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O F
M I D C E N T R A L
J U LY 2 0 1 5
I L L I N O I S
Class of 2015 Meet this year’s listing of 20 people under 40 making a difference in the community.
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July 2015
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YOUR Wednesday, July 1
Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.
Thursday, July 2
Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club. Lincolnland AMBUCS, 6:30 p.m., Independence Pointe Building, 2715 N. 27th St.
Friday, July 3
Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.
Monday, July 6
Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Restaurant, 2959 N. Oakland Ave. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club, 158 W. Prairie Ave. Women’s Progressive Club, 6 p.m., Greater Northside Baptist Church.
Tuesday, July 7
Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites by Hilton, 333 W. Marion Ave., Forsyth. Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility, 3909 W. Main St. Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club. Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club. Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.
Wednesday, July 8
Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Mount Zion Chamber of Commerce Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., The Main Hangar Restaurant. Scheduled speaker is Larry Klugman. Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.
Thursday, July 9
Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Senior Resources Network, noon, Keystone Meadows, 1455 W. Mound Road. Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club. Lincolnland AMBUCS, 6:30 p.m., Independence Pointe Building. Mount Zion Lions Club, 6:30 p.m., Lions Club Community Center. Decatur Camera Club, 7 p.m., Rock Springs Environmental Center, 3939 Nearing Lane.
Friday, July 10
Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.
CALENDAR Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.
Saturday, July 11
Decatur Frontiers Club, 10:30 a.m., Decatur Club.
Thursday, July 30
Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club.
Monday, July 13
Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Restaurant. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club. Altrusa International of Decatur, 6 p.m., location varies
Tuesday, July 14
Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites by Hilton. Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Building Construction Trades Council, 10 a.m., IBEW Local 146 Hall, 3390 N. Woodford St. Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club. Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club. Noon Sertoma, Decat ur Club.
Wednesday, July 15
Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.
Thursday, July 16
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.
Friday, July 17
Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.
Saturday, July 18
Friday, July 31
Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.
Wednesday, July 22
Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.
Thursday, July 23
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., Rock Springs Environmental Center.
Friday, July 24
Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.
Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Restaurant. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club. Women’s Progressive Club, 6 p.m., Greater Northside Baptist Church.
Tuesday, Aug. 4
Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites by Hilton. Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club. Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club. Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.
Wednesday, Aug. 5
Monday, July 27
Thursday, Aug. 6
Monday, July 20
Tuesday, July 28
Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites by Hilton. Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club. Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club.
Monday, Aug. 3
Decatur Frontiers Club, 10:30 a.m., Decatur Club.
Decatur Frontiers Club, 10:30 a.m., Decatur Club.
Tuesday, July 21
Decatur Frontiers Club, 10:30 a.m., Decatur Club.
Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.
Saturday, July 25
Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Restaurant. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club.
Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Restaurant. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club. Women’s Progressive Club, 6 p.m., Greater Northside Baptist Church.
Saturday, Aug. 1
Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites by Hilton. Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Building Construction Trades Council, 10 a.m., IBEW Local 146 Hall. Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club. Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.
Wednesday, July 29
Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.
Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club. Human Service Agency Consortium, noon, Central Christian Church, 650 W. William St. Lincolnland AMBUCS, 6:30 p.m., Independence Pointe Building.
Friday, Aug. 7
Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.
To submit items for Your Calendar, contact Scott Perry at (217) 421-7976, at sperry@herald-review.com, or click the “Submit an Event” link at www.thebusinessjournal.com
July 2015
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FROM THE EDITOR Every year, I request to be off on the Fourth of July. There’s just something awesome about watching the fireworks over Lake Decatur from a boat with family and friends and I don’t want to miss it. Holiday work in the newsroom means a late afternoon/night shift which makes watching the fireworks impossible. It’s not that big of a deal working on the other holidays because many of the activities associated with them wrap up well before it’s time for me
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BUSINESS JOURNAL OF MIDCENTRAL ILLINOIS
Volume 21
Issue 7
to clock in. I’m a bit ashamed to admit it, but most holidays don’t involve attending the parades and ceremonies held to mark the occasions. I do, however, take time to reflect on the reason for my day off. I understand the freedoms and benefits I enjoy aren’t free. There were/are people
601 E. William St. Decatur, IL 62523 217.421.7976 217.421.7965 (fax)
who took/take extraordinary steps to make the many things I take for granted possible. That point was driven home, once again, during a recent trip to Pearl Harbor and the memorial to those entombed in the sunken hull of the battleship USS Arizona. I have no personal connection with any of the 1,177 names etched on the granite wall in the memorial’s Shrine Room, but my life wouldn’t be the same without their sacrifice.
PUBLISHER: Julie Bechtel GENERAL MANAGER: Gary Sawyer EDITOR: Scott Perry ADVERTISING: AnnaMarie Hanes
Scott Perry, editor Business Journal of Midcentral Illinois
COVER PHOTO: Jim Bowling
July2015Contents Standing FEATURES Biz Bites
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16
Fred Spannaus
15
Free Time calendar 10 Health calendar
22
Liz Reyer
20
Office Coach
20
SCORE counselor
15
Wendy Gauntt
11
STORY IDEAS: Email sperry@herald-review.com or call 217.421.7976 SUBSCRIPTIONS: To order additional copies, call 217.421.7931
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Business Clips
ADVERTISING: The deadline for ad and ad copy for the August issue is July 16. Call 217.421.7953 for rate information.
Going mobile For some, camping is a means of connecting with nature. For others, it’s an escape from the norm without losing the comforts of home. It doesn’t matter which one you are, Jerry Pressley RV Center’s got you covered. Page 14
Keeping it Bee-utiful Local businesses honored for beautification efforts.
11 Tech triage Know when to outsource support services
The Business Journal of MidCentral Illinois is printed monthly and is a publication of Lee Enterprises, Inc. 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
July 2015
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YOUR
COMMUNITY
Restaurant renaissance Downtown Decatur dining options grow THERESA CHURCHILL
Business Journal Writer
DECATUR – In 1983, the year Billy Joel released his hit single “Uptown Girl” and cast himself as a downtown man unwilling to be overlooked, downtown Decatur was in decline. “Many corporate restaurants popped up in the 1970s and 80s, and people started to go to those,” Andrew Chiligiris said. “Now I feel people want to connect with Decatur and go where they know people care and want you to come back.” Chiligiris is betting on that as the owner of the newly refurbished Lincoln Square Lounge, one of downtown’s oldest eateries, and also owner of the building that will house Anna Thai, set to open this summer in the spot he renovated three years ago for another Thai restaurateur who didn’t stay. The addition will bring the number of restaurants in downtown Decatur to 18, with nearly half of them open five years or less. For the renaissance, many owners credit streetscape improvements that began in 2011 and will conclude this summer with the Franklin Street corridor. In addition to creating more apartments that feed the return to downtown, Chiligiris has not only redone the main bar area and dining room of the Lincoln, he just added an adjoining banquet/overflow room in the space Capital Comics used to lease at 127 N. Main St. The gyro plate and flaming cheese are enduring menu favorites, he said. One block over, a full six dining choices occupy the east side of Merchant Street, but the oldest is Robbies Grille, focusing on salmon and other healthy options. Owner Rodney Powell said each place fills a niche, business has never been better, and that he, like most others downtown, appreciate the freedom they and their employees have to be with their families on Sundays. Those that are open on Sunday include the Lincoln, Pastabilities Italian Grille and the Downtown Cafe. Co-owner John Ninnemann said the cafe serves up breakfast and lunch seven days a week but Saturday is better and Sunday’s best. “There must be 10 or 12 churches within four or five blocks of here and plenty of places to park,” he said. “We serve traditional American food, and people like it.” Ninnemann and his wife Barbara are looking for a buyer who will keep the
Business Journal, Lisa Morrison
Coney Mckane’s American Eatery is one of several downtown restaurants now offering outdoor dining. The restaurant, open since 2006, is in the midst of an expansion.K
Downtown Cafe going. Open since 2006, Doherty’s Pub & Pins has become such a popular place for groups to gather that John, Bob and Jeff Hawkins took out the last six bowling lanes last year to create a second banquet room. John Hawkins said customers think the roasted red pepper/smoked gouda soup is the bomb and that downtown has changed drastically since he became the
owner of Robbies 20 years ago. “I think there were only three of us down here back then,” he said. “Now the park looks nice, the lighting’s good, and you can walk from one place to another, order an appetizer at one, have dinner at another and eat dessert somewhere else if you want.” Paco Greenwell said opening Paco’s Sol Bistro in 2010, shortly before Archer Daniels Midland Co. moved
350 employees downtown and the city began streetscape improvements, got his business off to a good start but that his chicken meatloaf and Southwestern eggrolls are what keep people coming back. He said the restaurant is doing surprisingly well after adding lunch on Saturdays in exchange for giving employees two consecutive days off by closing
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
July 2015
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BUSINESS JOURNAL 5
DOWNTOWN RESTAURANT GUIDE Welcome to the lounge. Serving Decatur since 1933
Open for lunch and dinner. Come try our Famous Gyros. Business Journal, Jim Bowling
Andrew Chiligiris poses inside the future Anna Thai Restaurant. Chiligiris owns the building that houses the new business as well as the recently renovated Lincoln Square Lounge.
Continued from page 4 Monday as well as Sunday. As for what would make downtown even better, Brent Sloan of Sloan’s Calzones would like to see stores stay open later in the day, Debbie Hill of St. Nicholas Grille wants some dancing, and John Redden of Taproot had been hankering for a coffee shop. Then Dilly’s Bakery opened last month at 231 N. Main St., serving gourmet coffee in addition to satisfying a person’s sweet tooth in almost every possible way. “There’s something to be said for
taking a stroll, getting a coffee and going back to work,” Redden said. “I love it that people are coming downtown instead of driving north. We are investing in ourselves again.” Worapot “Addy” Tangmunarunkit and his wife Ratana “Anna” Darawankul, owners of My Thai in Champaign and Siam Terrace in Urbana, said they are looking forward to joining the mix of restaurants in downtown Decatur with Anna Thai. “We will have good food and great service, served with a smile,” Tangmunarunkit said.
Downtown dining options hinese Tea Garden C 105 N. Main St. Opened in 1922
Pastabilities Italian Grill
Lincoln Square Lounge
Coney McKane’s American Eatery
121 N. Main St. Opened in 1933
Robbies Grille
122 N. Merchant Opened in 1977
Jimmy John’s
154 N. Merchant St. Opened in 1996
Downtown Cafe
217 N. Main St. Opened in 1999
Bizou
259 N. Main St. Opened in 2000
134 E. Main St. Opened in 2003
104 E. Prairie Ave. Opened in 2006
Wildflour Artisan Bakery & Cafe 256 W. Main St. Opened in 2010
Taproot
170 N. Merchant St. Opened in 2013
Doherty’s Pub & Pins
St. Nicholas Grille
Subway
Racks
Paco’s Sol Bistro
Gin Mill
242 E. William St. Opened in 2006 248 N. Park St. Opened in 2009 237 N. Main St. Opened in 2010
Sloan’s Calzones
190 N. Merchant St. Opened in 2010
101 S. Main St. Opened in 2014
We Deliver! (217)422-4940 190 North Merchant Street Decatur, IL 62523
Monday-Thursday: 11:00AM - 8:00PM
Friday & Saturday: 11:00AM - 9:00PM
sloanscalzones.com
A TASTE OF
Ireland
In dOWnTOWn DeCaTUr
Daily Specials and Craft Beers Seating for 30 - 200
112 N. Merchant St. Opened in 2014 124 E. Prairie Ave. Opened in 2014
Anna Thai
353 N. Main St. Opened in 2015
Call John to book your event • www.dohertyspubandpins.com
FUll SerVICe BanQUeT FaCIlITY 242 e. WIllIaM STreeT, dOWnTOWn deCaTUr
(217) 428-5612 Or (217) 428-7601
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BUSINESS JOURNAL
July 2015
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Making a good first impression Businesses honored for keeping it clean RACHEL RODGERS
Business Journal Writer
DECATUR—For Gary Birschbach, making a good first impression is crucial for a business. The owner of three area McDonald’s locations, Birschbach said a site’s curb appeal doesn’t go unnoticed by customers. “We’ve landscaped for years, and it’s all for our customers,” he said. “It’s something that shows a sense of pride and that you care.” His commitment to a pleasant exterior in the community was recognized during an awards ceremony last month as the McDonald’s on Lucile Drive in Forsyth received first place in the large business category for the 5th annual Let’s Keep Decatur Bee-utiful beautification contest. The location also won the Lowe’s Best of Show award, a new addition to the contest this year, which is organized by the business beautification task force of the Beautify Decatur Coalition. The first-place winners in the large, medium and small business categories are pooled together, and the best of show is determined by overall “wow” factor. “You only get one chance to make a good first impression,” Birschbach said. “To receive this type of recognition from the community, it’s a thrill.” McDonald’s landscaper Jennifer Meador said customers are more likely to visit a business if they are greeted with flowers
and shaped greenery rather than with garbage scattered throughout the parking lot. “This is something that gives you pride in your job,” she said. Billingsley BP Car Wash received first place in the medium business category and St. John’s Lutheran Church ranked first in the small business division. Coffee Connection won the Speed Lube Continued Excellence award, which applies to businesses that have won in the past and continue to maintain an aesthetic atmosphere. The number of businesses participating in the contest has grown each year, beginning with about 40 in 2011 and totaling 96 this year. “Every year, the contest has grown in not only the number of participants but also in the number and value of awards we are able to offer to businesses,” contest co-founder Jill Davis said. “This contest gives business owners a reason to do a little bit extra with their beautification efforts and helps them to be energized for the spring.” In the large business category, Skeff Distributing Company, Inc. won second place and Imboden Creek Gardens won third place. Grace United Methodist Church and Dansig won second and third place, repectively, in the medium business category. The Brass Horn took second and Silhouette Salon took third in the small business category. Accepting the award for St. John’s, which also served as the host location for the ceremony, was Joan Wyant, one of about a dozen volunteer garden caretakers at the church. She said the award gives gratification to the volunteers and encourages them to continue their beautification efforts. “It’s a great feeling to know we helped make this place beautiful,” she said.
Farm Progress expanding Decatur site CHRIS LUSVARDI
Business Journal Writer
ECATUR — Visitors to the Farm ProgD ress Show will have more ground to cover after the most significant expansion of Progress City since the site was built a decade ago is completed. Farm Progress Show officials said last month that three new streets will be added to the southwest side of the event site, pushing it closer to the main buildings on the Richland Community College campus. The expansion comes in an attempt to meet exhibitor demand to be at the show, which is scheduled for Sept. 1-3 and has become the nation’s largest outdoor ag event. “The new area will hold everyone on
the exisiting exhibitor wait list with room to spare,” show manager Matt Jungmann said. The new phase will add 96 booths, 118 regular lots and 16 junior lots. The addition will allow for a second varied industires tent to be added, Jungmann said. Penton, the Farm Progress Show’s parent company, plans on funding the $1 million project. Progress City was built in 2005 with 10 east-west streets and 3 north-south roads, as Decatur became one of the event’s permanent rotating hosts. At the time, officials thought the site had plenty of room to expand within the 80 acres of fenced area.
Business Journal, Scott Perry
Colorful flowers adorn the area around the drive-through menu at the Forsyth McDonald’s. The beautification efforts earned the restaurant the best in its class and best all-around honors in the Let’s Keep Decatur Bee-utiful beautification contest.
July 2015
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BUSINESS Now open
The chance to hunt deer may be a few months away, but it’s open season at Racks, a downtown Decatur country bar that just upgraded to a bar and grill. Owner Gregg Meisenhelter added food to the menu last month after officially changing the establishment’s name from Katz on Merchant at the start of hunting season last year on Oct. 1. “He’s been wanting to open a place like this,” said Jennifer Gillum, the grill’s manager. “He’s a big hunter himself.” Featuring head mounts on the wall and racks of ribs on the menu, the establishment carries the new theme out even in the music played, which is country, of course. Racks is located at 112 N. Merchant St., is closed Sunday and Monday and opens 11 a.m. all the other days of the week, closing at 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and staying open until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. For more, find the business on Facebook or call (217) 330-7802. nnn All Around The House Resale & Consignment has opened at 3745 N. Woodford St., specializing in re-purposed furniture and other household goods. Store manager Krystle Belmontes said she and her mother and grandmother, coowners Lisa Elmore and her mom Sandy Hott, are all “handy in the crafts,” with Belmontes and Elmore refinishing furniture and Hott more into sewing. All three live in Decatur. Donations are accepted (no clothing please), and sellers receive the full sale price after paying a 25 percent consignor fee upfront. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more, find the business on Facebook or call (217) 706-5568. nnn Diners in Decatur have a new option to try authentic Thai cuisine. Thai Thani opened at 4280 N. Prospect Drive on the city’s north end. The owner of the restaurant is Micke Keodara, who has been the owner of Golden Wok, a Thai and Chinese restaurant in Champaign.
Keodara wanted to open Thai Thani to offer authentic Thai cuisine options at a reasonable price in Decatur. Signature dishes include Pad Thai and Curry. Delivery will be offered to the surrounding Decatur area. Hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, noon to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and noon to 8:30 p.m. Sunday. Call (217) 877-7880. nnn Lori Hoback found just the place she wanted to open a beauty salon on the edge of downtown Decatur. She said the location for Silhouette Salon at 239 S. Main St. gets foot traffic from downtown but is somewhat quieter with convenient parking. “We still have the downtown feel,” Hoback said. “I wanted a storefront rather than be up on a third floor somewhere.” The space in an older building was remodeled from floor to ceiling. “It has an old Decatur feel,” she said. Hoback, along with stylists Dara Johnston and Alyssa Merritt, have been able to bring many of their clients from previous work along with them. The salon offers hair services including coloring and highlights, as well as waxing, Hoback said. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and by appointment Saturday. The salon is closed Friday and Sunday. Call (217) 358-8907. nnn Cheryl Schultz has started to turn around the fate of an old building in downtown Shelbyville by adding new businesses to it. Craig’s Sporting Goods and Family Fun Center, 105 E. Main St., features hunting and fishing gear, a space to play laser tag and a barbershop. The sporting goods store is affiliated with Bass Pro Shops and will be able to sell merchandise from the larger retailer, Schultz said. The business is named after Schultz’s father, who enjoyed fishing, and is run with the help of family members. Store hours are 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The family fun center features laser tag, a batting cage and a Wild West play area for
BUSINESS JOURNAL 7
BITES
small children. Wooden forts will soon be built to provide an addition to the laser tag area, Schultz said. The Family Fun Center is open by reservation Tuesday evenings, 5 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. For the sporting goods store and family fun center, call (217) 296-2130. Barbers Denise Johnson and Josh O’Laughlin provide haircuts and services such as hot lather razor shaves in the barbershop. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Call (217) 296-2146. nnn A newly-opened farm store near Assumption offers a fresh pick of locally-grown and produced vegetables and meat. The Cypress Grove Farm Store at 1414 N. 2400 East Road northwest of Assumption will sell different products throughout the growing season. The store is part of a community supported agriculture operation run by Andrea Corzine on August Creek Farm, said her father, Phil Corzine. The store will have locally-produced beef, pork and lamb, which can be healthier options than traditional choices, Corzine said. They can share information about exactly where the food is coming from, he said. “We have access to the whole production line,” Corzine said, adding they offer items “that you can’t get from larger retail stores.” Some of the produce will be sold at farmers markets in the area, including one in Mount Zion on Thursday afternoons. Updates are posted on the August Creek Farm Facebook page. Store hours are 2-6 p.m. WednesdayFriday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Call (217) 820-1414. nnn Dilly’s Bakery is open in downtown Decatur, and it’s already more than a bakery. Owners Karen and Matt Yepsen are also serving up gourmet coffee and specialty juices and sodas with an eye to eventually adding lunch items and expanding their hours. Right now they’re open from 10 a.m. to
4 p.m. in the former location of Mowry Baking Co. at 231 N. Main St. “We’re busy,” Karen Yepsen said. “We hope to provide customers with a new and diverse bakery experience.” The menu features on-the-go goodies like muffins, croissants, cinnamon rolls, scones, biscotti, fruit parfaits, cupcakes, cheesecake and cookies. Cakes, struedel and pie are also available by special order. For more, find the business on Facebook or call (217) 791-6128.
On the move
1st Mid-America Credit Union has moved its Decatur location from North Monroe Street into the former Busey Bank branch at 202 E. Ash Ave. Based in Bethalto, the credit union has nine locations in Illinois, most of which are in the Alton area. Hours begin at 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday with the lobby closing at 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6 p.m. Friday and the driveup at 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Both close at noon Saturday. For more, visit www.1stmidamerica.org.
New owner
The NAPA Auto Parts retailer in Assumption is now owned by Koehl Enterprises. Fairbury-based Koehl Enterprises’ usual line of work is building grain bins, tower dryers and related structures for companies like Archer Daniels Midland Co. and Cargill Inc. But general manager Jeff Fjelstul says the company has been looking to expand into auto parts and the Assumption NAPA operation was a perfect fit as it caters to many farm customers. “This was another way to take care of our customers,” Fjelstul said. “So we have the same customers who now buy NAPA stuff from us on the grain side also.” Coming this fall is a new building to replace the existing one at 302 South U.S. 51. NAPA Auto Parts in Asssumption is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, and has now added 7 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Call (217) 226-3243.
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BUSINESS JOURNAL
July 2015
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Attracting young professionals a community priority Quality of life issues key to success CHRIS LUSVARDI
Business Journal Writer
DECATUR – Faced with a shrinking population, leaders of the Grow Decatur initiative want to find ways to make Decatur a more attractive place to live and work. In an effort to make that happen, recruiting is a potential new focus area for the group following a series of meetings in May and June. Recruiting encompasses many of the other issues the group is focused on, said Bruce Nims, a Grow Decatur co-founder. “We want more people to come in,” Nims said. “This is where it all comes together. It’s the beginning of the solution.” Helping those moving into the community make connections is important, especially for those in the 20 to 40 age group, Nims said. They’re the ones making decisions about where to live and work, he said. “They’re the future of any community,” Nims said. “We want the good talent that is available to be here.” The meetings focused on issues
ranging from economic development to education, poverty and housing in the city, all with the idea of making Decatur a vibrant and attractive community. “We’re trying to juggle all those balls at the same time,” Nims said. “Everything overlaps. We can’t work on any one area individually.” Housing is of particular interest for young professionals who want more choices in desirable areas of the city. Nicole Bateman, community marketing manager, said there is a need for an apartment complex for young professional near the lakefront or downtown areas. “There aren’t a lot of apartments in the area that are in a complex type situation,” Bateman said. “Young professionals moving to town often don’t know others, so it’s a nice place for them to go, so they’ll meet their neighbors, they’ll meet other people that live in town.” Bateman is in charge of a marketing campaign launched in May to raise awareness about what is happening in Decatur. Ambassadors, who can be anyone in the community, are the ones who can make a difference in shaping the perception of Decatur, she said. Tim Dudley, a Macon County board member, said Decatur has a lot to offer
and that’s the information that needs to be presented to those with an interest in moving to the area. “We could push what we do have,” Dudley said. Part of making Decatur vibrant and attractive is having entertainment options such as music and places to eat out. Promoting venues such as the Lincoln Theater in downtown is important, said Jerry Johnson, Decatur Area Arts Council executive director. “We’re trying to help boost that,” Johnson said. Cleaning up areas of the city is important, and a number of enhancement efforts are under way, said Ellen Hearn, a Grow Decatur leader. “Driving down the corridors, you don’t necessarily get a positive image,” Hearn said. No one cookie cutter approach exists as to how to get Decatur to where it needs to be, said Larry Altenbaumer, a Grow Decatur co-founder. A large number of people want to transform Decatur into a more robust community, Altenbaumer said. “We’ve got to find a way to accelerate the success,” Altenbaumer said. Opportunities are available within the community, said Ryan McCrady, Economic
Development Corporation of Decatur and Macon County president. Part of what needs to happen is reinventing the perception of manufacturing, McCrady said. “It’s about innovation,” McCrady said. “It’s not being done in dusty factories.” An area of discussion during the workforce development meeting was how to increase individuals’ skill levels so they can work and reside in Decatur. “We’ve been noticing a gap between the skills job seekers have and what skills employers need,” said Robyn McCoy, executive director of Workforce Investment Solutions. More people appear to want to be part of the solution than when Grow Decatur held similar meetings three years ago, Nims said. “They came here to be involved,” Nims said. “They see that things are getting better. We can make new things happen and do things to make the community better.” Nims said information from the meetings will be analyzed and the group will prioritize areas of focus and bring members of other businesses and organizations together to work on the efforts. Allison Petty and Rachel Rodgers contributed to this report.
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July 2015
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Home Security Systems Q
Social Media Marketing – Where do I start?!
Is Home Security expensive and do I have to sign a lengthy contract?
Q
I need Social Media Marketing, but where do I start?
A
Well, the answer largely depends on your industry. For example, for a restaurant, a great place to brag about your daily special is with photos on Facebook and Instagram. Same goes for a Florist or Salon…think “VISUAL.” However, if your business is less visual, a social site such as LinkedIn might be best. These offer a venue to post blogs, tips and articles helping to demonstrate your expertise. There are numerous other sites that consumers use to learn more about businesses. These include but aren’t limited to: Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and FourSquare. All offer great opportunities to give your business a digital presence. When choosing, you should consider your audience and attempt to match the social media site accordingly. For example, if you are a craft shop that specializes in Do-It-Yourself projects, chances are your customer base is largely female. Pinterest would be a great match as its audience is 68% female. Pinterest offers ways to demonstrate your products and expertise. Let’s talk YouTube, which has become the 2nd most used search engine behind Google. YouTube audience views over 6 billion hours of video and processes over 3 billion searches monthly.* If you aren’t on YouTube in some way, a Channel, Banner Ads, Pre-roll…you’re missing a HUGE audience. Finally, while there are a number of apps that can help you manage your social media presence, such as Hootsuite™, I’m sure you’ll be surprised to know…(wait for it)…that here at the Herald & Review, we assist our customers with social media EVERY day. The difference we offer is a personal, local touch. Call me today, I can’t wait to meet with you and get things rolling online!
A At Sheepdog Security we do a survey of your property based off crimes in your area, design of your home, landscaping and your patterns. Many homes can improve their security without an alarm system. Sheepdog Security works around
Call David Pruitt 519-0411 Or Charley Hendricks 519-0852
your budget. If you decide an alarm is right for you, Sheepdog Security offers reasonably priced alarms that you can buy or rent. The systems are wireless so they can be moved if you relocate. We also offer rental alarms for landlords, apartments
Cayla Hittmeier
Digital Sales Specialist Herald & Review
or college kids. There are different levels of monitoring available and the right one can be determined by you. There
www.sheepdogsecurity.org dprui@comcast.net
are no contracts. We have over 35 years of Law Enforcement experience. Give us a call 519-0411 or 519-0852
Account Representative
655 W Pershing Rd Decatur, IL 62526 (217) 872-7400
decaturil.expresspros.com
Owners Lee Best Brian Lockwood
601 E. WILLIAM ST. DECATUR, IL 62523 217.421.6994
*mushroomnetworks.com
Employment Services
Heather Sawyer
BUSINESS JOURNAL 9
Q
Is the employee you hired totally different from their resume or the candidate you interviewed?
A
Resumes are polished to make the best impression. What’s on paper may not prove-out out in practice. Interviews are more research than real world. Unless you’re a skilled examiner, data collected is only a sampling of the whole person. Employment is like marriage, you really don’t know the other person until you live . . . or work with them. For hourly positions, we encourage clients to take advantage of our evaluation hire placement process. It’s like an extended interview. For a preplanned period, the associate remains on our payroll while the client evaluates his/her performance, reliability and fit within their organization. Most cases result in hiring. When it doesn’t, we find our associate another opportunity. Why gamble on hiring that next employee when you can make an informed decision. Express is experienced in screening applicants.We are also confident in the candidates we present to our clients. However, there is an implied contract with hiring. Let us assume the risk of employment while you take time to evaluate our associate on-the-job before you hire!
ExpErt FiEld?
ArE you An in your wAnt to hEAr Then wE From you.
Call 421-7953
to find out how to become a part of
“Ask the ProfessionAl”.
10
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YOUR The Arts
Anne Lloyd Gallery: International arts experience featuring works from Chile and Argentina. The celebration continues with more regional hands-on crafts and music from 5-7:30 p.m. Friday, July 10. Call (217) 423-3189. www.decaturarts.org Gallery 510: Photographs by Jim Hill. Opening reception from 5-7:30 p.m. Friday, July 10. Call (217) 422-1509. Blue Connection: Paintings and drawings by artist-in-residence Kat Scarim. Opening reception from 5-7:30 p.m. Friday, July 10. Decatur Airport: Oil paintings and charcoal drawings by Nicole Christison. Decatur Public Library: Watercolor paintings by Jessica Disbrow.
Watch or play
BANQUET
Rodney T. Miller Lakeside Triathlon, Sunday, July 12, Nelson Park. Athletes gather to swim, bike, run and remember Rodney T. Miller, a state police officer killed in the line of duty. The kids race will be held Saturday, July 11. www.decaturtriathlon.com Gus Macker 3-on-3 basketball tournament, July 18 and 19 at the SkyWalker International Sports Complex. For more information or to register, go to www.macker.com. USTA/Ursula Beck Pro Tennis Classic, Aug. 3-9, Fairview Park Tennis Classic. Players from around the world converge on Decatur to compete. www.ursulabecktennis.com
FREE
TIME
Calendar of events
For a complete list of events, go to www.herald-review.com/go/ Macon Speedway. Dirt track racing at its very best every Saturday night. Special events include the Herald & Review 100, July 9. www.maconracing.com
Music
Decatur Municipal Band: Weekly concerts during featuring contemporary and traditional music Sundays from 6-7 p.m. in the Fairview Park Large Pavilion and Mondays from 7-9 p.m. in Central Park. Chill on the Hill in Fletcher Park, Mount Zion: Thursday, July 2, Imagine That Band; July 9, Eric Burgett; July 16, Plan B; July 23, Third Shift; and July 30, Chris Cavanaugh. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. Band plays from 7-10 p.m. For more information, go to www.mtzconventioncenter.com or call (217) 864-5424. Blues in Central Park: Thursday, July 16, Markey Blue; and Aug. 20, Southern Hospitality. Vendors open at 6 p.m. Band plays from 7-10 p.m. Shake the Lake Concert Series in Nelson Park, July 4 and 24. Go to www.decaturparks.org for band list and details. Season of Celebration Concert Series in
GUIDE
Central Park: July 10, Matt Carter Band; and July 31, The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band. Includes festival foods and games. www.decaturcelebration.com Decatur Celebration Kick Off Concert featuring Home Free, a country a cappella band and champions of NBC’s The Sing-Off, and LoCash Cowboys, 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, at the Decatur Civic Center Arena. For tickets information, go to www.decaturciviccenter.org.
On Stage
Best of Summer Stock: Musical theater performance by area students at the Decatur Civic Center. B.O.S.S. Jr. participants (grades 1-4) will present “Dinosaurs Before Dark” at 7 p.m. Friday, July 31, and 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1. B.O.S.S. Sr. participants (grades 5-9) will perform “Legally Blonde Jr.” at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2.
Charity events
Relay for Life Macon County, Friday, July 17, Richland Community College. An
Featured Business:
overnight event to celebrate cancer survivors and to raise money for research and programs of the American Cancer Society. www.relayforlife.org/maconil The Big Obstacle 3k, to benefit Decatur Park District youth sports and the United Way of Decatur and Mid-Illinois, on Saturday, July 25. Fairview Park will be transformed into a 1.8 mile maze of climbing walls, tube tunnels, strength/endurance challenges and inflatable obstacles. Call (217) 422-8537.
For the kids
Children’s Museum of Illinois is host to a variety of activities throughout the summer, including Music at the Museum, Family Science Sunday, summer camps. For information, go to www.cmofil.org or call (217) 423-5437. Scovill Zoo: Ice Cream Safari, 1-4 p.m. Sunday, July 19. Find all the ice cream stations hidden around the zoo. www.scovillzoo.com Call 421-7435.
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.
DECATUR CiviC CEnTER
#1 Gary K Anderson Plaza, Decatur Contact: Shelly Gregg
Accommodates: 2 to 3,000 People Assistance with catering, cash bar, & Dj Service available
DECATUR CLUB Accommodates: 300 people Banquets & weddings
DOHERTY’S PUB & PINS Accommodates: up to 80 seating - 150 capacity
422-7300 158 W. Prairie Ave., Decatur Contact: Jeff Ingle 429-4200 242 E. William St., Decatur Contact: 428-5612
Full food & beverage service available
HICKORY POINT BANQUET FACILITY Accommodates: 225 w/additional seating on veranda
727 Weaver Rd., Decatur Contact: Tina McCarnen 421-6657
Award-winning cuisine
MT. ZION CONvENTION CENTER Accommodates: 1,100 people
MT. ZION LIONS CENTER Accommodates: up to 300 people Choose your own caterer, bring your own food Ask about our “value-added service”
SCOvILL BANQUET FACILITY Accommodates: up to 225 people Award-winning cuisine
1410 Mt. Zion Pkwy, Mt. Zion Contact: 864-5424 1595 W. Main St., Mt. Zion Contact: Sharon Spinner 864-3100 mtzionlionsclub.com 3909 W. Main St., Decatur Contact: Kevin Brewer 421-7470
July 2015
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TECH
BUSINESS JOURNAL 11
TALK
Selecting the right office technology support When it comes to technology, it’s hard to do it all yourself. However, it can be expensive to outsource everything, and sometimes vendors just don’t know enough about your company to do what you need. What are the best tech tasks to hand off?
Computer support Help desk services are easy to outsource, although not all Technology help desk providers are willing to support software applications outside of Microsoft Office. They will do a fine job with Windows issues like printing, virus removal, Internet browser issues, Word and Excel questions, and other general errors. If most of your software applications are web-based, this may be more than enough to meet your routine support needs. If you run critical software applications in-house, or specialized software like AutoCAD, you may need a company that can provide more customized support. You’ll have to interview providers carefully to determine which ones are willing to invest time in learning and documenting the software you run, so that they can answer whatever questions arise. Alternatively, you may have separate support contracts with each software vendor. In that case, your staff calls the help desk vendor for general questions, and they call the software vendor for issues specific to the software. Occasionally it will be unclear where the issue lies, so your team may need assistance managing the vendors to ensure their problems are resolved. You’ll also need onsite support to address computer hardware issues. This can often be done in-house by someone with a moderate level of technology expertise. However it is also quite easy to outsource this to someone who is an expert. It’s just a matter of determining which is the better fit and value for your needs.
Wendy Gauntt
Network, server support
While PC support is often fairly straightforward, network and server management require greater skill and more experience. These activities should be outsourced. What many companies do is hire a tech company that can manage the infrastructure that they already have in place, both remotely and onsite. They also typically handle network security, which includes PC level applications like antivirus and anti-malware. Be sure to consider outsourced
alternatives like colocation and cloud hosting. Colocation means that your servers are housed in a data center instead of your office, and your office is networked directly to them. Typically you own the hardware in a colocation scenario. Cloud hosting costs more than colocation, but you don’t need to buy any hardware. You simply “rent” server processing power. Again, your office is networked directly to the cloud servers that you set up. Keep in mind that with both these options, you’ll still need some assistance in your office with network setup.
Business application software
You will almost always turn to a third party when it comes to business software. There is rarely a case where it is cost effective to write software yourself. Take care to choose a good vendor, because it can be extremely difficult to change software providers once you’ve gotten set up. Make sure the company is financially stable, has a strong support team, releases regular updates, and, of course, has software that closely fits your business needs. Once you’ve started using a software package, you need someone who knows exactly how it is set up for your company: the options that have been selected, reports that are available, business processes it supports, etc. That person will typically handle new user setups, security, process changes, report updates and training. The role can be filled by a consultant, but this person must know your business well. For that reason, you may prefer to keep this role internal to your company. Just make sure you have someone tech-savvy in charge, and send them to plenty of training so that they have the knowledge and skills they need to handle this role effectively.
Websites
There are thousands of do-it-yourself websites available, but doing it yourself isn’t always the best choice. Many business owners “don’t know what they don’t know” and end up with unprofessional and ineffective websites in an effort to save money. A good quality website created by a professional design firm will ensure that your company is well represented online. Once your website is built, there is ongoing work to keep it fresh and upto-date. Ask your web design company to provide “content management” features so that you can make these basic updates yourself. If social media is part of your online marketing strategy, take a close look at whether it should be outsourced or kept internal. Either can work. The key here is that social media requires constant attention and frequent updates to be effective.
Security, regulatory compliance
Any business subject to regulatory compliance requirements (HIPAA, SOX,
PCI, FISMA, etc.) should engage outside consultants to test their security on a regular basis. Specialized security firms can run security audits and penetration tests. They will be up-to-date on the latest requirements and can help protect your company from liability.
Making final decisions
In a nutshell, you want to hand off the activities where advanced technical knowledge is required, and/or where
services are so standard that there’s not much business-specific knowledge needed. Use employees when in-depth knowledge of your business really makes a big difference. Plan to train your vendors on your business-specific needs; plan to train your team on the technology tools they will use. Whichever way you go, focus on clearly communicating your needs so that you get the best possible IT experience.
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LAND OPPORTUNITIES
• 3/4 ac. Commercial lot on 121 & E North St, Warrensburg • 2.4 ac on MLK (next to Flooring America) Ready for Development • 20 ac on Christmas Tree Rd. $12K per acre • 3.26 & 3.79 ac. Lots off N. Brush College Rd • .72 ac- Lot#4 Casa Commercial Park, Mt Zion $150,000 • Hickory Point Mall outlots, 1-16 acres available • 42+ ac at 21 & 72 Interchange, $850,000 • Inland Port Industrial Park - Build to Suit, up to 58 acres
1900 E Eldorado
This is a fantastic office building with great traffic & visibility. 5000 Sq Ft finished up & down. Reduced to $385,000
469 W. Wood
Former Dentist Office Close to Downtown Purchase with or without equipment
2980 N Main
1200 & 1500 SF offices available Could be leased as one unit Good traffic count & visibility
Park 101 Industrial Park Bldg #1 Office & warehouse spaces 1800- 14,000 SF Available Close to ADM, CAT, I-72 & the Midwest Inland Port
1495 W Main St., Mt Zion Car Wash For Sale
1255 N Main St.
Curry Saw Mill, Rt. 48 Boody Selling the land & buildings (NOT business) REDUCED to $49,500
Wildwood Center, Mt. Zion
Plus 2 great tenants Call for details!
Great Corner Lot Lots of traffic and visibility ONLY $99,000
JUST LISTED! 110 Wildwood Dr. Multi-Tenant building. 95% full. New metal roof & new parking lot soon 1.74 acres & high visibility
Former Union Iron Facility
South Shores Retail Space
225-237 S. Main - Downtown Office Building
601 S 27th Street 5 bldgs w/60,000 S.F. 8.63 Acres Fenced
End cap available Call for details
For Lease. Convenient location west of Court House. Call for more info.
190 N Merchant St
This one of a kind building offers small offices spaces for Lease on the 3rd Floor (elevator) Call for details.
2728 N. Main
4000 Sq. Ft. Space For Lease “Only $1600 mth” Shop & Retail or Office Great visibility- high traffic counts
225 S. Main St. - Suite 200• Decatur, iL 62523
2003 N 22nd St
Steel Building with 22’ clear span. (Approx 19,000 Sq Ft.) For Lease or Purchase.
217-450-8500
July 2015
www.thebusiness-journal.com
Tim Vieweg
Managing Broker
Hank Norris
Inland Port Industrial Park
Kirt Holder
140 S Water St
Jack Blickensderfer
Park 101 Industrial Park
Kelli Kerr
Pre-leasing for 2015 100,000 - 500,000 Square Feet Close to ADM, CAT, US 72 & Midwest Inland Port
Quiet back Office Space for Lease. Up to 5,000 Sq Ft Available
Bldg #8 - 3,600 SF of Office available now! Bldg #3 - office/warehouse space available 2,700 SF-office & shop with dock 3,600 SF-all office
Forsyth Office/Retail Space.
200 Lewis Park Dr, Mt. Zion
Former Ace Hardware Building
1,150-4,500 Sq Ft Available Pre-leasing now!
849 S Rt 51, Forsyth (Former Eyemart) 1500-3000 sq ft for LEASE.
2350 Mt. Zion Rd
Bldg for Sale// NOT Business Great Visibility Good Traffic Counts Call for more info!
Office, Showroom & Warehouse 25,605 SF on. 3.71 acre site.
Former Hostess Bakery FOR SALE OR LEASE 40,000+ S.F. 9 dock door & trailer parking
3180 N. Woodford Ave. Suites for Lease 500-1,200 Square Feet Just Listed!
200 Spitler Park Plaza Dr, Mt Zion Asking price $975,000/ $8.00 sq ft. 12,900 square feet on 3.99 acres
1520-1530 McBride Ave
BUSINESS JOURNAL 13
Stacey Wenskunas
1070 W Southside Dr.
Professional Building with One Unit Available. 1050 sq ft. Available
Former Jewelry Store in Moweaqua Unique Modified "A" Frame with large apartment up and retail on main floor. +2 car detached garage.
1335 N 21st St.
For Lease Secure Warehouse Space Fenced 1500 & 3000 S.F. Available
5,000 SF Warehouse w/ Office Space 2-12x14 O.H. Doors. Asphalt parking for 8
University Plaza
Duplex Warehouse
2 Units Available for Lease Close to Milikin University CALL for DETAILS
FOR ALL OF YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS!
1122 N 21st & 1125 N 22nd 6,400 SF total w Drive-in Doors
14
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July 2015
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YOUR
BUSINESS
Hit the road without leaving ‘home’ RVs available to meet all needs, taste CHRIS LUSVARDI
Business Journal Writer
DECATUR – Customers have numerous choices to find what they’re looking for at the Jerry Pressley RV Center in Decatur. Shopping for an RV can be like searching for a home, said Sarah Pumphrey, the center’s finanace manager. The ammenities in many of the trailers on the lot at Pressley’s provide the feel of a typical house, only with the ability to take it anywhere they want to go and perhaps find a permanent living spot. “A lot of people are living in them,” Pumphrey said. “Most aren’t going to spend $50,000 to go camping six times a year. Some of them live in luxury.” The trailers have different options for bedrooms, types of bathrooms, kitchen and living space. Some of the kitchens come fully-equipped with full refrigiators and center island countertops. The RV’s provide the ability to take whatever its occupants need with them wherever they go, Pumphrey said. Some want something they can use when camping with their families on the weekends, whiles others are looking for a place to live in retirement, she said “It’s nice when you get somewhere and have your own dishes, and not worry about going out to eat,” Pumphrey said. Some models have the ability to work as a living space or convert with space to haul motorcycles, golf carts and four-wheelers. That eliminates the need to take multiple trailers or vehicles, she said. “These are good for that,” Pumphrey said. “You can haul all your stuff.” In addition to the new and used trailers for sale at the center located at 1565 N. 22nd St., Pressley operates a service and parts store across the street. Some maintainence can keep the RV’s running smoothly. She recommends getting the trailers ready for the winter to avoid pipes freezing or the roof leaking. Other maintainence can be performed on appliances, just like in a home, or on the outside parts such as siding, Pumphrey said.
Financial manager Sarah Pumphrey shows the inside of a high-end fifth wheel trailer at Jerry Pressley RV Center.
Business Journal photos, Jim Bowling
MORE INFO
The Jerry Pressley RV Center is located at 1565 N. 22nd St. in Decatur. It is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Call (217) 423-5588.
Bumper pool travel trailers are often used for weekend trips and vacations.
Some customers prefer do their own repairs and need the parts, which Pressley sells. Customers come from around Illinois and surrounding states,
Pumphrey said. The trade-in value for a trailer is usually good, Pumphrey said. “Trailers don’t lose value like a car,” Pumphrey said.
Having projects in the area such as the Enbridge pipeline project can provide a boost for sales as workers look for places to live that can move from site to
site, Pumphrey said. Eventually, Pumphrey said the plan is to move more of the center to Boyd Road, where some trailers already are stored. The plan would be to then establish a concession corner on 22nd Street where different types of food vendors are set up. The idea has already started with a concession trailer opening over the Memorial Day weekend that sells ice cream products and bottled water, Pumphrey said. Customers can enjoy the treats while taking a look around the site, and picnic tables are set up for anyone to sit down and eat an ice cream. Hours for the ice cream stand are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. MondaySaturday.
July 2015
www.thebusiness-journal.com
BUSINESS JOURNAL 15
Getting the most out of exit interviews Does your organization interview employees who leave? If not, it is missing a valuable source of inside information. Nothing compares with exit interviews for their depictions of the culture and their descriptions of why people stay, and why people leave. Individuals love to give advice. And who better to give advice Human Resources than one who has worked there? Today, we look at three components of exit interviewing: the interviewer, confidentiality and timing. First, consider the interviewer. Departing employees will not give candid responses to a direct supervisor. It can be difficult to
Fred Spannaus
speak frankly to the boss, even a former boss. And what if the boss is the reason for the departure? To encourage forthright responses, smart firms use a neutral party to conduct the interviews – an HR professional or an outside consultant. The quality of the interview improves with the distance between the interviewer and the job of the worker. Experienced interviewers produce better results. A good interviewer elicits useful feedback. A great interviewer asks highquality, non-judgmental questions and drills down through the answers. Next, let’s look at confidentiality. Confidentiality should be guaranteed. Almost. There are times when confidentiality must be broken. Consider these: A departing employee reveals dangerous procedures that endanger workers. Another tells of sexual harassment by a supervisor. A retiree reveals that a fellow employee is stealing from the company. In each of these cases (and in many others that you can imagine with unnerving
ASK THE SCORE COUNSELOR : Is there a difference between being a Q good leader and a good manager? A: Among the many benefits of small business ownership is the opportunity to do things “the right way” when it comes to employees and customers. Once in charge, however, many small business owners find that leading, managing and motivating others involved with the business isn’t as easy as it sounds. One reason is widespread confusion about the difference between “managing” and “leading.” Leadership experts say they are two very different roles, even though most small business owners consider them the same. Managing implies structure, control, rules, deadlines and efficiency, says Ken Blanchard, best-selling author of “The One Minute Manager.” But according to Blanchard, leadership is nearly the opposite of management. Leading requires actions that are more experimental, unstructured, visionary, flexible and passionate. Managers and leaders think and behave differently. Blanchard and his partner, Drea Zigarmi, spent seven years studying how business leaders exert influence and how their values, beliefs and personalities contribute to their success, or failure. Through it all, one finding was clear: A one-size-fits-all style of leadership doesn’t exist. Owning a business automatically puts you in a position of leadership. Your goal is to engage employees, partners, vendors, investors, independent contractors or other participants in your venture in a course of action that helps achieve a mutually shared vision. But being in a
leadership position doesn’t necessarily make you a leader. Many entrepreneurs turn to management techniques to enlist the minds and muscles of the people they lead, but fail to capture an equally important component — their hearts. If you merely work to focus activities of followers and fail to engage them in a purpose, you won’t likely be seen as a good leader. “The first step to becoming a better leader is to study yourself and get honest, unfiltered feedback about how you are doing from the people you lead,” Blanchard said. “You cannot effectively lead if you do not know your own values.” Learning when and how to provide direction (defining roles, setting goals and priorities, scheduling and evaluating results), and support (seeking input, listening, offering praise and encouragement, sharing information, explaining decisions and helping others solve problems) is an ongoing process for even veteran small business owners. Employees, vendors and customers all change. You need to make your leadership skills flexible as well. —Bethany Wetherholt
Meet a SCORE counselor
Vissering
Dick Vissering is retired from First National Bank of Decatur, where he worked in farm management. His specialties are agriculture and real estate. He has been a SCORE member for nine years.
ease), management should break confidentiality to protect other people or the company. Management must decide what level of confidentiality it is able to afford. It must communicate it to the departing employee before the interview begins. Finally, let’s think about timing. Time is an ally of honesty. Surprisingly, some of the best interviews take place several month after the person has left. Responses are franker, and the work experience has been put into clearer perspective. As the employment relationship fades into the past and departure emotions lessen, the ex-worker gains objectivity and courage. In fact, some experts say that the perfect time for an exit interview is six months after departure. The trade-offs are pretty huge, however. By waiting half a year, the organization makes costly sacrifices. The information loses immediacy. By the time management gets the feedback, it may be too late to fix
the problem. The information may lose accuracy. While time may promote objectivity, it also can obscure important facts and details. As time passes, ex-employees are harder to locate. And even when they are found, they may not have the time or inclination for an in-depth interview. It takes real courage for an employer to conduct exit interviews. There are risks. The interviews might reveal weaknesses in the management structure or uncover resentment in the ranks. They might expose poor supervision or unsafe practices. They might shine a light on any number of unpleasant issues. The risks are worth it. You can’t fix it if you don’t know it’s broken. 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.
BUSINESS JOURNAL
Reader Profile: n 89% are college educated. n 28% are ages 45 to 54.
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July 2015
BUSINESS
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Josh Chamblin has joined Investment Planners, Inc. as the director of administration. William D. (Bill) Vanness has been appointed chief Collins Dehority Haake Hendrix Hudson Jackson executive officer of Deca- Chamblin tur Foundry, Inc. Nail technician Cheryl Collins, stylist Lindsey Haake and nail technician/stylist Stephanie Hudson have joined Jerry Logan Salon. Adam Griffin has joined Johnson Leftwich LewisPowell Shallenberger Sloan Weiss Northgate Barber Shop. Beasley Tom Klebe has been hired as region manager for the Central Area Food and Beverage Divi- managing director. Steve Jackson has been selected as the sion of Pall Corporation. Illinois Department of Transportation’s Hickory Point Bank has announced the Central Office Employee of the Yearpromotion of Iris Lewis-Beasley to assistant vice president and trust administration offi- Springfield. Promotions cer, Daniel Weiss to assistant vice president, Doug Dehority has been promoted to vice president and chief lending officer at Land e-commerce, and Lora Sloan to retail banking Announcements of Lincoln Credit Union. officer and branch manager for the bank’s Michael A. Havera has retired as execuMount Zion Road and ADM branches. tive director at Kemmerer Village. Kim Leftwich has been named president/ CEO of Coles-Moultrie Electric CooperaKate Flemming has been promoted to tive. executive director of the Children’s Museum Business Clips are abbreviated versions of paid Business Achievements which appear on Mondays of Illinois. Josh M. Shallenberger has been promoted in the Herald & Review. For more information about to president/CEO of Shelby Electric CoopBusiness Achievements, go to www.thebusinesserative. Achievements BKD LLP has promoted Wesley JohnRyan Hendrix of Mutual of Omaha has been journal.com and click on the Submit a Business Achievement link. named Agent of the Year for 2014. son to manager and Heather Powell to
Millennials want more flexibility in schedule, survey says SAMANTHA MASUNAGA
Tribune News Service Writer
Some days Jay Greenlinger bounces from his children’s plays and baseball games to work and back again. The 34-year-old has four young children and serves as the director of technology at the Pleasant Valley School District in Camarillo, Calif. Greenlinger’s flexible schedule, aided by his largely electronic workload, is an example of what millennials now crave in the workplace. “It shouldn’t be an either-or proposition,” he said. “I think the millennials’ ideas of how and where work gets done is very different than previous generations.” According to a recent survey by accounting firm Ernst & Young, millennials highly value flexible work arrangements, as well as paid parental leave. Millennials are the most likely generation to say that they would change jobs or careers, give up promotion opportunities, move their family to another place or take a pay cut to have flexibility and better manage work and family life, according to the survey. “If the senior management or companies decide not to embrace that, you’re going to lose talent,” said Monica Marquez, Ernst & Young’s West region inclusiveness and flexibility lead. But with more flexibility comes the stigma
of the lazy worker. Nearly 1 in 6 millennial workers said they “suffered a negative consequence as a result of having a flexible work schedule.” “Generation X and boomers have this kind of misconception ... that these people that want flexibility might be less committed to their work, less committed to their career progression,” Marquez said. “For the millennials, they’re saying we want this flexibility, but we aren’t any less aggressive about our career.” For some, the commonly used term “work-life balance” is a myth. “I think it was a term that previous generations believed in,” said Michael Elliott, 28, principal at Dittrick and Associates Inc. in Burton, Ohio. “I know for me and most of the millennials I talk to, work-life balance is nonexistent. There’s only work-life integration.” As part of his doctoral research, Greenlinger studied the support needs of millennials compared to baby boomers and found similar results as those in the survey. He used the hypothetical example of millennials leaving work early to take their children to soccer practice. “While they’re sitting there, they’re on their phone completing work tasks,” Greenlinger said. “It was more of a balance of when work gets done.”
Bad attitudes can sap workers BRIAN HYSLOP
Tribune News Service Writer
Jerks at work don’t just get under your skin, they damage your job performance and ultimately hurt the bottom line. Gretchen Spreitzer, a business professor at the University of Michigan, said her research shows difficult coworkers actually “de-energize” those around them. “They leave you feeling depleted, fatigued and exhausted,” Spreitzer said in an interview. Her paper — titled “Destructive Deenergizing Relationships: How Thriving Buffers their Effect on Performance” and published in the Journal of Applied Psychology — was co-written with Alexandra Gerbasi and Andrew Parker of Grenoble Ecole de Management, Christine L. Porath of Georgetown University and Rob Cross of the University of Virginia. The researchers asked information technology employees at an engineering firm to evaluate their relationships with each other, and then they looked at each employee’s performance reviews, controlling for prior performance. They found the more a person had to interact with so-called de-energizers, the lower that person’s own job performance.
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Gen Xers embracing their roles as a transitional group TERESA F. LINDEMAN
Tribune News Service Writer
PITTSBURGH — Stephanie Bane would appreciate if it people would stop tossing insulting labels around about millennials. But not because she is one. “As a Gen Xer, I’m used to it,” said the advertising executive who was born in 1969. “I remember being called a slacker.” After she graduated from college in 1991, the economy was going through one of its cyclical downturns. Instead of working in her field, she sold shoes at a department store and did temp work until 1993, then served in the Peace Corps from 1993 to 1995. Now director of account planning at an advertising agency in Pittsburgh, Bane is a member of the generation squeezed in between the mass of babies born in the post-World War II years and the only slightly smaller hordes of children born between the early 1980s to the late 1990s. There are so many boomers, so many millennials that those two generations sometimes seem to take up all the air in the room. The Pew Research Center issued a report in last year acknowledging as much, just with the name alone: “Generation X: America’s neglected ‘middle child.’” Paul Taylor, author of the Pew report, seemed to think the generation whose members range in age from the mid-30s to late 40s — they’ll start turning 50 this year – have a case to be made for being overlooked. In many ways even beyond
the chronological ones, they are a transitional group somewhere betwixt and between, he said. Gen Xers share more selfies on social media than boomers, but less than millennials. They are more likely than boomers to want a bigger government with more services, but less so than millennials. They ride the middle ground between the other generations on everything from being married young to being religiously unaffiliated. They do stand out by being more pessimistic about having enough money to retire than either the generation before or the one after, according to the Pew research. Retirement funding concerns have more to do with the economy, the opportunities, their responsibilities and the shift away from fixed pensions — not because the generation that grew up with movies like “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Wayne’s World” hasn’t worked hard. The next decade could be an important one for this generation, in the opinion of Warren J. McCoy, a diversity specialist in the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Affirmative Action, Diversity and Inclusion. “I think the focus is probably going to be on the Gen X in the next several years or so,” said McCoy, a self-described 52-year-old boomer who sees coming retirements of leaders from his generation as offering opportunities for those ready to step up. Gen Xers also fall somewhere between other generations on the issue of
“The millennials are a powerfully smart, connected generation that take for granted many things that didn’t exist in the Gen Xers’ youth. But they also want everything and want it now.” Jeff Hennion, GNC executive vice president, chief marketing and e-commerce officer
changing jobs. The boomers might have had two or three jobs on their resumes (more than the traditionals), while millennials think nothing of frequent changes that leave eight, nine or 10 jobs on their list of experience, McCoy said. Jeff Hennion’s resume seems to fit the Gen X pattern. In September, he returned to Pittsburgh health supplements retailer GNC to serve as executive vice president, chief marketing and e-commerce officer, after spending almost two years as president of a mobile commerce platform company. The 48-year-old executive had been at Dick’s Sporting Goods for several years before going to GNC in 2010. He sees one of the main roles of Gen X in the workplace right now as mentoring
the millennials. At the mobile commerce company, he worked with 180 people whose average age was 26. “The millennials are a powerfully smart, connected generation that take for granted many things that didn’t exist in the Gen Xers’ youth,” he said. “But they also want everything and want it now.” That means they need to be coached to find the best ways to use their skills productively, Hennion said. Last year, he gave the graduation speech to the class of 2014 at an area school. He told the students that, unlike him, they will be entering a world without a lot of guidelines about what to wear and what to do all day. But, he said in a comment that the school’s blog helpfully set up for easy tweeting, “Don’t mistake the lack of guidelines for the lack of expectation. Work is still work and responsibilities are still responsibilities.” That’s true even, he said, if employees are in jeans and a T-shirt sitting on an exercise ball. If the Gen Xers are busy mentoring the millennial masses, they are also spending a lot of time juggling responsibilities in helping their own parents and their own children. In the Pew report, Taylor summarized the Gen Xers this way: “For everything we know about them, they’re savvy, skeptical and self reliant; they’re not into preening or pampering, and they just might not give much of a hoot what others think of them. Or whether others think of them at all.”
Herald & Review, staffers earn statewide honors Business Journal Staff Report
ECATUR – The Herald & Review D was recognized for editorial excellence in several categories by the Associated Press and the Illinois Press Association at the annual meeting held in Normal last week. The Illinois Press Association awards included third-place recognition for the Herald & Review for the Paddock Trophy, which is awarded to publications based on how they finished in the categories of general excellence, photography, news writing, opinion writing, design, community service and editorial page. The Chicago Sun-Times won the Paddock Trophy. “The awards are gratifying and exemplify the extraordinary work that occurs at the Herald & Review,” said Gary Sawyer, general manager. “Our main goal is to serve our readers, but it’s always nice to have good work recognized by our peers.” The Herald & Review swept the best sports story category in the IPA contest
Zerfowski
Petty
Dow
with sports writer Justin Conn winning first- and second-place awards and sports writer Aren Dow winning third and honorable mention. Other first-place awards in the IPA contest went to former photographer Danny Damiani for best photo series; staff for newspaper design; and Chief Photographer Jim Bowling for best sports photo and personality portrait. Second-place awards in the IPA contest went to Conn for sports news; Damiani for personality portrait; and photographer Lisa Morrison for general news photo. The staff also won second place for most innovative project with the 50 Things About Decatur project that
Conn
Bowling
was published in the summer of 2014. Third-place finishers in the IPA contest were Sports Editor Mike Albright, best sports section; Dow, sports feature story; Life Editor Jeana Matherly, best lifestyle section; and staff for best website Honorable mention awards in the IPA contest were presented to graphic artist Jean Zerfowski for best informational graphic; Damiani for best sports photo; and staff writer Chris Lusvardi for school board coverage In the Associated Press contest, awards included first place for staff writer Allison Petty for best use of social media by an individual; first place
for Zerfowski for the informational graphic “Heart matters; third place for the newspaper’s website, awarded to the staff; third place for a picture story awarded to Damiani for “Trail Blazers Rodeo”; third place to the Herald & Review in the general excellence category; and third place to Bowling for sports feature photo, “Softball Celebration.” More than 100 daily and nondaily newspaper competed in 36 editorial categories at the annual convention. Managing Editor Dave Dawson said he was pleased with the Herald & Review’s showing and made special note of the innovation and section honors. “The individual awards are terrific, but those that recognize collaborative efforts are especially nice,” Dawson said. “Credit is due to the editors for their good work in coordinating and planning their sections. “Plus, our showing in the IPA’s sports story category was spectacular.”
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BUSINESS JOURNAL 19
CAREER
Millennials urged to stay at jobs for new challenges PATRICIA SABATINI
Tribune News Service Writer
PITTSBURGH – Millennials typically are restless workers, generally only content to stick with an employer for about two years before moving on, studies show. One recent survey found that about a quarter of millennials (workers in their 20s to early 30s) think they should only be expected to stay in a job for a year or less. Tell that to Darah Kirstein, 29, who’s spent the last seven years — her entire working career — with Bank of New York Mellon, in downtown Pittsburgh, most recently as head of digital workplace employee engagement. Her advice for millennials itching to switch jobs is to fully explore opportunities with a current employer before jumping ship. “If you are truly feeling you aren’t learning from a position or maybe getting bored in a position, communicate that,” she said. All it may take is a new challenge to feel satisfied. “Things are constantly changing for me. That was enough, so I didn’t need to hop around,” she said. It also helps to have great co-workers and an employer that understands the challenges faced by working moms. BNY Mellon “has been so flexible with my desire to achieve a work-life balance,” said Kirstein, who is married to her high school sweetheart and has two young daughters. “I’ve asked, and they delivered.” When she was hired in 2007, BNY Mellon’s information technology leadership development program helped her discover what type of work she was best suited for by enabling her to rotate through four different departments, with each assignment lasting four months. That opportunity to test-drive a variety of positions convinced her to accept a job offer from the bank during a campus
Tribune News Service
Darah Kirstein, head of digital workplace employee engagement at BNY Mellon, gets some work done while having coffee in the lower level of the BNY Mellon building in Pittsburgh.
recruiting visit in the fall of her senior year at Penn State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in information sciences and technology. “The most valuable part of the program is not only figuring out what type of work you enjoy doing, but also what you don’t enjoy doing,” she said. Her first permanent position was in the bank’s strategic technology group, where she researched and prototyped technology. In March, Kirstein assumed her current position in charge of finding out how well technology is serving the bank’s employees. “We make sure our employees have every possible tool that is simple to use and makes them more productive,” she said. “I
lead the engagement piece of this, reaching the desks of each of our 50,000 employees across the world and letting them know the digital program is there for you.” Tasks that may sound simple, like making sure it’s easy for employees to connect to the internal Wi-Fi network, can be more complicated in a highly regulated industry such as banking. Her team also conducts monthly webinars for employees, and staffs a live chat function online so that workers can get instant help with technology-related problems, such as email or printing issues. Kirstein also has the unusual role of serving as reverse mentor/adviser to BNY Mellon’s chairman and CEO, Gerald Hassell.
The two talk roughly every six weeks, either in person at his New York City offices or via video chats, to keep him updated on the latest technology that employees need for their jobs, Ms. Kirstein said. “I can’t prepare for our sessions. I have no idea what he is going to ask me that day,” she said. “We kind of roll with it.” Most recently, they discussed “My Source Social,” a recently launched internal networking site for BNY Mellon employees similar to the business-oriented social networking service, LinkedIn. “He wants to understand that better,” Kirstein said. “I’m truly flabbergasted by his engagement and his interest and enthusiasm.”
Suvey: Millennials differ from their older colleagues ALEXIA ELEJALDE-RUIZ
Tribune News Service Writer
M illennials, who recently elbowed out Gen Xers to become the largest generation in the U.S. workforce, are more likely than their older colleagues to dress sharply, be jealous of co-workers’ successes and say yes to their bosses. So says a new LinkedIn survey of 1,000 full-time U.S. employees aged 18 and older. The results, part of a larger report called “New Norms @Work” that studied 15,000 employees in 19 countries, add to the seemingly endless analysis of the game-changing generation, currently ages 18-34, that are transforming the way we work, eat and shop. The nation’s 53.3 million working
millennials, who constitute more than one-third of U.S. employees, surpassed Generation Xers in the first quarter of the this year to become the largest cohort in the workforce, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data. Their ranks are expected to increase with immigration and as younger millennials get their first jobs. Generation X, currently ages 35-50, dominated the workforce for only three years, overtaking baby boomers in 2012 as more boomers retired, according to Pew. Here are five takeaways from the LinkedIn survey about millennials: They are well-dressed: Eleven percent of millennials say they have to wear
suits or career dresses to work, compared to fewer than 5 percent of those ages 35 and older. Over one-third of millennials say they wear “smart clothes” to make them feel more professional at work, compared to less than one-quarter of their older peers. They agree with authority: More than 60 percent of millennials consider themselves to be “yes” employees, versus 40 percent of their older counterparts. Almost one-quarter say they would agree with their boss even if they think there is a better way, while just one-tenth of those ages 35 and older say the same. They move on: Millennials think it’s OK to leave a job after 29 days without it
having a negative impact on their career, while older workers think you should wait 51 days. They also think three jobs on a resume looks impressive, whereas older employees thinks two jobs is good. They look out for No. 1: If fired from a job, 30 percent of millennials say they would make it look like they had left of their own accord, compared to 16 percent of those ages 35 and older. Twelve percent of millennials said they feel jealous when colleagues discuss workplace success, versus 3 percent of older workers. They judge profile pictures: More than one-third of millennials say they make an initial impression based on a person’s online profile picture, compared with 14 percent of older workers.
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What to do when your team can’t get along Q. Some folks on my team are having trouble getting along — it’s a mix of generational, religious and political differences. I need them to work together effectively. What can I do? A. Set expectations for civility and mutual respect … and then enforce them so that you create a safe and respectful work environment for everyone.
Liz Reyer
The inner game
Break down the issues one by one. Focus first on overt problems, stepping back and looking at the facts of the situation. It could be playing out in a number of different ways. For example, if the conflict is taking a personal nature, as in attacks over beliefs, then it may be rising to the level of
an HR issue. Or, it may be a communication or style misunderstanding; while still potentially challenging to address, there’s a different level of organizational risk. Then, look at the undercurrents. Sometimes subtle behaviors can be the most corrosive. Take a look at your skills to address this. Do you have an appreciation for the diversity represented on the team? Also look at the tone you’ve been setting. If you’ve been standing by while this plays out, it’s important that you develop the ability to more actively lead through these problems. Identify the resources available within your organization. You may need HR if problems are extreme. Or, you may find there are useful team building programs available. Also determine if you have a budget for outside support, as needed.
Outer game
As a starting point, consider conducting a team assessment. It’s helpful if you can have someone from outside the team interview each team member to identify
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team strengths, challenges and concerns. Results can be aggregated so that people’s confidentiality is protected, but this will help you see the broader issues. If the third-party approach isn’t an option, spend time one on one with each team member to gather each perspective. Now do your diagnostics. Do you have a broad issue or is there a person or two stirring the pot? If the problem is limited, then you can set more stern expectations with them privately while you work with the team as a whole on establishing a positive climate. If the issues are more widespread, set ground rules on what is and is not acceptable behavior. Then start exploring ways to build appreciation for people’s individual contributions. Using a style assessment like DISC or profiling tool such as MBTI could
help by providing some shared language about valid similarities and differences. Set goals for team culture and include them on each person’s annual plan. Not only will this help show people that you’re serious, it’ll give you tools if there are some who resist your efforts. Then spend time as a team and one on one to be sure people have the support they need to learn how to work together. Don’t be afraid to make changes. One toxic person can make all of the difference. If you can’t bring everyone on board, make consequences clear and then follow through.
The last word
Your employees have a right to expect a positive workplace; setting clear expectations can help you achieve it. 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.
Employee’s slacking off will continue until manager gets serious Q: A supervisor who reports to me never gives more than the minimum effort. “Rick” is so lazy that his emails don’t even contain complete sentences. Despite being a salaried employee, he refuses to work more than eight hours per day. If it’s time for his shift to end, he will walk out in the middle of a conversation. Although our jobs require evening and weekend work, Rick only Office Coach comes in on weekdays. When he creates the monthly schedule for his group, he assigns all the undesirable hours to his staff. They have absolutely no respect for him, but he doesn’t seem to care. Rick and I have had several cordial discussions about these issues, so he is aware of the problem. However, he shows no signs of improving. I recently took on some of his duties myself just to keep things running. How do you manage someone who is only working for the paycheck? A: Take a moment to consider Rick’s point of view. He can set his own schedule, define his hours and avoid inconvenient assignments. You have lessened his workload by taking on tasks he dislikes. Apart from those “cordial discussions,” you generally leave him alone. Since Rick’s only goal is to get paid, things are working out
Marie McIntyre
perfectly for him. Because Rick currently has no reason to reform, the first change must be in your leadership style. Instead of allowing him to run the show, you need to begin managing him much more closely and much more firmly. Start by establishing clear expectations about his hours and his behavior, then take steps to insure that those expectations are met. If Rick tries to walk off during a conversation, tell him not to leave. If his emails are unintelligible, send them back for rewriting. Require him to submit his monthly schedule for approval, and don’t allow him to shirk the evening and weekend shifts. If he fails to show any improvement, remove him from his supervisory role. The leadership lesson here is that unacceptable behavior must trigger appropriate consequences. Intractable performance problems are never resolved by simply continuing to talk about them. nnn Q: My newest employee apparently feels that he doesn’t require any supervision. I have barely seen him since his initial two-week training period. Given the small percentage of time that he’s actually in my presence, how can I supervise him effectively? A: You sound like a helpless bystander, not a manager, so you should remind yourself that you’re the one in charge. Instead of allowing this guy to decide how much supervision he wants, it’s your job to determine how much he needs. After all, you can’t evaluate his performance if you don’t know what he’s doing. Instead of passively waiting for the
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newbie to drop by, schedule regular meetings to discuss his work. If he’s located elsewhere, make an occasional surprise visit. If he’s usually on the road, accompany him from time to time. Complete autonomy should be given only to those who have earned your trust, and that takes much longer than a few weeks. nnn Q: One of my co-workers is a chronic complainer. “Matt” gripes about the thermostat setting, the building layout, the meetings we attend, the assignments he receives, and the fact that no one appreciates him. His constant whining drives me absolutely nuts. However, I’m afraid to say anything about it, because Matt is very easily offended. Do you have any suggestions? A: If you are actually listening to this litany of grievances, then you have become part of the problem. Since it takes two to have a conversation, the solution is to simply withdraw your participation. This does not require you to be rude or critical, but you will need to be firmly assertive. Here are a few examples. At work, productivity always trumps casual conversation: “Matt, I hate to interrupt, but I really need to get back to finishing my report.” During breaks or lunch, introducing a new topic can help to shift the focus: “I’m sorry you’re so unhappy
about the staff meeting. By the way, you won’t believe what happened at my son’s ballgame last night.” But if all else fails, simply use the direct approach: “I can tell you feel strongly about this, but I’m afraid I don’t agree, so I’d rather not spend time talking about it.” The bottom line is that you can’t control Matt’s choice of topics, but you can decide whether you want to listen. nnn Q: I’m looking for a new job because my manager drives me crazy. She will make my life even more miserable if she learns about my job search, so I don’t want prospective employers calling here. Should I put “do not contact my current employer” on my resume? A: Adding that statement to your resume is neither wise nor necessary. First, it would immediately make people wonder what you’re trying to hide. Second, a background check is not even likely unless someone talks with you and concludes that you’re a viable candidate. Therefore, you should plan to explain your desire for secrecy during the interview. For example: “Because no one knows about my job search, I would prefer that you not contact my current employer. However, if I were to be offered the position, you could certainly do so at that time.” Most interviewers understand that applicants don’t want their job-seeking activities publicized, so this request should not raise any red flags. 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.
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Support groups
TOPS Club IL 49 Decatur, 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Main Street Church of God, 2000 N. Main St. (enter from Garfield Street). Support group for Real People seeking Real Results with weight loss. For more information, go to www.topsclub.org or call Chris Granda at (217) 521-2420. Helping Hands Bereavement for Children, 3:30 p.m. Thursdays, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, 210 W. McKinley, Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4750. Grief support group, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 4, St. Mary’s Hospital, Room G24. For information, call Jamie Smith at (217) 5446464 ext. 44268. Growing Through Grief, 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 7, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. To register, call 876-6784. Facing Cancer Together, 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 8,, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. For cancer patients and their families. Register online or call (217) 876-4750. Pink Link breast cancer support group, 6 p.m. Thursday, July 9, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave.To register, call (217) 876-4377. Breastfeeding support group, 10:30
H E A LT H
Community health calendar Monday, July 13 and July 27, Baby TALK, 500 E. Lake Shore Dr. To register, call Flo Folami at (217) 464-2334. SHARE support group, 7 p.m. Monday, July 13, 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. For more information, call (217) 464-2045. Epilepsy support group, 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 14. For more information, call (217) 853-1655. Diabetes support group, 11 a.m. Thursday, July 16, DMH Specific Performance Enhancement Center, 2122 N, 27th St. Call (217) 876-4249. Lyme-MTHFR support study group, 6 p.m. Thursday, July 16, Mari-Mann Herb Co., 1405 Mari Mann Lane. Call (217) 429-1555. Parkinson’s disease support group, 1:30 p.m. Thursday, July 16, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1360 W. Main St. For information, call Kathy Broaddus at (217) 820-3096. Brain tumor support group, 10 a.m. Saturday, July 18, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. To register, call (217) 876-4750. Postpartum emotional support group, 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 20, St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. For
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more information, call (217) 464-2334. Breath of Life support group, noon Tuesday, July 21, St. Mary’s Hospital, Room 561. Speakers available to answer questions from those with breathing problems. For information, call (217) 464-2603. Cardiac rehabilitation wellness group, 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Classroom C. For information, call (217) 876-2496. Widowed support group, 11:30 a.m. Thursday, July 23. Monthly lunch gathering. For location or to register, call (217) 428-7733. Renewal bereavement support group, 6 p.m. Monday, July 27, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4750. Us TOO prostate cancer support group, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4750.
Classes
Cardiopulmonary rehab nutrition class, 11 a.m. Thursday, July 9, Decatur Memorial Hospital Classroom C. Dietitian-led program focussing on heart healthy eating with emphasis on readin labels. For more
information, call (217) 876-2496. In BeTWEEN for Girls, 10 a.m. Saturday, July 11, Decatur Memorial Hospital OB Classroom. For girls ages 9-12 to learn about the changes they are going through. Registation required online or by calling (217) 876-3100. Sibling class, 5:15 p.m. Monday, July 13, St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. Children 3-12 learn about being a big brother or sister. For more information or to register, call (217) 464-2334. Infant CPR class, 7 p.m. Monday, July 13, Decatur Memorial Hospital, third floor OB Classroom. Register online or call (217) 876-3100. Cardiopulmonary risk factor education, 11 a.m. Friday, July 17, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Classroom C. Learn to recognize and change risk factors to maintain heart healthy lifestyle. For information, call (217) 876-2496. Newborn care and breastfeeding basics, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 23, Decatur Memorial Hospital, OB Classroom. Registration required online or by calling (217) 876-3400. Breastfeeding class, 7 p.m. Thursday, July 30, St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. For information or to register, call (217) 464-2334.
Every day, my team and I are working hard to turn the impossible into the routine.
”
THAT’S HOW DR. MANOHAR KOLA IS
ELEVATING HEALTH CARE
every day.
HSHS St. Mary’s partners with the renowned Prairie Heart Institute to give each of our patients the world-class expertise and heart-felt care they need. To learn how our commitment to elevating health care is helping top cardiologists like Dr. Manohar Kola provide the area’s best cardiac care, visit stmarysdecatur.com today.
stmarysdecatur.com
July 2015
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YOUR
BUSINESS JOURNAL 23
MONEY
Retirement planning steps for Generation X JANET KIDD STEWART
Tribune News Service Writer
elcome to 50, Generation X. W As the first wave of slackers hits the half-century milestone this year, it’s a good time to start getting serious about retirement planning. Hey, it’s more fun than that first colonoscopy, right? Maybe, but workers in their 40s and 50s have retirement dreams that are bigger than their 401(k) plans, said Michael Eisenberg, a partner with accounting and financial planning firm Miller Ward & Co. “Gen Xers care more about work/life balance, and I hear more (from them) about bucket-list goals,” than with baby boomers, he said. At the same time, he said, many of them missed the current bull market because they were burned twice in their working lives by stock market plunges and are struggling to pay for schools for kids and care for aging parents. “It seems a bit like all these things are going against them,” Eisenberg said. That can make it tough to measure up to retirement savings benchmarks. By now, a 50-year-old making $50,000 a year should have accumulated 2.4 times
current pay, or $120,000, to be able to fund a 30-year retirement, according to standards published by JP Morgan Asset Management. And a worker pulling in $100,000 in annual pay should be sitting on a $390,000 nest egg at 50, the investment firm estimates. (Higher earners have to replace a bigger share of their pre-retirement income with their own savings above what Social Security pays). Regardless of whether these numbers make you feel good about your own savings level or downright scared, there are a few things 50-year-olds can do beyond the obvious “save more” mantra to help themselves get on the right path. Prime the pump. Unless you’re already wealthy and nearing an early retirement, your biggest asset is still your ability to earn a paycheck, perhaps for another couple of decades. Taking care of that asset means staying fit, networking and retraining to pick up new skills, but there is also a very basic step to consider: Buying disability insurance. Don’t make this decision in a vacuum, however. By 50, some people have built a savings cushion and are much closer to an empty nest than when they first purchased life insurance. That may argue for stepping down a bit
on life insurance and ramping up disability coverage, though that doesn’t mean totally abandoning the former. Some employers offer additional long-term disability insurance that is paid for by the employee, which can be a cheaper option than buying it as an individual, but portability if you switch jobs is an issue. And if you’re self-employed, it can be very difficult to get an affordable individual policy. Still, it’s worth a look. Get a tax plan. Catch-up provisions for contributing to IRAs and 401(k) plans kick in at age 50, allowing savers to kick in $1,000 more to IRAs and up to $6,000 more in 401(k) plans. Don’t blindly dump more cash into a pretax account, however, advisers said. Having most of your money in taxdeferred accounts reduces income flexibility in retirement. And with Medicare premiums and certain tax breaks dependent on income levels, it becomes important to be able to pull from taxable and nontaxable accounts as you plan retirement account withdrawals on a multiyear basis, planner Michael Kitces told a recent personal finance meeting of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Reconsider risk. If you’re planning to work
at least 15 more years, that generally means staying fairly aggressive with your retirement investments, but it’s time to really start thinking about your risk tolerance. Beth Gamel, managing director of Argent Wealth Management, puts clients through risk assessment tools created by a third party that attempt to measure how savers will react to volatile markets. Even with an adviser, predicting how you’ll behave in the face of a bear market is very tricky, and doing it on your own is even tougher. One way to approach the task is by looking at your current savings. Given older workers’ longer stints of joblessness, consider upping your emergency savings cushion accordingly. If you know you have enough money in low-risk investments on hand to weather a 12-month job loss, for example, you’ll feel more comfortable with a more aggressive IRA. Wake up. Finally, a global retirement survey by financial giant HSBC last month found that nearly two-thirds of retirees worldwide who said they were unprepared for a comfortable retirement had not realized the shortfall before they left work. Fifty may be the new 40, but the clock is ticking, Gen X.
Dads outspend moms when shopping Survey shows men less swayed by bargains ROBERT CHANNICK
Tribune News Service Writer
As dads take a larger role in child-rearing, they are shopping more, and spending more, than moms. That’s the gist of a study released this week on the buying habits of the modern North American dad, whose share of the household shopping responsibility has increased markedly, displacing their more frugal spouses in the retail ecosystem. “Good dads are great for business,” said Kasi Bruno, strategic planning director at Y&R and the study’s author. “They’re really more involved than they ever have been with the kids and all the purchasing power that comes with it.” The “Who’s Your Daddy” study asked more than 8,000 North American dads about everything from comparison shopping to finding deals, revealing that most are not bargain hunters and gatherers. Key findings include a willingness by dads to pay more for trusted brands, and little interest in sale prices. Nearly half of dads surveyed proclaimed loyalty to brandname products versus about one third of moms, the study said. So it’s Cheerios over generic toasted oats, regardless of the savings. Other favored dad brands include Apple, UnderArmour, Lexus
and Lego, according to the “Who’s Your Daddy?” study. Discounts don’t mean nearly as much to dads as moms. A third of dads say they try to buy products on sale, versus 52 percent of moms. Nearly 60 percent of dads eschew coupons completely, saying it makes them look “cheap.” Meanwhile, the majority of moms take pride in getting “great value” for their money, while less than half of men are likely to brag to their buddies about a great deal, the study showed. “Discounts are such a point of pride for mom,” Bruno said. “For dad, it’s the opposite, deals are an insult to his vanity a little bit.” Not surprisingly, dads spent an average of $250 more on back-to-school shopping than moms last year, the report said. One of the biggest shifts in shopping is in the grocery aisle, where 80 percent of millennial dads claim primary or shared shopping responsibility. Millennial dads have a more hands-on parenting role overall, with nearly half responsible for planning play dates and other outside activities with their kids. Less than 1 in 4 older dads are in charge of such activities. “Dads represent a massive untapped market for all sorts of household products and consumer packaged goods — from diapers to college dorm supplies — and they are largely overlooked by most brands,” said Sandy Thompson, global planning director at Y&R.
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July 2015
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