA CHURCHILL Business Journal Writer

DECATUR — When Michael Lipowsky, a self-employed real estate appraiser, got his first tuition bill, his dream of a college education suddenly seemed out of reach.

“I went, ‘OMG, how am I ever going to pay for this?’ ” the Decatur man recalls.

“I struggled with how am I going to keep the power on, food on the table and how am I going to go to school.”

A $1,000 scholarship from DecaturMacon County Opportunities Corp. encouraged Lipowsky even as it covered the cost of gas driving back and forth to Springfield.

Today, he’s not only earned a bachelor’s degree in legal studies and business from the University of Illinois at Springfield, he’s also on his way to getting a master’s degree in business administration.

Lipowsky, 45, is among DMCOC’s success stories as the agency celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

DMCOC and 1,100 other community action agencies across the nation were formed under the Economic Opportunity Act, signed into law Aug. 20, 1964. A decade later, the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity providing oversight was superseded by the Community Services www.dmcoc.org Administration.

The federal act grew out of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s declaration of war on poverty during his State of the Union address.

Gail Evans, executive director of DMCOC for nearly 40 years, said she wants to raise the agency’s profile in the community as funding has diminished and as needed capital improvements encompass: n New roofs for the agency’s administrative offices at 1122 E. Marietta St. and

Online

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Keavis Brozio races through an obstacle course during the anniversary block party.

CHICAGO (AP) — Good thing she doesn’t need a password to get into heaven. That’s what Donna Spinner often mutters when she tries to remember the growing list of letter-number-and-symbol codes she’s had to create to access her various online accounts.

“At my age, it just gets too confusing,” said the 72year-old grandmother who lives outside Decatur.

But this is far from just a senior moment.

Frustration over passwords is as common across the age brackets as the little reminder notes on which people often write them.

“We are in the midst of an era I call the ‘tyranny of the password,’ ” said Thomas Way, a computer science professor at Villanova University.

“We’re due for a revolution.”

One could argue that the revolution is already well under way, with passwords destined to go the way of the floppy disc and dial-up Internet. Already, there are multiple services that generate and store your passwords so you don’t have to remember them. Beyond that, biometric technology is emerging, using thumbprints and face recognition to help us get into our accounts and our devices. Some new iPhones use the technology, for instance, as do a few retailers, whose employees log into work computers with a touch of the hand.

Still, many people cling to the password, the devil we know — even though the passwords we end up creating, the ones we CAN remember, often aren’t very secure at all. Look at any list of the most common passwords making the rounds on the Internet and you’ll find anything from “abc123,” “letmein” and “iloveyou” to — you guessed it — use of the word “password” as a password.

Bill Lidinsky, director of security and forensics at the School of Applied Technology at the Illinois Institute of Technology, has seen it all, and often demonstrates in his college classes just how easy it is to use readily available software to figure out many passwords.

“I crack my students’ passwords all the time,” Lidinsky said, “sometimes in seconds.”

Even so, a good password doesn’t necessarily have to be maddeningly complicated, said Keith Palmgren, a cybersecurity expert in Texas.

“Whoever coined the phrase ‘complex password’ did us a disservice,” said Palmgren, an instructor at the SANS Institute, a research and education organization that focuses on high-tech security.

He’s teaching a course on passwords to other tech professionals later this summer and plans to tell them that the focus should be on unpredictability and length — the more characters, the better.

But it doesn’t have to be something you can’t remember. If a site allows long passwords and special characters, Palmgren suggests using an entire sentence as a password, including spaces and punctuation, if possible: “This sentence is an example.”

He also suggests plugging in various types of passwords on a website developed by California-based Gibson Research Corp. to see how long it could take to crack each type of password: www.grc.com/haystack. htm According to the site, it could take centuries to uncover some passwords, but seconds for others.

Lidinsky recommends using a “simple mental algorithm,” including those that use a space, if a site allows that. As an example, he says one might try “Ama95 zon” for an Amazon account, and “Yah95 oo”

‘We are in the midst of an era I call the “tyranny of the password.” We’re due for a revolution.’

THOMAS WAY, VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY COMPUTER SCIENCE PROFESSOR for a Yahoo! account, and so on. (But choose your own combination.)

There are other ways around the password headache.

Some people have taken to using password generators, which create and store passwords for various sites you use. Generally, all the user has to remember is a master password to unlock a generator program and then it plugs in the passwords to whichever account is being used. There are numerous password managers like this, including LastPass and Dashlane and 1Password.

Some wonder whether it’s wise to trust services like this.

“But sooner or later, you have to trust somebody,” said Palmgren, who uses a password manager himself.

Other solutions are surfacing, too.

Researchers at the University of York in England are developing a new authentication system called Facelock that asks you to identify familiar faces to get into an account or device.

The Canadian government, meanwhile, has partnered with a company called SecureKey Technologies, which allows citizens of that country to log onto government sites, such as the country’s tax bureau, using a username and password from partner financial institutions, including TD Bank. Because SecureKey serves

as the go-between, the system’s developers say the bank username and password are not ultimately shared with the government site. Nor does the bank receive any information about which government site the user is accessing.

SecureKey is now working with the U.S. Postal Service to provide American citizens with similar access to federal health benefits, student loan information and retirement benefit information.

Ultimately, experts say, reducing the stress of online security, and decreasing reliance on passwords, will rest on what’s known as “multifactor identification.”

Those factors are often based on three things: 1. “What you know” — a password, security question or some sort of information that only you would know (but that doesn’t have to be difficult to remember, just exclusive to you); 2. “What you have” — a phone, tablet or laptop — or even a card or token — that an online site or techbased retail outlet would recognize as yours; 3. “What you are” — biometric information, such as face recognition or a thumb print.

Banks could use this authentication process, for example, using cameras that already exist at ATMs, said Paul Donfried, chief technology officer for LaserLock Technologies Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based company that develops fraud prevention technology for retailers, governments and electronics manufacturers.

“We now have the ability to shift complexity away from the human being,” Donfried said. And that, he adds, should make the pain of the password disappear.

Back in Decatur, Spinner has to think about all that for a moment. It sounds rather daunting, she said.

For one, the issue of privacy is still being debated when it comes to biometrics.

But then Spinner considers the piece of paper that contains all her passwords — the one she typed that’s gotten so difficult to read because she’s crossed them out and created so many new ones.

“Anything to make it easier for those of us who are technology-challenged,” she said,” I would be in favor of.”

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Showcase talents by sharing knowledge Q: I can’t decide whether to share some information with my colleagues. I am in the final year of a master’s degree program, and I recently started a new job. Because of my graduate training, I have already been able to make some unique contributions.

Yesterday, a co-worker asked where I found an organizational tool that I was using. After I explained that I’m learning these techniques in school, she suggested putting the information in a shared directory for the whole department to use. I am feeling rather conflicted about this idea.

My graduate courses are expensive and require a lot of work. Since Office Coach I’m making these sacrifices to gain a career advantage, it seems wrong to just give my knowledge away. On the other hand, I do want to be a helpful colleague. If I keep my resources to myself, am I being savvy or selfish?

A: To resolve this dilemma, you will need to expand your thinking. So far, you have defined your options as either hoarding your knowledge or dumping it into the computer system. While refusing to share would indeed be selfish, making an anonymous contribution would be politically stupid.

A far better alternative is to impart

Marie McIntyre

this valuable information in a way that showcases your talents. The first step in this process is to meet with your boss and explain what you have to offer.

For example: “Some techniques that I learned in graduate school have helped me work much more efficiently, so I thought they might also be useful to others. If you agree, I would like to talk about the best way to share these resources.”

If your manager supports this effort, distribution strategies might include a lunch-and-learn session, an article for the newsletter, or a staff meeting presentation. Be sure to add your name and contact information to any printed or posted material. With this approach, you can assist your colleagues while simultaneously enhancing your reputation.

Q: One of my staff members constantly tells her colleagues how to do their work. “Tracy” is a good employee, but this domineering attitude alienates her co-workers. I have hinted to Tracy that she needs to improve her communication skills, but that hasn’t done any good. Our disciplinary policy allows managers to write up difficult employees as “unable to supervise.” Should that be my next step?

A: If you believe you are “unable to supervise” Tracy, it may be time to take a long, hard look in the mirror.

Ironically, she seems to be more comfortable giving feedback than you are.

So instead of dropping hints or taking disciplinary action, you need to put on

WEEKLY TIPS Can’t get enough advice from the Office Coach. Get weekly column updates at www.thebusiness-journal.com. your manager hat and initiate some performance coaching.

Start by helping Tracy understand the problems created by her dictatorial behavior, then work with her to develop an improvement plan. If she makes no effort to change, a formal warning may eventually be in order. But you should not conclude that you are “unable to supervise” her until you actually attempt to do so.

Q: In our company, most people get away with taking much more vacation than they should. These employees have bosses who allow them to keep their own records, while the rest of us work for managers who monitor our use of leave.

As a result, we get less time off than everyone else.

Although policy states that leave requests must be approved, most managers simply put their employees on the honor system. Unfortunately, a lot of these people aren’t very honorable.

One guy from another department took off an entire week to move and never recorded it. But when my coworker moved, she had to use vacation time.

Our boss agrees that this situation is unfair. However, she doesn’t want to

break the rules, and she has no power to change the behavior of her peers.

Human resources would normally be expected to enforce the leave policy, but our HR manager has his own employees on the honor system. What can be done about this?

A: Through either naivety or laziness, these misguided managers have mistakenly chosen to rely on trust in an area where oversight is required.

Whenever something of value goes unsupervised, ethically challenged people will always be tempted to cheat.

This applies to cash, vacation time or a basket of candy left on the porch for Halloween.

Since this problem can only be resolved by top management, you will need to raise awareness at the executive level. Under normal circumstances, human resources would be your natural ally. But since that option is out, perhaps your boss can convince other compliant managers to become advocates for enforcing the policy.

While fairness is undeniably important, nothing grabs the attention of executives like focusing on financials. For that reason, policy supporters should clearly demonstrate how much all this free leave time is costing the company.

Once management sees the price tag, the honor system may quickly become a thing of the past.

Cars and race tracks attract little hands during the Decatur-Macon County Opportunities Corp. anniversary party.

Continued from page 4 the Effie Oliver Child & Family Center at 1075 N. Morgan St.; n Construction of a central kitchen for the agency's Head Start and senior nutrition programs; n Expanding the New Horizon Family & Child Development Center at 275 E. Condit St. so that more 3- and 4-yearolds may be served by DMCOC's Anna Waters Head Start program.

Evans said an anonymous donor has provided enough for the new kitchen but that additional local gifts are needed for the rest.

“We have to focus on getting more private sector involvement and philanthropic funding sources,” Evans said.

Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon was among the dignitaries helping to cut the ribbon during a re-dedication ceremony at DMCOC headquarters.

“For someone who's just a little bit beyond 50, I think a 50th birthday is

Business Journal photos/Lisa Morrison

Olivia Maxey tries her hand at the driving range. well-worth celebrating,” Simon said.

“Particularly the birthday of such a good organization.”

Long-term programs provided by DMCOC include energy or utility bill assistance; weatherization assistance; housing and emergency services; and senior nutrition, primarily to nine congregate meal sites including the Decatur-Macon County Senior Center, Macon Presbyterian Church, Mount Zion Majestic Hall and Maroa Cafe.

Evans said the agency currently uses

the kitchen at the Concord apartments and another at its main offices to make its meals and hopes to replace them with a single, centralized kitchen at the New Horizon center on Condit Street.

Expansion would likely occur to the south, toward Orchard street and between Water and Warren streets.

DMCOC's Community Services Block Grant programs also provide computer classes, case management and loans to small businesses that hire low-income individuals.

Marie G. McIntyre is a workplace coach and the author of “Secrets to Winning at Office Politics.”

Send in questions and get free coaching tips at www.yourofficecoach.com, or follow her on Twitter @officecoach.

Bored at work? Look for new approaches Q: I’m well-established in my field and am considered to be a solid performer in a financially secure company. I used to love what I do. But now I’m bored. What should I do?

A: Take steps to bring more freshness back to your work.

Inner game Look for the things that light you up. Think broadly, and let yourself feel the effect of the day-today experiences that give you the most energy.

Relax, breathe and savor those aspects of your life. Your goal will be to bring this feeling more actively into your routine.

Go back to your roots. In college, what classes and subjects were most interesting, and what did you like about them?

Liz Reyer

Remember the exhilaration when you found your career and were in your first job? Think about why it was a good fit for you.

Walk through the progression of your professional life. Focus on the opportunities that have been most energizing.

Also notice when the luster started to fade and, perhaps, you began to feel more jaded. Try to diagnose any particular aspects that caused the appeal of your job to fade.

Look around your company and your team. Is the malaise more general, or does it really appear to be more personal? Identify people who bring more zest to their work; their enthusiasm may be contagious.

Look more broadly at your life, too, noticing whether this same general feeling is affecting you in your hobbies and relationships. If so, consider a visit to your doctor to rule out any health problems.

Outer game There are many ways to refresh your

WEEKLY TIPS Get weekly career tips from Liz Reyer at www.thebusiness-journal.com.

routine. The first step is to commit to making changes. For many, this is the hardest step. If this is the case for you, spend some time thinking about what is holding you back. Time or money? It’s all about priorities, so compare the value of greater inspiration to whatever you’d have to give up.

It can be hard to get started when you’re in a rut, so here are some ideas. n Learn something new. Find a conference on an innovation in your field, and actively apply the new information in your job. n Give back. Mentor a young professional in your field or get involved with your local professional group. You could also volunteer your skills for a nonprofit so that it can gain the advantage of your expertise.

n Get hands-on. At your level, you may simply have gotten too far away from the actual work. You may enjoy getting involved in a project and rolling up your sleeves.

In everything you do, start paying closer attention. One reason for boredom may be that you’re on autopilot. If you actively think about each step you’re taking, you’re likely to get reengaged. Take the time to challenge your assumptions and to shake up the status quo. You may have been doing the same thing in the same way for 20 years. Now’s the time to ask yourself “why” and look for new approaches.

Financing agricultural needs for over 145 years.

Through-out generations, the needs of your farm can grow and change. At Busey, we can help manage the unique challenges you face whether you need a loan for production expenses or to purchase land and equipment.

The last word

Busey has the resources you need to maximize your efforts for generations to come.

It takes effort to shake up your routine, but it could be just what you need to have fun at work.

Busey. Your Dream. Our Promise.

Liz Reyer is a credentialed coach with more than 20 years of business experience. Her company, Reyer Coaching & Consulting, offers services for organizations of all sizes. Submit questions or comments to www.deliverchange.com/coachscorner or email her at liz@deliverchange.com.

busey.com 217.424.1111

Member FDIC

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August 2014

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Eagle Wireless Services, Decatur’s newest prepaid wireless service, has opened inside My Shipping Place at 303 E. Pershing Road.

Eagle Wireless offers Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and LG model phones, complete talk, text and data plans, as well as a full compliment of cellphone accessories. Call (217) 454-2355. nnn Dollar General has opened two new locations in Decatur, the most recent being the one at 969 E. Eldorado St. Jenny Wilson of Blue Mound is the store’s manager, having previously worked at the Dollar General store on West Pershing Road.

The store’s size and format is a bit larger than the Dollar General store that opened in May at 1736 S. Taylorville Road.

The manager there is Susan Pelissier of Decatur, who previously managed the Dollar General store on East U.S. 36.

Hours at the two Dollar General stores are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Call (217) 6152969 for the East Eldorado store and (217) 615-0156 for Taylorville Road. nnn Sincerely Pigeon Studio is the latest addition to the Heroic Age Art Center, 135 S. Henderson St. in Mount Zion.

Business partners Laramie Street and Rayanna Martin, both Millikin University alums living in Decatur, will create the furniture and other home decor the studio will carry.

“She does the upholstery and the wood, and I do all the welding,” Street said. “We liked the idea of how carrier pigeons always come back to you, and we’re hoping to get ideas for our creations from our customers.”

Jessica Brooks of Decatur, still a Millikin student, also will do paintings and help in the creation of smaller decorative items.

Hours, are 1 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more, visit www.sincerelypigeonstudio.com or call (217) 454-9232. nnn Midland States Bank has expanded its Wealth Management business to Decatur and Bloomington.

The expansion is a natural fit for the Effingham-based company, which already has a significant presence in the areas around the two cities, said Eric Chojnicki, Wealth Management president.

In Decatur, the office will be temporarily located in the Decatur Club until a permanent location can be obtained.

“We’re certainly going to keep our eyes and ears open to the possible expansion,” Chojnicki said, when asked about the addition of more banking services.

The Decatur and Bloomington offices will be overseen by Ron Drane, a familiar name in the Decatur financial sector.

Hours for the Decatur office are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Arrangements can be made to meet with clients beyond those hours as needed.

The phone number is (217) 412-8586. nnn Homespun Boutique, a resale shop taking consignments on handmade items, is open

at 2612 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

The shop is a money-maker for the Greater Is He ministry, which operates the N.E.S.T. – Nurturing Environment for a Successful Transition – a housing program for female prison parolees.

Shari Hanks is Homespun’s manager.

In addition to handicrafts, the boutique carries clothing for all ages and home decor. Also, alterations and furniture refinishing services have been added. Plans are in the works to offer classes in sewing and making crafts.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more, find Homespun on Facebook or call (217) 5199648. nnn When the local ambulance service had to close down in 2012 because of a volunteer shortage, the village of Cerro Gordo took over ownership of the spacious ambulance headquarters building complete with kitchen, meeting room and double bay garage. Earlier this year, the building opened up as the new Cerro Gordo Civic Center, available for rental, and business has been brisk.

A steady procession of wedding showers, birthday parties and other private events have streamed in to use the space, along with regular gigs such as Zumba, ballet and line dance classes.

Not-for-profit organizations also can apply to use the center for free and its calender has been filling up rapidly.

Debbie Hull, whose father, I.R. Williams, heads an appointed board of directors running the place, says the new facility is fulfilling community needs. “Of course, everybody was upset and sad when the ambulance did have to shutdown,” she said. “But the building’s new use has worked out perfect for everyone.”

Hull organizes a flea market on the first Saturday of every other month and says the proceeds are used to help with building maintenance costs. If you want to rent the Civic Center, call (217) 7638551; if you want to rent a table in the flea market, call (217) 412-3404. nnn Bennie Inre has opened Reflections Night Club at 160 Wildwood Drive in Mount Zion to give young people another option for something fun to do.

Serving no alcohol and catering to customers ages 15 to 21, the club features a deejay and is open from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

Soda and entry are free Wednesdays and Thursdays. The cover charge is $5 Fridays and Saturdays and includes one free soda. Call (217) 254-4685.

Growing Four years into running the Secret Garden, a longtime business at 1215 E. Pershing Road, Michael and Lori Barrett have opened a second location inside Waite’s Dry Cleaners at 664 W. Eldorado St. “An opportunity presented itself for traffic at least equal to if not greater than what we’re seeing on Pershing Road,” Michael Barrett said. “We’re calling it Secret Garden Express.”

The name reflects the shop’s selection of fresh, pre-wrapped flowers.

“If you’re picking up your dry cleaning, you can just reach into the cooler and get what you want to take with you,” he said. “We also have a few plants here and there and do custom silks.”

Hours are 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturday. Call (217) 330-6532. nnn A Decatur firm specializing in computer technology management has opened a new training center to enhance the scope and reach of its operation.

The Network Solutions Unlimited training center is at 1234 N. Water St. and focuses on the benefits and use of technology in business. Company founder and President Frank Saulsbery said that is a broad agenda ranging from getting the most out of email and Microsoft Office 365 to cyber security and compliance with laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. “We’ll provide training on how to use technology, how to be more productive at work, it’s all business-based,” Saulsbery said.

Network Solutions was founded more than a year ago and grew out of the work of a sister company, Decatur Computers Inc., that Saulsbery founded 15 years ago.

He describes Decatur Computers as a “break-fix” computer company, meaning it provides technicians to fix whatever part of your computer system is broken.

“But we began seeing clients who really needed more from us than what we were giving, so we developed Network

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YOUR CAREER

BIZ BITES

Now open

August 2014

Solutions Unlimited,” explained Saulsbery, who is also president of Decatur Computers. Call (217) 428-6449.

Expanding services All Breed Grooming is now beautifying cats as well as dogs under new owners Michelle and Mark Bartlett and their partner, groomer Whittney Motley.

Julie Harless, a groomer with more than 30 years of experience in the Decatur area and elsewhere, has come on board to handle feline, as well as canine, clients.

All Breed Grooming is at 1901 S. Taylorville Road and open by appointment only. Call (217) 853-4300. nnn Hickory Point Bank has formed a new division for its stock transfer services.

First Illinois Shareholder Services will serve large and small companies. Vice President Kirk Harney will lead the sales and business development initiatives for the business unit.

“We stay abreast of all industry advances and offer customized solutions for companies both large and small, to provide our clients and shareholders maximum value from their transfer agent,” Harney said.

Biz Bites highlight businesses that are opening, closing or expanding. For Biz Bites items, contact Tony Reid at treid@herald-review.com, Chris Lusvardi at clusvardi@herald-review.com, Theresa Churchill at tchurchill@heraldreview.com or call them at (217) 421-6979.

Is owning a franchise right for you?

Make sure decision aligns with passion

By CAROLINE MCMILLAN PORTILLO TCA News Service Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The word of the day was “fit.”

And if you’re considering whether to buy and run a franchise, there are several “fit” criteria you need to consider, according to a group of five panelists who spoke at ShopTalk’s breakfast event in Charlotte.

The event, called “Franchising: Picking the one right for you,” drew a sellout crowd of more than 120 people.

Most of the attendees were considering whether to buy into an existing brand and business model or go at it on their own.

The panel of experienced entrepreneurs offering advice ranged from the man who initiated TCBY’s self-serve trend, to a former Carolina Panther who opened Charlotte’s first Tropical Smoothie Cafe, to a franchise expert who’s worked with hundreds of prospective and existing owners.

According to our panelists, ask yourself these three questions before deciding if buying into a franchise is the best fit for your path to entrepreneurship: Is your nest egg flush and secure?

Before you even begin considering whether a franchise is the right business to own, consider whether becoming an entrepreneur is even right for you, said panelist Randy Mitchell of The Entrepreneur’s Source, a franchise itself that offers business coaching to franchisees and prospective franchise owners.

And a lot of that is going to come down to financing.

When you buy a franchise, you have to pay an upfront “franchise fee.” The onetime fee is in exchange for the rights to a protected territory and all of the training and materials that are involved in opening the business – “the knowledge, the training, the secret sauce,” Mitchell said.

Those fees can range between $20,000 and $50,000, Mitchell said. Some can be lower, but rarely are they higher.

Then there’s the rest of the investment: building out a store, buying inventory, marketing, hiring and more.

So for a store-front business, you’re usually looking at a total investment of about $120,000, Mitchell said. But it can be well under $100,000 for a mobile or home-based franchise.

Then, most franchises require that you pay royalties, usually a percentage of sales.

You don’t have to have all of that money in the bank, the panelists said, but financing isn’t always easy.

Sue Gilbert, who opened the Charlotte area’s first Nothing Bundt Cakes fran-

TCA News Service

Sue Gilbert of Nothing Bundt Cakes speaks with attendees during a ShopTalk breakfast in Charlotte

‘It’s a huge step to go out on your own.’

SUE GILBERT, NOTHING BUNDT CAKES OWNER

chise, said she and her husband were able to take advantage of a program through Guidant Financial that allowed them to roll her husband’s 401(k) savings into the business, which had startup costs of about $300,000 to $400,000.

Do you prefer blueprints or innovation?

Gilbert said the prescriptive nature of the Nothing Bundt Cakes franchise model was one of the key reasons she was attracted to it; it took the guesswork out of the business strategy.

It also offered a blueprint for how to run the business. For example, every Nothing Bundt Cakes franchise follows the same recipes, has chic yellow walls with blue and cream accents, and colorful merchandise for sale.

“It’s a huge step to go out on your own,” Gilbert said, “and even though a franchise will not promise you that you

will be successful, they have a lot of the foundations and building blocks to help you become successful.

TCBY franchise owner Sam Batt, on the other hand, initiated the TCBY selfserve trend and now owns 16 locations in the Charlotte market.

He opened the company’s first shop with a self-serve style in April 2010 to such great success (within three weeks, his location was one of the top-five most profitable franchises in the country), that the company embraced the trend and credits Batt with the move that reinvigorated the company and led to exponential growth.

Now, nearly every TCBY that opens has a self-serve model, and many franchisees with the classic served-behindthe-counter setup have changed their model to accommodate the trend.

But Batt’s experience with TCBY is truly the exception to the rule, said Mitchell with The Entrepreneur’s Source.

Don’t buy into a franchise thinking you’ll reinvent it, Mitchell said. Because in all likelihood, “they’re going to say, ‘Thank you very much, but spare us your brilliance.’ ” Does your passion align with the company’s mission?

Former Panther defensive end Everette Brown, 27, who opened Charlotte’s first Tropical Smoothie Cafe,

said he’s been an enthusiast of the brand since 2005, when he was a freshman at Florida State University.

He came upon the fast-casual restaurant, with 365 locations nationwide, which serves smoothies as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner. According to the company, the menu is designed to “inspire healthy lifestyles.”

Brown, who also started the Everette Brown Bag Foundation to fight childhood obesity, said that business strategy aligned with his guiding principles.

Another reason to care about the mission, other than the financial investment? No matter what kind of business you run, it’s going to require a significant investment of time as well, all panelists agreed.

Ben Knight, who owns three FASTSIGNS franchises, which make everything from “for sale” signs on manicured front lawns, to way-finding signs for universities and corporations, to “coming soon” wall wraps for retailers at shopping malls, said he worked nonstop when he first took over the existing FASTSIGNS South Tryon location.

Now that he’s got a better handle on operations and a trusted team he can delegate to, his schedule has eased up a bit, to “half days.”

“Doesn’t matter which 12 hours you work,” he quipped.

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August 2014

Community health calendar Screenings Bone density screening, 9-11 a.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 6, Women’s Health and Breast Center, 302 W. Hay St., Suite 117A. Screening to check your risk for osteoporosis. Register online or call (217) 8764377.

Cholesterol screening, 7-10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, 1689 S. Franklin Street Road and 9-11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, DMH Express Care West in Fairview Plaza.

Cost is $20. To register, call (217) 876-4377.

Support groups Grief support group, 12:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, St. Mary’s Hospital, Conference Room 561. Hosted by St. John’s Home Health and Hospice. For more information, call Jamie Smith at (217) 544-6464 ext. 45268.

TOPS Club IL 49 Decatur, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesdays, Main Street Church of God, 2000 N. Main St. (enter from Garfield Street). Support group for Real People seeking Real Results with weight loss.

For more information, go to www.topsclub.org or call Chris Granda at (217) 521-2420.

Helping Hands Bereavement for Children, 3:30 p.m. Thursdays, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, 210 W. McKinley, Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4750.

Breastfeeding support group, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 11 and Aug. 25, Baby TALK, 500 E. Lake Shore Dr. To register, call Flo Folami at (217) 464-2334.

SHARE support group, 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11, St. Mary’s Hospital, Conference Room G24. Support group for those who have experienced the death of a baby during pregnancy, at birth or early infancy. For more information, call (217) 464-2045.

Epilepsy support group, 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12. For more information, call (217) 853-1655.

Facing Cancer Together, 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 13, Cancer Care Center

of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4750.

Pink Link breast cancer support group, 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14. To register, call (217) 876-4377.

Breath of Life support group, noon Tuesday, Aug. 19, St. Mary’s Hospital, Conference Room 561. For information, call (217) 464-2603.

Postpartum emotional support group, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 19, St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. For more information, call Flo at (217) 464-2334.

Cardiopulmonary wellness group, 6-7 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 19, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Classroom A. For more information, call (217) 876-2429.

Diabetes support group, 11 a.m. to noon Thursday, Aug. 21, DMH Specific Performance Enhancement Center, 2122 N. 27th St. Call (217) 876-4249.

Parkinson’s disease support group, 1:30-3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1360 W. Main St. For information, call Kathy Broaddus at (217) 820-3096.

Renewal bereavement support group, 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4750.

Us TOO prostate cancer support group, 4:30-6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4750.

Widowed support group, 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28. Monthly dinner gathering. For location or to register, call (217) 428-7733.

Classes Cardiopulmonary rehab nutrition class, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, Decatur Memorial Hospital Cafe DMH. Focus on heart-healthy eating and read-

Event includes free car seat checks. For more information call (217) 876-2850.

Real Dads Rock, 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Cafe Classrooms 1 and 2 – Ground Level.

Program teaches new fathers how to handle, feed, burp, change, clean and respond to their baby’s needs. Register online or call (217) 422-6294.

Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug 7, Scovill Zoo Schilling Education Center. Hosted by St. Mary’s Hospital and the Breastfeeding Support Group of Decatur.

Includes free admission to the zoo and activities.

Eat Right to Help the Fight, 11 a.m.

Monday, Aug. 11, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Nutrition class for cancer patients. Register online or call (217) 876-4750.

Monsters of the Medley Men’s/Women’s Strongman Competition, 8 a.m. to 3 pm.

Saturday, Aug. 9, DMH Specific Performance Enhancement Center, 2122 N. 27th St. To register, call (217) 876-4249.

Infant CPR Class, 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11, Decatur Memorial Hospital, OB Classrooms-third floor. Register online or call (217) 876-3400.

Wine, Women and Wellness, 5-9 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 22, Decatur Civic Center.

Hosted by DMH, this night out for women focuses on information about living a healthier life and includes wine samples, live entertainment, beauty products and free health screenings. For more information, call (217) 876-2850.

New Brother/Sister Day Camp, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 20, Decatur Memorial Hospital, OB Classroom. Children ages 310 learn what to expect with the arrival of a new baby brother or sister. Cost is $15. To register, call (217) 876-3100.

Happiest Baby on the Block-Magic?, 7-9 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 21, St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. For information or to register, call (217) 464-2334.

Real Dads Rock!, 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. This class enriches the father-to-be with skills to be confident in his major role in the care and birth of the new baby. Call (217) 464-2334.

Breastfeeding basics, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Cafe DMH 1 and 2. Register online or call (217) 876-3400.

More Bravo For Breastfeeding, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 7, Scovill Zoo.

Community Health Lecture Series, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 26, Decatur Public Library. The St. Mary’s Hospital community health lecture service provides an informational lecture from a local health care provider. This month will feature is “Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal for Life” presented by Flo Folami. For more information, call (217) 464-5125.

WINDOWS ROOFING DECKS KITCHENS RESTORATIONS DOORS SIDING REMODELING PORCHES BATHS

Can you spare 15 minutes, three times a week?

TCA News Service

“Maybe you love to eat but hate to exercise,” Jim Karas proposes.

For most of us, that about sums it up.

Karas wants to help you get over the exercise part of that equation.

“The biggest hurdle you will ever face in losing weight isn’t sticking to a diet or going to the gym every day. It’s simply this: getting started,” he said.

Can you spare 15 minutes, three times a week? Trainer and author Karas said that’s enough to get you started.

“If you’re doing nothing, this is absolutely a step in the right direction,”

said Karas, who blogs and sells his fitness products at jimkaras.com. Just those 45 minutes weekly will rev up your metabolism, increase your energy and make you look and feel better, he said.

Karas brags that after an appearance years ago on “Good Morning America,” he cornered Diane Sawyer and delivered the bad news: She needed to lose 25 pounds. “She was shocked, but I got her attention.”

For those of us who have put off starting an exercise program, he insists that we don’t need to spend hours a week on a treadmill.

“You don’t have to have equipment. You don’t have to go to the gym,” he said.

Instead, Karas recommends taking three basic exercises — pushups, Pilates planks, and squats or lunges — and doing each until “you’re almost out of breath.” Then repeat the series “until you fill up 15 minutes” three times weekly. Instructions for all of these are all over the Internet.

In most exercise regimens, “the neglected variable is intensity,” Karas said.

“If you really get in there and get the job done, you optimize results and you save yourself time.”

August 2014

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Chinese firm has big plans for PPG

ing labels. For more information, call (217) 876-2496.

Breastfeeding for the Pregnant Couple, 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14, St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. For information or to register, call (217) 4642334.

www.thebusiness-journal.com

LICENSE# 104.016085 105.005542 PROMAXCONSTRUCTION.COM

Improvements should bring jobs

By RACHEL RODGERS Business Journal Writer

MOUNT ZION – Production could be ramping up at PPG’s Mount Zion glass manufacturing plant.

The company announced last month that it has reached a definitive agreement to sell substantially all the assets of the Mount Zion facility to China-based automotive glass manufacturer Fuyao Glass America Inc. Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co. Ltd. is a leading international manufacturer

of automotive and industrial glass based in the People’s Republic of China.

The sale is expected to close in the third quarter 2014, subject to customary closing conditions. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The Mount Zion facility currently manufactures glass for use in residential and commercial construction markets.

Fuyao plans to rebuild and retrofit the facility’s two production lines to manufacture automotive glass.

After attending a meeting at the plant with Cho Tak Wong, chairman of the Fuyao Glass Industry Group, Mount Zion Mayor Don Robinson said he thinks the decision will be a great opportunity for the village, as well as for Decatur and Macon County.

“They have great plans for the facility, taking it from one line to eventually full production,” he said. “They spoke about putting in $150 million toward plant improvements and the two furnaces. As PPG indicated, this opportunity will be a win-win for both them and Fuyao, and employees will get to keep their jobs.”

Robinson described the decision as the “best of all possible worlds.”

The work force at the Mount Zion facility totals about 175 employees, said Mark Silvey, PPG corporate communications manager.

Larry Altenbaumer, president of the Economic Development Corporation for Decatur and Macon County, said Fuyao’s investment is indicative of the area’s growing position in the global

marketplace.

“Not only will this add quality jobs to the Decatur area community, but it will also add a highly respected corporate citizen,” he said. “Moreover, this decision by Fuyao Glass adds to the growing recognition of Decatur as a perfect location for logistics, manufacturing and agribusiness development.”

PPG will continue to operate the plant for up to one year following the sale, producing Sungate coated glass and clear glass. The production for these products will eventually be shifted to PPG’s other North American float glass manufacturing sites.

The Mount Zion facility was built in 1959 and converted for float glass production in 1978.

City finalist for ag facility Center would aid in new technology

By CHRIS LUSVARDI Business Journal Writer

DECATUR — The National Corn Growers Association wants to support and develop research that will provide benefits throughout the agriculture industry.

To aid in those efforts, it is leading plans to create a research facility as part of the National Agriculture Genotyping Center. Decatur is in the running to be the site for the facility, as it was announced last month as one of two finalists for the project, said Richard Vierling, the head of the Corn Growers research and development team.

The other finalist is Fargo, N.D., Vierling said. Being the site of the project could provide a boost to local economic development efforts, he said.

“We hope it grows as it goes,” Vierling said. “It could bring millions of dollars into a given economy.”

If Decatur is chosen, the center would be on the Richland Community College campus, said Doug Brauer, Richland’s vice president of economic development and innovative solutions.

A Tier 1 laboratory would be created within the Andreas Agribusiness Center with plans to eventually move the space to the Agribusiness Applied Technology Park in the northwest corner of campus, Brauer said.

“We’re in the middle of the Corn Belt,” Brauer said. “We’re

in position as an ideal location for the genotyping center to serve the entire United States and then ultimately the world as it reaches out and expands. The structure is in place where they can come in fairly quickly.”

Site visits are expected to be scheduled and completed in August with a decision soon following, Vierling said. After the final location is selected, the facility could be up and running by early next year, he said.

“We want to get it done in a timely manner,” Vierling said.

“We’re pushing as fast as we can while making it an equal process for the applicants.”

The genotyping center’s mission is to translate scientific discoveries into solutions for production agriculture, food safety, functional foods, bioenergy and national security.

The facility is intended to aid in the development of new agricultural technology and bring enhanced products to the market, Vierling said. A primary focus will be on testing corn for diseases. Part of the goal is to create a more competitive business environment in terms of product development, he said.

“We need that competition in the marketplace,” Vierling said.

The National Agricultural Genotyping Center is supported through a public and private partnership involving the Corn Growers, Los Alamos National Lab and Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.

The finalists were selected earlier this week during a meeting in Washington, D.C., based on groups that had submitted proposals by July 1, Vierling said

Business Journal/Lisa Morrison

There are two courses with zoo animals, water features, bridges and ramps to challenge those playing the new course at the Overlook Adventure Park.

Mini golf course makes debut

By ALLISON PETTY Business Journal Writer

DECATUR – The animals of Scovill Zoo staged a massive coup, moving en masse across the lake to a mischief-riddled patch of Nelson Park.

Feeling the community spirit, one of the lemurs builds a replica of the Transfer House out of stones and sticks. Spider monkeys spray water into a bucket. Squirrels clamber over a golf cart. Impressively, a zebra balances on a camel’s back, brandishing a pair of Decatur-made Perry suspenders in its mouth.

The animals’ exploits became visible to the public with the opening of the Overlook Adventure Mini Golf course in Nelson Park.

A key piece of the Decatur Park District’s long-term lakefront development plan, the miniature golf course and accompanying clubhouse represent nearly a year of construction and more than $3 million in costs.

The course is the first portion of what plans call the Overlook Adventure Park portion of the lakefront development, known as Lakeshore Landing. Officials hope it could be followed by an outdoor aquatic facility, climb-

ing wall, ropes course, batting cages and playground.

Bill Clevenger, executive director of the park district, said its board and staff have committed to the lakefront plan and would not allow it to become another proposal that “sits on a shelf.” The miniature golf course and accompanying facility are a great first step, he said.

Work on the clubhouse remains ongoing, with CherryBerry and Ted’s Taters restaurants set to open later this summer, Clevenger said.

Officials continue to hope that the course could spur some private investment in the lakefront. Planners always envisioned a tapestry of public and private funding sources for the amenities, but no private monetary donations have materialized since park district and city officials agreed on the plan in 2011.

As for the park district’s former miniature golf course, Paul’s Puttin’ Place, the lakefront master plan designates that the area will one day become the home of a new children’s garden. The exact schedule and funding for that project are unclear.

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BUSINESS JOURNAL

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August 2014

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August 2014

YOUR HEALTH

YOUR BUSINESS

ACHIEVE puts forth challenge Initiative seeks healthier residents

By EMILY STEELE Business Journal Writer

DECATUR — Work site wellness programs are dedicated to benefit the health of employees and a business’ bottom line.

“That looks good as a business from a PR standpoint,” but Brandi Binkley with the ACHIEVE coalition said it’s about more than making a good appearance. “It’s showing their dedication to health.”

ACHIEVE hopes to reach 10 percent of Macon County’s population, about 1,100 people, with its team wellness challenge.

“In the past, we had the most teams from businesses,” Binkley said.

The Macon County Wellness Challenge, sponsored by ACHIEVE and Grow Decatur, will start Sept. 1.

Registration kicked off at the Decatur Celebration, which featured the Obesity Coalition’s 1-mile fun run/walk prior to the Razzle Dazzle Good Times Parade.

Program points for drinking water,

Business Journal/Danny Damiani

Dan Meador talks with Dippin’ Mervs owner Angie Ervin over breakfast in Blue Mound. BELOW: Katherine Kitchen, 8, hands her drink to her great-grandfather, Boyd Trimble, so she can take her ice cream as they leave Dippin’ Mervs.

Everyone’s family at Dippin’ Mervs Blue Mound diner a community favorite

By CASSIE BURTON Business Journal Writer

BLUE MOUND — You don’t have to be at home to enjoy some home cooking.

Nestled on the main route between Decatur and Taylorville, Dippin’ Merv’s in Blue Mound started as a five-stool counter at the former laundromat and has since expanded to a mom and pop diner.

Besides the 1950s feel conveyed by the jukebox and Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley photos dotting the walls, family is the recurring theme at Merv’s.

Matt “Merv” Ervin began the business in

1998 as a seasonal ice cream parlor, later selling it to his then 21-year-old sister, current owner Angie Ervin.

“This place is family orientated,” said Ervin, 33. “We don’t know any strangers.

Anybody who comes in, we sit and talk to.”

The menu features breakfast and lunch classics such as egg and bacon specials, pancake stacks, country fried steak and horseshoes on top of a daily special, which is often a home recipe cooked by Ervin’s mother, Diana.

The small staff comprised of Angie, Diana, an aunt and a couple of family friends keep it personal, remembering whether it’s tea instead of coffee or texting a regular about the special of the day.

“My daughter loves their chicken and

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

eating fruits and vegetables and activity minutes will be logged through the American Cancer Society’s website, activeforlife.org.

Binkley said many larger businesses already have work site wellness programs. The wellness challenge can supplement that and also be used as a chance to foster internal competitions between teams of co-workers.

“This would be a nice addition for what they’re already doing,” Binkley said.

As a free resource, she said the challenge could be used to kick off a business’ program if it doesn’t have one.

Chris Gadberry, director of program development at Physician’s Choice Wellness in Mount Zion, has been involved with ACHIEVE for several months. She likes the wellness challenge because the focus isn’t just losing weight.

“There’s so much potential to help the community,” Gadberry said.

She is now part of the marketing committee that’s contacting churches and businesses and encouraging them to form teams. ACHIEVE also is approaching schools — the program is open to all ages — and labor unions.

They also plan on reaching out to the Chamber of Commerce.

From a business standpoint, teaming up with the challenge makes sense.

“If we are not healthy, we have more lost time at work and more medical expensive,” Gadberry said. “That definitely affects the bottom line of the company.”

Since Physician’s Choice is a medically monitored weight management program, Gadberry said staff are already participating in these activities, but they still plan on joining in and encouraging their clients to as well.

“I look for us to have a team, because all of us can benefit from that,” Gadberry said.

The Macon County Achieve coalition of community leaders was founded in 2013 to improve county health by preventing and managing health-risk factors.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chose Macon County as one of 149 ACHIEVE – Action Communities for Health, Innovation and Environmental Change — communities in 2012.

Since then dozens of community health agencies have gotten involved, with the Decatur YMCA and the Health Department taking the lead.

BUSINESS JOURNAL

17

Did you know?

Dirty look Microbes and you 1. Mouth — 500 microbe species 2. Large intestine — 1,200 microbe species 3. Lungs — 128 microbe species each 4. Stomach — 200 microbe species 5. Skin — 1,000 microbe species There are 24 microbe species behind each ear Source: World Features Syndicate

Good ... gosh!

Pleasant-phobia: 1. Fear of good news — euphobia 2. Fear of happiness — cherophobia 3. Fear of being praised — doxophobia 4. Fear of pleasure — hedonophobia 5. Fear of freedom — eleutherophobia 6. Fear of kissing — philemaphobia Source: “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Phobias”

Pregnant pause Net population increases in selected cities 1. Beijing — 65 per hour 2. New York City — 9 per hour 3. London — 1 per hour 4. Mumbai, India — 44 per hour 5. Paris — 9 per hour 6. Tokyo — 23 per hour Worldwide population increases 219,000 a day — Source: World Features Syndicate

16

BUSINESS JOURNAL

The Arts Anne Lloyd Gallery: “Decatur’s Arts Treasures” will celebrate collectors of fine art, artifacts and antiques in our midst. An expanded opening reception from 5-7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8, also will serve as a free celebration of the Madden Art Center’s 10th anniversary.

Call (217) 423-3189. www.decaturarts. org Gallery 510: Pastels and watercolors by Glenda Sue Goodpaster. Opening reception from 5-7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8. Call (217) 422-1509.

Decatur Airport: Drawings by Dan Modzedewski.

Decatur Public Library: Paintings by Carol Kessler.

Blue Connection: Stop by and view the work of Water Xin Zhao, summer artist in residence.

Music Blues in Central Park featuring Samantha Fish, Thursday, Aug. 21. Vendors open at 6 p.m. Band plays from 7-10 p.m.

Sounds of Summer Concerts featuring Live Karaoke Band, Thursday, Aug. 28, at the Swartz Pavilion at the Hickory Point Golf Course. Show begins at 7 p.m.

Adult beverages and concessions available.

BANQUET

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August 2014

Calendar of events For a complete list of events, go to www.herald-review.com/go/ Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra Labor Day Pops concert 6 p.m. in Nelson Park.

On Stage Little Theatre-On the Square: “Legally Blonde,” through Aug 10. www.thelittle theatre.org.

Charity events Tour De Paws, to benefit the Animal Shelter Foundation and Scovill Zoo, on Saturday, Aug. 16. The event features 25, 43- and 61-mile bike rides and a Family Fun ride. The event kicks off at 7 a.m. in Nelson Park. For more information, go to www.dmcasf.org.

Diamonds and Denim Gala, to benefit the Madden Arts Center, on Saturday, Aug. 16. This event, from 6-9 p.m. at the center, will include food, drink and live music to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Madden Arts Center, its contribution to the Decatur and to honor the people who made it possible. The cost if $75 per person and tickets must be purchased in advance. For more information, call (217) 423-3189.

GUIDE

Zoo-rific Evening at Scovill Zoo, to benefit upcoming renovations at the zoo, on Saturday, Aug. 23. Enjoy animal encounters, specialty drinks and hors d’oeuvres, an auction of animal artwork and music. Begins at 5 p.m. Cost is $75 per person. Call (217) 422-5911.

For the kids Children’s Museum of Illinois: Family Science Sunday, 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10.

This month’s activity will include harvesting the pizza garden and making a pizza to take home. Friday summer camps also are continuing. For information, go to www.cmofil.com or call (217) 423-5437.

78th annual Lantern Parade, 5-9 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 5, at Dreamland Lake in Fairview Park.

Scovill Zoo: End the summer with a visit. Call (217) 421-7435.

Movies in the Park. In Decatur, watch movies on a huge inflatable screen Aug. 5, 12, 19 and 26 at Nelson Park. In Mount Zion, watch “Smurfs 2” on Friday, Aug. 8, in Fletcher Park.

Featured Business:

Pony Express Days, Aug. 14-17, Pony Express Grounds, Mount Zion. Carnival, live music and more.

Labor Day Parade, 10 a.m. Monday, Sept.

1, downtown Decatur.

Got an item you’d like considered for publication in the Your Free Time calendar? Send the information to Scott Perry at sperry@herald-review.com or 601 E. William St., Decatur, IL 62523.

BUSINESS JOURNAL Reader Profile: n 66% have household income of $80,000 or more. n 32% are age 55 or older.

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DECATUR CLUB

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Accommodates: 300 people

Contact: Jeff Ingle

Banquets & weddings

429-4200

DECATUR CONFERENCE CENTER & HOTEL Accommodates: 2,000 people

4191 U.S. 36 West

55,000 sq. ft. functional space, food service available

DOHERTY’S PUB & PINS Accommodates: up to 80 seating - 150 capacity

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HICKORY POINT BANQUET FACILITY Accommodates: 225 w/additional seating on veranda

727 Weaver Rd., Decatur Contact: Tina McCarnen 421-6657

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MT. ZION LIONS CENTER Accommodates: up to 300 people Choose your own caterer, bring your own food

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ST. NICHOLAS GRILLE Accommodates: up to 100 people 101 Club, business/social functions Full food & beverage service available

9

Cruisin’ Nights on Eldo, 6 p.m. Saturdays, Aug. 16 and Oct. 18. For more information, call James Pinckard at (217) 9729049.

DECATUR CIVIC CENTER

Accommodates: up to 225 people

BUSINESS JOURNAL

The Rock Springs Nature Center hosts a long list of mini camps, family adventures and classes. So many, in fact, that there are too many to list. Go to www.maconcountyconservation.org and click on the Programs and Activities tab for a complete listing.

MT. ZION CONVENTION CENTER

SCOVILL BANQUET FACILITY

August 2014

Misc.

Accommodates: 1,100 people

Ask about our “value-added service”

www.thebusiness-journal.com

1595 W. Main St., Mt. Zion Contact: Sharon Spinner 864-3100

Business Journal photos/Danny Damiani

Jim Reynolds and Kevin Bafford give their order to Margaret Sandberg. Reynolds has been to Dippin’ Mervs twice a day everyday since it opened.

PRINT•MOBILE•ONLINE each week.

“The staff is polite, fast and accommodating, which is good for when you noodles so Angie texts me when that’s have picky little kids,” said frequent the special,” said Tracy Habrock, a customer Emily Brown. “It’s nice to weekly customer. “I haven’t found anycome here with your kids, and you’re thing that I don’t care for.” guaranteed to know somebody.”

Angie Ervin sold the business in 2007 Due to its location, Ervin says the when she was expecting her third child, business attracts to a Taylorville all types of clienwoman who tele – from farmrenamed it ers to the business “Linda’s Place.” crowd to monthly Within four years, bunco groups and Ervin found she church groups. “liked it too much” She also has a and bought it trailer that she back, reverting takes to local town the diner back to fairs, offers caterDippin’ Merv’s. ing and donates “I have four coupons to school kids, so trying to activities. run a business and “I see the same put my full attenpeople every time tion on my kids is I come in,” said a challenge,” ANGIE ERVIN, OWNER Pete Gilson, a Ervin said. “This Dippin’ Merv’s (restaurant) is like regular. “They do a fifth kid to me. a good job here I’m not one to hire my help to work here and I always kid with the waitresses. It’s so I can leave.” a friendly place.”

To balance being a business owner Ervin has no plans to expand, wanting and a mother, Ervin stays closed on to keep it small and personal.

Sundays and is only open from 6 a.m.

“I like being social with the customers to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, Mondays and and seeing them on a daily basis,” Tuesdays. On Wednesdays, Thursdays Ervin said. “I just want to thank people and Fridays, the diner opens at 6 a.m. for supporting me. I’m a people person; and stays open until 8 p.m, with a wallI could not … be at a desk all day.” eye special on Fridays drawing a crowd

Continued from page 8

3909 W. Main St., Decatur 421-7470 101 S. Main St., Decatur Contact: Chris Durham 422-4700

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Anybody who comes in, we sit and talk to.’

mtzionlionsclub.com Contact: Kevin Brewer

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BUSINESS JOURNAL Reader Profile: n 89% are college educated. n 28% are ages 45 to 54.

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August 2014

Paying employees more makes cents Humor me, please. Accept a role in my drama.

In this scene, you take the part of entrepreneur. You, in your marketing wisdom, are about to open a fast-food restaurant in the Decatur area.

You’re going to compete head-tohead with the big nationals, the Mickey Dees and the Wendy's, and against the locals and regionals, the Krekel's and the UDogs. It's a tough Human Resources business, but you want in and you’re anxious to carve yourself a profitable niche.

Your restaurant is almost ready.

You’ve acquired the space and remodeled it to fit your needs. Construction dust hides the gleaming counters as your dream takes form. The pesky inspectors drop by to check out the joint for compliance with building codes, fire

Fred Spannaus

codes, health codes, and a zillion other codes you never knew existed.

A few weeks to go until the soft opening, so you put up the sign in the window: “HELP WANTED.” You place in ad in the Herald & Review, and you list your jobs with the State Employment Service.

The applications trickle in at first, then they turn into a deluge. And now, as you begin to schedule interviews, you’ve got a decision to make.

How much are you going to pay? You gather the facts, and here they are: In Illinois, the minimum wage is $8.25 an hour. And in your industry, the fast-food business, the median wage for all workers is $8.83 an hour.

Armed with this information, what do you decide?

Most likely, you plug the numbers into your spreadsheet and decide to go with the lowest number you can legally get away with, or $8.25 an hour. The vast majority of owners would do the same.

You set the cost of labor as low as possible in order to yield some profit and enhance the chances that your restaurant will survive.

Let me tell you about three owners

who took a different route. John Pepper, co-founder of Boloco Burritos, starts his workers at $9, which is $1.50 above the minimum wage in most of his region of New England. Randy Garutti, CEO of Shake Shack, offers a base pay of $9.50.

And over in Michigan, Henry Moorhouse of the Moo Cluck Moo hamburger joints starts every employee at $15.

What’s wrong with these guys, you ask. Are they complete and total idiots?

Why would anybody pay a dime more than they need to for anything? And why pay more for your biggest item – labor?

It’s insane, and it violates the basic principles of the free market.

Before we condemn them, let’s listen to their side, OK? Quoted in the New York Times, burrito baron John Pepper, said this: “If we really wanted our people to care about our culture and care about our customers, we had to show that we cared about them. If we’re talking about building a business that’s successful, but our employees can’t go home and pay their bills, to me that success is a farce.”

The same article quoted Randy Garutti, the shake guy. “The number one

reason we pay our team well above the minimum wage is because we believe that if we take care of the team, they will take care of our customers.”

They develop loyalty by demonstrating loyalty. What a concept.

Sounds like they heard all the common complaints about the quality of the work force … you know, how the applicant pool is lazy and unmotivated and unprepared and un-everything. However, these owners wanted to get the best of that pool.

They’ll pay more up front, for sure.

But they figure that in the long run, they’ll avoid costs of turnover, and prevent infestations of the customer dissatisfaction that kills retailers.

So rather than paying the same as everyone else, they pay more in order to attract the best workers. It’s possible that they are applying another basic principle of the market: You get what you pay for.

Fred W. Spannaus, principal of Spannaus Consulting, is a senior professional in human resources. He loves feedback to his columns. Fred can be contacted by email at spannaus@ ameritech.net or by phone at (217) 425-2635.

ASK THE SCORE COUNSELOR Q: What are some bookkeeping tips I should know?

A: Daniel Kehrer, founder and managing director of BizBest Media Corp., shared this information with SCORE eNews.

Millions of small-business owners and startup entrepreneurs are masters at creating great products and services, building awesome teams and winning over customers. Many of them, however, would probably flunk basic bookkeeping.

Here are basics of the 10 most common types of bookkeeping accounts for a small business that you should know.

Cash: It doesn’t get more basic than this. All of your business transactions pass through the cash account, which is so important that often bookkeepers actually use two journals — Cash Receipts and Cash disbursements — to track the activity.

Accounts Receivable: If your company sells products or services and doesn’t collect payment immediately you have “receivables” and you must track Accounts Receivable. This is money due from customers, and keeping it up to date is critical to be sure that you send timely and accurate bills or invoices.

Inventory: Products you have in stock to sell are like money sitting on a shelf and must be carefully accounted for and tracked. The numbers you have in your books should be periodically tested by doing physical counts of inventory on hand.

Accounts Payable: No one likes to send money out of the business. But it’s a little less painful if you have a clear view of everything via your Accounts Payable.

Good bookkeeping helps assure timely

GOT A QUESTION? For more information on bookkeeping or to submit a question for the “Ask the SCORE Counselor” column, contact SCORE Chapter 296, Millikin University, 1184 W. Main St., Decatur, IL 62522 or call (217) 424-6296. payments and if you pay early, you can possibly qualify your business for discounts.

Loans Payable: If you’ve borrowed money to buy equipment, vehicles, furniture or other items for your business, this is the account that tracks what’s owed and what’s due.

Sales: The Sales account is where you track all incoming revenue from what you sell. Recording sales in a timely and accurate manner is critical to knowing where your business stands.

Purchases: The Purchases account is where you track any raw materials or finished goods that you buy for your business. It’s a key component of calculating Cost of Goods Sold, which you subtract from Sales to find your company’s gross profit.

Payroll expenses: This is the biggest cost of all for many businesses. Keeping this account accurate and up to date is essential for meeting tax and other government reporting requirements.

Shirking those responsibilities will put you in serious hot water.

Owners’ Equity: This account has a nice ring to it. Basically, it tracks the amount each owner puts into the business. “Many small businesses are owned by one person or a group of partners; they’re not incorporated, so no stock shares exist to

divide up ownership,” said Lita Epstein, author of “Bookkeeping Kit for Dummies.” “Instead, money put into the business is tracked in Capital accounts, and any money taken out appears in drawing accounts. In order to be fair to all owners, your books must carefully record all Owners’ Equity accounts.”

Retained Earnings: The Retained Earnings account tracks any of your company’s profits that are reinvested in the business and are not paid out to the owners. Retained earnings are cumulative, which means they appear as a running total of money that has been retained since the company started.

Managing this account doesn’t take a lot of time and is important to investors and lenders who want to track how well the company has done over time.

Many business owners think of bookkeeping as an unwelcome chore. But if

you understand and make effective use of the data your bookkeeper collects, bookkeeping can be your best buddy, helping you run your business more effectively.

— Carol Harding, SCORE counselor

Meet a SCORE counselor Laura Cornille-Cannady has been a SCORE Ambassador since July 2010. She is one of the facilitators of the First Step FastTrac course which is offered twice each year to new and potential business owners to help them assess their business ideas. Laura has worked Canaday in education, human resources, and most recently as a business owner and consultant.

www.thebusiness-journal.com

August 2014

BUSINESS JOURNAL

15

Smith, a community masterpiece

By TIM CAIN Business Journal Writer

I think about Susan Smith every time I walk into the Decatur Area Arts Council.

I step over her every time I go in.

“Arts for all” was the mantra of Smith, who spent 11 years as the Arts Council’s executive director from 1993 to her March 2004 death.

The building whose renovation Smith helped shepherd is marking its 10th anniversary. The only disappointment with the anniversary may be the absence of Smith. But her presence is felt there daily, as the Arts Council continues to embrace Smith’s attitude of “this is important.”

My first meeting with Smith was one one of the worst days of her life.

Smith had just been diagnosed with additional occurrences of the cancer that ultimately led to her death at age 54.

Declining my offer to reschedule, Smith insisted on continuing our interview as planned.

“This is important,” she said “People need to know about this.”

That was the attitude Smith took throughout her life: Emphasize the importance and benefits of art to every person.

And regardless of background, education, income level or any other potential impediments, Smith doggedly insisted the arts were for everyone. Her personal issues never entered the equation.

Smith never saw the completed effort of the Madden Arts Center. She died just before the move into the new facility was complete.

Smith, who loved to point out that the Arts Council’s previous office was a “dirty book store” (and she didn’t mean unclean), remained the voice of reason and optimism, however bleak the outlook. The building was purchased by the council in June 2001. A $2 million renovation was planned, with the occupation to be complete by May 2002. That date was missed, and backed up two more times, leading to plenty of skepticism.

(Even that final deadline Smith announced wasn’t met, but it missed by weeks rather than years.)

Smith understood the skepticism, and countered it with her own unassailable optimism. Smith never cast blame when discussing fundraising shortfalls, always vowing the money goals would soon be met. My per-

File photo

In this August 2002 photo, Susan Smith, then the executive director of the Decatur Area Arts Council, stands outside the building at 121 N. Water St. that would become the Madden Arts Center. Smith died before the building opened. sonal memory following Smith reluctantly while she, wrapped in a coat or some kind of overgarment, joyfully led me through the sawdust and rubble (maybe that’s why she always seemed to have a covering).

She’d yell descriptions of what each area was to become over construction work.

She loved the idea of the elevator, be certain of that.

Smith could defend and insist on the place of arts in dogged fashion. Early in my career, she sent me a scathing email over a decision she erroneously

thought had been made by me. But the next communication — sent after she understood who made the decision — was one of the most classy, clever and subtle ever sent.

Decatur Area Arts Council is one of the best things the city has to offer. She didn’t do so alone – Susan Smith would have been the first to point that out – but it was her vision that helped make the organization a solid, important and ongoing Decatur institution.

Madden Arts Center marks 10 years

By JIM VOREL Business Journal Writer

DECATUR — When Sue Powell first became a member of the Decatur Area Arts Council’s board almost 20 years ago, the organization was living a rather nomadic existence. It moved from place to place, existing briefly at the Rock Springs Nature Center before moving to a small space downtown, next to the Lincoln Square Theatre. The one constant was that their home never seemed permanent, and never big enough to offer a fraction of the programs that the board envisioned.

“We were more of an advocate for the arts then and not a destination,” said Powell, who has now served as the gallery director for the Arts Council for the last 11 years. “We had a few programs like Arts in Central Park, but we knew we needed multiple breakout spaces, office spaces and bigger gallery

spaces.”

The board finally found what it was seeking in the current site of the Madden Arts Center on Water Street in downtown Decatur. The organization will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of their headquarters with a large-scale, ticketed gala Aug. 16, and will look back on how the building changed what the arts council was able to achieve in Decatur.

“Our former director Susan Smith had this dream when they found the building,” Powell recalled. “When she walked through here, she knew we’d finally found a place where we could do the kind of programming that she’d envisioned.”

Renovating and opening the Madden Arts Center was a long, hard process, but the organization always persevered.

At the five-year anniversary, they celebrated the retirement of the building’s debt. And when current executive direc-

tor Jerry Johnson came aboard in 2011, all of the organization’s financials were re-examined again from the ground up.

“When I first got here, that was one of the first things that needed to be done, so Stella Carnahan and I got to crunching the numbers,” Johnson said. “Based on our leasing space to Blue Connection, the Community Foundation and Education Coalition and renting rooms to residents having parties and receptions, the building almost pays for itself. There were a lot of flaming hoops to jump through, but we also managed to get tax exempt status for the building as well.”

The fundraising initiative attached to the 10th anniversary occasion, then, is structured around the Madden Art Center’s future. Of the $300,000 the organization hopes to raise, $100,000 is earmarked for building maintenance, the “chips and nicks and leaks,” as Johnson put it. The rest will be used to grow the

organization’s endowment fund, providing an increased supply of yearly funding for the arts programs that locals have come to expect. Former board members Doug and Peg Schmalz have additionally pledged to match up to $100,000 in contributions.

The physical embodiment of this fundraising drive will be the Aug. 16 gala at the Madden Arts Center, entitled “Diamonds and Denim.” Powell says the style of event will mirror the grand opening that was held back in 2004, with music, art and entertainment on all three floors of the building. Tickets are $75, available from the Decatur Area Arts Council.

“There will be food from the street through every floor of the building and entertainment the entire night,” she said. “It’s been a great 10 years for us in this building, and we intend to stay here for a long time.”

14

BUSINESS JOURNAL

www.thebusiness-journal.com

August 2014

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YOUR FREE TIME

BUSINESS CLIPS

Meet Sue Powell

Gemological Institute of America.

Busey Bank has been named to the Independent Community Bankers of America list of the Top 50 Community Bank Leaders in Social Media.

Gallery director for the Decatur Area Arts Council Chokkalingam

Mosby

Hometown: Birthplace - New Orleans, La. Place I call home after 36 years – Decatur Family: My husband Gary and I celebrated our 30th anniversary last November. Our son Rob Hasslinger is an Air Force Tech Sergeant in air traffic control, currently stationed in Ramstein, Germany, with daughter-in-law Schiavonn and our two grandsons Brodie, 12, and Mason, 6. We have two daughters: Lauren, an actor/nanny/waitress in Chicago, and Kaitlin, a graphic artist/photographer for Springfield Clinic.

Mauzey

Hunsley

Clevenger

New staff members Brandon Mosby has been named general manager of Eagle Wireless Services Ltd. Invasive cardiologist Shobashalini Chokkalingam, M.D. has joined Prairie Heart Institute.

My “I’d rather be …” bumper sticker would read: “I’d rather be playing with my kids and grandkids,” because we live far apart and my happiest moments are when we are all together laughing about silly things.

Tim Mauzey has joined Illini Supply as a sales consultant.

Alisha Hunsley has joined The New Look Salon.

Stephen P. Clevenger has joined SCB Wealth Management as assistant vice president and trust officer.

Hobbies/interests: Theater (as a performer and audience member), singing and nonstop home improvement projects.

Achievements

My first job: Briefly teaching second graders reading until the art teacher position opened at the junior high school in Jacksonville, Ark. Why I do what I do: I LOVE the arts! I love the creative process and collaboration.

How did you get so involved in the local arts scene? When I moved to Decatur in 1978, there were no art teaching jobs available. I landed at the Decatur Park District through a CETA grant for displaced homemakers (hadn’t worked the previous six transition months). Twentyfive years later, I retired from a long career building award-winning arts programs at the park district, including BOSS, Greater Decatur Chorale, Storyteller Theatre and A Very Special

Students from Prairie Flower Montessori School work on creating Kachina dolls at the Decatur Area Arts Council, where Sue Powell is gallery director.

Arts Fair. I served on the board of the Decatur Area Arts Council for eight years prior to joining the staff in 2003, when I was blessed with the opportunity to grow new arts programs at the Madden Arts Center.

How has it changed over the years? Arts programming for children (our greatest arts asset for the future) has certainly grown since the 70s. With the addition of the Madden Arts Center, downtown Decatur has come alive with regular arts events and exhibits. Thankfully, Decatur has many long-standing arts organizations that have remained alive and well all these years.

For those who don’t know, what is the Madden Arts Center? Decatur’s community arts center at the center of downtown Decatur. The Madden Arts Center, home to the Decatur Area Arts Council, features exhibits in the Anne Lloyd Gallery, arts classes and arts events year ‘round.

It houses the Barn Colony Artists, Municipal Band, Blue Connection,

Community Foundation and Education Coalition, in addition to providing rental spaces to the community.

Why was it needed and how satisfying was it to be part of its creation/opening? A Cultural Plan in the 1990s involved extensive interviews that determined Decatur would benefit from and support a centrally located community arts center.

For me, it was extremely exciting to be on the ground level of planning the building while on the Arts Council board and to be part of the team to launch all of the new programs at the Madden Arts Center. The community’s response has made the work very gratifying and stimulating.

What does the gallery director do? As gallery director, I’m responsible for coordinating and hanging exhibits in the Anne Lloyd Gallery. I plan and facilitate the gallery-related special events and field trips. When opportunities present themselves to showcase other art forms such as plays, dance concerts, literary

Swain

Lee

Cloney

or music events, I’m involved.

The Arts Council hosts a variety of events/activities. How much of a challenge is it to come up with new exhibits, activities?

Always a challenge but always fun! The Internet is my right arm when it comes to finding new artists or performers to feature.

Your favorite exhibit? Hmmmmmm ... after staging 70-plus exhibits over the last 10 years, it’s hard to pick a favorite.

Each is “my baby” – special because of the artists who become friends or fascinating because of the subject I must research, like the international cultures presented each year. Visually, my favorites are the colorful, lively exhibits.

Your dream exhibit would be? I wouldn’t say I have a “dream exhibit” but it would be a dream come true if shipping art weren’t so expensive. That would make it more feasible to bring in art from all over the states and the world.

Paul Osborne and the late William Eichenauer have been inducted into the City of Decatur Hall of Fame.

Elisabeth Lee, fitness center supervisor at the Decatur Indoor Sports Center, achieved personal training certification from the National Council on Strength and Fitness.

IPI Wealth Management has been named to the Financial Times Top 300 registered investment advisers ranking.

Millikin University has promoted Tina Cloney to associate professor of exercise science and sport with tenure; Florence Folami to associate professor of nursing with tenure; Kenneth Laundra to associate professor of sociology with tenure; Pamela Lindsey to associate professor of nursing with tenure; Denise Myers to professor of theater and dance; Eric Roark to associate professor of philosophy with tenure; and Jennifer Schroeder to associate professor of biology with tenure.

Announcements

Business Journal/Danny Damiani

Community involvement: I spent many years conducting arts workshops and artist-in-residencies at schools throughout Macon County. In the past several years, I’ve enjoyed performing or working behind the scenes at various times with Jedemi Productions, Theatre 7, Greater Decatur Chorale and First Christian Church.

Mari-Mann Herbs has been recognized as an Official Illinois Herb Garden by the Illinois Herb Association, an Illinois Specialty Growers Association affiliate.

St. Mary’s Hospital was awarded the 2014 Greenhealth Partner for Change Award

by Practice Greenhealth.

Education: Bacehlor’s degree in art education from the University of Illinois

Personal approaches to challenges: Take a deep breath, say a prayer, think it through and analyze, break it down into manageable and meaningful steps, make a list and go for it with a positive attitude.

August 2014

Folami

Laundra

Lindsey

Claudia Quigg of Baby TALK represented the United States at an international gathering of newborn examiners at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Quigg

Promotions Dr. Phillip D. Barnell has been named chief medical officer for St. Mary’s Hospital.

Barnell

Myers

Roark

Schroeder

Imboden Creek Living Center and Imboden Creek Gardens are the recipients of the Bronze-Commitment to Quality Award from the the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living.

Valerie Swain of Flora Gems has earned a Graduate Gemologist degree from the

BUSINESS JOURNAL Reader Profile: n 48% share their copy of the Journal with others. n 23% are 35 to 44 years old.

BUSINESS JOURNAL

11

H&R promotes employees H&R staff report

DECATUR — Gary Sawyer has been promoted to editor/general manager of the Herald & Review.

Previously the regional editor for Central Illinois newspapers, Sawyer will retain his editorial duties in Decatur, in addition to being responsible for production and operaSawyer tions at the Decatur plant. He will also lead the Herald & Review’s involvement in the Decatur community.

Bridget SibthorpMoecker, regional digital services director, has been promoted and Sibthorpwill take on additional Moecker responsibilities for digital production and revenue and will become a member of the senior management team.

“These staff changes better prepare us for the opportunities we see in the future,” said Julie Bechtel, publisher of Lee Enterprises Inc.’s Central Illinois Group, which includes the Herald & Review, the

Pantagraph and the JG/TC in Mattoon. “These changes will help us become even better at delivering outstanding products to our readers and advertisers and it will also allow us to better concentrate on the communities we serve.”

Sawyer has been regional editor for Central Illinois for two years and before that he was editor of the Herald & Review for 11 years. Before coming to Decatur he was publisher of the Corvallis Gazette-Times and Albany Times-Herald in Oregon. He has also led newsrooms in Mason City, Iowa, and the Quad-City Times in Davenport.

Sibthorp-Moecker was named regional digital services director in 2012 and has been instrumental in growing digital audiences in the Decatur, Bloomington and MattoonCharleston markets. She joined the Herald & Review’s online staff in 2005 and was promoted to webmaster in 2008.

12

BUSINESS JOURNAL

August 2014

August 2014

www.thebusiness-journal.com

BUSINESS JOURNAL

13

217 / 450-8500 Buy Sell Lease

800 N Clinton

2980 N Main

Park 101 Industrial Park Bldg #1

1.45 acres fenced Large storage building needs work Only $60,000

1200 & 1500 SF offices available Could be leased as one unit Good traffic count & visibility

Office & warehouse spaces 1800- 14,000 SF Available Close to ADM, CAT, I-72 & the Midwest Inland Port

2470 Wakefield (new listing) 6 unit Apt Building in South Shores JUST LISTED! Won’t Last!

Call for details

1495 W Main St., Mt Zion Car Wash For Sale

1900 E Eldorado

3198 E. Mueller Ave. (former StripMasters)

This is a fantastic office building with great traffic & visibility. 5000 Sq Ft finished up & down. ONLY $445,000

Plus 2 great tenants Call for details!

Just off Brush College Rd. 8,000 sq. ft.

Warehouse/Office Zoned M-2, 1.75 Acre Lot - Reduced to $250,000

469 W. Wood

190 N Merchant St

Former Dentist Office Close to Downtown Purchase with our without equipment

This one of a kind building offers small offices spaces for Lease on the 3rd Floor (elevator) Call for details.

220 N Rt 121, Mt Zion For Sale or Lease

1343 N. Gulick

1441-1455 Woodland Dr., Mt. Zion 8-1 bedroom apartments on one level. Very nice condition! 100% occupied. This will not last. Call today!

370 W Eldorado

225-237 S. Main - Downtown Office Building

840 Sq Ft of office/retail space available for lease on one of the busiest streets in Decatur. Call today!

For Lease. Convenient location west of Court House. Call for more info.

2728 N. Main

2003 N 22nd St

225 S. Main St. - Suite LL• Decatur, iL 62523

1201 E. Wood St.

Park 101 Industrial Park

Pre-leasing for 2015 100,000 - 500,000 Square Feet Close to ADM, CAT, US 72 & Midwest Inland Port

15,000 Square Feet Former Grocery & Liquor Store Lots of Parking. Only $369,000

Bldg #8 - 3,600 SF of Office available now!

Bldg #3 - office/warehouse space available 2,700 SF-office & shop with dock 3,600 SF-all office 2,700 SF-office & shop with drive-in door

1120 SF of office & shop Lots of parking

16-1 Bedroom apartments.

Just listed - $245,000 Great Investment Opportunity NOI $25K+

4000 Sq. Ft. Space For Lease “Only $1600 mth” Shop & Retail or Office Great visibility- high traffic counts

Inland Port Industrial Park

Steel Building with 22’ clear span.

(Approx 19,000 Sq Ft.) For Lease or Purchase.

Professional & Confidential Service

Courtyard Plaza - 2950 N. Water St. 750 sq. ft. available High Traffic & High Visibility

1120 S. Jasper

Teen Challenge Bldg

Former Ace Hardware Building

Nice, multi-tenant office bldg.

4,000 sq. ft. - $170,000 Rental units also available

151 W. Prairie Ave. 4 story w/ basketball courts, pool, etc.

370 W Eldorado

200 Spitler Park Plaza Dr, Mt Zion Asking price $995,000/ $8.00 sq ft.

12,900 square feet on 3.99 acres

840 Sq Ft of office/retail space available for lease on one of the busiest streets in Decatur. This will not last. Call today!

2350 E. Logan

Former Hostess Bakery FOR SALE OR LEASE

1520-1530 McBride Ave

998 ½ W Harrison Ave FOR LEASE

8,240 Square Feet 1 Dock and 1 Drive-in Overhead Doors For Lease or Sale

40,000+ S.F. 9 dock door & trailer parking

For Lease Secure Warehouse Space Fenced 1500 & 3000 S.F. Available

40 x 60 Office/Shop 12’ Eave Height 12 x 10 O.H.Door

2350 Mt. Zion Rd

3180 N. Woodford Ave.

University Plaza

Bldg for Sale// NOT Business Great Visibility Good Traffic Counts Call for more info!

Suites for Lease 500-1,200 Square Feet Just Listed!

135 E Prairie

2 Units Available for Lease Close to Milikin University CALL for DETAILS

Business Condo Downtown Owner/User or Investment One of a kind!

Hurry, this won’t last

FOR ALL OF YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS!

12

BUSINESS JOURNAL

August 2014

August 2014

www.thebusiness-journal.com

BUSINESS JOURNAL

13

217 / 450-8500 Buy Sell Lease

800 N Clinton

2980 N Main

Park 101 Industrial Park Bldg #1

1.45 acres fenced Large storage building needs work Only $60,000

1200 & 1500 SF offices available Could be leased as one unit Good traffic count & visibility

Office & warehouse spaces 1800- 14,000 SF Available Close to ADM, CAT, I-72 & the Midwest Inland Port

2470 Wakefield (new listing) 6 unit Apt Building in South Shores JUST LISTED! Won’t Last!

Call for details

1495 W Main St., Mt Zion Car Wash For Sale

1900 E Eldorado

3198 E. Mueller Ave. (former StripMasters)

This is a fantastic office building with great traffic & visibility. 5000 Sq Ft finished up & down. ONLY $445,000

Plus 2 great tenants Call for details!

Just off Brush College Rd. 8,000 sq. ft.

Warehouse/Office Zoned M-2, 1.75 Acre Lot - Reduced to $250,000

469 W. Wood

190 N Merchant St

Former Dentist Office Close to Downtown Purchase with our without equipment

This one of a kind building offers small offices spaces for Lease on the 3rd Floor (elevator) Call for details.

220 N Rt 121, Mt Zion For Sale or Lease

1343 N. Gulick

1441-1455 Woodland Dr., Mt. Zion 8-1 bedroom apartments on one level. Very nice condition! 100% occupied. This will not last. Call today!

370 W Eldorado

225-237 S. Main - Downtown Office Building

840 Sq Ft of office/retail space available for lease on one of the busiest streets in Decatur. Call today!

For Lease. Convenient location west of Court House. Call for more info.

2728 N. Main

2003 N 22nd St

225 S. Main St. - Suite LL• Decatur, iL 62523

1201 E. Wood St.

Park 101 Industrial Park

Pre-leasing for 2015 100,000 - 500,000 Square Feet Close to ADM, CAT, US 72 & Midwest Inland Port

15,000 Square Feet Former Grocery & Liquor Store Lots of Parking. Only $369,000

Bldg #8 - 3,600 SF of Office available now!

Bldg #3 - office/warehouse space available 2,700 SF-office & shop with dock 3,600 SF-all office 2,700 SF-office & shop with drive-in door

1120 SF of office & shop Lots of parking

16-1 Bedroom apartments.

Just listed - $245,000 Great Investment Opportunity NOI $25K+

4000 Sq. Ft. Space For Lease “Only $1600 mth” Shop & Retail or Office Great visibility- high traffic counts

Inland Port Industrial Park

Steel Building with 22’ clear span.

(Approx 19,000 Sq Ft.) For Lease or Purchase.

Professional & Confidential Service

Courtyard Plaza - 2950 N. Water St. 750 sq. ft. available High Traffic & High Visibility

1120 S. Jasper

Teen Challenge Bldg

Former Ace Hardware Building

Nice, multi-tenant office bldg.

4,000 sq. ft. - $170,000 Rental units also available

151 W. Prairie Ave. 4 story w/ basketball courts, pool, etc.

370 W Eldorado

200 Spitler Park Plaza Dr, Mt Zion Asking price $995,000/ $8.00 sq ft.

12,900 square feet on 3.99 acres

840 Sq Ft of office/retail space available for lease on one of the busiest streets in Decatur. This will not last. Call today!

2350 E. Logan

Former Hostess Bakery FOR SALE OR LEASE

1520-1530 McBride Ave

998 ½ W Harrison Ave FOR LEASE

8,240 Square Feet 1 Dock and 1 Drive-in Overhead Doors For Lease or Sale

40,000+ S.F. 9 dock door & trailer parking

For Lease Secure Warehouse Space Fenced 1500 & 3000 S.F. Available

40 x 60 Office/Shop 12’ Eave Height 12 x 10 O.H.Door

2350 Mt. Zion Rd

3180 N. Woodford Ave.

University Plaza

Bldg for Sale// NOT Business Great Visibility Good Traffic Counts Call for more info!

Suites for Lease 500-1,200 Square Feet Just Listed!

135 E Prairie

2 Units Available for Lease Close to Milikin University CALL for DETAILS

Business Condo Downtown Owner/User or Investment One of a kind!

Hurry, this won’t last

FOR ALL OF YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS!

14

BUSINESS JOURNAL

www.thebusiness-journal.com

August 2014

www.thebusiness-journal.com

YOUR FREE TIME

BUSINESS CLIPS

Meet Sue Powell

Gemological Institute of America.

Busey Bank has been named to the Independent Community Bankers of America list of the Top 50 Community Bank Leaders in Social Media.

Gallery director for the Decatur Area Arts Council Chokkalingam

Mosby

Hometown: Birthplace - New Orleans, La. Place I call home after 36 years – Decatur Family: My husband Gary and I celebrated our 30th anniversary last November. Our son Rob Hasslinger is an Air Force Tech Sergeant in air traffic control, currently stationed in Ramstein, Germany, with daughter-in-law Schiavonn and our two grandsons Brodie, 12, and Mason, 6. We have two daughters: Lauren, an actor/nanny/waitress in Chicago, and Kaitlin, a graphic artist/photographer for Springfield Clinic.

Mauzey

Hunsley

Clevenger

New staff members Brandon Mosby has been named general manager of Eagle Wireless Services Ltd. Invasive cardiologist Shobashalini Chokkalingam, M.D. has joined Prairie Heart Institute.

My “I’d rather be …” bumper sticker would read: “I’d rather be playing with my kids and grandkids,” because we live far apart and my happiest moments are when we are all together laughing about silly things.

Tim Mauzey has joined Illini Supply as a sales consultant.

Alisha Hunsley has joined The New Look Salon.

Stephen P. Clevenger has joined SCB Wealth Management as assistant vice president and trust officer.

Hobbies/interests: Theater (as a performer and audience member), singing and nonstop home improvement projects.

Achievements

My first job: Briefly teaching second graders reading until the art teacher position opened at the junior high school in Jacksonville, Ark. Why I do what I do: I LOVE the arts! I love the creative process and collaboration.

How did you get so involved in the local arts scene? When I moved to Decatur in 1978, there were no art teaching jobs available. I landed at the Decatur Park District through a CETA grant for displaced homemakers (hadn’t worked the previous six transition months). Twentyfive years later, I retired from a long career building award-winning arts programs at the park district, including BOSS, Greater Decatur Chorale, Storyteller Theatre and A Very Special

Students from Prairie Flower Montessori School work on creating Kachina dolls at the Decatur Area Arts Council, where Sue Powell is gallery director.

Arts Fair. I served on the board of the Decatur Area Arts Council for eight years prior to joining the staff in 2003, when I was blessed with the opportunity to grow new arts programs at the Madden Arts Center.

How has it changed over the years? Arts programming for children (our greatest arts asset for the future) has certainly grown since the 70s. With the addition of the Madden Arts Center, downtown Decatur has come alive with regular arts events and exhibits. Thankfully, Decatur has many long-standing arts organizations that have remained alive and well all these years.

For those who don’t know, what is the Madden Arts Center? Decatur’s community arts center at the center of downtown Decatur. The Madden Arts Center, home to the Decatur Area Arts Council, features exhibits in the Anne Lloyd Gallery, arts classes and arts events year ‘round.

It houses the Barn Colony Artists, Municipal Band, Blue Connection,

Community Foundation and Education Coalition, in addition to providing rental spaces to the community.

Why was it needed and how satisfying was it to be part of its creation/opening? A Cultural Plan in the 1990s involved extensive interviews that determined Decatur would benefit from and support a centrally located community arts center.

For me, it was extremely exciting to be on the ground level of planning the building while on the Arts Council board and to be part of the team to launch all of the new programs at the Madden Arts Center. The community’s response has made the work very gratifying and stimulating.

What does the gallery director do? As gallery director, I’m responsible for coordinating and hanging exhibits in the Anne Lloyd Gallery. I plan and facilitate the gallery-related special events and field trips. When opportunities present themselves to showcase other art forms such as plays, dance concerts, literary

Swain

Lee

Cloney

or music events, I’m involved.

The Arts Council hosts a variety of events/activities. How much of a challenge is it to come up with new exhibits, activities?

Always a challenge but always fun! The Internet is my right arm when it comes to finding new artists or performers to feature.

Your favorite exhibit? Hmmmmmm ... after staging 70-plus exhibits over the last 10 years, it’s hard to pick a favorite.

Each is “my baby” – special because of the artists who become friends or fascinating because of the subject I must research, like the international cultures presented each year. Visually, my favorites are the colorful, lively exhibits.

Your dream exhibit would be? I wouldn’t say I have a “dream exhibit” but it would be a dream come true if shipping art weren’t so expensive. That would make it more feasible to bring in art from all over the states and the world.

Paul Osborne and the late William Eichenauer have been inducted into the City of Decatur Hall of Fame.

Elisabeth Lee, fitness center supervisor at the Decatur Indoor Sports Center, achieved personal training certification from the National Council on Strength and Fitness.

IPI Wealth Management has been named to the Financial Times Top 300 registered investment advisers ranking.

Millikin University has promoted Tina Cloney to associate professor of exercise science and sport with tenure; Florence Folami to associate professor of nursing with tenure; Kenneth Laundra to associate professor of sociology with tenure; Pamela Lindsey to associate professor of nursing with tenure; Denise Myers to professor of theater and dance; Eric Roark to associate professor of philosophy with tenure; and Jennifer Schroeder to associate professor of biology with tenure.

Announcements

Business Journal/Danny Damiani

Community involvement: I spent many years conducting arts workshops and artist-in-residencies at schools throughout Macon County. In the past several years, I’ve enjoyed performing or working behind the scenes at various times with Jedemi Productions, Theatre 7, Greater Decatur Chorale and First Christian Church.

Mari-Mann Herbs has been recognized as an Official Illinois Herb Garden by the Illinois Herb Association, an Illinois Specialty Growers Association affiliate.

St. Mary’s Hospital was awarded the 2014 Greenhealth Partner for Change Award

by Practice Greenhealth.

Education: Bacehlor’s degree in art education from the University of Illinois

Personal approaches to challenges: Take a deep breath, say a prayer, think it through and analyze, break it down into manageable and meaningful steps, make a list and go for it with a positive attitude.

August 2014

Folami

Laundra

Lindsey

Claudia Quigg of Baby TALK represented the United States at an international gathering of newborn examiners at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Quigg

Promotions Dr. Phillip D. Barnell has been named chief medical officer for St. Mary’s Hospital.

Barnell

Myers

Roark

Schroeder

Imboden Creek Living Center and Imboden Creek Gardens are the recipients of the Bronze-Commitment to Quality Award from the the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living.

Valerie Swain of Flora Gems has earned a Graduate Gemologist degree from the

BUSINESS JOURNAL Reader Profile: n 48% share their copy of the Journal with others. n 23% are 35 to 44 years old.

BUSINESS JOURNAL

11

H&R promotes employees H&R staff report

DECATUR — Gary Sawyer has been promoted to editor/general manager of the Herald & Review.

Previously the regional editor for Central Illinois newspapers, Sawyer will retain his editorial duties in Decatur, in addition to being responsible for production and operaSawyer tions at the Decatur plant. He will also lead the Herald & Review’s involvement in the Decatur community.

Bridget SibthorpMoecker, regional digital services director, has been promoted and Sibthorpwill take on additional Moecker responsibilities for digital production and revenue and will become a member of the senior management team.

“These staff changes better prepare us for the opportunities we see in the future,” said Julie Bechtel, publisher of Lee Enterprises Inc.’s Central Illinois Group, which includes the Herald & Review, the

Pantagraph and the JG/TC in Mattoon. “These changes will help us become even better at delivering outstanding products to our readers and advertisers and it will also allow us to better concentrate on the communities we serve.”

Sawyer has been regional editor for Central Illinois for two years and before that he was editor of the Herald & Review for 11 years. Before coming to Decatur he was publisher of the Corvallis Gazette-Times and Albany Times-Herald in Oregon. He has also led newsrooms in Mason City, Iowa, and the Quad-City Times in Davenport.

Sibthorp-Moecker was named regional digital services director in 2012 and has been instrumental in growing digital audiences in the Decatur, Bloomington and MattoonCharleston markets. She joined the Herald & Review’s online staff in 2005 and was promoted to webmaster in 2008.

10

BUSINESS JOURNAL

www.thebusiness-journal.com

August 2014

Paying employees more makes cents Humor me, please. Accept a role in my drama.

In this scene, you take the part of entrepreneur. You, in your marketing wisdom, are about to open a fast-food restaurant in the Decatur area.

You’re going to compete head-tohead with the big nationals, the Mickey Dees and the Wendy's, and against the locals and regionals, the Krekel's and the UDogs. It's a tough Human Resources business, but you want in and you’re anxious to carve yourself a profitable niche.

Your restaurant is almost ready.

You’ve acquired the space and remodeled it to fit your needs. Construction dust hides the gleaming counters as your dream takes form. The pesky inspectors drop by to check out the joint for compliance with building codes, fire

Fred Spannaus

codes, health codes, and a zillion other codes you never knew existed.

A few weeks to go until the soft opening, so you put up the sign in the window: “HELP WANTED.” You place in ad in the Herald & Review, and you list your jobs with the State Employment Service.

The applications trickle in at first, then they turn into a deluge. And now, as you begin to schedule interviews, you’ve got a decision to make.

How much are you going to pay? You gather the facts, and here they are: In Illinois, the minimum wage is $8.25 an hour. And in your industry, the fast-food business, the median wage for all workers is $8.83 an hour.

Armed with this information, what do you decide?

Most likely, you plug the numbers into your spreadsheet and decide to go with the lowest number you can legally get away with, or $8.25 an hour. The vast majority of owners would do the same.

You set the cost of labor as low as possible in order to yield some profit and enhance the chances that your restaurant will survive.

Let me tell you about three owners

who took a different route. John Pepper, co-founder of Boloco Burritos, starts his workers at $9, which is $1.50 above the minimum wage in most of his region of New England. Randy Garutti, CEO of Shake Shack, offers a base pay of $9.50.

And over in Michigan, Henry Moorhouse of the Moo Cluck Moo hamburger joints starts every employee at $15.

What’s wrong with these guys, you ask. Are they complete and total idiots?

Why would anybody pay a dime more than they need to for anything? And why pay more for your biggest item – labor?

It’s insane, and it violates the basic principles of the free market.

Before we condemn them, let’s listen to their side, OK? Quoted in the New York Times, burrito baron John Pepper, said this: “If we really wanted our people to care about our culture and care about our customers, we had to show that we cared about them. If we’re talking about building a business that’s successful, but our employees can’t go home and pay their bills, to me that success is a farce.”

The same article quoted Randy Garutti, the shake guy. “The number one

reason we pay our team well above the minimum wage is because we believe that if we take care of the team, they will take care of our customers.”

They develop loyalty by demonstrating loyalty. What a concept.

Sounds like they heard all the common complaints about the quality of the work force … you know, how the applicant pool is lazy and unmotivated and unprepared and un-everything. However, these owners wanted to get the best of that pool.

They’ll pay more up front, for sure.

But they figure that in the long run, they’ll avoid costs of turnover, and prevent infestations of the customer dissatisfaction that kills retailers.

So rather than paying the same as everyone else, they pay more in order to attract the best workers. It’s possible that they are applying another basic principle of the market: You get what you pay for.

Fred W. Spannaus, principal of Spannaus Consulting, is a senior professional in human resources. He loves feedback to his columns. Fred can be contacted by email at spannaus@ ameritech.net or by phone at (217) 425-2635.

ASK THE SCORE COUNSELOR Q: What are some bookkeeping tips I should know?

A: Daniel Kehrer, founder and managing director of BizBest Media Corp., shared this information with SCORE eNews.

Millions of small-business owners and startup entrepreneurs are masters at creating great products and services, building awesome teams and winning over customers. Many of them, however, would probably flunk basic bookkeeping.

Here are basics of the 10 most common types of bookkeeping accounts for a small business that you should know.

Cash: It doesn’t get more basic than this. All of your business transactions pass through the cash account, which is so important that often bookkeepers actually use two journals — Cash Receipts and Cash disbursements — to track the activity.

Accounts Receivable: If your company sells products or services and doesn’t collect payment immediately you have “receivables” and you must track Accounts Receivable. This is money due from customers, and keeping it up to date is critical to be sure that you send timely and accurate bills or invoices.

Inventory: Products you have in stock to sell are like money sitting on a shelf and must be carefully accounted for and tracked. The numbers you have in your books should be periodically tested by doing physical counts of inventory on hand.

Accounts Payable: No one likes to send money out of the business. But it’s a little less painful if you have a clear view of everything via your Accounts Payable.

Good bookkeeping helps assure timely

GOT A QUESTION? For more information on bookkeeping or to submit a question for the “Ask the SCORE Counselor” column, contact SCORE Chapter 296, Millikin University, 1184 W. Main St., Decatur, IL 62522 or call (217) 424-6296. payments and if you pay early, you can possibly qualify your business for discounts.

Loans Payable: If you’ve borrowed money to buy equipment, vehicles, furniture or other items for your business, this is the account that tracks what’s owed and what’s due.

Sales: The Sales account is where you track all incoming revenue from what you sell. Recording sales in a timely and accurate manner is critical to knowing where your business stands.

Purchases: The Purchases account is where you track any raw materials or finished goods that you buy for your business. It’s a key component of calculating Cost of Goods Sold, which you subtract from Sales to find your company’s gross profit.

Payroll expenses: This is the biggest cost of all for many businesses. Keeping this account accurate and up to date is essential for meeting tax and other government reporting requirements.

Shirking those responsibilities will put you in serious hot water.

Owners’ Equity: This account has a nice ring to it. Basically, it tracks the amount each owner puts into the business. “Many small businesses are owned by one person or a group of partners; they’re not incorporated, so no stock shares exist to

divide up ownership,” said Lita Epstein, author of “Bookkeeping Kit for Dummies.” “Instead, money put into the business is tracked in Capital accounts, and any money taken out appears in drawing accounts. In order to be fair to all owners, your books must carefully record all Owners’ Equity accounts.”

Retained Earnings: The Retained Earnings account tracks any of your company’s profits that are reinvested in the business and are not paid out to the owners. Retained earnings are cumulative, which means they appear as a running total of money that has been retained since the company started.

Managing this account doesn’t take a lot of time and is important to investors and lenders who want to track how well the company has done over time.

Many business owners think of bookkeeping as an unwelcome chore. But if

you understand and make effective use of the data your bookkeeper collects, bookkeeping can be your best buddy, helping you run your business more effectively.

— Carol Harding, SCORE counselor

Meet a SCORE counselor Laura Cornille-Cannady has been a SCORE Ambassador since July 2010. She is one of the facilitators of the First Step FastTrac course which is offered twice each year to new and potential business owners to help them assess their business ideas. Laura has worked Canaday in education, human resources, and most recently as a business owner and consultant.

www.thebusiness-journal.com

August 2014

BUSINESS JOURNAL

15

Smith, a community masterpiece

By TIM CAIN Business Journal Writer

I think about Susan Smith every time I walk into the Decatur Area Arts Council.

I step over her every time I go in.

“Arts for all” was the mantra of Smith, who spent 11 years as the Arts Council’s executive director from 1993 to her March 2004 death.

The building whose renovation Smith helped shepherd is marking its 10th anniversary. The only disappointment with the anniversary may be the absence of Smith. But her presence is felt there daily, as the Arts Council continues to embrace Smith’s attitude of “this is important.”

My first meeting with Smith was one one of the worst days of her life.

Smith had just been diagnosed with additional occurrences of the cancer that ultimately led to her death at age 54.

Declining my offer to reschedule, Smith insisted on continuing our interview as planned.

“This is important,” she said “People need to know about this.”

That was the attitude Smith took throughout her life: Emphasize the importance and benefits of art to every person.

And regardless of background, education, income level or any other potential impediments, Smith doggedly insisted the arts were for everyone. Her personal issues never entered the equation.

Smith never saw the completed effort of the Madden Arts Center. She died just before the move into the new facility was complete.

Smith, who loved to point out that the Arts Council’s previous office was a “dirty book store” (and she didn’t mean unclean), remained the voice of reason and optimism, however bleak the outlook. The building was purchased by the council in June 2001. A $2 million renovation was planned, with the occupation to be complete by May 2002. That date was missed, and backed up two more times, leading to plenty of skepticism.

(Even that final deadline Smith announced wasn’t met, but it missed by weeks rather than years.)

Smith understood the skepticism, and countered it with her own unassailable optimism. Smith never cast blame when discussing fundraising shortfalls, always vowing the money goals would soon be met. My per-

File photo

In this August 2002 photo, Susan Smith, then the executive director of the Decatur Area Arts Council, stands outside the building at 121 N. Water St. that would become the Madden Arts Center. Smith died before the building opened. sonal memory following Smith reluctantly while she, wrapped in a coat or some kind of overgarment, joyfully led me through the sawdust and rubble (maybe that’s why she always seemed to have a covering).

She’d yell descriptions of what each area was to become over construction work.

She loved the idea of the elevator, be certain of that.

Smith could defend and insist on the place of arts in dogged fashion. Early in my career, she sent me a scathing email over a decision she erroneously

thought had been made by me. But the next communication — sent after she understood who made the decision — was one of the most classy, clever and subtle ever sent.

Decatur Area Arts Council is one of the best things the city has to offer. She didn’t do so alone – Susan Smith would have been the first to point that out – but it was her vision that helped make the organization a solid, important and ongoing Decatur institution.

Madden Arts Center marks 10 years

By JIM VOREL Business Journal Writer

DECATUR — When Sue Powell first became a member of the Decatur Area Arts Council’s board almost 20 years ago, the organization was living a rather nomadic existence. It moved from place to place, existing briefly at the Rock Springs Nature Center before moving to a small space downtown, next to the Lincoln Square Theatre. The one constant was that their home never seemed permanent, and never big enough to offer a fraction of the programs that the board envisioned.

“We were more of an advocate for the arts then and not a destination,” said Powell, who has now served as the gallery director for the Arts Council for the last 11 years. “We had a few programs like Arts in Central Park, but we knew we needed multiple breakout spaces, office spaces and bigger gallery

spaces.”

The board finally found what it was seeking in the current site of the Madden Arts Center on Water Street in downtown Decatur. The organization will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of their headquarters with a large-scale, ticketed gala Aug. 16, and will look back on how the building changed what the arts council was able to achieve in Decatur.

“Our former director Susan Smith had this dream when they found the building,” Powell recalled. “When she walked through here, she knew we’d finally found a place where we could do the kind of programming that she’d envisioned.”

Renovating and opening the Madden Arts Center was a long, hard process, but the organization always persevered.

At the five-year anniversary, they celebrated the retirement of the building’s debt. And when current executive direc-

tor Jerry Johnson came aboard in 2011, all of the organization’s financials were re-examined again from the ground up.

“When I first got here, that was one of the first things that needed to be done, so Stella Carnahan and I got to crunching the numbers,” Johnson said. “Based on our leasing space to Blue Connection, the Community Foundation and Education Coalition and renting rooms to residents having parties and receptions, the building almost pays for itself. There were a lot of flaming hoops to jump through, but we also managed to get tax exempt status for the building as well.”

The fundraising initiative attached to the 10th anniversary occasion, then, is structured around the Madden Art Center’s future. Of the $300,000 the organization hopes to raise, $100,000 is earmarked for building maintenance, the “chips and nicks and leaks,” as Johnson put it. The rest will be used to grow the

organization’s endowment fund, providing an increased supply of yearly funding for the arts programs that locals have come to expect. Former board members Doug and Peg Schmalz have additionally pledged to match up to $100,000 in contributions.

The physical embodiment of this fundraising drive will be the Aug. 16 gala at the Madden Arts Center, entitled “Diamonds and Denim.” Powell says the style of event will mirror the grand opening that was held back in 2004, with music, art and entertainment on all three floors of the building. Tickets are $75, available from the Decatur Area Arts Council.

“There will be food from the street through every floor of the building and entertainment the entire night,” she said. “It’s been a great 10 years for us in this building, and we intend to stay here for a long time.”

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BUSINESS JOURNAL

The Arts Anne Lloyd Gallery: “Decatur’s Arts Treasures” will celebrate collectors of fine art, artifacts and antiques in our midst. An expanded opening reception from 5-7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8, also will serve as a free celebration of the Madden Art Center’s 10th anniversary.

Call (217) 423-3189. www.decaturarts. org Gallery 510: Pastels and watercolors by Glenda Sue Goodpaster. Opening reception from 5-7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8. Call (217) 422-1509.

Decatur Airport: Drawings by Dan Modzedewski.

Decatur Public Library: Paintings by Carol Kessler.

Blue Connection: Stop by and view the work of Water Xin Zhao, summer artist in residence.

Music Blues in Central Park featuring Samantha Fish, Thursday, Aug. 21. Vendors open at 6 p.m. Band plays from 7-10 p.m.

Sounds of Summer Concerts featuring Live Karaoke Band, Thursday, Aug. 28, at the Swartz Pavilion at the Hickory Point Golf Course. Show begins at 7 p.m.

Adult beverages and concessions available.

BANQUET

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August 2014

Calendar of events For a complete list of events, go to www.herald-review.com/go/ Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra Labor Day Pops concert 6 p.m. in Nelson Park.

On Stage Little Theatre-On the Square: “Legally Blonde,” through Aug 10. www.thelittle theatre.org.

Charity events Tour De Paws, to benefit the Animal Shelter Foundation and Scovill Zoo, on Saturday, Aug. 16. The event features 25, 43- and 61-mile bike rides and a Family Fun ride. The event kicks off at 7 a.m. in Nelson Park. For more information, go to www.dmcasf.org.

Diamonds and Denim Gala, to benefit the Madden Arts Center, on Saturday, Aug. 16. This event, from 6-9 p.m. at the center, will include food, drink and live music to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Madden Arts Center, its contribution to the Decatur and to honor the people who made it possible. The cost if $75 per person and tickets must be purchased in advance. For more information, call (217) 423-3189.

GUIDE

Zoo-rific Evening at Scovill Zoo, to benefit upcoming renovations at the zoo, on Saturday, Aug. 23. Enjoy animal encounters, specialty drinks and hors d’oeuvres, an auction of animal artwork and music. Begins at 5 p.m. Cost is $75 per person. Call (217) 422-5911.

For the kids Children’s Museum of Illinois: Family Science Sunday, 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10.

This month’s activity will include harvesting the pizza garden and making a pizza to take home. Friday summer camps also are continuing. For information, go to www.cmofil.com or call (217) 423-5437.

78th annual Lantern Parade, 5-9 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 5, at Dreamland Lake in Fairview Park.

Scovill Zoo: End the summer with a visit. Call (217) 421-7435.

Movies in the Park. In Decatur, watch movies on a huge inflatable screen Aug. 5, 12, 19 and 26 at Nelson Park. In Mount Zion, watch “Smurfs 2” on Friday, Aug. 8, in Fletcher Park.

Featured Business:

Pony Express Days, Aug. 14-17, Pony Express Grounds, Mount Zion. Carnival, live music and more.

Labor Day Parade, 10 a.m. Monday, Sept.

1, downtown Decatur.

Got an item you’d like considered for publication in the Your Free Time calendar? Send the information to Scott Perry at sperry@herald-review.com or 601 E. William St., Decatur, IL 62523.

BUSINESS JOURNAL Reader Profile: n 66% have household income of $80,000 or more. n 32% are age 55 or older.

1410 Mt. Zion Pkwy, Mt. Zion Contact: 864-5424

#1 Gary K Anderson Plaza, Decatur Accommodates: 2 to 3,000 People Contact: Shelly Gregg Assistance with catering, cash bar, & Dj Service available 422-7300

DECATUR CLUB

158 W. Prairie Ave., Decatur

Accommodates: 300 people

Contact: Jeff Ingle

Banquets & weddings

429-4200

DECATUR CONFERENCE CENTER & HOTEL Accommodates: 2,000 people

4191 U.S. 36 West

55,000 sq. ft. functional space, food service available

DOHERTY’S PUB & PINS Accommodates: up to 80 seating - 150 capacity

Contact: 420-8711 242 E. William St., Decatur Contact: 428-5612

Full food & beverage service available

HICKORY POINT BANQUET FACILITY Accommodates: 225 w/additional seating on veranda

727 Weaver Rd., Decatur Contact: Tina McCarnen 421-6657

Award-winning cuisine

MT. ZION LIONS CENTER Accommodates: up to 300 people Choose your own caterer, bring your own food

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ST. NICHOLAS GRILLE Accommodates: up to 100 people 101 Club, business/social functions Full food & beverage service available

9

Cruisin’ Nights on Eldo, 6 p.m. Saturdays, Aug. 16 and Oct. 18. For more information, call James Pinckard at (217) 9729049.

DECATUR CIVIC CENTER

Accommodates: up to 225 people

BUSINESS JOURNAL

The Rock Springs Nature Center hosts a long list of mini camps, family adventures and classes. So many, in fact, that there are too many to list. Go to www.maconcountyconservation.org and click on the Programs and Activities tab for a complete listing.

MT. ZION CONVENTION CENTER

SCOVILL BANQUET FACILITY

August 2014

Misc.

Accommodates: 1,100 people

Ask about our “value-added service”

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1595 W. Main St., Mt. Zion Contact: Sharon Spinner 864-3100

Business Journal photos/Danny Damiani

Jim Reynolds and Kevin Bafford give their order to Margaret Sandberg. Reynolds has been to Dippin’ Mervs twice a day everyday since it opened.

PRINT•MOBILE•ONLINE each week.

“The staff is polite, fast and accommodating, which is good for when you noodles so Angie texts me when that’s have picky little kids,” said frequent the special,” said Tracy Habrock, a customer Emily Brown. “It’s nice to weekly customer. “I haven’t found anycome here with your kids, and you’re thing that I don’t care for.” guaranteed to know somebody.”

Angie Ervin sold the business in 2007 Due to its location, Ervin says the when she was expecting her third child, business attracts to a Taylorville all types of clienwoman who tele – from farmrenamed it ers to the business “Linda’s Place.” crowd to monthly Within four years, bunco groups and Ervin found she church groups. “liked it too much” She also has a and bought it trailer that she back, reverting takes to local town the diner back to fairs, offers caterDippin’ Merv’s. ing and donates “I have four coupons to school kids, so trying to activities. run a business and “I see the same put my full attenpeople every time tion on my kids is I come in,” said a challenge,” ANGIE ERVIN, OWNER Pete Gilson, a Ervin said. “This Dippin’ Merv’s (restaurant) is like regular. “They do a fifth kid to me. a good job here I’m not one to hire my help to work here and I always kid with the waitresses. It’s so I can leave.” a friendly place.”

To balance being a business owner Ervin has no plans to expand, wanting and a mother, Ervin stays closed on to keep it small and personal.

Sundays and is only open from 6 a.m.

“I like being social with the customers to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, Mondays and and seeing them on a daily basis,” Tuesdays. On Wednesdays, Thursdays Ervin said. “I just want to thank people and Fridays, the diner opens at 6 a.m. for supporting me. I’m a people person; and stays open until 8 p.m, with a wallI could not … be at a desk all day.” eye special on Fridays drawing a crowd

Continued from page 8

3909 W. Main St., Decatur 421-7470 101 S. Main St., Decatur Contact: Chris Durham 422-4700

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‘We don’t know any strangers.

Anybody who comes in, we sit and talk to.’

mtzionlionsclub.com Contact: Kevin Brewer

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BUSINESS JOURNAL Reader Profile: n 89% are college educated. n 28% are ages 45 to 54.

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August 2014

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August 2014

YOUR HEALTH

YOUR BUSINESS

ACHIEVE puts forth challenge Initiative seeks healthier residents

By EMILY STEELE Business Journal Writer

DECATUR — Work site wellness programs are dedicated to benefit the health of employees and a business’ bottom line.

“That looks good as a business from a PR standpoint,” but Brandi Binkley with the ACHIEVE coalition said it’s about more than making a good appearance. “It’s showing their dedication to health.”

ACHIEVE hopes to reach 10 percent of Macon County’s population, about 1,100 people, with its team wellness challenge.

“In the past, we had the most teams from businesses,” Binkley said.

The Macon County Wellness Challenge, sponsored by ACHIEVE and Grow Decatur, will start Sept. 1.

Registration kicked off at the Decatur Celebration, which featured the Obesity Coalition’s 1-mile fun run/walk prior to the Razzle Dazzle Good Times Parade.

Program points for drinking water,

Business Journal/Danny Damiani

Dan Meador talks with Dippin’ Mervs owner Angie Ervin over breakfast in Blue Mound. BELOW: Katherine Kitchen, 8, hands her drink to her great-grandfather, Boyd Trimble, so she can take her ice cream as they leave Dippin’ Mervs.

Everyone’s family at Dippin’ Mervs Blue Mound diner a community favorite

By CASSIE BURTON Business Journal Writer

BLUE MOUND — You don’t have to be at home to enjoy some home cooking.

Nestled on the main route between Decatur and Taylorville, Dippin’ Merv’s in Blue Mound started as a five-stool counter at the former laundromat and has since expanded to a mom and pop diner.

Besides the 1950s feel conveyed by the jukebox and Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley photos dotting the walls, family is the recurring theme at Merv’s.

Matt “Merv” Ervin began the business in

1998 as a seasonal ice cream parlor, later selling it to his then 21-year-old sister, current owner Angie Ervin.

“This place is family orientated,” said Ervin, 33. “We don’t know any strangers.

Anybody who comes in, we sit and talk to.”

The menu features breakfast and lunch classics such as egg and bacon specials, pancake stacks, country fried steak and horseshoes on top of a daily special, which is often a home recipe cooked by Ervin’s mother, Diana.

The small staff comprised of Angie, Diana, an aunt and a couple of family friends keep it personal, remembering whether it’s tea instead of coffee or texting a regular about the special of the day.

“My daughter loves their chicken and

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

eating fruits and vegetables and activity minutes will be logged through the American Cancer Society’s website, activeforlife.org.

Binkley said many larger businesses already have work site wellness programs. The wellness challenge can supplement that and also be used as a chance to foster internal competitions between teams of co-workers.

“This would be a nice addition for what they’re already doing,” Binkley said.

As a free resource, she said the challenge could be used to kick off a business’ program if it doesn’t have one.

Chris Gadberry, director of program development at Physician’s Choice Wellness in Mount Zion, has been involved with ACHIEVE for several months. She likes the wellness challenge because the focus isn’t just losing weight.

“There’s so much potential to help the community,” Gadberry said.

She is now part of the marketing committee that’s contacting churches and businesses and encouraging them to form teams. ACHIEVE also is approaching schools — the program is open to all ages — and labor unions.

They also plan on reaching out to the Chamber of Commerce.

From a business standpoint, teaming up with the challenge makes sense.

“If we are not healthy, we have more lost time at work and more medical expensive,” Gadberry said. “That definitely affects the bottom line of the company.”

Since Physician’s Choice is a medically monitored weight management program, Gadberry said staff are already participating in these activities, but they still plan on joining in and encouraging their clients to as well.

“I look for us to have a team, because all of us can benefit from that,” Gadberry said.

The Macon County Achieve coalition of community leaders was founded in 2013 to improve county health by preventing and managing health-risk factors.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chose Macon County as one of 149 ACHIEVE – Action Communities for Health, Innovation and Environmental Change — communities in 2012.

Since then dozens of community health agencies have gotten involved, with the Decatur YMCA and the Health Department taking the lead.

BUSINESS JOURNAL

17

Did you know?

Dirty look Microbes and you 1. Mouth — 500 microbe species 2. Large intestine — 1,200 microbe species 3. Lungs — 128 microbe species each 4. Stomach — 200 microbe species 5. Skin — 1,000 microbe species There are 24 microbe species behind each ear Source: World Features Syndicate

Good ... gosh!

Pleasant-phobia: 1. Fear of good news — euphobia 2. Fear of happiness — cherophobia 3. Fear of being praised — doxophobia 4. Fear of pleasure — hedonophobia 5. Fear of freedom — eleutherophobia 6. Fear of kissing — philemaphobia Source: “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Phobias”

Pregnant pause Net population increases in selected cities 1. Beijing — 65 per hour 2. New York City — 9 per hour 3. London — 1 per hour 4. Mumbai, India — 44 per hour 5. Paris — 9 per hour 6. Tokyo — 23 per hour Worldwide population increases 219,000 a day — Source: World Features Syndicate

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BUSINESS JOURNAL

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August 2014

Community health calendar Screenings Bone density screening, 9-11 a.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 6, Women’s Health and Breast Center, 302 W. Hay St., Suite 117A. Screening to check your risk for osteoporosis. Register online or call (217) 8764377.

Cholesterol screening, 7-10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, 1689 S. Franklin Street Road and 9-11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, DMH Express Care West in Fairview Plaza.

Cost is $20. To register, call (217) 876-4377.

Support groups Grief support group, 12:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, St. Mary’s Hospital, Conference Room 561. Hosted by St. John’s Home Health and Hospice. For more information, call Jamie Smith at (217) 544-6464 ext. 45268.

TOPS Club IL 49 Decatur, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesdays, Main Street Church of God, 2000 N. Main St. (enter from Garfield Street). Support group for Real People seeking Real Results with weight loss.

For more information, go to www.topsclub.org or call Chris Granda at (217) 521-2420.

Helping Hands Bereavement for Children, 3:30 p.m. Thursdays, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, 210 W. McKinley, Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4750.

Breastfeeding support group, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 11 and Aug. 25, Baby TALK, 500 E. Lake Shore Dr. To register, call Flo Folami at (217) 464-2334.

SHARE support group, 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11, St. Mary’s Hospital, Conference Room G24. Support group for those who have experienced the death of a baby during pregnancy, at birth or early infancy. For more information, call (217) 464-2045.

Epilepsy support group, 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12. For more information, call (217) 853-1655.

Facing Cancer Together, 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 13, Cancer Care Center

of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4750.

Pink Link breast cancer support group, 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14. To register, call (217) 876-4377.

Breath of Life support group, noon Tuesday, Aug. 19, St. Mary’s Hospital, Conference Room 561. For information, call (217) 464-2603.

Postpartum emotional support group, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 19, St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. For more information, call Flo at (217) 464-2334.

Cardiopulmonary wellness group, 6-7 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 19, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Classroom A. For more information, call (217) 876-2429.

Diabetes support group, 11 a.m. to noon Thursday, Aug. 21, DMH Specific Performance Enhancement Center, 2122 N. 27th St. Call (217) 876-4249.

Parkinson’s disease support group, 1:30-3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1360 W. Main St. For information, call Kathy Broaddus at (217) 820-3096.

Renewal bereavement support group, 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4750.

Us TOO prostate cancer support group, 4:30-6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4750.

Widowed support group, 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28. Monthly dinner gathering. For location or to register, call (217) 428-7733.

Classes Cardiopulmonary rehab nutrition class, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, Decatur Memorial Hospital Cafe DMH. Focus on heart-healthy eating and read-

Event includes free car seat checks. For more information call (217) 876-2850.

Real Dads Rock, 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Cafe Classrooms 1 and 2 – Ground Level.

Program teaches new fathers how to handle, feed, burp, change, clean and respond to their baby’s needs. Register online or call (217) 422-6294.

Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug 7, Scovill Zoo Schilling Education Center. Hosted by St. Mary’s Hospital and the Breastfeeding Support Group of Decatur.

Includes free admission to the zoo and activities.

Eat Right to Help the Fight, 11 a.m.

Monday, Aug. 11, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Nutrition class for cancer patients. Register online or call (217) 876-4750.

Monsters of the Medley Men’s/Women’s Strongman Competition, 8 a.m. to 3 pm.

Saturday, Aug. 9, DMH Specific Performance Enhancement Center, 2122 N. 27th St. To register, call (217) 876-4249.

Infant CPR Class, 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11, Decatur Memorial Hospital, OB Classrooms-third floor. Register online or call (217) 876-3400.

Wine, Women and Wellness, 5-9 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 22, Decatur Civic Center.

Hosted by DMH, this night out for women focuses on information about living a healthier life and includes wine samples, live entertainment, beauty products and free health screenings. For more information, call (217) 876-2850.

New Brother/Sister Day Camp, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 20, Decatur Memorial Hospital, OB Classroom. Children ages 310 learn what to expect with the arrival of a new baby brother or sister. Cost is $15. To register, call (217) 876-3100.

Happiest Baby on the Block-Magic?, 7-9 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 21, St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. For information or to register, call (217) 464-2334.

Real Dads Rock!, 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. This class enriches the father-to-be with skills to be confident in his major role in the care and birth of the new baby. Call (217) 464-2334.

Breastfeeding basics, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Cafe DMH 1 and 2. Register online or call (217) 876-3400.

More Bravo For Breastfeeding, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 7, Scovill Zoo.

Community Health Lecture Series, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 26, Decatur Public Library. The St. Mary’s Hospital community health lecture service provides an informational lecture from a local health care provider. This month will feature is “Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal for Life” presented by Flo Folami. For more information, call (217) 464-5125.

WINDOWS ROOFING DECKS KITCHENS RESTORATIONS DOORS SIDING REMODELING PORCHES BATHS

Can you spare 15 minutes, three times a week?

TCA News Service

“Maybe you love to eat but hate to exercise,” Jim Karas proposes.

For most of us, that about sums it up.

Karas wants to help you get over the exercise part of that equation.

“The biggest hurdle you will ever face in losing weight isn’t sticking to a diet or going to the gym every day. It’s simply this: getting started,” he said.

Can you spare 15 minutes, three times a week? Trainer and author Karas said that’s enough to get you started.

“If you’re doing nothing, this is absolutely a step in the right direction,”

said Karas, who blogs and sells his fitness products at jimkaras.com. Just those 45 minutes weekly will rev up your metabolism, increase your energy and make you look and feel better, he said.

Karas brags that after an appearance years ago on “Good Morning America,” he cornered Diane Sawyer and delivered the bad news: She needed to lose 25 pounds. “She was shocked, but I got her attention.”

For those of us who have put off starting an exercise program, he insists that we don’t need to spend hours a week on a treadmill.

“You don’t have to have equipment. You don’t have to go to the gym,” he said.

Instead, Karas recommends taking three basic exercises — pushups, Pilates planks, and squats or lunges — and doing each until “you’re almost out of breath.” Then repeat the series “until you fill up 15 minutes” three times weekly. Instructions for all of these are all over the Internet.

In most exercise regimens, “the neglected variable is intensity,” Karas said.

“If you really get in there and get the job done, you optimize results and you save yourself time.”

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Chinese firm has big plans for PPG

ing labels. For more information, call (217) 876-2496.

Breastfeeding for the Pregnant Couple, 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14, St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. For information or to register, call (217) 4642334.

www.thebusiness-journal.com

LICENSE# 104.016085 105.005542 PROMAXCONSTRUCTION.COM

Improvements should bring jobs

By RACHEL RODGERS Business Journal Writer

MOUNT ZION – Production could be ramping up at PPG’s Mount Zion glass manufacturing plant.

The company announced last month that it has reached a definitive agreement to sell substantially all the assets of the Mount Zion facility to China-based automotive glass manufacturer Fuyao Glass America Inc. Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co. Ltd. is a leading international manufacturer

of automotive and industrial glass based in the People’s Republic of China.

The sale is expected to close in the third quarter 2014, subject to customary closing conditions. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The Mount Zion facility currently manufactures glass for use in residential and commercial construction markets.

Fuyao plans to rebuild and retrofit the facility’s two production lines to manufacture automotive glass.

After attending a meeting at the plant with Cho Tak Wong, chairman of the Fuyao Glass Industry Group, Mount Zion Mayor Don Robinson said he thinks the decision will be a great opportunity for the village, as well as for Decatur and Macon County.

“They have great plans for the facility, taking it from one line to eventually full production,” he said. “They spoke about putting in $150 million toward plant improvements and the two furnaces. As PPG indicated, this opportunity will be a win-win for both them and Fuyao, and employees will get to keep their jobs.”

Robinson described the decision as the “best of all possible worlds.”

The work force at the Mount Zion facility totals about 175 employees, said Mark Silvey, PPG corporate communications manager.

Larry Altenbaumer, president of the Economic Development Corporation for Decatur and Macon County, said Fuyao’s investment is indicative of the area’s growing position in the global

marketplace.

“Not only will this add quality jobs to the Decatur area community, but it will also add a highly respected corporate citizen,” he said. “Moreover, this decision by Fuyao Glass adds to the growing recognition of Decatur as a perfect location for logistics, manufacturing and agribusiness development.”

PPG will continue to operate the plant for up to one year following the sale, producing Sungate coated glass and clear glass. The production for these products will eventually be shifted to PPG’s other North American float glass manufacturing sites.

The Mount Zion facility was built in 1959 and converted for float glass production in 1978.

City finalist for ag facility Center would aid in new technology

By CHRIS LUSVARDI Business Journal Writer

DECATUR — The National Corn Growers Association wants to support and develop research that will provide benefits throughout the agriculture industry.

To aid in those efforts, it is leading plans to create a research facility as part of the National Agriculture Genotyping Center. Decatur is in the running to be the site for the facility, as it was announced last month as one of two finalists for the project, said Richard Vierling, the head of the Corn Growers research and development team.

The other finalist is Fargo, N.D., Vierling said. Being the site of the project could provide a boost to local economic development efforts, he said.

“We hope it grows as it goes,” Vierling said. “It could bring millions of dollars into a given economy.”

If Decatur is chosen, the center would be on the Richland Community College campus, said Doug Brauer, Richland’s vice president of economic development and innovative solutions.

A Tier 1 laboratory would be created within the Andreas Agribusiness Center with plans to eventually move the space to the Agribusiness Applied Technology Park in the northwest corner of campus, Brauer said.

“We’re in the middle of the Corn Belt,” Brauer said. “We’re

in position as an ideal location for the genotyping center to serve the entire United States and then ultimately the world as it reaches out and expands. The structure is in place where they can come in fairly quickly.”

Site visits are expected to be scheduled and completed in August with a decision soon following, Vierling said. After the final location is selected, the facility could be up and running by early next year, he said.

“We want to get it done in a timely manner,” Vierling said.

“We’re pushing as fast as we can while making it an equal process for the applicants.”

The genotyping center’s mission is to translate scientific discoveries into solutions for production agriculture, food safety, functional foods, bioenergy and national security.

The facility is intended to aid in the development of new agricultural technology and bring enhanced products to the market, Vierling said. A primary focus will be on testing corn for diseases. Part of the goal is to create a more competitive business environment in terms of product development, he said.

“We need that competition in the marketplace,” Vierling said.

The National Agricultural Genotyping Center is supported through a public and private partnership involving the Corn Growers, Los Alamos National Lab and Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.

The finalists were selected earlier this week during a meeting in Washington, D.C., based on groups that had submitted proposals by July 1, Vierling said

Business Journal/Lisa Morrison

There are two courses with zoo animals, water features, bridges and ramps to challenge those playing the new course at the Overlook Adventure Park.

Mini golf course makes debut

By ALLISON PETTY Business Journal Writer

DECATUR – The animals of Scovill Zoo staged a massive coup, moving en masse across the lake to a mischief-riddled patch of Nelson Park.

Feeling the community spirit, one of the lemurs builds a replica of the Transfer House out of stones and sticks. Spider monkeys spray water into a bucket. Squirrels clamber over a golf cart. Impressively, a zebra balances on a camel’s back, brandishing a pair of Decatur-made Perry suspenders in its mouth.

The animals’ exploits became visible to the public with the opening of the Overlook Adventure Mini Golf course in Nelson Park.

A key piece of the Decatur Park District’s long-term lakefront development plan, the miniature golf course and accompanying clubhouse represent nearly a year of construction and more than $3 million in costs.

The course is the first portion of what plans call the Overlook Adventure Park portion of the lakefront development, known as Lakeshore Landing. Officials hope it could be followed by an outdoor aquatic facility, climb-

ing wall, ropes course, batting cages and playground.

Bill Clevenger, executive director of the park district, said its board and staff have committed to the lakefront plan and would not allow it to become another proposal that “sits on a shelf.” The miniature golf course and accompanying facility are a great first step, he said.

Work on the clubhouse remains ongoing, with CherryBerry and Ted’s Taters restaurants set to open later this summer, Clevenger said.

Officials continue to hope that the course could spur some private investment in the lakefront. Planners always envisioned a tapestry of public and private funding sources for the amenities, but no private monetary donations have materialized since park district and city officials agreed on the plan in 2011.

As for the park district’s former miniature golf course, Paul’s Puttin’ Place, the lakefront master plan designates that the area will one day become the home of a new children’s garden. The exact schedule and funding for that project are unclear.

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Eagle Wireless Services, Decatur’s newest prepaid wireless service, has opened inside My Shipping Place at 303 E. Pershing Road.

Eagle Wireless offers Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and LG model phones, complete talk, text and data plans, as well as a full compliment of cellphone accessories. Call (217) 454-2355. nnn Dollar General has opened two new locations in Decatur, the most recent being the one at 969 E. Eldorado St. Jenny Wilson of Blue Mound is the store’s manager, having previously worked at the Dollar General store on West Pershing Road.

The store’s size and format is a bit larger than the Dollar General store that opened in May at 1736 S. Taylorville Road.

The manager there is Susan Pelissier of Decatur, who previously managed the Dollar General store on East U.S. 36.

Hours at the two Dollar General stores are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Call (217) 6152969 for the East Eldorado store and (217) 615-0156 for Taylorville Road. nnn Sincerely Pigeon Studio is the latest addition to the Heroic Age Art Center, 135 S. Henderson St. in Mount Zion.

Business partners Laramie Street and Rayanna Martin, both Millikin University alums living in Decatur, will create the furniture and other home decor the studio will carry.

“She does the upholstery and the wood, and I do all the welding,” Street said. “We liked the idea of how carrier pigeons always come back to you, and we’re hoping to get ideas for our creations from our customers.”

Jessica Brooks of Decatur, still a Millikin student, also will do paintings and help in the creation of smaller decorative items.

Hours, are 1 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more, visit www.sincerelypigeonstudio.com or call (217) 454-9232. nnn Midland States Bank has expanded its Wealth Management business to Decatur and Bloomington.

The expansion is a natural fit for the Effingham-based company, which already has a significant presence in the areas around the two cities, said Eric Chojnicki, Wealth Management president.

In Decatur, the office will be temporarily located in the Decatur Club until a permanent location can be obtained.

“We’re certainly going to keep our eyes and ears open to the possible expansion,” Chojnicki said, when asked about the addition of more banking services.

The Decatur and Bloomington offices will be overseen by Ron Drane, a familiar name in the Decatur financial sector.

Hours for the Decatur office are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Arrangements can be made to meet with clients beyond those hours as needed.

The phone number is (217) 412-8586. nnn Homespun Boutique, a resale shop taking consignments on handmade items, is open

at 2612 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

The shop is a money-maker for the Greater Is He ministry, which operates the N.E.S.T. – Nurturing Environment for a Successful Transition – a housing program for female prison parolees.

Shari Hanks is Homespun’s manager.

In addition to handicrafts, the boutique carries clothing for all ages and home decor. Also, alterations and furniture refinishing services have been added. Plans are in the works to offer classes in sewing and making crafts.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more, find Homespun on Facebook or call (217) 5199648. nnn When the local ambulance service had to close down in 2012 because of a volunteer shortage, the village of Cerro Gordo took over ownership of the spacious ambulance headquarters building complete with kitchen, meeting room and double bay garage. Earlier this year, the building opened up as the new Cerro Gordo Civic Center, available for rental, and business has been brisk.

A steady procession of wedding showers, birthday parties and other private events have streamed in to use the space, along with regular gigs such as Zumba, ballet and line dance classes.

Not-for-profit organizations also can apply to use the center for free and its calender has been filling up rapidly.

Debbie Hull, whose father, I.R. Williams, heads an appointed board of directors running the place, says the new facility is fulfilling community needs. “Of course, everybody was upset and sad when the ambulance did have to shutdown,” she said. “But the building’s new use has worked out perfect for everyone.”

Hull organizes a flea market on the first Saturday of every other month and says the proceeds are used to help with building maintenance costs. If you want to rent the Civic Center, call (217) 7638551; if you want to rent a table in the flea market, call (217) 412-3404. nnn Bennie Inre has opened Reflections Night Club at 160 Wildwood Drive in Mount Zion to give young people another option for something fun to do.

Serving no alcohol and catering to customers ages 15 to 21, the club features a deejay and is open from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

Soda and entry are free Wednesdays and Thursdays. The cover charge is $5 Fridays and Saturdays and includes one free soda. Call (217) 254-4685.

Growing Four years into running the Secret Garden, a longtime business at 1215 E. Pershing Road, Michael and Lori Barrett have opened a second location inside Waite’s Dry Cleaners at 664 W. Eldorado St. “An opportunity presented itself for traffic at least equal to if not greater than what we’re seeing on Pershing Road,” Michael Barrett said. “We’re calling it Secret Garden Express.”

The name reflects the shop’s selection of fresh, pre-wrapped flowers.

“If you’re picking up your dry cleaning, you can just reach into the cooler and get what you want to take with you,” he said. “We also have a few plants here and there and do custom silks.”

Hours are 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturday. Call (217) 330-6532. nnn A Decatur firm specializing in computer technology management has opened a new training center to enhance the scope and reach of its operation.

The Network Solutions Unlimited training center is at 1234 N. Water St. and focuses on the benefits and use of technology in business. Company founder and President Frank Saulsbery said that is a broad agenda ranging from getting the most out of email and Microsoft Office 365 to cyber security and compliance with laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. “We’ll provide training on how to use technology, how to be more productive at work, it’s all business-based,” Saulsbery said.

Network Solutions was founded more than a year ago and grew out of the work of a sister company, Decatur Computers Inc., that Saulsbery founded 15 years ago.

He describes Decatur Computers as a “break-fix” computer company, meaning it provides technicians to fix whatever part of your computer system is broken.

“But we began seeing clients who really needed more from us than what we were giving, so we developed Network

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YOUR CAREER

BIZ BITES

Now open

August 2014

Solutions Unlimited,” explained Saulsbery, who is also president of Decatur Computers. Call (217) 428-6449.

Expanding services All Breed Grooming is now beautifying cats as well as dogs under new owners Michelle and Mark Bartlett and their partner, groomer Whittney Motley.

Julie Harless, a groomer with more than 30 years of experience in the Decatur area and elsewhere, has come on board to handle feline, as well as canine, clients.

All Breed Grooming is at 1901 S. Taylorville Road and open by appointment only. Call (217) 853-4300. nnn Hickory Point Bank has formed a new division for its stock transfer services.

First Illinois Shareholder Services will serve large and small companies. Vice President Kirk Harney will lead the sales and business development initiatives for the business unit.

“We stay abreast of all industry advances and offer customized solutions for companies both large and small, to provide our clients and shareholders maximum value from their transfer agent,” Harney said.

Biz Bites highlight businesses that are opening, closing or expanding. For Biz Bites items, contact Tony Reid at treid@herald-review.com, Chris Lusvardi at clusvardi@herald-review.com, Theresa Churchill at tchurchill@heraldreview.com or call them at (217) 421-6979.

Is owning a franchise right for you?

Make sure decision aligns with passion

By CAROLINE MCMILLAN PORTILLO TCA News Service Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The word of the day was “fit.”

And if you’re considering whether to buy and run a franchise, there are several “fit” criteria you need to consider, according to a group of five panelists who spoke at ShopTalk’s breakfast event in Charlotte.

The event, called “Franchising: Picking the one right for you,” drew a sellout crowd of more than 120 people.

Most of the attendees were considering whether to buy into an existing brand and business model or go at it on their own.

The panel of experienced entrepreneurs offering advice ranged from the man who initiated TCBY’s self-serve trend, to a former Carolina Panther who opened Charlotte’s first Tropical Smoothie Cafe, to a franchise expert who’s worked with hundreds of prospective and existing owners.

According to our panelists, ask yourself these three questions before deciding if buying into a franchise is the best fit for your path to entrepreneurship: Is your nest egg flush and secure?

Before you even begin considering whether a franchise is the right business to own, consider whether becoming an entrepreneur is even right for you, said panelist Randy Mitchell of The Entrepreneur’s Source, a franchise itself that offers business coaching to franchisees and prospective franchise owners.

And a lot of that is going to come down to financing.

When you buy a franchise, you have to pay an upfront “franchise fee.” The onetime fee is in exchange for the rights to a protected territory and all of the training and materials that are involved in opening the business – “the knowledge, the training, the secret sauce,” Mitchell said.

Those fees can range between $20,000 and $50,000, Mitchell said. Some can be lower, but rarely are they higher.

Then there’s the rest of the investment: building out a store, buying inventory, marketing, hiring and more.

So for a store-front business, you’re usually looking at a total investment of about $120,000, Mitchell said. But it can be well under $100,000 for a mobile or home-based franchise.

Then, most franchises require that you pay royalties, usually a percentage of sales.

You don’t have to have all of that money in the bank, the panelists said, but financing isn’t always easy.

Sue Gilbert, who opened the Charlotte area’s first Nothing Bundt Cakes fran-

TCA News Service

Sue Gilbert of Nothing Bundt Cakes speaks with attendees during a ShopTalk breakfast in Charlotte

‘It’s a huge step to go out on your own.’

SUE GILBERT, NOTHING BUNDT CAKES OWNER

chise, said she and her husband were able to take advantage of a program through Guidant Financial that allowed them to roll her husband’s 401(k) savings into the business, which had startup costs of about $300,000 to $400,000.

Do you prefer blueprints or innovation?

Gilbert said the prescriptive nature of the Nothing Bundt Cakes franchise model was one of the key reasons she was attracted to it; it took the guesswork out of the business strategy.

It also offered a blueprint for how to run the business. For example, every Nothing Bundt Cakes franchise follows the same recipes, has chic yellow walls with blue and cream accents, and colorful merchandise for sale.

“It’s a huge step to go out on your own,” Gilbert said, “and even though a franchise will not promise you that you

will be successful, they have a lot of the foundations and building blocks to help you become successful.

TCBY franchise owner Sam Batt, on the other hand, initiated the TCBY selfserve trend and now owns 16 locations in the Charlotte market.

He opened the company’s first shop with a self-serve style in April 2010 to such great success (within three weeks, his location was one of the top-five most profitable franchises in the country), that the company embraced the trend and credits Batt with the move that reinvigorated the company and led to exponential growth.

Now, nearly every TCBY that opens has a self-serve model, and many franchisees with the classic served-behindthe-counter setup have changed their model to accommodate the trend.

But Batt’s experience with TCBY is truly the exception to the rule, said Mitchell with The Entrepreneur’s Source.

Don’t buy into a franchise thinking you’ll reinvent it, Mitchell said. Because in all likelihood, “they’re going to say, ‘Thank you very much, but spare us your brilliance.’ ” Does your passion align with the company’s mission?

Former Panther defensive end Everette Brown, 27, who opened Charlotte’s first Tropical Smoothie Cafe,

said he’s been an enthusiast of the brand since 2005, when he was a freshman at Florida State University.

He came upon the fast-casual restaurant, with 365 locations nationwide, which serves smoothies as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner. According to the company, the menu is designed to “inspire healthy lifestyles.”

Brown, who also started the Everette Brown Bag Foundation to fight childhood obesity, said that business strategy aligned with his guiding principles.

Another reason to care about the mission, other than the financial investment? No matter what kind of business you run, it’s going to require a significant investment of time as well, all panelists agreed.

Ben Knight, who owns three FASTSIGNS franchises, which make everything from “for sale” signs on manicured front lawns, to way-finding signs for universities and corporations, to “coming soon” wall wraps for retailers at shopping malls, said he worked nonstop when he first took over the existing FASTSIGNS South Tryon location.

Now that he’s got a better handle on operations and a trusted team he can delegate to, his schedule has eased up a bit, to “half days.”

“Doesn’t matter which 12 hours you work,” he quipped.

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Showcase talents by sharing knowledge Q: I can’t decide whether to share some information with my colleagues. I am in the final year of a master’s degree program, and I recently started a new job. Because of my graduate training, I have already been able to make some unique contributions.

Yesterday, a co-worker asked where I found an organizational tool that I was using. After I explained that I’m learning these techniques in school, she suggested putting the information in a shared directory for the whole department to use. I am feeling rather conflicted about this idea.

My graduate courses are expensive and require a lot of work. Since Office Coach I’m making these sacrifices to gain a career advantage, it seems wrong to just give my knowledge away. On the other hand, I do want to be a helpful colleague. If I keep my resources to myself, am I being savvy or selfish?

A: To resolve this dilemma, you will need to expand your thinking. So far, you have defined your options as either hoarding your knowledge or dumping it into the computer system. While refusing to share would indeed be selfish, making an anonymous contribution would be politically stupid.

A far better alternative is to impart

Marie McIntyre

this valuable information in a way that showcases your talents. The first step in this process is to meet with your boss and explain what you have to offer.

For example: “Some techniques that I learned in graduate school have helped me work much more efficiently, so I thought they might also be useful to others. If you agree, I would like to talk about the best way to share these resources.”

If your manager supports this effort, distribution strategies might include a lunch-and-learn session, an article for the newsletter, or a staff meeting presentation. Be sure to add your name and contact information to any printed or posted material. With this approach, you can assist your colleagues while simultaneously enhancing your reputation.

Q: One of my staff members constantly tells her colleagues how to do their work. “Tracy” is a good employee, but this domineering attitude alienates her co-workers. I have hinted to Tracy that she needs to improve her communication skills, but that hasn’t done any good. Our disciplinary policy allows managers to write up difficult employees as “unable to supervise.” Should that be my next step?

A: If you believe you are “unable to supervise” Tracy, it may be time to take a long, hard look in the mirror.

Ironically, she seems to be more comfortable giving feedback than you are.

So instead of dropping hints or taking disciplinary action, you need to put on

WEEKLY TIPS Can’t get enough advice from the Office Coach. Get weekly column updates at www.thebusiness-journal.com. your manager hat and initiate some performance coaching.

Start by helping Tracy understand the problems created by her dictatorial behavior, then work with her to develop an improvement plan. If she makes no effort to change, a formal warning may eventually be in order. But you should not conclude that you are “unable to supervise” her until you actually attempt to do so.

Q: In our company, most people get away with taking much more vacation than they should. These employees have bosses who allow them to keep their own records, while the rest of us work for managers who monitor our use of leave.

As a result, we get less time off than everyone else.

Although policy states that leave requests must be approved, most managers simply put their employees on the honor system. Unfortunately, a lot of these people aren’t very honorable.

One guy from another department took off an entire week to move and never recorded it. But when my coworker moved, she had to use vacation time.

Our boss agrees that this situation is unfair. However, she doesn’t want to

break the rules, and she has no power to change the behavior of her peers.

Human resources would normally be expected to enforce the leave policy, but our HR manager has his own employees on the honor system. What can be done about this?

A: Through either naivety or laziness, these misguided managers have mistakenly chosen to rely on trust in an area where oversight is required.

Whenever something of value goes unsupervised, ethically challenged people will always be tempted to cheat.

This applies to cash, vacation time or a basket of candy left on the porch for Halloween.

Since this problem can only be resolved by top management, you will need to raise awareness at the executive level. Under normal circumstances, human resources would be your natural ally. But since that option is out, perhaps your boss can convince other compliant managers to become advocates for enforcing the policy.

While fairness is undeniably important, nothing grabs the attention of executives like focusing on financials. For that reason, policy supporters should clearly demonstrate how much all this free leave time is costing the company.

Once management sees the price tag, the honor system may quickly become a thing of the past.

Cars and race tracks attract little hands during the Decatur-Macon County Opportunities Corp. anniversary party.

Continued from page 4 the Effie Oliver Child & Family Center at 1075 N. Morgan St.; n Construction of a central kitchen for the agency's Head Start and senior nutrition programs; n Expanding the New Horizon Family & Child Development Center at 275 E. Condit St. so that more 3- and 4-yearolds may be served by DMCOC's Anna Waters Head Start program.

Evans said an anonymous donor has provided enough for the new kitchen but that additional local gifts are needed for the rest.

“We have to focus on getting more private sector involvement and philanthropic funding sources,” Evans said.

Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon was among the dignitaries helping to cut the ribbon during a re-dedication ceremony at DMCOC headquarters.

“For someone who's just a little bit beyond 50, I think a 50th birthday is

Business Journal photos/Lisa Morrison

Olivia Maxey tries her hand at the driving range. well-worth celebrating,” Simon said.

“Particularly the birthday of such a good organization.”

Long-term programs provided by DMCOC include energy or utility bill assistance; weatherization assistance; housing and emergency services; and senior nutrition, primarily to nine congregate meal sites including the Decatur-Macon County Senior Center, Macon Presbyterian Church, Mount Zion Majestic Hall and Maroa Cafe.

Evans said the agency currently uses

the kitchen at the Concord apartments and another at its main offices to make its meals and hopes to replace them with a single, centralized kitchen at the New Horizon center on Condit Street.

Expansion would likely occur to the south, toward Orchard street and between Water and Warren streets.

DMCOC's Community Services Block Grant programs also provide computer classes, case management and loans to small businesses that hire low-income individuals.

Marie G. McIntyre is a workplace coach and the author of “Secrets to Winning at Office Politics.”

Send in questions and get free coaching tips at www.yourofficecoach.com, or follow her on Twitter @officecoach.

Bored at work? Look for new approaches Q: I’m well-established in my field and am considered to be a solid performer in a financially secure company. I used to love what I do. But now I’m bored. What should I do?

A: Take steps to bring more freshness back to your work.

Inner game Look for the things that light you up. Think broadly, and let yourself feel the effect of the day-today experiences that give you the most energy.

Relax, breathe and savor those aspects of your life. Your goal will be to bring this feeling more actively into your routine.

Go back to your roots. In college, what classes and subjects were most interesting, and what did you like about them?

Liz Reyer

Remember the exhilaration when you found your career and were in your first job? Think about why it was a good fit for you.

Walk through the progression of your professional life. Focus on the opportunities that have been most energizing.

Also notice when the luster started to fade and, perhaps, you began to feel more jaded. Try to diagnose any particular aspects that caused the appeal of your job to fade.

Look around your company and your team. Is the malaise more general, or does it really appear to be more personal? Identify people who bring more zest to their work; their enthusiasm may be contagious.

Look more broadly at your life, too, noticing whether this same general feeling is affecting you in your hobbies and relationships. If so, consider a visit to your doctor to rule out any health problems.

Outer game There are many ways to refresh your

WEEKLY TIPS Get weekly career tips from Liz Reyer at www.thebusiness-journal.com.

routine. The first step is to commit to making changes. For many, this is the hardest step. If this is the case for you, spend some time thinking about what is holding you back. Time or money? It’s all about priorities, so compare the value of greater inspiration to whatever you’d have to give up.

It can be hard to get started when you’re in a rut, so here are some ideas. n Learn something new. Find a conference on an innovation in your field, and actively apply the new information in your job. n Give back. Mentor a young professional in your field or get involved with your local professional group. You could also volunteer your skills for a nonprofit so that it can gain the advantage of your expertise.

n Get hands-on. At your level, you may simply have gotten too far away from the actual work. You may enjoy getting involved in a project and rolling up your sleeves.

In everything you do, start paying closer attention. One reason for boredom may be that you’re on autopilot. If you actively think about each step you’re taking, you’re likely to get reengaged. Take the time to challenge your assumptions and to shake up the status quo. You may have been doing the same thing in the same way for 20 years. Now’s the time to ask yourself “why” and look for new approaches.

Financing agricultural needs for over 145 years.

Through-out generations, the needs of your farm can grow and change. At Busey, we can help manage the unique challenges you face whether you need a loan for production expenses or to purchase land and equipment.

The last word

Busey has the resources you need to maximize your efforts for generations to come.

It takes effort to shake up your routine, but it could be just what you need to have fun at work.

Busey. Your Dream. Our Promise.

Liz Reyer is a credentialed coach with more than 20 years of business experience. Her company, Reyer Coaching & Consulting, offers services for organizations of all sizes. Submit questions or comments to www.deliverchange.com/coachscorner or email her at liz@deliverchange.com.

busey.com 217.424.1111

Member FDIC

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21

TECHTALK

YOUR COMMUNITY

Abundance of passwords cause fatigue Manager programs can help with remembering

Business Journal photos/Lisa Morrison

Decatur Firefighter Tina German assists children attending the 50th anniversary celebration of the Decatur-Macon County Opportunities Corp. with a chance to spray a firehose and have a little wet fun.

DMCOC celebrates 50 years Agency assists those in need

By THERESA CHURCHILL Business Journal Writer

DECATUR — When Michael Lipowsky, a self-employed real estate appraiser, got his first tuition bill, his dream of a college education suddenly seemed out of reach.

“I went, ‘OMG, how am I ever going to pay for this?’ ” the Decatur man recalls.

“I struggled with how am I going to keep the power on, food on the table and how am I going to go to school.”

A $1,000 scholarship from DecaturMacon County Opportunities Corp. encouraged Lipowsky even as it covered the cost of gas driving back and forth to Springfield.

Today, he’s not only earned a bachelor’s degree in legal studies and business from the University of Illinois at Springfield, he’s also on his way to getting a master’s degree in business administration.

Lipowsky, 45, is among DMCOC’s success stories as the agency celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

DMCOC and 1,100 other community action agencies across the nation were formed under the Economic Opportunity Act, signed into law Aug. 20, 1964. A decade later, the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity providing oversight was superseded by the Community Services www.dmcoc.org Administration.

The federal act grew out of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s declaration of war on poverty during his State of the Union address.

Gail Evans, executive director of DMCOC for nearly 40 years, said she wants to raise the agency’s profile in the community as funding has diminished and as needed capital improvements encompass: n New roofs for the agency’s administrative offices at 1122 E. Marietta St. and

Online

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Keavis Brozio races through an obstacle course during the anniversary block party.

CHICAGO (AP) — Good thing she doesn’t need a password to get into heaven. That’s what Donna Spinner often mutters when she tries to remember the growing list of letter-number-and-symbol codes she’s had to create to access her various online accounts.

“At my age, it just gets too confusing,” said the 72year-old grandmother who lives outside Decatur.

But this is far from just a senior moment.

Frustration over passwords is as common across the age brackets as the little reminder notes on which people often write them.

“We are in the midst of an era I call the ‘tyranny of the password,’ ” said Thomas Way, a computer science professor at Villanova University.

“We’re due for a revolution.”

One could argue that the revolution is already well under way, with passwords destined to go the way of the floppy disc and dial-up Internet. Already, there are multiple services that generate and store your passwords so you don’t have to remember them. Beyond that, biometric technology is emerging, using thumbprints and face recognition to help us get into our accounts and our devices. Some new iPhones use the technology, for instance, as do a few retailers, whose employees log into work computers with a touch of the hand.

Still, many people cling to the password, the devil we know — even though the passwords we end up creating, the ones we CAN remember, often aren’t very secure at all. Look at any list of the most common passwords making the rounds on the Internet and you’ll find anything from “abc123,” “letmein” and “iloveyou” to — you guessed it — use of the word “password” as a password.

Bill Lidinsky, director of security and forensics at the School of Applied Technology at the Illinois Institute of Technology, has seen it all, and often demonstrates in his college classes just how easy it is to use readily available software to figure out many passwords.

“I crack my students’ passwords all the time,” Lidinsky said, “sometimes in seconds.”

Even so, a good password doesn’t necessarily have to be maddeningly complicated, said Keith Palmgren, a cybersecurity expert in Texas.

“Whoever coined the phrase ‘complex password’ did us a disservice,” said Palmgren, an instructor at the SANS Institute, a research and education organization that focuses on high-tech security.

He’s teaching a course on passwords to other tech professionals later this summer and plans to tell them that the focus should be on unpredictability and length — the more characters, the better.

But it doesn’t have to be something you can’t remember. If a site allows long passwords and special characters, Palmgren suggests using an entire sentence as a password, including spaces and punctuation, if possible: “This sentence is an example.”

He also suggests plugging in various types of passwords on a website developed by California-based Gibson Research Corp. to see how long it could take to crack each type of password: www.grc.com/haystack. htm According to the site, it could take centuries to uncover some passwords, but seconds for others.

Lidinsky recommends using a “simple mental algorithm,” including those that use a space, if a site allows that. As an example, he says one might try “Ama95 zon” for an Amazon account, and “Yah95 oo”

‘We are in the midst of an era I call the “tyranny of the password.” We’re due for a revolution.’

THOMAS WAY, VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY COMPUTER SCIENCE PROFESSOR for a Yahoo! account, and so on. (But choose your own combination.)

There are other ways around the password headache.

Some people have taken to using password generators, which create and store passwords for various sites you use. Generally, all the user has to remember is a master password to unlock a generator program and then it plugs in the passwords to whichever account is being used. There are numerous password managers like this, including LastPass and Dashlane and 1Password.

Some wonder whether it’s wise to trust services like this.

“But sooner or later, you have to trust somebody,” said Palmgren, who uses a password manager himself.

Other solutions are surfacing, too.

Researchers at the University of York in England are developing a new authentication system called Facelock that asks you to identify familiar faces to get into an account or device.

The Canadian government, meanwhile, has partnered with a company called SecureKey Technologies, which allows citizens of that country to log onto government sites, such as the country’s tax bureau, using a username and password from partner financial institutions, including TD Bank. Because SecureKey serves

as the go-between, the system’s developers say the bank username and password are not ultimately shared with the government site. Nor does the bank receive any information about which government site the user is accessing.

SecureKey is now working with the U.S. Postal Service to provide American citizens with similar access to federal health benefits, student loan information and retirement benefit information.

Ultimately, experts say, reducing the stress of online security, and decreasing reliance on passwords, will rest on what’s known as “multifactor identification.”

Those factors are often based on three things: 1. “What you know” — a password, security question or some sort of information that only you would know (but that doesn’t have to be difficult to remember, just exclusive to you); 2. “What you have” — a phone, tablet or laptop — or even a card or token — that an online site or techbased retail outlet would recognize as yours; 3. “What you are” — biometric information, such as face recognition or a thumb print.

Banks could use this authentication process, for example, using cameras that already exist at ATMs, said Paul Donfried, chief technology officer for LaserLock Technologies Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based company that develops fraud prevention technology for retailers, governments and electronics manufacturers.

“We now have the ability to shift complexity away from the human being,” Donfried said. And that, he adds, should make the pain of the password disappear.

Back in Decatur, Spinner has to think about all that for a moment. It sounds rather daunting, she said.

For one, the issue of privacy is still being debated when it comes to biometrics.

But then Spinner considers the piece of paper that contains all her passwords — the one she typed that’s gotten so difficult to read because she’s crossed them out and created so many new ones.

“Anything to make it easier for those of us who are technology-challenged,” she said,” I would be in favor of.”

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August 2014

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Boost productivity with tech upgrades Do you have people on your team who are so amazing, you wish you had an extra hour of their time every day? With technology you can have exactly that.

The following upgrades can save anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour EVERY SINGLE DAY. Even the smallest improvements, just a few seconds here and there, really add up when they are repeated over and over throughout the work week.

Some of these upgrades require you to spend money, but think about the benefits you’ll see when your top people – including yourself – find all that extra time.

depending on the type of work you do, but one thing is crystal clear: dual monitors are a huge productivity booster.

This can gain you a full day a week, if not more, and there’s almost no training time required. Keep email open in one screen, and whatever you are working on in another; compare spreadsheets or documents side by side; copy information from one software package to another; keep your main system front and center while browsing the Internet for research on the other monitor. It sounds simple, but that’s the beauty of it. It IS simple, and it really makes a difference.

New computer

Remote access

If your computer takes more than a few seconds to boot up every morning, it’s time for a new one, or at least a tune-up.

For best performance, replace desktop PCs every 3 to 4 years and laptops every 2 to 3 years.

If a newer computer is slow, ask your Technology IT team to check it for spyware. They may recommend wiping the entire hard drive and reloading everything, which will give you a fresh clean start. Just be sure they backup data and settings so nothing is lost during this process. With faster speeds, you’ll gain time when you log in every morning and also throughout the day.

Make it easy for people to work anytime, anywhere, and give them the flexibility they need to do just that. Switch from a desktop to a laptop, buy them an iPad or Droid tablet, or give your staff a data plan that lets them connect to the Internet anywhere they might be.

It’s not just the workaholics who will love you. Your hardworking staff who struggle to balance work and life will be especially appreciative. When they have the right technology to work remotely, along with flexible work schedules and your trust, you are likely to see them put in not only more hours, but also more productive hours because they have their home life better under control.

Wendy Gauntt

Manage email It’s common to receive dozens, if not hundreds, of emails daily. Saving a few seconds every time you check email is a big deal. To accomplish this, first make sure your spam filter is working well and customized to your needs. You should have very little spam, and your legitimate emails should nearly always make it through. If not, have your tech team fix it. Use Outlook rules to automatically filter email and move it to folders, so that you can easily find what you need. Make sure mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, sync email so that anything you read on your phone is already updated on your computer. Lastly, take an hour and go “unsubscribe.” Most people receive email newsletters they never read. Click the unsubscribe links or block them with your spam filter, and then you never have to see these again!

Add a monitor Adding a monitor is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get more done in less time. Studies show varying results

Upgrade Internet Do you use cloud-based services?

Spend a lot of time online? Check out faster Internet connections for increased speed throughout your day. High speed business-class cable Internet is one of the best values today. Fiber Internet connections cost more but provide fast speeds with extremely high reliability and very few outages.

the company. It’s more immediate and interactive than email, but less disruptive than a phone call. It’s a very efficient way to communicate and yet another way to save a few minutes here and there throughout the day.

Reorganize desktop Take a page from Lean manufacturing, and have everyone on your team reorganize their workspace to make it more efficient: make everything you do on a regular basis accessible within one to two mouse clicks.

Start with the applications you use daily. Add shortcuts to your desktop or taskbar for each of these, and clean up any that you don’t currently use. Also add shortcuts to the folders you access most. Create bookmarks for the websites you visit most often, and rearrange your browser toolbars so that you can get to those websites with a

FROM THE EDITOR During a recent rearranging of a lot of stuff I probably don’t need in my garage, I came across a really small garbage can with the words “STOP TRASHIN’ DECATUR” written on its side.

I have no idea when or where I got it, but I’m guessing it was tied to a campaign to either clean up the town or stop people from being so negative.

Unfortunately, either message still resonates today.

While great strides are being taken to make the town more “bee-utiful,” we need to do a better job of cleaning up after ourselves.

And we continue to be way too harsh when talking the Decatur area.

Yes, things are tough, there are things we’d like to have and some of us — myself included — are still coming to terms with some of the projects being undertaken by local governing bodies.

But as I was reminded during a recent brainstorming session to come up with 50 things that define the greater Decatur area and time spent with students visiting the newspaper as part of journalism camp, we still have a lot to offer.

It's fine to want more and to be critical. But if the only things you see are the negatives, you need to get off your back and look around.

You will be surprised by the good things you see.

single click. Is there a feature in Office that you use constantly but it’s hidden in the ribbon so you have to hunt for it every time? You can add that command to the very top of the window in the “Quick Access Toolbar.” Google for instructions on how to do this in your version of Office.

Ready for more?

There are always more ways technology can make your team more productive, and it’s never “one size fits all.”

The key is to be clear about what you expect and what the value will be. Then you can choose the very best technology tools for your business.

Wendy Gauntt is president of CIO Services LLC, a technology consulting company that specializes in small business solutions. Visit her website at www.cioservicesllc.com for more information, ideas and free resources.

BUSINESS JOURNAL

Head Back to School with

Earthmover!

Student Loan Student Visa Pre-Paid Visa Visa Debit Card Online Banking Mobile Banking

Information overload is a huge issue and time-waster. Employees spend hours every day searching for what they need, reformatting what they have, transferring information from one system to another and re-creating information they can’t find. At minimum, clean up and reorganize your company’s shared data drives. Communicate the new structure to your team, and challenge your managers to enforce the new structure. If you want to take it further, investigate document management systems. These provide greater structure and security to company information and include advanced search capabilities to make finding data as easy as possible.

Scott Perry, editor Business Journal of Midcentral Illinois

August2014Contents 17

Standing Features

HEALTHY BOOST

Biz Bites . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Teams sought for wellness challenge

Business Clips . . . . . . 11 Fred Spannaus . . . . . 10 Free Time calendar . . 16

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2 1 7 . 8 7 5 . 2 3 0 1

OF MIDCENTRAL ILLINOIS

VOLUME 20

ISSUE 8

601 E. William St. Decatur, IL 62523 217.421.7976 217.421.7965 (fax) PUBLISHER: Julie Bechtel EDITOR: Scott Perry ADVERTISING: AnnaMarie Hanes

STORY IDEAS: Email sperry@herald-review.com or call 217.421.7976.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: To order additional copies call 217.421.7931 ADVERTISING: The deadline for ad and ad copy for the September issue is Aug 18.

Call 217.421.7953 for rate information.

The Business Journal of MidCentral Illinois is printed monthly and is a publication of Lee Enterprises Inc.

Health calendar . . . . 18 Liz Reyer . . . . . . . . . . 20 Office Coach . . . . . . . 20 Professional profile . . 14

Wendy Gauntt . . . . . . 22

w w w . d e c u . c o m

BUSINESS JOURNAL

COVER: Photo illustration by Tronnie Goss

SCORE counselor . . . 10

Instant messaging

BUSINESS JOURNAL

LAYOUT & DESIGN: Ginger Wortman

Reader Profile: n 30% are owner/partner of their business. n 27% have household income of $100,000 to $149,000

Easier access

Instant messaging is a quick and easy way to communicate with others inside

August 2014

The opening of the Madden Arts Center a decade ago marked the culmination of a dream long held by Susan Smith to create a permanent home for the Decatur Area Arts Council and the start of so much more.

Page 15

22 ON THE CLOCK Technology upgrades that save you time

Information published is the responsibility of the author and does not reflect the opinions of The Business Journal of MidCentral Illinois. To submit articles, mail typewritten and 500 words or less to: The Business Journal, 601 E. William St., Decatur, IL 62523. Articles will not be returned. Any editorial content or advertising published is the property of Lee Enterprises Inc., DBA The Business Journal of MidCentral Illinois.

Copyright 2014 Herald & Review All rights reserved for entire content.

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August 2014

Tuesday, Aug. 12

Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility, 3909 W. Main St. Decatur Black Chamber of Commerce First Friday Luncheon, noon, Main Street Church Tea Room, 2000 N. Main St.

Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites

by Hilton.

Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Prairieland Kiwanis, 9:30 a.m., Decatur Civic Center.

Decatur Building Construction Trades Council, 10 a.m., IBEW Local 146 Hall, 3390 N. Woodford St. Central Illinois Ad Club, 11:30 a.m., Decatur Club.

Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club.

Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club.

Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.

Blue Mound Rotary, 6:30 p.m., Pleasantview Township shed.

Monday, Aug. 4 Decatur Noon Lions Club, St. Nicholas Grille (formerly Main Place Bar & Grill), 101 S. Main St. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club, 158 W. Prairie Ave. Women’s Progressive Club, 6 p.m., Greater Northside Baptist Church.

Tuesday, Aug. 5 Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites by Hilton, 333 W. Marion Ave., Forsyth.

Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Prairieland Kiwanis, 9:30 a.m., Decatur Civic Center.

Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club.

Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club.

Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.

Blue Mound Rotary, 6:30 p.m., Pleasantview Township shed.

Wednesday, Aug. 6 Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Breakfast, 7 a.m., Decatur Club.

Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.

Thursday, Aug. 7 Earlybird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club.

Human Service Agency Consortium (HSAC), noon, Central Christian Church, 650 W. William St. Thursday Noon Toastmasters, Greater Decatur Y, 220 W. McKinley Ave. American Business Women’s Association (Amacita), 6 p.m., location varies.

Lincolnland AMBUCS, 6:30 p.m., Easter Seals’ Building, 2715 N. 27th St.

Wednesday, Aug. 13 Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Mount Zion Chamber of Commerce Luncheon, 11:15 a.m., Mount Zion High School.

Scheduled speaker is superintendent Travis Roundcount.

Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.

Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Awards Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., Decatur Club.

Decatur Real Estate Investors Association, 6:30 p.m., Perkins Family Restaurant, 2999 N. Monroe St.

Thursday, Aug. 14 Earlybird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

GFWC Decatur Woman’s Club, 11:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Senior Resources Network (formerly Mature Resources Network), 11:45 a.m., Keystone Gardens, 1455 W. Mound Road.

Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club.

Decatur Area Women’s Network (DAWN), 5:30 p.m., location varies.

Lincolnland AMBUCS, 6:30 p.m., Easter Seals’ Building.

Friday, Aug. 15 Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Noon Women’s Network, 11:45 a.m., Decatur Club.

Monday, Aug. 18

Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Noon Lions Club, St. Nicholas Grille (formerly Main Place Bar & Grill).

Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club.

Women’s Progressive Club, 6 p.m., Greater Northside Baptist Church.

Monday, Aug. 11

Tuesday, Aug. 19

Decatur Noon Lions Club, St. Nicholas Grille (formerly Main Place Bar & Grill).

Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club.

Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites

by Hilton.

Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club.

Friday, Aug. 8

Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.

Blue Mound Rotary, 6:30 p.m., Pleasantview Township shed.

Wednesday, Aug. 20 Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Christian Women’s Network, noon, Decatur Club.

Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.

Thursday, Aug. 21 Earlybird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Christian Women’s Club, 11:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club.

Decatur AMBUCS, 6 p.m., Decatur Club.

Friday, Aug. 22 Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

American Business Women’s Association (Monarch), noon, location varies.

Monday, Aug. 25 Decatur Noon Lions Club, St. Nicholas Grille (formerly Main Place Bar & Grill).

Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club.

Tuesday, Aug. 26 Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites

by Hilton.

Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Building Construction Trades Council, 10 a.m., IBEW Local 146 Hall.

Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club.

Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club.

Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.

Blue Mound Rotary, 6:30 p.m., Pleasantview Township shed.

Wednesday, Aug. 27 Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.

Thursday, Aug. 28 Earlybird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club.

Mount Zion Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., Richland Insurance Services.

Friday, Aug. 29 Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

August 2014

BUSINESS JOURNAL

23

YOUR MONEY

YOUR CALENDAR

Friday, Aug. 1

www.thebusiness-journal.com

Tuesday, Sept. 2 Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites

by Hilton.

Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Prairieland Kiwanis, 9:30 a.m., Decatur Civic Center.

Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club.

Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club.

Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.

Blue Mound Rotary, 6:30 p.m., Pleasantview Township shed.

Wednesday, Sept. 3 Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Breakfast, 7 a.m., Decatur Club.

Scheduled speaker is Lisa Taylor, Decatur School District superintendent.

Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.

Thursday, Sept. 4 Earlybird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

American Business Women’s Association (Amacita), 11:30 a.m., location varies.

Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club.

Human Service Agency Consortium (HSAC), noon, Central Christian Church, 650 W. William St. Thursday Noon Toastmasters, Greater Decatur Y. Metro Decatur Home Builder’s Association, 6 p.m., Beach House.

Lincolnland AMBUCS, 6:30 p.m., Easter Seals’ Building.

Friday, Sept. 5 Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Black Chamber of Commerce First Friday Luncheon, noon, Main Street Church Tea Room, 2000 N. Main St.

To submit items for Your Calendar, contact Scott Perry at (217) 421-7976, at sperry@heraldreview.com, or click the “Submit an Event” link at www.thebusiness-journal.com.

BUSINESS JOURNAL Reader Profile: n 63% have household incomes of $60,000 or greater. 36% have household incomes of $80,000 or greater.

Your guide to the Dow The Associated Press

Journal. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. bought Dow Jones in 2007. The index is calculated and published by S&P Dow Jones Indices, a joint venture company that is majority-owned by the publishing giant McGraw-Hill. CME Group and Dow Jones hold smaller stakes.

The Dow Jones industrial average, an index of 30 U.S. blue-chip stocks, is the oldest barometer of the stock market.

Last month it jumped above 17,000 for the first time in its 118-year history.

WHAT IS IT? The Dow is a group of 30 big corporations, nearly all of them household names, and its dips and jumps during the trading day reflecting changes in their share prices. Its exclusive roster runs from American Express to Walt Disney. Other indexes, such as the Standard & Poor’s 500, open their doors to many more companies, providing a better overall picture of the market’s performance.

The Dow may not be the best measure, but the oldest index remains the best-known shorthand for the stock market.

BEGINNINGS In the late 19th century, following a number of bubbles and busts, most investors considered the stock market a dangerous place. Charles H. Dow created his index, in part, to make the market easier to understand.

The original Dow Jones industrial average had 12 big businesses including American Cotton Oil, National Lead and Laclede Gas Light Co. Dow first published his average May 26, 1896; later that year, The Wall Street Journal began running it in the daily paper.

A SELECT GROUP The number of companies making up the index expanded to 20 in 1916 and then to 30 in 1928. The number has remained the same since then, though the cast of characters changes every few years. Last September, Goldman Sachs, Nike, and Visa replaced Alcoa, HewlettPackard and Bank of America.

Entry is restricted to a company that “has an excellent reputation, demonstrates sustained growth and is of interest to a large number of investors,” according to the Dow’s managers.

LONGEST-STANDING MEMBER General Electric Co. is the only remaining original member. The industrial giant dropped out of the average for brief spells but returned for good in 1907.

BEST DAYS The Dow’s biggest point jump was on Oct. 13, 2008, when the average soared

WHAT MOVES A $1 change in any Dow stock is equal to a move of 6.42 points for the Dow. In other words, if one blue chip rose $1, and the 29 other companies sat still, the Dow would increase 6.42 points.

Associated Press

Specialist Glenn Carell, left, works at his post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped above 17,000 for the first time July 3 after the government reported a surge in hiring.

936.42 points, or 11 percent, to close at 9,387.61. That followed the announcement of a European plan to bail out financial institutions.

Its biggest percentage jump was more than 15 percent when it reopened on March 15, 1933, during the Great Depression. The newly inaugurated President Franklin D. Roosevelt had shut down the banking system earlier that month. During this extended bank holiday, Congress passed a law to shore up the financial system and Roosevelt created the country’s first insurance for bank deposits.

WORST DAYS The Dow’s biggest point drop came Sept. 29, 2008, when the average lost 777.68 points, or 7 percent. That was the day Congress rejected a plan by the George W. Bush administration to bail out the financial industry.

In percentage terms, the Dow’s biggest drop was Oct. 19, 1987, when it fell 508 points, or almost 23 percent, to close at 1,738.74. An overvalued stock market and expectations of rising interest rates combined with computerized trading to create that crash, known as Black Monday.

RECORD LOW The Dow’s lowest level was 28.48, reached Aug. 8, 1896, two and a half months after the index was started.

BUSINESS JOURNAL Reader Profile: n 72% read The Business Journal monthly. n 17% are 34 and under.

WHO OWNS IT The Dow Jones industrial average is no longer run by Dow Jones, the media company that publishes The Wall Street

EQUAL WEIGHT The Dow is a price-weighted index.

Most other indexes account for a company’s overall market value, which is found by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the stock price. For the Dow, the price is all that matters. So, a $1 rise in the price of AT&T’s stock will have the same impact on the index as a $1 gain for Nike, even though AT&T’s value is worth more than two Nikes.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index accounts for a company’s market value, making it a more accurate reflection of the market. As a result, mutual funds use it as a benchmark for their performance instead of the Dow.

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