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F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 6
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February 2016
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YOUR
CALENDAR
Monday, Feb. 1
Thursday, Feb. 25
Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Restaurant, 2959 N. Oakland Ave. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club, 158 W. Prairie Ave.
Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club. Mount Zion Lions Club, 6:30 p.m., Lions Club Community Center. Decatur Camera Club, 7 p.m., Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Tuesday, Feb. 2
Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility, 3909 W. Main St. Lincolnland Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club. Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club. Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.
Friday, Feb. 26
Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.
Saturday, Feb. 27
Wednesday, Feb. 3
Decatur Frontiers Club, 10:30 a.m., Decatur Club.
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, Feb. 4
Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club. Metro Decatur Home Builders Association, 11:30 a.m., Beach House, 2301 E. Lake Shore Dr. Human Services Agency Consortium, noon, Central Christian Church, 650 W. William St.
Monday, Feb. 29 Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Real Estate Investors Association, 6:30 p.m., Perkins Family Restaurant, 2999 N. Monroe St.
Thursday, Feb. 11
Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. GFWC Decatur Woman’s Club, 11:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Senior Resources Network, noon, Keystone Meadows, 1455 W. Mound Road. Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., ScoDecatur Club. vill Banquet Facility. Lincolnland Decatur AMBUCS, 6:30 p.m., Independence Pointe Building, 2715 N. 27th St. Decatur Area Women’s Network (DAWN), Decatur Frontiers Club, 10:30 a.m., Deca- 5:30 p.m., Decatur Club. tur Club. Mount Zion Lions Club, 6:30 p.m., Lions Club Community Center. Decatur Camera Club, 7 p.m., WestDecatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Fam- minster Presbyterian Church, 1360 W. Main St. ily Restaurant. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club. Altrusa International of Decatur, 6 p.m., location varies Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Sco-
Friday, Feb. 5
Saturday, Feb. 6 Monday, Feb. 8
Friday, Feb. 12
Tuesday, Feb. 9
vill Banquet Facility.
Decatur Landlords Association, 6 p.m., Doherty’s Pub, 242 E. William St.
Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Restaurant. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club.
Tuesday, March 1
Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club. Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club. Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.
Wednesday, Feb. 17
Wednesday, March 2
Thursday, Feb. 18
Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Christian Women’s Connection, 11:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club.
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, March 3
Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., ScoDecatur Club. vill Banquet Facility. Human Service Agency Consortium, noon, Central Christian Church, 650 W. William St. Metro Decatur Home Builders Association, Decatur Frontiers Club, 10:30 a.m., Deca6 p.m., Beach House. tur Club.
Friday, Feb. 19
Saturday, Feb. 20 Monday, Feb. 22
Friday, March 4
Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill BanDecatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Famquet Facility. ily Restaurant. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club.
Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Frontiers Club, 10:30 a.m., DecaDecatur Building Construction Trades Coun- tur Club. cil, 10 a.m., IBEW Local 146 Hall, 3390 N. Decatur Frontiers Club, 10:30 a.m., DecaWoodford St. tur Club. Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Decatur Area Society for Human Resource Scovill Banquet Facility. Management, 11 a.m., location varies. Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds FamDecatur Building Construction Trades CounNoon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club. ily Restaurant. cil, 10 a.m., IBEW Local 146 Hall. Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds FamNoon Sertoma, Decatur Club. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club. Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club. ily Restaurant. Women’s Progressive Club, 6 p.m., Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club. Greater Northside Baptist Church. Women’s Progressive Club, 6 p.m., Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Greater Northside Baptist Church. Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., To submit items for Your Calendar, contact Scott Mount Zion Chamber of Commerce LunKiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. cheon, 11:15 a.m., Fletcher Park. SchedScovill Banquet Facility. Perry at (217) 421-7976, at sperry@herald-review. Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banuled speaker is Valerie Ross of the Small Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club. com, or click the “Submit an Event” link at www. thebusiness-journal.com Business Administration. Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club. quet Facility.
Saturday, Feb. 13
Saturday, March 5
Tuesday, Feb. 23
Monday, Feb. 15
Monday, March 7
Wednesday, Feb. 10
Tuesday, Feb. 16
Wednesday, Feb. 24
February 2016
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FROM THE EDITOR hat would you do with your cut of $1.6 billion? W That question was asked a lot last month as the astronomical Powerball jackpot got dream machines humming. For me, my life would involve a lot more traveling. I’ve been pretty lucky, having already been to some wonderful places by train, plane, car and ship. We’ve built some wonderful memories over the years, with many of the best involving occurrences that, on the surface, should have ruined the trip. Having our van break down late at night at a rest area on our way to Holiday World quickly comes to mind. Best family night ever. The things I’ve seen and done only make me want to see and do more. Watching the Australian Open from a court-side box as part of a monthlong (or more) holiday sounds like fun. That, of course, would mean less time spent working. If that’s what it takes, it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.
BUSINESS JOURNAL 3
BUSINESS JOURNAL OF MIDCENTRAL ILLINOIS
Volume 22
Issue 2
601 E. William St. Decatur, IL 62523 217.421.7976 217.421.7965 (fax) PUBLISHER: Julie Bechtel GENERAL MANAGER: Gary Sawyer EDITOR: Scott Perry
Scott Perry, editor Business Journal of Midcentral Illinois
ADVERTISING: AnnaMarie Hanes COVER PHOTO: Jim Bowling
February2016Contents Standing FEATURES Biz Bites
6
Biz Clips
10
Fred Spannaus
10
Free Time calendar
16
Health calendar
22
Julie Shields
11
Liz Reyer
15
Office Coach
15
Professional Profile Wendy Gauntt
9 18
23 Falling short Americans lack emergency savings
ADVERTISING: The deadline for ad and ad copy for the March issue is Feb. 15. Call 217.421.7953 for rate information. STORY IDEAS: Email sperry@herald-review.com or call 217.421.7976 SUBSCRIPTIONS: To order additional copies, call 217.421.7931
The Business Journal of MidCentral Illinois is printed monthly and is a publication of Lee Enterprises, Inc.
Pumped for life
Gilliam Green thought he was indestructable. His ailing heart proved he wasn’t. After undergoing a transplant, a new heart has given Green a new lease on life. Page 19
21 Flu fallout Sick workers take office toll
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. Herald & Review All rights reserved for entire content.
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BUSINESS JOURNAL
February 2016
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YOUR
COMMUNITY
Business Journal, Jim Bowling
Ryan McCrady introduces the new Decatur Fire Chief Jeff Abbott, left, and new Decatur Police Chief Brad Sweeney during the announcement at the Decatur Civic Center. McCrady, who was Decatur’s city manager at the time, has since become president of the Economic Development Corporation of Decatur and Macon County.
CHANGING FACES
City sees leadership makeover in past year ALLISON PETTY
Business Journal Writer
DECATUR — Change swept over Decatur city leadership in 2015 through a combination of planned and unforeseen events. Since December 2014, the city gained a new mayor, city manager, three Decatur City Council members, police and fire chiefs and president of the Economic Development Corporation of Decatur and
Macon County, just to name some of the most visible positions. Most arrived with background knowledge, having filled other roles in the community for some time. Still, they are finding their footing as the city emerges from the recession to face other economic hurdles and seize development opportunities. “I think probably one of our challenges is gelling and learning to work together as a team,” said City Councilwoman Lisa Gregory. “I think some of us (on the council) will have different perspectives, but I truly
believe our end goals are all the same.”
City council
Voters in April selected Gregory and Bill Faber to fill the spots vacated by outgoing council members Larry Foster and Pat Laegeler. The remaining incumbent, Dana Ray, retained her position, as did Mayor Mike McElroy. But in July, McElroy’s death from an apparent heart attack sent the community reeling. The council appointed Mayor Pro Tempore Julie Moore Wolfe to fill the spot, making her the city’s first female mayor.
Her council seat was filled by the appointment of Chris Funk in September. The fall and winter months provided no time for a getting-to-know-you period, as controversial and complicated issues arose one after another. The council discussed local motor fuel tax, liquor and video gaming license fee increases, with all three topics likely to come up again in 2016. It increased property taxes, utility taxes and hotel use taxes in light of bleak 2016 revenue predictions. Potential rezoning near Ash Avenue and U.S. 51 drew passionate crowds in October,
February 2016
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and negotiations to acquire the Decatur Public Library facility began in late fall. “There has not been much downtime to learn the job,” Moore Wolfe said. “It’s just kind of sink or swim, and I used to be a lifeguard, so I hope that helps.” Invitations began to fill her calendar, from social clubs to classrooms. Mayors participate in more behind-the-scenes discussions than council members, Moore Wolfe learned quickly. “Half of our council is new, so there’s a learning curve there to get to know them, how they want to proceed with knowing about things and how much we’re going to vet every issue,” she said. A goals session with the council on Jan. 19 will allow the new members to voice their priorities. “I think, historically, municipal governments have been more reactionary,” Funk said. “I think we’re trying to take a more proactive approach so we don’t find ourselves in the same spot we were in this year, trying to plug an anticipated shortfall on short notice.” Funk said he was surprised to learn the extent to which the city had cut expenses and staff in recent years, leaving no easy solutions to the budget challenges. He said the city would need to get creative in adopting efficiencies but looked forward to opportunities with the Midwest Inland Port, upcoming construction projects and revitalization of downtown. Funk Faber said he previously understood how much residents cared about Decatur, but saw more after he was elected. “It’s been really inspiring and really touching how deeply affectionate people feel for our community and how very concerned they are,” he said. “It’s a depth I find very surprising and delightful, actually.” Two of Faber’s proposals, a minimum wage increase and citizen service fee, have failed to garner council Faber support. While he said he was not surprised, Faber said he planned to continue asking for discussion on the items. Gregory said she thought “appropriate” economic development would be important going forward. “Not development just for the sake of development, but what’s right for Decatur, what is it that our citizens want to see and are we delivering on those?” she said. “I think they want Gregory newer business, businesses that are progressive, businesses that create jobs. “It is not the city council’s responsibility to create jobs, but it is our responsibility to provide the infrastructure needed so that
businesses want to locate here.” Moore Wolfe said she was excited about the new council and hopeful that the city has turned the corner on the economy. “We’ve been in limbo waiting for great things to happen and I think we’re just on the edge, and I think we’re going to get there,” she said. “We are expecting some great announcements coming up in the near future.”
Public safety
Decatur Police Chief Brad Sweeney and Decatur Fire Chief Jeff Abbott both came to the job with plenty of experience in their departments and stints under multiple chiefs. Years of six-day workweeks as a patrol officer taught Sweeney the toll those hours take on officers’ health and family lives. In May, he lengthened shifts to eight-and-ahalf hours and shortened the week to five days, a very popular change. Community leaders “We immediately saw a reduction in Since City Manager Tim Gleason started overtime, a reduction in people calling in March 23, he faced seemingly one hot sick, especially on that sixth day,” Sweetopic after another. The eventful nine months meant Gleason and ney said. “This was a huge morale boost for the police department.” the community became Sweeney focused on strengthening acquainted very quickly. communication within the department “Have there been days, and with outside agencies. He instituted and maybe days if not department-wide email addresses and weeks at a time, where it strengthened its online presence on Facefelt like it was difficult to book, Twitter and a new website, dpdconcatch your breath? The Gleason nect.com. answer is yes,” he said. The department began hosting Coffee “But there’s an upside to that as well. I will say that I’m ready to be with a Cop events, and partnered with the able to take all the information that’s been National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Decatur branch to form gathered, sit down, sort it out, prioritize and let’s get our sleeves rolled up and let’s a response team in the event of a highprofile incident between police and the get to doing.” black community. One major unknown in 2016 lies in the The department also hired 27 new hands of the U.S. Environmental Protecofficers and, after years of using dilapition Agency, which ordered the city to analyze its sewer system and fix problems dated squad cars, purchased 26 new that lead to overflows. The city’s study is expected to be completed later this year, but Gleason said he is concerned about how much time the agency will allow to address the issues. The condition of the city’s roads, declining property values and overall desirability are also likely to take center stage. “We’ve got work to do, and we’re very fortunate that we’ve got opportunities if we get down to the hard work at hand,” Gleason said. “And to quote Mayor McElroy – and I believe it, which is why we got along so well, so quickly – there’s no reason not to dream big.” In his new role at the EDC, former City Manager Ryan McCrady oversaw personnel changes, hiring a new economic development officer and tapping former interim director Larry Altenbaumer to head up Midwest Inland Port-related efforts. Nicole Bateman was named community marketing manager in April; the Decatur City Limitless branding campaign launched the following month to promote the city and improve its image, efforts that will continue in the new year. One big victory was the opening of Convey Health Solutions in October. McCrady said he was proud of how the community mobilized to help the company hire 300 people quickly, an example that the EDC can show other prospective employers who might want to locate here. “It’s good to have Decatur and Macon County win,” he said. “We don’t want to feel good about being in second place – we want to win.”
BUSINESS JOURNAL 5
sport-utility vehicles. Sweeney ended the year by spending 10 weeks at the FBI National Academy. The fire department responded to a record number of calls, more than 10,000, Abbott said. The heavier load comes even as there are fewer firefighters to bear it, since the department began running one fewer company and eliminated 12 positions over the past five years. “It’s the cards that we’re dealt,” Abbott said. “Our job is to make the best of it and still not have any diminished quality of service to anybody. That’s the most important thing to us, is our quality of service.” Training for the 110 firefighters has been an issue for the past several years, as the department’s old facility was deemed unsafe for use. The city purchased shipping containers, with a plan to fashion them into a training center. But with the cost to do so estimated at $80,000 to $100,000, plans were delayed. “They’ve basically just sat out there for three years now because we don’t have the funds to finish it,” Abbott said. Seven aging fire stations also come with a spectrum of maintenance issues, which Abbott said the department has done its best to address on limited funds. The council recently approved a study of the facilities that will identify needs and how to prioritize them.
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BUSINESS JOURNAL
February 2016
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BIZ Now open
Tommy “Tom” Garmon, his wife and kids have brought Wing Heaven to Decatur. Situated at 760 S. Franklin St., TKG’s Wing Heaven has been serving up blessings with chicken wings, four kinds of fried fish, a variety of sides and 18 signatures sauces for the past month, all because they visited one of two Wing Heavens in Grand Rapids, Mich., last spring. Its Christian flavor appealed to the Garmons, who also serve Decatur’s Bright Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church. He is an assistant pastor and she is director of Christian education. “It’s always been a dream of mine to open a restaurant,” Kathleen Garmon said. “Tom was also in the Army and National Guard for more than 20 years, most of that time in food services.” The Garmons credit the help of their sons, Tommy Jr. and Thomas, and daughters, Kiona and Kathleen Marie, with helping them open the business. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and the telephone number is (217) 330-9555. For more, visit tkgswingheaven.com or find the business on Facebook. nnn If smoked meats trip your dining trigger, a new Decatur restaurant offers just about everything you might need. Carrol Lou’s Smokehouse opened at 2612 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in October and business has been brisk for its brisket, pulled pork, turkey, chicken, smoked tilapia sandwiches and more. All meats are prepared on the premises using a custom-built smoker that one of Carrol Lou’s owners, Tim Axe, toted around to regional smoked meat competitions where he said he did well. “I’ve also worked in the restaurant business pretty much my whole life and it’s been a dream of mine to open my own restaurant,” Axe said. His wife, Melissa Schrey, is also his business partner and her specialty is sauces which, like meat rubs, are made from scratch. The couple have been saving for five years to make their business dream a reality and have already hired their first employee to keep up with demand. Everything is carry out for right now, but plans include in-house dining and delivery and a dessert menu. They are available, however, to deliver large orders. Hours are 11 a.m to 8 p.m every day except Tuesday, when it closes at 2 p.m. Call (217) 542-7275. nnn The owners of a new Indian restaurant in Forsyth are hoping to provide area diners with a unique cuisine. Owners Harjinder and Rita Singh opened Maharani Indian Kitchen, at 104 U.S. 51 next to the Phillips 66 gas station, realizing the nearest Indian restaurants are about an hour’s drive away. “That was the driving force,” said their daughter, Simi Sandh, who is managing the business. “They realized that this community strongly desired unique and
BITES
healthy cuisine.” The space was renovated to construct a counter and close off the kitchen from the dining area, which has space to accommodate over 30 diners at a time, Sandh said. The restaurant offers carryout and delivery is available in the immediate area. Hours for lunch are 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 9:30 p.m. WednesdaySunday. It is closed Monday and Tuesday. In addition, they’re operating an Asian grocery store. Call (217) 875-6169 or find the business on Facebook. nnn If fresh coffee and baked goods are your thing, served with a side of nostalgia, then the newly opened Black Iron Coffee Company in Decatur might be the place for you. Located at 2890 S. Mount Zion Road, next to Kenney’s Ace Hardware, the coffee shop caters to those appetites, according to the vision of owners Jason and Dani Feller of Mount Zion. “I make everything from scratch myself,” said Dani Feller, who formerly worked at Buena Vista National Bank in Decatur. “Nothing is ordered in or made from a box mix.” The Fellers wanted to give Mount Zion commuters and others their daily coffee fix and offer a drive-up window in addition to seating for two dozen. Plus, one of the walls inside is a piece of area history, made of wood from a barn at the former Big Creek Stables. Soup and rolls are also on the menu, and the Fellers plan to add cold sandwiches and salads soon. Hours are 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6 a.m. to noon Saturdays. For more, call (217) 571-0167 or find the business on Facebook.
Brush College Road in the former location of Jan’s East End Grill. But new owner Shelly Svoboda had worked at the restaurant when Jan Elliott owned it and liked what Elliott had started before retiring in 2014 after 24 years. “I always had a feel for it,” said Svoboda, who now owns the business with her husband, Brian. Svoboda is looking to provide homecooked meals with fast, friendly service. Daily specials are offered for breakfast and lunch, she said. Some of the aspects of owning a business are new to Svoboda, but she likes how the changes have gone. Changing the name of the business gives it a fresh start while providing the atmosphere customers had come to enjoy, Svoboda said. The restaurant is available for private parties and offers catering, she said. Svoboda said several members of her family are helping out and some of the previous staff has returned. Hours are 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. MondaySaturday and 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday when a buffet is served. Call (217) 330-8931 or find the business on Facebook. nnn The Korn Krib bar and restaurant in Latham is back up and running with familiar owners. Greg and Connie Burgett have owned the business at 2371 N. Illinois 121 for about 20 years but with different managers throughout that time. Now, they’ve reopened it themselves and are ready to welcome back customers. A video gaming area has been added, Connie Burgett said. A full menu for lunch and dinner is offered, with specials throughout the week including walleye on Wednesdays and catfish on Fridays, she said. Parties for various occasions can be booked in advance, Connie Burgett said. She said the place was booked throughout the holiOn the move Don Whitacre wasn’t thinking much about day season. They’ve been pleased with how the busimoving Whiteacre McNamara Insurance Serness has been going, Connie Burgett said. vices to Mount Zion when he began looking “It’s been going pretty good,” she said. for new office space. The restaurant’s Facebook page is updated After Whitacre looked at the space available at 445 N. State Highway 121, he knew it with the latest specials and events, Connie Burgett said. was what the business needed and renovaOrders for both dine-in and carry-out can tions began to get it ready. be placed in advance. “I hadn’t contemplated a move to Mount The business opens at 10:30 a.m. TuesdayZion. It seemed like a terrific location,” Whitacre said. Saturday and closes at 11 p.m. TuesdayWhitacre likes that the new location Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday-Saturday. Lunch has what he considers great signage and is served 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with dinner convienent parking. The business has been from 5-8:30 p.m. located on North Main Street in Decatur. It is closed Sunday and Monday. Call The business provides a range of insurance (217) 674-3444. services, including auto, home, health, small business and workers’ compensation. It is Coming soon a Dave Ramsey endorsed local provider of A groundbreaking ceremony was held insurance services. last month to mark the start of construction Whitacre McNamara is open 8:30 a.m. to for a new Holiday Inn and Suites on Decatur’s 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and by appointment. north side. Call (217) 875-2121. The 114-room hotel at 5150 N. Wingate Drive is being developed by Pace Hospitality LLC on 3.55 acres of vacant property. It will New owner include a Burger Theory restaurant, which A restaurant on Decatur’s east side is is associated with the hotel chain in several returning to its original feel after changes in other cities. name and ownership. The $9-million construction project is Shelly’s Homestyle Grill opened at 566 N.
expected to take 9 to 15 months to complete.
Closed
Dilly’s has vacated the premises at 231 N. Main St. in Decatur. A moving sale was announced Christmas Eve on the bakery’s Facebook page. Customers are finding the doors closed and those who telephone are asked to try their call again later. The business opened last summer.
New name
Cancer Care Specialists of Central Illinois has changed its name to Cancer Care Specialists of Illinois to reflect the growth and reach of the centers and clinics. It now has cancer treatment centers in Swansea and Sparta, as well as oncology clinics in Highland, Breese and Chester, to serve the St. Louis Metro East. The new name also brings a new website, www.CancerCareSpecialists.org.
Changes
After 30 years of employing hairstylists in his salons, Jerry Bean, owner of Jerry Bean Salon, is welcoming two barbers into the mix. Bean said the increasing popularity of barbers, and the hot lather shaves in particular, prompted the addition to his shop at 1066 W. Harrison Ave. Alex Chiligiris and Travis Benton are graduates of Lockhart’s Barber College. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Call (217) 877-1199 for an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome. Bean also wanted to assure current and potential customers that he has no plans of retiring soon, despite having recently closed a shop in Monticello and selling another on North Main Street in Decatur. nnn Hickory Point Bank has converted its charter from a federal savings bank to a state chartered bank. “The new charter provides Hickory Point Bank even more ways to serve customers, and is more closely aligned with our business strategy,” said Anthony G. Nestler, president and chief executive officer. “This is an exciting step for the bank, our customers and the communities we serve, because it demonstrates our commitment to local, community banking.” A state charter provides Hickory Point Bank with an opportunity to work with regulators who are familiar with the local marketplace. The state charter also provides the bank with increased capacity for lending and the ability to expand its agricultural services business. Customers shouldn’te be impacted, Nestler said. State chartered banks are regulated by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Biz Bites highlight businesses that are opening, closing, expanding … you get the picture. If you have information for our Biz Bites column, contact Tony Reid at treid@ herald-review.com, Chris Lusvardi at clusvardi@ herald-review.com, Theresa Churchill at tchurchill@ herald-review.com or call them at (217) 421-6979.
February 2016
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BUSINESS JOURNAL 7
Deferred maintenance costs add up for local governments ALLISON PETTY
Business Journal Writer
DECATUR – A stitch in time saves nine. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Those maxims arise from the common wisdom that it’s better to be proactive than reactive. In the case of maintaining facilities and infrastructure, getting ahead of problems usually proves much less expensive. Yet local governments, while often realizing this, sometimes fail to address problems early because of budget issues, political pressure not to raise taxes, other priorities or unanticipated circumstances. That means they wind up spending more time and money in the end. “I would say that’s the bad news I’ve been delivering for the first 10 months that I’ve been here,” said Decatur City Manager Tim Gleason, who started in March. “The next chapter for the community is the one that I walked into, and while it may not be very glamorous, it’s all about infrastructure.” Recession-related financial struggles caused the city to cut capital projects, drain cash reserves and empty equipment replacement funds, Gleason said. At the same time, expenses went up, and revenues such as sales tax did not. Now, the city is playing catch-up in several areas, most notably roads and equipment. “I think it was the recession. I think it was the council’s approach to trying to lessen the burden of asking more of the residents, as we are in a recession and then when we emerged,” he said. “And the whole time, hoping that our major revenues save the day. “Well, that’s not occurred, and the lines have crossed, and I’m the guy that gets to deliver that news, and this council is the council that has to make some very bold decisions.” Financial pressures in recent years caused the city to use state motor fuel tax money for salt and other transportation-related needs, in addition to street repair work that was also hampered by lack of capital funding. Now, there are so many pavement problems that the city can’t keep up, City Engineer Matt Newell said. Those in the worst condition are prioritized first but also cost the most to fix. “As you have to deal with worse condition streets, we are able to do less,” he said. “We’re spending a lot of money to fix fewer streets.” The Decatur City Council has mulled for years the possibility of a local motor fuel tax to help with those costs, a move several council members reiterated support for during a goals discussion Tuesday. But the city is hardly the only government body to struggle with repair costs that grow over time. One example is the roof of Fairview Park Pavilion No. 1, which the Decatur Park District plans to repair this year at an estimated cost of $330,000. The initial estimate for the work, several years ago, was $200,000. As the district
Business Journal, Jim Bowling
Equipment operator Johnathon Yoder clears the soil around a water main break during the process of repairing it at the intersection of Woodhill and Bay Shore drives.
delayed repairs, the damage grew — and so did the bill. With so many parks and facilities to maintain, the district must prioritize, said Ryan Raleigh, director of operations. New features, such as a pickleball court or aspects of the lakefront development, make residents happy and improve quality of life, but they take away from other, less eyecatching work. “That’s the problem with parking lots and roofs,” he said. “It’s stuff that’s vital, but it’s not exciting to people.” The district in recent years also has invested more money to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, attempting to spread those improvements across the community at the most heavily used facilities. “There’s definitely been times where things got put off,” Raleigh said. “You only have so much money to spend.” With 33 acres of roofs alone in the Decatur School District, building and grounds director Mike Sotiroff knows all about prioritizing. The roofs were in poor condition when he took the job in 1988. It took 20 years to replace all of them, though former Superintendent Gloria Davis accelerated the effort with an influx of capital money. Sotiroff calculated that move ultimately saved the district about $4 million by replacing a number of roofs in four years, instead of a projected 12 years. “Obviously, the sooner we take care of a problem that’s known, the cheaper it will be
to get the work done,” he said. “It might be something like a boiler replacement, so we’ll be going away from a vintage steam boiler to an efficient package boiler system that will save energy dollars for the district for the life of that installation.” The city has taken steps to be more proactive, particularly with sewer and water main efforts. Increasing sanitary sewer fees and water fees, and creating a storm utility fee provided revenue sources in recent years to begin tackling that work. Sewer lining projects extend the life of sewers, averting the costly headache that could occur in the event of a line failure. In 2014, the city began a more concerted effort to replace a portion of its 500-plus miles of water main each year. Water main breaks are inevitable, especially during winter. But there would likely be fewer of them now if those projects had been happening all along, said Jerry Stevens, engineering services coordinator for the city’s water management department. “The quality of the material, especially now, is much better than it used to be,” he said. “So as time goes along, the quality of the material in the pipes increases. We’re replacing old, deteriorated water mains with new, and their life span starts over again.” Negotiations as to ownership of the Decatur Public Library have been ongoing for more than two years, stalling capital work. The library board approved a deal last year to sell the facility to the Decatur Public Building Commission and share space with
Macon County offices. In that scenario, the building commission would have assumed responsibility for the aging facility and its needs. But the city council declined to sign off on the plan and subsequently offered to buy the building instead. In the meantime, the library’s craterfilled parking lot worsened, despite regular attempts at patching. The annex building roof continued to leak, spreading mold on its second floor. Last year, the library spent $8,000 repairing a chiller that was well past its recommended life of 40,000 hours. With city officials expecting to buy the library this year, the board approved a $67,000 contract to rebuild the chiller this winter, buying another 40,000 hours. Uncertainty surrounding the library’s future undoubtedly led to the delay of those projects. But City Librarian Rick Meyer said he could find no evidence that the library had an equipment replacement fund in its budget before 2014, the year he took the job and library board leaders pushed for the fund to be established. “There should always be a replacement fund. That should just be built into your budget,” he said. The fund now holds about $150,000, which he called a “drop in the bucket.” But Meyer said the library would be in a much better position if it began saving for the capital needs when it moved in 1999. “Maintenance is always cheaper than repair, in the long run,” he said.
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BUSINESS JOURNAL
February 2016
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City council plans careful casino study this year ALLISON PETTY
worry about the casino hurting them, as their profits rely heavily on the money from video gambling machines. Some religious DECATUR – While some are excited for the prospect of a Decatur casino, the Deca- groups also raise moral concerns, saying the negative affects of gambling on the commutur City Council won’t take up the matter nity outweigh any short-term benefits. just yet. Moore Wolfe said the council planned to Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe said the council consider all aspects of the issue. plans to consider the possibility as part of In 2012, when the council voted to allow a larger evaluation of gambling in the city, video gaming machines in the community, a discussion that is not likely to occur until Moore Wolfe said the supportive council March or April. “I know there is a real push to get support members saw the move partly as a way to help local businesses and taverns that were from the city on the idea of struggling. a casino, but we’re going to No one predicted the quick expansion of do our homework first,” she the machines and of parlors devoted solely said. “We’re going to know what we’re doing so that we to gaming, she said. “I think I speak for the entire council that make an informed decision.” Two former Argosy Gam- was there when we put this through: We ing Co. executives, Joe Uram didn’t see this coming, and I don’t think the legislature saw this coming, or we would Moore Wolfe and Jeff Roberts, said last have put more restrictions on,” she said. month that they would like “We need to look at every aspect of gaming to develop a casino in the Decatur Conferand what it means in our community.” ence Center and Hotel. Local businessman Curly’s co-owner Bill Miller said the video Steve Horve would continue to operate the gambling machines provide all the profit for hotel in that scenario and would expect a his business and many others. boost in business. The smoking ban and increased enforceThe developers planned to seek the ment of driving-under-the-influence laws council’s support as they petition state have both hurt bars, he said. The machines lawmakers to include Decatur among sites provided a way to recover lost margins. considered for a new casino license. IlliBut he said the addition of the gaming nois currently authorizes 10 casinos, and parlors, particularly those with out-of-state legislative efforts to include several other cities, including Chicago, have been ongoing owners, has already cut into profits. “If the Decatur council votes that they for years. want to be on (casino legislation), it’s one Developers say the casino, with an estistep closer to putting a lot of people out of mated 400 to 600 gaming positions, could work in Decatur, and a lot of businesses out generate an estimated $2 million to $3 million in revenue for the city and add as many of business,” he said. Andrew Chiligiris, owner of the Lincoln as 200 jobs. Square Lounge, agreed that the video gamBut not everyone is in favor of the addition. Several local business owners said they bling machines are “nearly indispensable” to Business Journal Writer
Ashley Furniture opens to fanfare ALLISON PETTY
Business Journal Writer
Community leaders celebrated the opening of Ashley Furniture HomeStore last month, the long-awaited final anchor in the Mound Center development. A “soft open” that began Dec. 26 had customers flooding in to check out the 23,000-square-foot showroom, said owner John Harrison, who also owns Furnish 123 in Decatur and America’s Furniture Store in Decatur and Springfield. “It really kind of put the crown on the (Mound) Center,” Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe said. “Come get your Starbucks, your pizza, do a little shopping at Target and then come buy a couch. It’ll be good for everybody.” City officials have also said the furniture store fills a need, as retail analysis shows that some Decatur consumers have been spending money on furniture in other places. The Mound Center development, at the highly visible corner of Mound Road and
U.S. 51, began more than a decade ago with the 2005 opening of Target. Starbucks and Olive Garden followed in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Because the city owned the land, having purchased it from the Decatur School District in late 2002, city leaders were able to guide the development with an eye toward retail. “Council and the city has been very specific as to trying to create a destination shopping experience here, and we feel like we and the council have been successful in doing that,” Assistant City Manager Billy Tyus said. “We’ve created shopping opportunities that will cause people to come to this site to shop.” About 6,800 square feet remains open for retail or restaurant space next to the Ashley store. Harrison said he hopes to fill the space as soon as possible, but a tenant hasn’t been identified. “At this point, it’s up in the air,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of inquiries.”
his business. While he acknowledged that some customers might drift to the casino to try it out, Chiligiris said he was hopeful that they would return and any detrimental effect on his business would be temporary. If the casino moves Decatur in a more economically stable direction, Chiligiris said he would be in favor of it. “I’m really not that worried,” he said. “I think that overall, it’s going to be better. You’d like to put Decatur on the map for things other than casinos, possibly, but you’ve got to start somewhere, and it’s something. If it’s legal, then we might as well make a run at it.” Others reject the casino development as part of a larger opposition to gambling, which they see as unhelpful for the overall health of the community. The Rev. Kathy King-Nobles, co-pastor of First United Methodist Church, said all of the United Methodist pastors in the area hold this position. She cited research that shows every dollar of revenue created by gambling results in $3 spent on social costs, such as crime, addiction and social welfare programs. If people want to spend their money on something that would offer 100 percent return, she urged them instead to give it to agencies in the community that help struggling people.
“I know it may feel to some that the church is always against everything, especially everything that is fun or entertaining,” she wrote in an email. “But the church is against things ... that bring people down, that cause harm to individuals and the community, that mislead people into believing that this will fulfill them, that this will be good for all.” The Rev. Kent King-Nobles, co-pastor of the church, said the community should take a serious look at the number of good, sustained jobs that could be created by the development and its costs, such as addiction and crime. “Let’s invest our energy for development in other directions,” he said. If the city were granted a casino license, the Illinois Gaming Board would ultimately award it to an owner and specific location. Moore Wolfe said there are a number of excellent potential locations in the community. Another developer might choose a spot closer to the lake or the interstate, for example. She said focusing on a specific site would be putting the cart before the horse. First, the council must decide if a casino would be good for the community. “It looks like a fantastic opportunity,” she said. “We just need to make sure that it is and that it’s handled correctly.”
February 2016
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YOUR
BUSINESS JOURNAL 9
BUSINESS
Meet David P. Koshinski, Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year
ometown: Decatur H Family: My wife is Judy. We have two girls, Julie Koshinski Hovis and Jennifer Dahn, and six grandchildren. Occupation: President and chief executive officer of Investment Planners, Inc., and IPI Wealth Management Inc. Education: Bachelors degree in accounting for Millikin University. Certified Public Accountant. My “I’d rather be …” bumper sticker would read, “I’d rather be cruising.” Time on a ship with my wife is when we can step back from the hustle and relax. Hobbies/interests: Flying has been an interest that has provided special times with our grandkids. It has also supported our business and charitable activities. My first job: With the CPA firm of Richardson, Karloski, Pinkley and Kuppler in Decatur. The firm is known today as McGuire, Yuhas, Huffman and Buckley. Why I do what I do: I view the time and talents given to us as a gift that is to be used to honor the One who gave us those gifts. My goal is to create an environment where advisors and staff can use their gifts to provide financial and wealth management services that we describe as Strategic Lifestyle and Wealth Management. We provide council beyond the ultimate investment of assets. Our purpose is to assist our clients in defining their goals in all aspects of their lives and then utilize their assets and their talents to achieve their goals. Personal approaches to challenges: We pride ourselves in turning obstacles into opportunities. We face challenges every day, and we work with a strong team that looks beyond the immediate problem toward a solution that does more than just eliminate the challenge. At IPI, we have created a culture that thrives on finding solutions for others. With this focus, we use challenges to create opportunities to serve others. Community involvement: Our family is excited about the direction of Decatur these past few years and welcomes the opportunity to serve. Pawprint Ministries is a recent addition to our city that serves the hospitals, nursing homes, cancer care, schools and individuals in crisis on a daily basis. We support and are involved with organizations that include Webster Cantrell Hall, Decatur Christian School, Lutheran School Association, Dale’s Southlake Pharmacy’s Wounded Warrior Project, Richland Community College, Decatur Celebration, Decatur-Forsyth Classic, and others. Tell us a little about Investment Planners Inc. Investment Planners, Inc. was started in 1987 and has grown from a start up to an organization that has national exposure and recognition in the financial services industry. IPI Wealth Management began doing business in 1993 as a registered
Business Joural, Jim Bowling
investment advisory firm. IPI Wealth Management was also named one of the Top 10 Fastest Growing Firms by Financial Advisor Magazine in 2008. Today we serve over 10,000 clients in all 50 states. Why should a person consider hiring a financial advisor? Managing our lives and finances has become a complicated and time-consuming endeavor. Our long-term success depends on defining our goals, and then implementing a plan to achieve those goals. When should we start saving? How Much? What should we put it in? Should we use the 401K at work? What about college for the kids? Etc. These questions can become overwhelming. Partnering with an advisor that is properly focused on supporting the client will provide knowledge, accountability and peace of mind as they progress toward their goals. What is your best advice to an investor amid all the recent turmoil on Wall Street? Find an advisor you can trust, and then trust your advisor. Your focus should be on your long-term goals, not short-term volatility. Having the right portfolio built around your goals will help keep shortterm volatility in perspective.
Did you, or anyone in the company at the time of its founding, ever think it would grow as much as it has? We have been blessed beyond what we could have asked or imagined. We started by creating an environment where assisting clients in planning their future became more important than the next sale or trade. That process takes more time and effort than selling a product, but the advisors and clients that are attracted to the process become long-term clients and partners. To what do you attribute this growth? We have partnered with advisors and staff that are some of the best this industry has to offer. Our staff has helped create a technology platform that supports the advisor, and our advisors have a deep commitment to their clients that extends far beyond their investable assets. Together they provide their clients with the information they need to understand where they are in relation to achieving their goals. This will provide peace of mind, even in volatile market conditions. What advice would you give someone who is looking to start a business? Surround yourself with people that will hold you accountable to a path that can create success. If you are fortunate to have those people in your family
start there first. Other business leaders in the community are always willing to assist others that reach out for wise counsel. You are very involved in the community. Why is this important? This community has provided much to our family. Our families have been in Decatur for over 150 years. We are finally starting to turn challenges into opportunities. IPI is attracting young professionals to Decatur. They not only deserve to live in a city that they can be proud of, they are also the people that will be a part of our success. Why are you involved in charitable causes outside this community? The opportunity to live free and to be successful as a person (and as a community) has been given to us because the founders formed this country based on Christian principals. It is important to me that we not only remember where our blessings have originated, but also to do our part to insure that those opportunities are available to the next generation. Judy and I are both committed to causes that remind our national leaders of that legacy. One of those organizations is the Center for Christian Statesmanship in Washington DC.
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BUSINESS JOURNAL
February 2016
Understanding the unlawful discrimination ordinance Let’s be frank. Most employers pay no attention to the unlawful discrimination ordinance – that is, until they get a thick packet from the Human Relations Commission with a charge of discrimination from a current or former employee. That perks up their ears in a hurry. Maybe it’ll never happen to you. But if it does, this month’s column will give you a Human Resources helpful primer. In the city of Decatur, “unlawful discrimination” means discrimination that is based on one or more of 10 defined characteristics: race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or unfavorable discharge from military service. Take note, you don’t have to be in a minority to claim discrimination. Even if you’re in the majority, someone can discriminate against you and you can file a charge against them. Also worth noting, Decatur was one of the first municipalities in the state to include sexual orientation as a protected class. Since then, the state of Illinois and virtually every major city in the country have followed. Decatur doesn’t yet cover gender identity, but don’t be surprised if it comes up for discussion in the near future. About 75 percent of Fortune 500 corporations already cover it in their internal policies. Decatur’s unlawful discrimination code protects people against wrongful favoritism. The ordinance covers four areas: housing, credit, public accommodations and employment. Let’s set employment to the side for a brief moment and look at the other three. In the arena of housing, it’s unlawful to discriminate in advertising, listings, showings and any real estate transaction, whether it’s rental or sales. The financial credit section of the ordinance covers all types of loans and forbids redlining and similar tactics. Public accommodations is a broad term that covers virtually every establishment that serves the general public. It’s defined as “a business,
Fred Spannaus
accommodation, refreshment, entertainment, recreation or transportation facility of any kind, whether licensed or not, whose goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages or accommodations are extended, offered, sold or otherwise made available to the public.” In recent months, some retailers in other towns have tried to assert a right to deny their services to customers when the shopkeeper’s particular interpretation of religion disapproves of them. So far, this issue has not arisen in Decatur. OK, back to employment. It’s the big dog here. Over the more than four decades since the ordinance took effect, the vast majority, well over 90 percent, of local rights cases have involved employment. In the 11 months since I assumed the role of contractual human rights investigator, every single case has been about employment. This mirrors the distribution of human rights cases at every level. Employment charges dominate the landscape throughout human rights enforcement, whether it’s local, state or federal. That doesn’t necessarily mean that employers are more likely to discriminate than lenders, landlords or retailers. It does mean that people are more sensitive to bias in the employment arena than elsewhere. Digging deeper, you’ll see that most employment complaints revolve around discharges. Employees are more likely to file a charge after they’ve been fired than any other time. Makes a lot of sense, once you think about it. No one is happy about being fired. I’ve never met the person who says “Boy, did I ever deserve that! Good on them for recognizing what a terrible worker I was.” No, they’re more likely to seek an avenue to vent their grievances, and a discrimination case is one way to do exactly that. Very few complaints allege bias in hiring practices. Why? It’s hard to know you’ve been disadvantaged when you don’t get hired. Plus, few applicants want to risk angering a potential employer by filing charges. As an employer, your largest exposure is when you fire someone. We’ll discuss that topic at greater length in a future column. 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 e-mail at spannaus@ ameritech.net or by phone at (217) 425-2635.
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BIZ
CLIPS
New staff members
inaugural participants of the Illinois Health Care Association’s Illinois Leaders Program. Bill Abbott, president of Bill Abbott Inc., has been nominated for the 2016 TIME Dealer of the Brickey Bruder Year award. Sara Brickey, of Rebath/ Five Day Kitchens, has Promotions been elected president of May, Cocagne & King, the Metro Decatur Home P.C. Have promoted Builders Association. Christie Stinson and Craig Other officers are PresiNegangard to partners. dent-Elect Mark Wolfer of Stinson Negangard Mark Wolfer and AssociAchievements ates; Vice President Alan First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust has been recognized as an inau- Hupp of Anderson Windows; Secretary/ gural recipient of 2015 Visa Debit Pro- Treasurer Sonja Coon of Prairie State cessing Service Achievement Awards Bank and Trust and Immediate Pastfor Lowest Fraud Rate and Overall President Jeremy Nihiser of Prairie Portfolio Excellence. Insulation. Caroline Bruder has joined Moore, Susler, McNutt & Wrigley, LLC as an attorney. Abby Koester has joined the Children’s Museum of Illinois as director of education.
Announcements
Molly Carpenter of Imboden Creek Living Center in Decatur and Josh Mathis of Evergreen Nursing and Rehab Center in Effingham are among the
Business Clips are abbreviated versions of paid Business Achievements which appear on Mondays in the Herald & Review. For more information about Business Achievements, go to www. thebusiness-journal.com and click on the Submit a Business Achievement link.
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February 2016
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BUSINESS JOURNAL 11
Motivation sets framework for entrepreneur’s journey There are two approaches to initiating an entrepreneurial venture – perhaps adventure would be a more suitable term. These two approaches provide a general mental framework to help people understand their own journey along this adventure called “entrepreneurship.” One approach to entrepreneurship is a focus on an individual’s talents, skills and passions. Entrepreneurs who leverage these Entrepreneurship qualities are often, but not always, artists, writers, organic farmers, social entrepreneurs, etc. They are primarily interested in supporting an emotionally rich, creative lifestyle where they can continue to use entrepreneurship as a vehicle for living a life of meaning and value. Examples include dancers and photographers who establish their own studios and individuals who start non-profits to bring awareness to various issues. The other approach to entrepreneurship is opportunity recognition and customerfocused innovation. These entrepreneurs often look for existing unmet needs or inefficiencies in the market. Joy Magnano, who was the inspiration for the 2015 film “Joy,” used this approach to initiate an entrepreneurial venture. The Miracle Mop was a product designed to meet an unmet need and, for that matter, an unknown need.
Julie Shields
Entrepreneurs Among Us
Shani Goss and her husband, Tronnie, are successful artist entrepreneurs who own Goss Advertising in Decatur and have creative studios in The Vault Arts Collective in Tuscola.
Another example we use in the Center for Entrepreneurship is that there is an unmet need for a late-night taco vendor on Millikin’s campus. OK, we laugh about this one, but there might be some value there, right? (WRITER’S NOTE: We aren’t actually encouraging anyone to pursue this concept, despite how much we really like tacos.) These two approaches are clearly not mutually exclusive. A person can have a passion for dancing and at the same time seek out an opportune situation or niche for starting a dance studio – such as an under-served location, special instructional techniques, inspiring choreography skills or unique use of technology. Alternatively, a person with an idea for a new product or service has to become passionately engaged in all aspects of their idea, such as taking the time to become an expert not only in their own product but also all the competitive alternatives, legal considerations to protect their idea and partnerships to support the idea’s development. Becoming an expert is in many ways an art form that takes lots of practice. The point. Acknowledge which approach
How to help employees build confidence Tribune News Service
very team seems to have one or two E employees who have the capability of moving up to a higher position but who lack the confidence to do so. Such workers can overcome their self-doubt and become happier, more productive employees. All it takes is a little help from someone like you. Here is a six-step plan you can use to help employees with potential develop their confidence and get ahead: Tell the employee that you believe she’s capable of advancement. In a private meeting, let the person know that you have confidence in her abilities. Explain how you foresee her using those skills to benefit both her and the organization. Give the person the necessary training and resources. You’ll contribute much of this, but the employee will probably have some ideas of her own about how to develop the skills she needs. Let her feel her way a bit. Begin assigning new responsibilities
gradually. Define new assignments and duties very clearly. Besides explaining exactly what needs to be done, spell out the characteristics of a job well done. Provide frequent feedback. It’s important to let her know when she’s doing a good job and that you’re glad you placed faith in her. If there are shortcomings, ask her what you can do to provide better support in the future so these problems don’t recur. Observe your employee’s response to the stress associated with her new duties. If you sense that the stress level is becoming uncomfortable, let her retreat to more familiar responsibilities for a while. Build in rewards along the way. Help the employee celebrate the small successes that mark new levels of achievement. See that her salary keeps pace with her increased responsibilities. And when the big successes occur, take her to lunch, announce the event at a staff meeting or see that she’s in line for a bonus.
is your primary inclination, then make a conscious effort to appreciate and build on the other. In the Center for Entrepreneurship we talk about these two approaches quite a bit. Millikin is nationally known for its arts entrepreneurship program, and many musicians, theater students, artists and writers enroll in our entrepreneurship courses or visit the Center to consult. For many artists, finding this balance of passion/talent and opportunity recognition is critical throughout their journeys. Lean too far toward the opportunity recognition side and there could be a sense of “selling out,” while leaning exclusively toward creative passion might make rent hard to pay. Each individual’s sense of balance is different, and the journey is defined by one’s sense of self and understanding the creative market in which one exists. Again, these are just approaches to the adventure of entrepreneurship. They help define the critical question “Why?” before entrepreneurs dedicate tremendous time and talent toward a venture.
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Julie Shields is director of Millikin University’s Center for Entrepreneurship.
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February 2016
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Office fun can lead to increased productivity COLETTE CARLSON
Tribune News Service Writer
Having fun at work creates connections, enhances productivity and stimulates creativity. Yes, you want to maintain professionalism with clients, customers and vendors. By injecting some levity into your workday, however, you just might shake off a sluggish or rigid mindset and bring a fresh perspective to your responsibilities. While you may not have the power to implement these strategies, if you’re an administrator, you’re skilled at influencing and persuading, so consider presenting a few of these ideas to the person who can greenlight them and let the games begin. In one office, whoever finds an error in a deliverable before it’s sent out gets to display a colorful stuffed fish, a trophy signifying the “catch of the day.” It always brings a smile to the recipient’s face, as does the gift card that comes with it. Most of us are familiar with dogs used as therapy in hospitals or convalescent homes. Now there’s a trend to “rent” dogs to visit workplaces for a half-hour fix of puppy love. Did your team reach an important goal? Have the CEO man the grill for an officewide luncheon. As an added bonus, give the team the rest of the afternoon off. Have each member of your team bring in a photo of himself as a young child. Tack up the photos with numbers assigned to each one. Have everyone fill out a sheet guessing who’s who. Winner gets a gift card and bragging rights. Create a “wow wall”: Include awards, honors, kudos from clients, and notable company and employee achievements. Cake decorating contests, chili cookoffs or other competitions around food create an opportunity for employees to show off their talents and for everyone to gather together and eat — a win-win. Set a theme and invite everyone to decorate their cubicles based on it. To ensure participation, make the prize meaningful — a paid day off, generous gift card, etc. Encouraging creative thinking, enjoying some downtime and enhancing employee connections is smart business.
Tribune News Service
A survey by Chicago employment services firm CareerBuilder found 77 percent of employees have witnessed some form of childish behavior in the office.
Professional spaces can get ‘childish’ TERESA F. LINDEMAN
colleague from getting a spot close to the door might be rarer. The online study done for CareerMaking a face behind a co-worker’s back may not be the most professional Builder by Harris Poll between late May way to express annoyance, but it beats and early June included a representathrowing a temper tantrum. tive sample of more than 3,000 U.S. The modern workplace has left most of workers and 2,000 hiring and human its gray suits in the closet and cheered the resources managers. arrival of pets and the occasional basketThis is the first time the company has ball hoop. But that less formal atmosphere done this particular study, but the findmay have opened the door to other less ings seem to fit with other trends, said welcome behavior in the office, as well. Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources A survey by Chicago employment officer of CareerBuilder. services firm CareerBuilder earlier this “Other research we’ve done shows year found 77 percent of employees have the workplace becoming more casual in witnessed some form of childish behavior many areas — such as dress code and their in the office. That ranged from playing rigidity around schedules — which may be pranks to refusing to share resources to contributing to the prevalence of ‘childforming a lunch crowd that only the cool ish’ behavior in the workplace,” she said. kids can join. It’s not always a bad thing to get a little Those surveyed offered specific examgoofy. “It can be a harmless way to let ples of actions that the rest of the office off steam and/or bond with co-workers,” recognized as immature, even if the perHaefner said in an email. petrators were oblivious. Like the comBut it can go too far. “If the behavior pany owner who threw tantrums, yelled starts to get in the way of work or achievand slammed doors. And the manager ing big picture goals — or if it leaves othwho gossiped about staff, then pretended ers feeling excluded, offended or bullied to be their advocate. in some way — that is crossing the line Almost anyone who has ever held down into potentially detrimental territory,” a job would recognize the worker who she said. hid to avoid doing work, although the Plus it can be a bad career move, showone who blocked parking spaces to keep a ing an employee as someone not quite Tribune News Service Writer
ready for more responsibility. A separate study in late February and early March found 62 percent of employers disinclined to promote staff with a negative or pessimistic attitude. CareerBuilder interpreted that as a synonym for whining or even pouting. Haefner suggested asking the right questions in the job interview can help employers avoid hiring those who haven’t quite grown up yet. She said interviewers might want to ask for examples of how the applicant dealt with a difficult co-worker and listen closely to the answer. Responding in the moment to inappropriate behavior is a different challenge. Haefner suggested calmly breaking up disruptive activities and then talking later with the offender to learn more about what was going on. She said managers shouldn’t jump to conclusions that might put the worker on the defensive. “Keep in mind,” she said, “it’s also possible these behaviors are as a result of some sort of dissatisfaction.” Maybe the matter can be resolved. But managers should also signal that some things just aren’t acceptable, she said. “Let the employee know what disciplinary actions you will take if the behavior does not improve.”
February 2016
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14
BUSINESS JOURNAL
February 2016
www.thebusiness-journal.com
YOUR
CAREER
Business Journal, Lisa Morrison
Steve Drew, right, told his friend Alan Roberson about an opening at the Macon County Conservation District and the lifelong friends have worked for the district for 40 years. They are pictured here at the Sand Creek Recreation Area.
Lifelong friends spend careers with conservation district JUSTIN CONN
Business Journal Writer
DECATUR — Steve Drew has known Alan Roberson so long, they used to play marbles together. From the mid-1960s, when they went to Pugh School together, to the mid-1970s when they both began working for the Macon County Conservation District, to today, the two have remained friends. There have been times when they drifted apart, and they don’t spend as much time together as they used to – life happens – but ask Drew about Roberson and he doesn’t hesitate: “We’re best of friends.” Both have worked various jobs with the conservation district, but each has settled in: Drew is the unit supervisor at Sand Creek Recreation Area, and Roberson is the unit supervisor at Friends Creek Conservation Area. Neither had planned on making
conservation district a lifelong career when they began working there in August of 1975. Drew was looking for work and a friend of his was dating a girl who worked with the conservation district as a naturalist. She told Drew there were openings, so he applied for the job and got it. “It was a maintenance position at Friends Creek,” Drew said. “When I started, everyone (with the conservation district) worked out at Friends Creek.” At that point, Drew had recently reconnected with Roberson. Drew was three years older than Roberson, but the two had often found each other in the same games of baseball or whatever outdoor activities were going on as kids growing up near each other. Roberson hadn’t seen Steve in awhile until running into him at his brother’s house in late 1974. “After we were kids, we kind of lost touch,” Roberson said. “But after I saw
him at my brother’s we started running around. We’d go fishing together and things like that.” After Drew, then 23, was hired at Friends Creek, he told Roberson, then 20, about it and soon they were working together. There were times the two worked sideby-side. But as the conservation district grew to include more properties, more opportunities arose. Roberson and his family bought five acres and a house a couple miles from Friends Creek 30 years ago, and he’s been at Friends Creek near in Cisco permanently for 25 years. He runs the campground every summer. Drew became supervisor at Sand Creek 16 years ago. That job comes with a house that’s on Sand Creek property. It’s off Elwin Road between Decatur and Mount Zion. “We both have families, so we’re not as close as we used to be, but we still get
together and play cards when we get the chance,” Roberson said. “We don’t get a lot of chance to work together anymore, either, but if one of us needs help, we’ll go out and help each other with a prescribed burn.” While neither pictured being with the conservation district 40 years after they first applied, it didn’t take either long to figure out they’d found the right job. “There’s a variety of work – it’s something different every day,” Roberson said. “I like never knowing what I’m going to do when I come in. We had the storm damage a couple weeks ago, then the flooding. And in the summer there’s the campground.” Drew’s list reads similarly. His current challenge is keeping the Sand Creek trails passable and unplugging debris from the creek crossings. “There’s always something new to deal with,” Drew said. “But I like it a lot. It’s worked out well.”
February 2016
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BUSINESS JOURNAL 15
Chatty employee could teach whole team a lesson Q: One of my employees doesn’t know when to stop talking. When chatting with co-workers, “Carly” goes on at great length without any consideration for their time. Her colleagues say they feel trapped in these conversations, but don’t know how to leave without being rude. As a result, they now avoid interacting with Carly at all. Mentioning these complaints will upset Carly, so how do I address this? A: Actually, your entire team could benefit from some coaching on this topic. While Carly Office Coach needs to curb her excessive chatter, her long-suffering colleagues must become more assertive. Instead of shunning their loquacious coworker, which will only hurt feelings and damage relationships, they should learn how to appropriately end conversations. During a staff meeting, introduce this issue without mentioning any complaints. Indicate that while you value friendly relationships, you believe time spent on personal chatting has gotten out of hand. Suggest that employees can politely excuse themselves from protracted discussions by explaining that they must get back to work. Having publicly broached the subject, you are now ready for a private talk with Carly. For example, “Carly, as I mentioned yesterday, I’m concerned about the problem
Marie McIntyre
Although Beverly certainly sounds irritating, she apparently isn’t interfering with your ability to do your job. So instead of allowing Get weekly tips from Liz Reyer and the her to get under your skin, you should face Office Coach at www.thebusiness-journal. reality and modify your attitude accordingly. com You will never change Beverly’s personality, so you may as well stop trying. Regardof excessive socializing. While your outgoing less of the source of her antipathy, your personality is a real strength, I need you to multiple complaints to management have work on keeping conversations short. Let’s undoubtedly made it worse. Since this disdiscuss some strategies that might help.” pute is basically a personality conflict, conGoing forward, you should assess Carly’s tinuing to involve the higher-ups will only progress and provide additional coachcause them to conclude that you are part of the problem. ing as needed. If colleagues still complain After putting those facts together, you about her verbosity, remind them that “I’ve will hopefully see that the wisest course of enjoyed chatting, but I have work to do” is action is to concentrate on your work and always an acceptable exit line. remain courteous, regardless of how Beverly nnn acts. Once you stop letting her push your Q: I work with an older woman who is emotional buttons, you will actually be more rude and overbearing. “Beverly” seems to in control of the situation. get along with everyone else, but with me nnn she is always very distant. Even though I try to be courteous and respectful, she seldom Q: One of my employees is always late speaks and doesn’t even say good morning. with her projects. “Emily” is easily disThe two of us oversee the breakfast buftracted and often spends time socializing fet at a major hotel chain, so I spend several with co-workers. I mentioned that setting hours with Beverly every day. Although she daily objectives might help her stay on track, isn’t my supervisor, she tells me what to but I don’t believe she has done this. To do and checks my work when I’m finished. make matters worse, Emily’s work contains Some co-workers have said that she critia lot of errors. How can I fix this without cizes my work habits. becoming a micromanager? I complained to our boss about Beverly A: You needn’t worry about becoming then requested a formal meeting with a micromanager, because right now you human resources to document her behavior. aren’t managing at all. Emily routinely turns However, I don’t believe any action was ever in work which is unacceptable and behind taken. I’m sure the managers view this as a schedule, yet you allow her to goof off at “cat fight” and prefer not to get involved. Do will. You suggest creating interim deadlines, you have any advice? but do nothing to make them mandatory. Actually, a dose of micromanagement A: I think you have become overly is exactly what Emily needs, so you must obsessed with your cranky co-worker. W E E K LY T I P S
put on your manager hat and take charge of this situation. If Emily shapes up, you can gradually restore her independence. But if she continues to slack off, you may want to consider removing her from this position. nnn Q: I am currently unemployed, but I can’t seem to get any interviews. I have begun to wonder if my employment history might be part of the problem. Although I am not a job-hopper, I do have a tendency to quit when I get bored or have trouble with office politics. What can I do about this? A: I hate to break it to you, but quitting whenever work becomes tedious or relationships become difficult is the very definition of “job-hopper.” If your resume consists of a series of short-term jobs, potential employers will logically assume that you won’t stay around long, so talking with you would be a waste of time. Therefore, simply sending out resumes is unlikely to generate many interviews. Instead, networking should become the centerpiece of your job search strategy, because a strong personal impression can overcome many concerns. When you do find a job, make every effort to stay long enough to show that you’ve broken your previous pattern. If you believe this may be difficult, perhaps a qualified career counselor can help you discover the source of your chronic discontent. nnn Marie G. McIntyre is a workplace coach and author. Send in questions and get free coaching tips at www. yourofficecoach.com, or follow her on Twitter @ officecoach.
Protecting yourself, others when burnout grips the office Q: I’m surrounded by people who are afflicted with burnout. It’s legit — being asked to do more with less is epidemic. While I’m maintaining some balance, what can I do to help … and to keep from catching it? A: Help and validate, while also taking care of yourself. You’re smart to watch out, as stress is definitely contagious. For your own well-being, focus on the blessings in your life. Maintain a practice of gratitude, noticing ways in which your job enriches your life, whether it’s the skills you use, the assistance it
Liz Reyer
provides to others, or the relationships you form with people around you. Extend this thinking to other aspects of your life to keep your positive energy pool replenished. I also like having a physical symbol for stress reduction; for example, a centering type of picture or even something humorous like a stuffed stress monkey toy to remind you what happens if you get out of balance. From this grounded position, now consider ways you can be a resource to your co-workers. First of all, simply listen. Be a safe vent space where people can blow off a little steam. Listening and validating that what they’re feeling is understandable can open up new possibilities for them to problem solve. At the same time, you can probably see the risk here: You don’t want to set up a negative dynamic of complaining without change, so be alert to the need to set boundaries in some cases.
Then think of practical ways to help. It sounds like you could carve out a bit of time to pitch in more, and people always appreciate even a little bit of a helping hand. For example, if you have a peer who is stressed and struggling, identify a project task that you could take on. If it’s a boss, suggest tasks he or she could delegate. For someone more junior, refresh your memory on the work you used to do and help out on one of their tasks. One of the keys is that when you’re in the middle of the crunch, it can be hard to have ideas about ways someone else could help. If you come forward with specifics, that will be more helpful. So, you may say, “Bob, I’ll get those meetings scheduled,” or “Sandy, let me review that document for you.” Then you absolutely must follow through — no slippage allowed, even if your workload shifts and you become suddenly much busier. That would be total betrayal.
What if you can’t provide practical help because of time or skills? You can still do nice things for people. Bring in food if they’re working long hours on a deadline or provide recognition up the ladder for their contributions. And, as possible, advocate for change to get at the root causes of burnout so that your current situation doesn’t become an ongoing and unsustainable problem that undermines business success. Consider ways you can escalate your concerns or document the impact on outcomes that will garner executive attention. It all comes down to being a team player by supporting your teammates in new ways; this will help you all keep moving forward. Liz Reyer is a credentialed coach with more than 20 years of business experience. Submit questions or comments about this column at www.deliverchange.com/ coachscorner or email her at liz@deliverchange.com.
16
BUSINESS JOURNAL
February 2016
www.thebusiness-journal.com
YOUR The Arts
Anne Lloyd Gallery: “Revelations” by Glen C. Davies. Meet the artist reception, 5 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5. Call (217) 423-3189. www.decaturarts.org Gallery 510: Paintings by Judy Kimmons. Meet the artist reception, 5 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5. Call (217) 422-1509. Blue Connection: Portraits and 2D art by Jessica (Books) Sebok. Perkinson Art Gallery, Kirkland Fine Arts Center: Ceramic sculptures by Megan Wolfe, through Feb. 25. “The Matchbook Series,” miniature paintings by Michael Dubina, Feb. 29-April 8. Decatur Airport: Photography by Doug Bergeron. Decatur Public Library: Paintings by Leta Burch.
FREE
Calendar of events
For a complete list of events, go to www.herald-review.com/go/ Delbert McClinton, with special guest Joanna Connor, will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 13, at the Lincoln Square Theater. For tickets or more information, visit www.lincolnsquaretheatre.com or call (217) 706-5229.
On Stage
Kirkland Fine Arts Center: Celtic NightsSpirit of Freedom, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19; Cinderella-the Ballet, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12; The Official Blues Brothers Review, 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 8. For tickets, call (217) 424-6318. www.kirklandfinearts. Music com Central Illinois Jazz Festival, Feb 5-7, at the Decatur Conference Center and Hotel, For Perform! Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor more information, go to www.juvaejazz.com Dreamcoat, March 18-20, at the Decatur Civic Center. A Decatur Park District performance Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra: Two event featuring actors in grades 1 through 12. candidates in the running to be the next For tickets, call (217) 422-5911 or go to www. conductor of the MDSO will put their skills decatur-parks.org. to the test as guest conductors of their own show on Saturday, Feb. 6 and March 5, at Millikin Unversity Department of Theatre and Kirkland Fine Arts Center. Get tickets for the Dance: “The Magic Pinafore,” Feb. 18-21, 7:30 p.m. shows at www.kirklandfinearts. Albert Taylor Theatre. For tickets, call com or by calling (217) 424-6318. (217) 424-6318. Smooth Times Band, 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19, at Loft 125 (Madden Arts Center). Call (217) 423-3189. www.decaturarts.org
BANQUET
TIME
GUIDE
Charity events
“For the Love of it,” a cabaret dinner theater event to benefit pancreatic cancer and lymphoma research foundations, 5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5 and 6, at the Decatur Club. Enjoy an evening of cocktails, dinner and a show featuring local performers using their love of music to help others. For reservations, call (217) 429-4200. MRI Bowl-A-Thon, to benefit Macon Resources children’s programming, at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Sunday Feb. 7, at Spare Time Lanes. To register, call (217)875-8850. Dueling Pianos Dinner/Dance, to benefit Mount Zion’s Fletcher Park splash pad project, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Mount Zion Convention Center. Cost is $40 per person or $75 per couple. For tickets, call Judy at (217) 864-5424. Polar Plunge, to benefit Special Olympics Illinois Central/Area 10,will be held at noon Saturday, March 5, at The Beach House. For more information, go to www.soill.org or call Joanie Keyes at (217) 428-9255. American Red Cross Heroes Ball, to benefit the American Red Cross and recognize local heroes, 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Country Club of Decatur. Enjoy a night in
Featured Business:
the “Big Easy” with a taste of traditional Cajun cuisine and featuring a performance by a New Orleans-inspired jazz and blues band. For tickets and more information, call (217) 450-7423.
For the kids
Children’s Museum of Illinois: Tinkering Toddlers, 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Friday; Family Friday, 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5 and March 4; Make Shop half-day workshops, 12:30 to 3 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 10 and Feb. 24; Family Science Sunday, 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14. Me and My Sidekck, super kids night, 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20. Rube Goldberg Competition, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 27.www.cmofil.org. Call (217) 423-5437. Scovill Zoo: Zoo Buddies classes featuring penguins on Tuesday, Feb. 9, and sloths on Tuesday, March 8. Classes are 10 to 11 a.m. www.scovillzoo.com
Misc.
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. Got an item you’d like listed 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.
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February 2016
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BUSINESS JOURNAL 17
Main Place ProPerties
Welcomes
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18
BUSINESS JOURNAL
February 2016
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TECH
TALK
Critical steps you must take to work anywhere You’ve already invested in security at the office. Antivirus everywhere, up-to-date software patches, a business-class firewall, secure wireless, maybe even malware protection. What if you or your staff work outside the office? Are you still safe? If anyone works from home or on the road, there are additional steps you must take to ensure your company is protected no matter what.
PC protection
If your staff use company-owned laptops, they should already have active antivirus, and their Technology software (including Windows and Office) should be up-to-date with the latest patches. If they work outside the office, consider adding malware protection software as an additional layer of security. It’s critical that they have a personal (software) firewall in place, or that they use a third-party DNS service like OpenDNS, or both. These services help block malicious web traffic, and they will provide extra protection needed when using public Internet access, which is inherently insecure. If your staff use personal computers for work, security is even more critical. All the same protections must be in place. If their PC connects directly to your network, there is risk that viruses and malware can penetrate. Even if they don’t connect directly, malware can easily log user IDs and passwords to email and other systems, which provide another way hackers can directly access your data.
Wendy Gauntt
Home requirements
If your staff work from home, you need to consider the security of their home
networks. While it’s cost-prohibitive to provide equipment and setup yourself, you can at least set guidelines for your team. Recommendations should include having a firewall in addition to the modem provided by their Internet Service Provider (ISP); using the highest possible level of encryption on their wireless network; changing default passwords on all network devices; and preventing other family members from using the same computer, or at least preventing them from logging on as the same user. Consider writing up a policy for employees to sign, verifying that they understand the guidelines and promise to comply.
Backups
While many of these steps are protection from outsiders, you must also protect against hardware failures and data loss. For that reason, you need a data backup plan. Staff can back up data to an external hard drive, the cloud, or your company network. Make sure backups are automated and provide alerts if there is an issue, so that you don’t find out the hard way that it wasn’t working properly.
Remote connections
accounts, personal and business, you are vulnerable. Require complex passwords, require regular password changes (every 3 months or so), and advise your staff to never reuse the same passwords on different accounts. Consider a password management tool like LastPass or 1Password to make it easier for your team to use strong, complex, hard-to-hack passwords.
Encryption
The true cost of a lost laptop has nothing to do with the hardware. The value is in the data that can be recovered. A laptop encryption program will protect you from this risk and make it nearly impossible for someone to obtain confidential company data. Recent versions of Windows include full disk encryption options, although you may want to use a third-party tool that allows your IT people to centrally manage encryption. Otherwise you run the risk that your staff will forget their encryption password and could lose access to their own data. It takes a little time to set up, but once it’s in place, your team won’t even notice it.
Mobile devices
Computers aren’t the only technology If you work outside the office, you need a that need security. Smartphones and tablets way in. The most common options are VPN, which is an encrypted link back to your network, or a remote desktop solution like Microsoft Terminal Server or Citrix. You can even combine the two for extra protection. Alert your staff to log off when they are done working, and set connections to automatically time out after a period of non-use. This way the remote connections don’t stay open 24/7. If you use cloud software, you’ll find that’s easy to access remotely, since it doesn’t require connection back to your office. Your cloud provider should have strong security protections in place already.
should also be covered. A category of software tools known as “mobile device management” do exactly this. Features vary, but in, general they include extra security protection, the ability to roll out mass changes, GPS/location services, and, most important, remote wipe capabilities. The GPS features can help you locate lost or stolen devices, but if they cannot be recovered, you’ll need to remotely wipe them, which erases all your data and prevents the device from being compromised.
It’s worth it
This may seem like a lot to cover, but none of these steps are all that difficult or expensive. You probably have several of them addressed already. As for the rest, it’s just a matter of making a plan and checking each step off, one by one. The ability to work remotely has proven benefits, giving your staff freedom and flexibility to take care of themselves, their family and your business. Wendy Gauntt is president of CIO Services LLC, a technology consulting company that specializes in small business solutions. Go to www.cioservicesllc.com for more information, ideas and free resources.
Complex passwords
A key component of your security strategy must be strong password policies. If your staff reuse the same password on multiple
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BUSINESS JOURNAL 19
H E A LT H
Pumped for life
New heart teaches Decatur man about staying positive JUSTIN CONN
Business Journal Writer
Gilliam Green’s van broke down the other day. He had to walk five miles back-andforth from the repair shop. He couldn’t have been happier about it. A couple months ago, Green thought he was going to die. At 44 years old, Green had a heart transplant at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. The day after, he was up walking around. A week in, he thought it was a miracle. But then a biopsy showed a 3R grade rejection – the most severe type. “That took the wind out of my sails fast – I’m thinking I’m going to die,” Green said. “That was the scariest moment of the whole thing.” But after what Green said was a 3,500 milligram shot of steroids, the rejection stopped. A week-and-half later, he went home and has felt good since. Green deserves pardon for overreacting to the rejection. He thought he was falling down at the finish line. The heart transplant was the end of an eight-year process that began with Green thinking he just needed to quit smoking. Originally from Chicago, Green, 44, has lived in Decatur since 1997, working construction jobs. At 36, he started having trouble sleeping and noticing fatigue even after the most lightly strenuous activities. He quit smoking, but two weeks later, the symptoms remained, so he went to the doctor. He was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. That was on a Friday. The following Monday his echocardiogram was read. “They rushed me to the hospital and told me I had congestive heart failure,” Green said. “I was shocked.” Green later found out his biological father, whom he didn’t know, had heart disease on his side of the family. He was put on medicine, which he took for five years, but his condition worsened. In 2013, at age 42, he was working a hazmat job and couldn’t make it from his car in the parking lot to the construction trailer. “I remember the date – Sept. 26, 2013,” Green said. “I couldn’t do it anymore. I stopped working, went to the doctor and told him that. I got the papers filled out to
Business Journal, Jim Bowling
Gilliam Green received a heart transplant on the day after Thanksgiving. He says that now he feels like he had never been sick.
go on disability.” It was at that time Green was told he would be a good candidate for a heart transplant – a young man supporting three children, including a 16-year-old who lives with him. Green chose to start going to a heart doctor in Chicago because he has family there who would help take care of him if he had surgery. That’s when Green met Dr. Jonathan Rich, a cardiologist specializing in advanced heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, ventricular assist devices and those in need of heart transplantation. “I knew immediately he was a pretty sick guy,” Rich said. “We did an echocardiogram and he had a very enlarged heart. And it was squeezing poorly. His risk of dying in the short term were high.” Rich said his goal with every patient is to give them as long a life, and as quality a life, as possible with the heart they were born with. But Green was beyond that point. He was immediately tested and found to be a good candidate for transplant, but that only meant being put on a waiting list. Because that can be a long wait, and Green’s heart wasn’t going to survive a long wait on its own, Rich decided to have a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implanted in Green. An LVAD is a battery-operated mechanical pump that helps the left ventricle (main pumping chamber of the heart) pump blood to the rest of the body. “The LVAD saves his life and gets him by
until the transplant,” Rich said. Green was told he had good blood for a possible transplant match – B positive – and that a heart could be found within six months. Rich gives all his patients the same advice: “Live your life, then one of these days you’ll get a wonderful phone call.” But that’s not easy. Green got his hopes up when he reached the top of the donor list six months after the LVAD surgery. “Everyone gets 30 days at the top of the ladder,” Green said. “When it passed and I didn’t get one, I started thinking it wasn’t going to happen.” But that’s when Green began taking Rich’s advice and just lived his life. He also started feeling better, and even went back to working construction with the LVAD device in tow. “I went to my appointments and did what they told me, and I went back to work in April of 2015,” Green said. “I didn’t think I’d ever work again. But I’d wear the battery pack on my waist. I’d charge two batteries up each night, and they would last between four and six hours each. I’d just change them at lunch.” Rich was impressed with how well Green did with the LVAD. “For him to go back to work after he could barely breathe when I first met him, it was amazing,” but a new human heart is still superior to a mechanical one, at this point. “I would love it if someday technology improves to where LVADs are better, and
those companies are working frantically to improve that technology,” Rich said. “They’ve gotten so much better, but there are still a fair amount of complications. There are complications with transplants, too, but relatively speaking the LVAD is more unpredictable. And they’re restrictive. They run at 10,000 revolutions a minute and that requires a lot of energy. And, they can’t get wet. “So, at this point, LVAD isn’t superior, but someday ...” Even high on the waiting list, finding a matching heart isn’t easy. It has to be the right size and blood type, plus several other factors, to be the perfect fit. Finally, two years after having the LVAD installed, as Green was serving up a second helping of Thanksgiving dinner, he got that “wonderful phone call.” “It was Thanksgiving night at about 7:30 – I thought it was a joke,” Green said. “I said, ‘Stop playing with me.’ They said they were serious and asked how long it would take for me to get there.” Green was in the car headed to Chicago within a half-hour. He was there by 10:15 p.m. and was wheeled back to surgery at 1:30 a.m. “I was surprised, scared, anxious and hyperventilating,” Green said. The surgery was performed by Dr. Pat McCarthy. Rich doesn’t perform heart surgeries – he’s in charge of care before and
CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
February 2016
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Continued from page 19
after – but said heart surgery is considered relatively easy even though the body is without a heart for a period during the transplant. “The connections are so large, they literally go together,” Rich said. “They’re on a heart and lung machine for that stretch where they don’t have a heart. They literally cut the old one out, then warm up the new one – it’s been on ice – before connecting it and sewing it in. At that point, it starts right back up.” Green woke at up 10:45 a.m., and by 2 p.m. was up and walking around the hospital. A week later there was the rejection scare, but a week-and-a-half after that, he was home. Green said he feels good and Rich concurred. “He’s thriving,” Rich said. Green isn’t back to work yet. He’d be off right now anyway because he works construction, but Rich said he likes Green’s chances. “A lot of complications can occur the first year as the body and heart get acclimated,” Rich said. “The body will try to reject the heart. We give meds to stop that, but the meds make them susceptible to infection. “But close to 90 percent of patients survive the first year. And once you get through that first year, a majority of patients do exceptionally well.”
Rich said half of patients survive at least 13 years, and many live more than 20. “I’d be delighted if the heart lasted 20 years; that would take him past 60,” Rich said. “Sometimes at that point, a second transplant can be done. Technology could also offer some options, whether it’s growing organs, or devices. “But as long as he takes his medicine, comes to appointments and gets his testing done, I have no doubt he’ll do well for a long time.” Green is doing his part. He’s exercising, taking his medicine and eating right. “It’s not much fried food – low sodium and low cholesterol,” Green said. “They want me to walk as much as I can. I don’t have a problem with that. I don’t get tired anymore.” Green said the experience has done more than just save his life. It’s changed his outlook on it. “I thought I was indestructible, but I’m not,” Green said. “There’s no more smoking or drinking, other than a glass of wine every once in a while. “And I’ve realized life is short. I don’t have time for being stressed out or arguing with people. I used to have a short fuse. But I’m done with that – yelling and getting upset. I don’t want to deal with negativity. I want to live a positive life. That’s what this has taught me.” Rich said it’s cases like Green that are
BUSINESS JOURNAL 20
Business Journal, Jim Bowling
Green received a heart-shaped pillow with signed messages of encouragement from nurses at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago after he received a new heart there Nov. 27.
why he’s in the profession. “The highs are high and the lows are low in this field,” Rich said. “There’s a lot of suffering. Then you see this guy in his early 40s with three kids. It used to be that was the end of the line – a tough hand to
be dealt. “Well, it’s not like that anymore. Ten to 15 years ago it would have been. Now he’s got a new heart. He’s smiling and laughing and hugging his kids. That’s great to see. That’s what keeps you going.”
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February 2016
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BUSINESS JOURNAL 21
Avoiding the flu at work is a challenge ADAM SMELTZ
Tribune News Service Writer
PITTSBURGH — No matter what grandma might have warned, simple exposure to frosty winter air won’t lead to getting the flu. But going to the office might. Doctors suspect the workplace ranks among the biggest culprits in spreading the virus. Nausea and other symptoms force Americans to take nearly 111 million sick days a year, contributing to about $7 billion in productivity lost to the annual flu season, federal data show. Businesses and workers can tackle the spread of the flu before anyone so much as coughs, said John Challenger, CEO at the Chicago outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. He suggested implementing telecommuting policies that let mildly ill employees work from home, along with more traditional provisions allowing sick time. “Many people aren’t so sick that they can’t or don’t want to do any work. They often can do some of the most important work while they’re home and ill — and they don’t really mind,” Challenger said. For the workplace itself, he recommended routine disinfection of keyboards, doorknobs and other surfaces. Fewer meetings, more shifts and more use of videoconferencing also can cut down in-person contacts, reducing fluinfection risks, Challenger said. “Any time you have people working in close proximity of each other, it increases
Tribune News Service
Doctors suspect the workplace ranks among the biggest culprits in spreading the flu.
your chances” of picking up the disease, said Heather Rosen, medical director at a Pittsburgh-area University of Pittsburgh Medical Center urgent care clinic. She said those with flu symptoms might want to avoid shaking hands with anyone. “The respiratory droplets can be passed. If you cough and you have them on your hands, you can pass them on to the other person,” Rosen said.
At Greentree Medical Associates, lead physician Jennifer Preiss said those infected are especially contagious in the first three days of flu symptoms, which include fever, coughs and muscle aches. She encourages people to cough into their elbows. “I think if someone said they didn’t want to shake hands, I wouldn’t push it,” Preiss said.
‘Presenteeism’ takes toll on workplace DAVID TEMPLETON
companies holding federal contracts to provide paid sick-leave benefits to Too ill to work? Many people, and espe- their employees. cially those with paid sick leave, stay home. On the face of it, being sick at work However, even people with sick leave might sound like something employers regularly engage in “presenteeism” — going might favor, with some work preferable to to work while ill. It’s the opposite of absen- none at all. teeism, and its impact on the workplace Besides, such employees display a strong has been a topic long sequestered in acawork ethic, job dedication and loyalty. demic journals. But research generally finds health conAs we struggle through winter’s cold and sequences for present-but-ill employees, flu season, presenteeism is gaining interest with higher medical costs and greater in the American workplace for good reason: reductions in productivity than absenteeMore costly than absenteeism, it is detriism would cause. mental to employees and employers alike. A Society for Human Resource ManThe U.S. Bureau of Labor says 39 percent agement online article said presenteeism of all American workers — or 41 million costs are “higher than the combined costs people — don’t have paid sick leave. That of medical care, prescription drugs and means a lot of people are showing up for absenteeism,” with estimated annual costs work while under the weather. of $150 billion to $250 billion a year. That In September, President Barack represents 60 percent of all productivObama signed an executive order forcing ity losses. Tribune News Service Writer
“Unhealthy workers are unproductive workers – and they’re expensive,” stated Scott Wallace, a distinguished fellow at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth University. And the cost of poor health, he said, can be three to 10 times the total cost of all employee benefits. That’s why focusing on wellness rather than absenteeism represents a progressive workplace trend. “This issue is multifaceted, and I think people who ignore it do it with their heads in the sand,” Wallace said. “The impact on employees is tremendous when they show up at work sick. The stress makes them sicker, and their performance level at work is in the gutter. “People around them get sick, and it increases stress and gets into a death spiral for employers,” he said. “I’m mystified that employers can’t figure this out in 11 seconds.”
Still, she said it might be extreme for a healthy person to halt all hand-shaking for the sake of flu season. It also could strain social ties. “I find that to be a bit offensive and overstepping, if you will,” said Jacquelyn Flesner, a certified business etiquette trainer who started The Etiquette Network. “It falls into that category that, ‘I’m so concerned about my health and well-being that I won’t even extend you the classic courtesy of shaking your hand.’” Clinicians agreed that annual flu shots are the best method to prevent an office epidemic. Nearly 44 percent of adults nationwide were inoculated for the last season. Employers can buoy that rate by offering in-house vaccination clinics or giving workers time to be inoculated elsewhere, said Joseph Bresee, an epidemiology chief at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Early projections indicate the shot should be about 60 percent effective this season in preventing the flu nationwide. “What we’ve found is that people are more likely to be vaccinated if it’s easy for them to be vaccinated,” Bresee said.
You are cordially invited to attend
President Gayle Saunders’ Retirement Reception February 16, 2016 4p.m. – 6p.m. Shilling Community Education Center One College Park, Decatur, Illinois 62521 RSVP: By February 9, 2016, to Madonna Brown, madonnab@richland.edu or 217.875.7211, Ext. 206.
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C O M M U N I T Y H E A LT H E V E N T S Support groups
Growing Through Grief, 10 a.m. Tuesdays, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. To register, call 876-4735. TOPS Club IL 49 Decatur, 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Main Street Church of God, 2000 N. Main St. (enter from Garfield Street). Weight loss support. 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) 876-4735. Breastfeeding support group, 10:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 8 and Feb. 22, Baby TALK, 500 E. Lake Shore Dr. To register, call (217) 464-2334. SHARE support group, 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital, Room G18. Support group for those who have experienced the death of a baby during pregnancy, at birth or early infancy. Call (217) 464-2045. Epilepsy support group, 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. Call (217) 853-1655. Facing Cancer Together, 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4735. Pink Link breast cancer support group, 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. Call (217) 876-4377. Postpartum emotional support group, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15, HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. Call (217) 464-2334. Diabetes support group, 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, DMH Specific Performance Enhancement Center, 2122 N, 27th St. Call (217) 876-2699. Parkinson’s disease support group, 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1360 W. Main St. Call John Kileen at (217) 620-8702. Lyme-MTHFR support study group, 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, Mari-Mann Herb Co., 1405 Mari Mann Lane. Call (217) 429-1555. Renewal bereavement support group, 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4735. Us TOO prostate cancer support group, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4735. Widowed support group, 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 25. Monthly lunch gathering. For location or to register, call (217) 428-7733.
Classes
Infant CPR class, 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, Decatur Memorial Hospital OB Classrooms. Register online or call
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(217) 876-3100. Cardiopulmonary rehab nutrition class, 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Classroom A. Help with heart-healthy eating with an emphasis on reading labels. Call (217) 876-2496. New Brother/Sister Day Camp, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, Decatur Memorial Hospital Classroom. Children ages 3-10 learn what to expect with the arrival of a new baby brother or sister. Cost is $15. To register, call (217) 876-3400. Breastfeeding for the Pregnant Couple, 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. To register, call (217) 464-2334. Real Dads Rock!, a class for new dads, 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. To register, call (217) 464-2334. Happiest Baby on the Block-Magic?, a class for new moms, 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. To register, call (217) 464-2334. Cardiopulmonary risk factor education, 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Classroom B. Call, (217) 876-2496. In BeTWEEN for Girls, 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, Decatur Memorial Hospital, OB Classroom. For girls ages 9-12 to learn about the changes they are going through. Registration required online or by calling (217) 876-3100. Newborn care and breastfeeding basics, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, Decatur Memorial Hospital, OB Classroom. Registration required online or by calling (217) 876-3400.
More
Day for Hearts, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, Decatur Memorial Hospital. Learn how to maintain a healthy heart through healthy cooking demos and exercise techniques and warning signs of a heart event. There also will be presentations by various hospital specialists. Light lunch will be served and vendors will be on-hand. To reserve a spot, call (217) 876-2850.
601 E. WILLIAM ST. DECATUR, IL 62523 217.421.6994
I see hashtags being used everywhere and don’t really understand them. Why are they important? Hashtags rule social media and make the experience much smoother. By including a hashtag to your post, you create a way for the user to find your posts more easily. Also, you can carry it over to your other forms of advertising as a way to help people find you or your ad campaigns on social media. To add a hashtag in a social post, you simply add the ‘#’ sign before a single word or phrase without spaces or punctuation. By doing so, anyone who searches for that hashtag may find your post on the respective social media. Or they may find it if it’s part of a trending hashtag. Trending means a large group of users are posting or searching that specific hashtag. Some businesses create a hashtag for a product or service they provide, in attempt to brand themselves to that item. For example, McDonalds is known for using hashtags to promote new menu items, such as when they launched all day breakfast. Users across the world were posting about it, ending each post with #alldaybreakfast. Some businesses create hashtags to promote events. The upcoming Super Bowl is a perfect example of an event for which you will see hashtag trending. Many businesses will attempt to capitalize on its popularity by using it in their posts, since so many will be searching by that hashtag. On a smaller level, you could use it for your own event here locally. Recently, I attended a workshop on social media called Social Summit. They had a live Twitter feed at the front of the room and asked attendees to tweet any interesting take-aways, followed with the hashtag, #SocialSummit. It gave attendees a hashtag to go back and search for take-aways later, while giving the company visibility to anyone not in attendance. Brilliant! Though it has become a part of everyday vernacular, hashtags aren’t everywhere. The following popular social media networks currently use functional hashtags: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+, Tumbler, Pinterest, YouTube & Vine. Finally, I want you to know that the Herald & Review offers a product that helps you manage all your social media accounts across one accessible, user-friendly dashboard. Don’t have time to make posts daily?...no worries, we’ll do it for you! Social Media Marketing could easily be a full-time job, but don’t make that hire. It’ll be cheaper to just call me.
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BUSINESS JOURNAL 23
MONEY
Most lacking cash to cover a $500 emergency GAIL MARKSJARVIS
of U.S. households” in 2014 showed only about half of people saving regularly in a separate account like a savings account. Most Americans don’t have the money to In December 2012, as the fear of receshandle common emergencies like a car breaksion was still fresh, the savings rate in the down or a trip to the emergency room for a U.S. climbed to 11 percent, according to the broken bone. Bureau of Economic Analysis. But it fell to In a national survey by Bankrate.com, 63 4.6 percent in August and was at 5.5 percent percent of people said they don’t have the savings to cover a $500 car repair or a $1,000 in November. Prior to the 2008 recession and medical or dental bill. Only four in 10 Ameri- housing crash, Americans felt secure, and cans would be able to rely on savings to cover the savings rate dropped to just 1.5 percent when people were dipping into their home anything beyond their usual bills. equity like a piggy bank — a practice that got That suggests most people are living paymany people into trouble when home valcheck to paycheck, with common problems like a car accident or a sick pet upsetting their ues plunged. Since the recession, people have been ability to pay. The survey found that only 23 percent thought they would be able to handle rebuilding their finances after millions lost an emergency bill by cutting other spending. homes and jobs and had credit cards and Another 15 percent said they would cope by other borrowing shut off by banks. As the pressure has eased, they’ve become more borrowing from their family. And 15 percent likely to spend. would depend on a credit card. The Federal Reserve reported in 2014 that The findings mimic others and show that only 47 percent of U.S. households surveyed most Americans are financially vulnerable. were saving for unexpected expenses. And Although consumer confidence numbers if Americans were fortunate enough to end gathered each month by the Conference up with $1,000 in extra income, almost half Board show Americans feeling good about would spend some of it. Only 17 percent said jobs after recovering from the Great Recesthey’d save the entire amount, while 20 persion, most still aren’t stashing money cent said they’d devote the entire amount to away regularly. A Federal Reserve study of the “well-being paying down debt. Tribune News Service Writer
Study: Couples don’t talk enough about finances WHIP VILLARREAL
from 43 percent in previous surveys. “We are taught as people to not bring Many couples don’t talk enough about up financial issues, so it’s certainly financial fundamentals, such as how understandable that people don’t have much they earn or their plans for retire- as much comfort talking about it,” said ment, a study found. John Sweeney, executive vice president Most of the couples in the Fidelity of retirement and investing strategies Investments study said they believed at Fidelity. that they communicate well. But 43 “But just like couples talk about other percent failed to correctly identify how intimate details about a relationship, much their significant other earns. this is one of those intimate details Some couples were off by $25,000 couples should feel confident discussing or more. with their spouse.” Nearly half of the couples said they The top pieces of advice that couples had “no idea” or were in disagreement who participated in the survey sugabout how much they would need to gested for others were to save as early as save to maintain their current lifestyle possible for retirement and to make all in retirement. financial decisions together. With regard to Social Security benThe survey was conducted in April efits, 60 percent were either unsure by research firm GfK. The 1,051 hetor didn’t know what amount they erosexual and same-sex couples who would receive. participated in the survey each had Half of the couples surveyed had household incomes of at least $75,000 disagreements on what age to retire, up or total assets of at least $100,000. Tribune News Servicwe Writer
Currently, the people most able to weather an emergency are those with incomes over $75,000 or a college education, according to the Bankrate.com survey. Yet, even with incomes over $75,000, 46 percent said they wouldn’t have the money to pay a $500 car repair. About 52 percent of people with college degrees said they wouldn’t have $500 for the car emergency or $1,000 for an emergency room visit. The issues seem to be both financial and behavioral. The St. Louis Federal Reserve
reported that the median income of the middle class was 16 percent lower in 2013 than in 1989. But studies have also shown that people who are able to save are not doing it. In a survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, most Americans said they could afford to save $20 a week, or $20 more a week, but they didn’t think it would matter. Research done by Annamaria Lusardi, a George Washington University economist, shows that only a third of Americans understand compounding. In other words, they don’t know that if they borrow money and are charged interest, paying off their debts becomes difficult as interest builds up on old charges left hanging. In a study just done with PriceWaterhouseCoopers of millennials, Lusardi found that 53 percent had carried over a balance on their credit cards without paying off charges fully. Nearly 30 percent were overdrawing on checking accounts. If they had to come up with $2,000 within a month, only half thought they could do it. While many of the millennials surveyed were confronting financial challenges such as student loan debt, Lusardi found that only 24 percent demonstrated basic financial knowledge.
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February 2016
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