May 2015 Business Journal by Herald & Review

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M I D C E N T R A L M AY 2 0 1 5

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The legacy continues

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Brinkoetter & Associates mark 50 years of making home ownership dreams a reality

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May 2015

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YOUR Friday, May 1‌

CALENDAR

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

Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Restaurant. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club. Altrusa International of Decatur, 6 p.m., location varies

Saturday, May 2‌

Tuesday, May 12‌

Decatur Frontiers Club, 10:30 a.m., Decatur Club, 158 W. Prairie Ave.

Monday, May 4‌

Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Restaurant, 2959 N. Oakland Ave. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club. Women’s Progressive Club, 6 p.m., Greater Northside Baptist Church.

Tuesday, May 5‌

Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites by Hilton, 333 W. Marion Ave., Forsyth. Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club. Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club. Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club. Mount Zion Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet, 6 p.m., Mount Zion Lions Center. Scheduled speaker is Brit Miller.

Wednesday, May 6‌

Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility. Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Business Expo VIP Preview Party, 5-7 p.m., Decatur Civic Center.

Thursday, May 7‌

Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Business Expo, Decatur Civic Center. State of the City Breakfast, 7 a.m.; Expo, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Taste of Decatur, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club. Human Services Agency Consortium, noon, Central Christian Church, 650 W. William St. Metro Decatur Home Builders Association, 6 p.m., Beach House, 2301 E. Lake Shore Dr. Lincolnland AMBUCS, 6:30 p.m., Independence Pointe Building, 2715 N. 27th St.

Friday, May 8‌

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

Saturday, May 9‌

Decatur Frontiers Club, 10:30 a.m., Decatur Club.

N. Monroe St. Mount Zion Lions Club, 6:30 p.m., Lions Club Community Center. Decatur Camera Club, 7 p.m., Rock Springs Environmental Center.

Monday, May 11‌

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 Area Society for Human Resource Management, 11 a.m., location varies. Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club. Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club. Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.

Wednesday, May 13‌

Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Mount Zion Chamber of Commerce Luncheon, 11:15 a.m., Mount Zion United Methodist Church. Scheduled speaker is Pastor Ted Hartley. Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Real Estate Investors Association, 6:30 p.m., Perkins Family Restaurant, 2999 N. Monroe St.

Thursday, May 14‌

Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. GFWC Decatur Woman’s Club, 11:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Senior Resources Network, noon, Keystone Meadows, 1455 W. Mound Road. Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club. Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., Innovative Staff Solutions, 1045 E. Eldorado St. Decatur Area Women’s Network (DAWN), 5:30 p.m., 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, May 15‌

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

Saturday, May 16‌

Decatur Frontiers Club, 10:30 a.m., Decatur Club.

Monday, May 18‌

Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Restaurant. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club.

Friday, May 29‌

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

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

Tuesday, May 19‌

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, May 20‌

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

Thursday, May 21‌

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, noon, Decatur Club.

Saturday, May 30‌

Decatur Frontiers Club, 10:30 a.m., Decatur Club.

Monday, June 1‌

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, June 2

Wednesday, June 3‌

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

Community Prayer Breakfast, 7-8:30 a.m., Decatur Conference Center and Hotel. Scheduled speaker is the Rev. Arthur Hallett, director of prison ministries for Evangelism Explosion International. Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.

Tuesday, May 26‌

Thursday, June 4‌

Friday, May 22‌

Forsyth Rotary, 7 a.m., Homewood Suites by Hilton. Kiwanianne 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. Coalition of Neighborhood Organizations board, 5:30 p.m., Decatur Public Library.

Wednesday, May 27‌

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

Thursday, May 28‌

Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility. Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club. Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., Consociate, 2828

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, June 5‌

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

Saturday, June 6‌

Decatur Frontiers Club, 10:30 a.m., Decatur Club. 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

May 2015

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FROM THE EDITOR ‌Thirty years ago this month, the administration of the Niantic-

Harristown School District decided it was a wise thing to release this group upon the world. So much has happened since then. College, first job, got married, had a kid, second job, second kid. High school was such a long time ago. Man, do I feel old.

BUSINESS JOURNAL 3

BUSINESS JOURNAL OF MIDCENTRAL ILLINOIS

Volume 21

Issue 5

According Ears and Smash, the keepers of all knowledge related to my junior high/high school years, we had some pretty good times in between all the learning. So much fun, in fact, it’s a wonder some of us survived to see graduation day.

601 E. William St. Decatur, IL 62523 217.421.7976 217.421.7965 (fax)

Most of my childhood memories are rooted in the neighborhood where I grew up. No less than a dozen kids, all within a year or two in age and many of them members of my graduating class, running the streets at all hours of the day and night. No cell phones. No worries. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

PUBLISHER: Julie Bechtel GENERAL MANAGER: Gary Sawyer EDITOR: Scott Perry ADVERTISING: AnnaMarie Hanes

Scott Perry, editor Business Journal of Midcentral Illinois

May2015Contents Standing FEATURES Biz Bites

Business Clips

Fred Spannaus

Free Time calendar

Health calendar

Liz Reyer

Professional Profile

COVER PHOTO: Jim Bowling

4 Good neighbors Meet Sue Lawson, president of CONO

SCORE counselor

Wendy Gauntt

Ready to roll Central Illinois has a variety of paths and areas to enjoy riding a bike and local bicycle shops are ready and willing to help you select the mode of transportation that’s perfect for you. Page 9

STORY IDEAS: Email sperry@herald-review.com or call 217.421.7976 SUBSCRIPTIONS: To order additional copies, call 217.421.7931

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

11 Gotcha

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.

Beware of these lurking tech issues

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ADVERTISING: The deadline for ad and ad copy for the June issue is May 14. Call 217.421.7953 for rate information.

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May 2015

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YOUR

COMMUNITY

Meet Sue Lawson, Coalition of Neighborhood Organizations president ‌Hometown: Decatur Family: Married to Joe. Two daughters and five grandsons. Occupation: Owner of Decatur Wallpaper Center Education: Lakeview High School and Richland Community College. My “I’d rather be …” bumper sticker would read: “I’d rather be traveling,” because I want to see more of the world. Hobbies/interests: Spending time with my grandsons, reading and fishing. My first job: Detasseling corn and waitressing at the Country Club of Decatur. Why I do what I do: I like helping and encouraging people to improve their quality of life. Personal approaches to challenges: Communication and prayer. Community involvement: Coalition of Neighborhood Organizations and GM Square, Puppet Ministry and a member of Freedom Assembly of God. What is CONO? The Coalition of Neighborhood Organizations is the umbrella organization for the organized neighborhoods of Decatur that have defined boundaries, by-laws, officers and meet at least four times per year. Decatur has 24 organized neighborhoods. Why is it important to have such a group in Decatur? There is strength in numbers when it comes to addressing important neighborhood issues. I believe the neighborhood organizations are instrumental in doing cleanups and beautification projects throughout the year. They are the eyes and ears of the community, communicating with the proper authorities information about a neighborhood standards issue, a crime issue or a family in need. CONO helps by providing projects that teach life skills and arts. We are a hard-working, caring group that wants our citizens to be well informed. How did you get involved? My business was in the GM Square Neighborhood and I was asked to attend a GM Square

Business Journal, Jim Bowling‌

Sue Lawson, president of the Coalition of Neighborhood Organizations, is pictured with CONO executive board members, from left, Resa Benz-Spiker, Jeanne Mears, Joyce Keller, Kent West, Francie Johnson and Paul Rosenberger.

meeting and then a CONO meeting. What are the biggest challenges confronting Decatur neighborhoods? Maintaining the properties, the presence of drugs, theft, homes that need to be demolished and the lack of people employed in decent paying jobs to provide for their families. What steps are being taken by CONO to address these challenges? CONO is an avid promoter of getting to know your neighbors. We encourage youth and adults to work together on cleanups, art and landscaping projects. We’ve had vegetable and flower gardens. We have a new project, called From the Inside Out, which promotes life skills learning for youth and adults. The volunteers learn how to do basic home repairs and decorating skills. One room is redecorated with the help of volunteer professionals training the children and adults assigned to the project. The low- to moderate-income homeowner participates as well. Our two-home pilot program taught the participants to insulate, hang drywall, paint,

hang blinds and curtain rods, lay tack strip, padding and carpet. They also have learned how to work on a meager budget and refurbish furniture and other items that are already in the home. Where does your funding come from? Some of our funding ($9,000) comes from the city of Decatur. Over half of that amount is used for the Regional Neighborhood Network Conference. This conference is hosted in one of five states and is a great training tool for the neighborhood people to learn what does and doesn’t work in other cities. Registration for 16 people and part of the hotel expenses is provided and we encourage newcomers to attend. We also apply for other grants and do fundraisers. We just received $5,000 from PNC Bank for the From the Inside Out project. We also just received $1,000 for a pollination project that will landscape six locations with flowering plants and shrubs. Is it safe to say that if most residents

took pride in their property – keeping it free of debris, in proper repair – that would go a long way toward making the neighborhood and Decatur a more desirable destination? Obviously, that would be a great start. It also would help to have people who are grateful for what they have willing to reach out and volunteer to help others that are less fortunate also would help. Since financial limitations often limit action by some residents, what is/should be CONO’s role in helping these people? We are a totally volunteer organization. Our funds are limited, however, that does not stop us from doing all we can when there is someone in need. How can someone get involved with their neighborhood group/CONO? Call DOVE Community Services at (217) 428-6616 or myself at (217) 872-7221 to find out when the neighborhood group in your area meets. Come to our CONO meeting at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Decatur Public Library.

May 2015

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BUSINESS JOURNAL 5

Incumbents hold seats in April 7 election Business Journal Staff Report

‌ ecatur voters decided to stay the course, returning D all of the incumbents on the ballot to their respective seats on the Decatur City Council, park board and school board. A little more than 21 percent of registered voters in Macon County turned out to vote in the April 7 consolidated election. The unofficial total was 15,956, of whom 11,165 were Decatur voters, said Macon County Clerk Steve Bean. It is a slight increase from the total of 15,041 voters in 2013, a year which also included partisan township races that can draw more people, Bean said. In the election four years ago, which also did not include townships,10,742 people voted, or fewer than 15 percent of registered Macon County voters. “That’s a big jump,” Bean said. “Having a viable campaign for (Decatur) mayor, the council, the park district and the school district, I think it brought out a lot of voters.” The following is a breakdown of some of the key Decatur/Macon County races.

Decatur mayor‌

Mayor Mike McElroy won another term in office, finishing about 1,200 votes ahead of his closest competitor, G.E. Livingston. Councilman Pat McDaniel and Dustin Chapman rounded out the ballot. Speaking from a victory party at the Beach House restaurant, McElroy said he was happy with his campaign and thankful for the volunteers who helped him. He said he would continue the priorities of the past four years, including addressing the city’s unemployment rate, which is the highest in Illinois. “We do need to do something about the unemployment. We do need to do something about creating jobs,” said McElroy, who is vice president of Skeff Distributing Co. “We’ve been trying to do that, and we’ve done it in some cases and we will continue to do that.” McElroy McElroy, 63, has served on the council since 2003 and as mayor since 2009, when he was elected to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of former Mayor Paul Osborne. He was re-elected to a four-year term in 2011 and unsuccessfully sought a state Senate seat the following year. Livingston said that although he would rather have won, he was happy with the campaign and the opportunity to bring issues to the forefront, such as administrative court, dilapidated housing and community engagement. The 50-year-old CEO and president of Robertson Charter School and pastor of Life Changers Church said he would continue to be involved in the community. He is the chairman of the Plan Commission and president of DCDF Inc. “I’m still involved and plan to be for some time. This process has been very good; I’ve enjoyed it. I said I wouldn’t get involved if I didn’t enjoy it, and I actually have met a lot of new people,” he said. “I think there is even more work for me to do now.”

Decatur City Council‌

The third run was a charm for local attorney Bill Faber, who won a spot on the Decatur City Council along with Lisa Gregory and incumbent Dana Ray. “You know, sometimes it takes a while for people to

Tavarious Link, 4, holds a cane for a voter at the Johns Hill Senior Center polling place.

have confidence in your commitment to the community, and I think they now have that confidence,” said Faber, whose campaign slogan was “change deserves a chance.” Faber previously sought a seat on the council in 2003 and 2007. Ray, 42, Faber Ray Gregory a physician and medical director at Community Health Improvement Center, was the top vote-getter. There were 424 votes between Gregory and David Horn, who came in fourth. Derrick Thaxton and Robert Lewis also appeared on the ballot.

Business Journal, Jim Bowling‌

Two council spots were open because councilmen Larry Foster and Pat Laegeler declined to seek reelection. Faber, 62, is a local attorney with his own practice who also is a volunteer director with the Rev. Elgin Hawthorne at the Community Church of God Legal Aid Clinic. Gregory, 54, won her first attempt at public office after years in jobs closely tied to government. She currently is executive director of public information and chief of staff at Richland Community College but has also worked for the Illinois Municipal League, Illinois State Treasurer’s Office, Illinois General Assembly, Illinois Primary Health Care Association and Decatur Memorial Hospital.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

BUSINESS JOURNAL

May 2015

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Bateman to lead Decatur ‘branding’ push CHRIS LUSVARDI

Business Journal Writer‌

‌DECATUR — Nicole Bateman recognized the importance of developing the Midwest Inland Port as the executive director of the Children’s Museum of Illinois in Decatur. As part of a new exhibit about agriculture, the museum recently added a model train with an intermodal facility based on the one Archer Daniels MidBateman land Co. operates. Bateman said that understanding will better enable her to assist with the marketing of the inland port as part of a new job. She was named last month as the community marketing manager for the Economic Development Corporation of

Continued from page 5 Decatur park board‌

While the challenges for the Decatur park board are in flux, the faces on the board will remain the same. Incumbent commissioner Bob Brilley II won a second term. Also returning is Stacey Young, who was appointed to the board following the resignation of Cindy DeadrickWolfer. They defeated Brilley former Macon County Circuit Judge John Davis for the two commissioners spots. Brilley, 65, is a retired electrician, while Young, 36, is community relations coordinator for Ameren Illinois. Both of them will hope Young to help the rest of the board as they face hurdles related to the long-term lakefront development, which the park board and Decatur City Council agreed to begin four years ago. Much of the plans cover ground in Nelson Park, which would be handled by the park district, with the city pitching in for marina and shoreline improvements. The district has made progress on the plan, and met a major goal last year with the opening of the Overlook Adventure Miniature Golf course. Brilley and Young said they were ready to use their experience to tackle the challenges that lay ahead for the board. “We have some economic challengers ahead of us, but I hope to see us prioritize the capital projects that we feel are absolutely important to the community in the immediate future,” Young said.

Decatur and Macon County. “Now we’re doing it on a bigger level,” Bateman said. “Doing it on a larger scale is critical to the success of the entire community.” Bateman will lead efforts to finish developing and implementing a community marketing and branding plan. Details of the plan will be announced May 7 during the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Business Expo at the Decatur Civic Center, she said. Developing the plan is based on a recommendation from members of the Grow Decatur initiative. Bateman wants to provide information to residents in the Decatur area and elsewhere about the potential the community has for doing business. She hopes to use ambassadors to reach out to businesses in other communities and share what Decatur has to offer.

“I wanted to work in a position that improves the quality of life in Decatur,” Bateman said. “This is a way to impact the community on the next level. I wouldn’t have left a job I love if I didn’t believe the marketing initiative could be successful and help change the face of Decatur.” This branding effort will be different from other initiatives, EDC President Ryan McCrady said. “This time the plan will get implemented,” McCrady said. “We’re going to play offense.” McCrady said that based on her experience, Bateman can hit the ground running in the new position, which the Howard G. Buffett Foundation is funding for five years. He said Bateman’s hiring is the beginning of the process to take advantage of the position Decatur is in for economic recovery.

“People who live here should recognize the great things going on,” McCrady said. “We will do whatever we can to use the brand to tell the positive story.” McCrady said a governance committee has been established to oversee the position. The committee includes the city of Decatur, the Decatur Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce, Grow Decatur and the EDC. A separate advisory committee will facilitate cooperation, coordination and collaboration among the many organizations involved in the community messaging efforts, McCrady said. Bateman’s last day at the Children’s Museum was April 24. She said Marketing and Fundraising Coordinator Kate Flemming will serve as the museum’s interim director.

“I want us to focus on what we can do right now to really make our parks district better for our community.”

Maroa-Forsyth School District‌

include Kristi Garner-Harjung of Forsyth , Lindsey Daggett Wise of Decatur, James Keith of Maroa and Chad Ruwe of Maroa . Incumbent Rob Jacobsen of Forsyth, the board’s vice president who had been serving as acting president, but garnered only about 9 percent of the vote, was defeated along with Jeff Horve of Forsyth and Matt Crawford of Maroa . Current board members Cyndi Harris and Kristin Sowa were not running in the race.

Decatur school board‌

All three incumbents retained their seats on the Decatur Board of Education. “As I look back on my first four years (on the board ), it was a learning experience, and now it’s time to move the district forward to a premiere level. I’m feeling good. I’m just smiling,” said Perkins Sherri Perkins, who was the highest vote-getter. Perkins is the current board vice president. “I’m glad all three of us (incumbents) are there,” said Brian Hodges, the current board president. “I hope we can start getting things going again, so Hodges that’s good.” The longest-serving board member, Dan Oakes, won his sixth term. He served a four-year term in the 1990s and lost in the following election, which he joked was due to putOakes ting up yard signs. He’s never done it since, and has always won without them. He will begin his fifth consecutive term with this win. “This is my ‘give-back,’ ” Oakes said. “I don’t do other charities. I don’t do committees. I don’t do anything but the school district, and as long as there’s a need, I’ll be around.” Connie Peters and Tracy Slater also appeared on the ballot.

Officials in the Maroa—Forsyth School District will be evaluating the options to address an anticipated budget deficit after voters rejected an initiative to increase funding. Superintendent Mike Williams was among those hoping for a successful referendum that was anticipated to generate an additional $745,000 in revenue. Instead, the district is expected to face an estimated $570,000 deficit in the 2016-17 school year, along with being $490,000 short in 2017-18 with Williams continuing to feel uncertainty about future funding from the state. Williams said further budget cuts will become increasingly more noticeable to the district’s residents as over $2 million in reductions have already been made in the past five years. “A lot of times, you have to hit rock bottom for people to pay attention,” Williams said. “We’ve hit that point.” Budget reductions become more visible as programs and staff are impacted, Williams said. The district’s options for closing the budget gap as new school board members take office include ones similar to what have been done this year, he said. The district’s finance advisory panel had recommended the referendum, which would have increased the education fund tax rate to 2.70 percent from its current 2.30 percent level. If the referendum had been successful, the educational fund tax rate would have been increased for the first time since 1987. Maroa-Forsyth has the lowest educational fund tax rate in Macon County, where Williams said the average tax rate is 2.57 percent. The four candidates campaigning together under the Vote 4 Change label earned spots on the school board. They

Village of Mount Zion‌

The village of Mount Zion has its first new mayor in more than a decade. Trustee Mark Wells unseated incumbent Don Robinson. Wells has served on the Mount Zion Board of Trustees for two years and was a former school board member. “I feel like it’s a privilege to serve Mount Zion as mayor, and I think it’s an opportunity to help Mount Zion move forward and to help improve what has been done in the last few years,” Wells said. Robinson served as mayor for 12 years and decided to seek a fourth term a few weeks into the filing period after no one had yet declared an interest in running. The election also included a close race among five candidates competing for three open seats on the village board. Incumbent Kevin Fritzsche and Ron Johnson, who was appointed to fill a vacancy, kept their seats. But one incumbent, Cathy Derby, wasn’t as fortunate. The third spot was claimed by newcomer Mike Mose, who defeated Derby by 54 votes. Former board member Janice Mudd also appeared on the ballot. Mount Zion voters also decided that the village clerk should remain an appointed position.

May 2015

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BIZ Now open‌

A new Decatur firm, Sheepdog Home Security, is ready to round up the protection you need to help guard your home or business. Sheepdog specializes in what it describes as “home and business security solutions” and its service involves the custom design and installation of alarm systems that have the option of being controlled through your cell phone. Company founders David Pruitt and Charley Hendricks have 40 years of law enforcement experience between them and say they use that knowledge to help their customers. “We do security surveys first to look at what our clients actually need,” Hendricks said. “And our approach is to offer them a simple, no-nonsense solution at very reasonable cost.” The firm has been in operation for six months and says it’s enjoyed steady business as word of its services spread. It operates for now in the Decatur area and Pruitt says “we’re going to see where it takes us.” Sheepdog Home Security can be reached at (217) 519-0852 or (217) 519-0411. nnn Oakwood Tattoo now has you covered if you are in the market for some new body art. The tattoo shop is located at 139 S. Oakland Ave. and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The shop welcomes appointments and walk-ins and Chris Stonecipher, who co-owns the business with Frank Whittington, says no commission is too big or too small. “We’re right across the board, we do everything,” Stonecipher said. He’s been in the tattoo business for eight years and says Oakwood Tattoo has two other full-time tattoo artists aside from the owners. Who comes in a tattoo these days? “Everybody,” Stonecipher said. “Young and old, male and female. And everybody has their different reasons for getting a tattoo.” Call (217) 423-8282.

Coming soon‌

Mansea Metal & Truss is set to open its second location in the former home of DG Manufacturing at 1181 Illinois 121 in Mount Zion. Marketing Coordinator Katie Mokrycki said the branch will start out with fewer than 10 employees just like the original facility in Winchester, Ky., did in 2007, but will eventually employ 40 to 50 people. Mansea makes metal roofing and siding and sells complete post-frame building packages and wooden roof and floor trusses. Co-owner John Griffith said Mount Zion is an ideal location for the company, situated in a farming community near the middle of Illinois.

Making changes‌

Paco Greenwell is hoping to attract more customers on weekends to

BITES

downtown Decatur by opening Paco’s Sol Bistro for lunch on Saturdays. In order to accommodate the change, Greenwell said the restaurant at 237 N. Main St. will now be closed on Mondays, allowing staff to maintain having two days off a week. But with festivals, parades and other events happening downtown on Saturdays, he sees more opportunities becoming available by opening earlier. “We miss out on all of it,” said Greenwell, the restaurant’s owner and executive chef. “From a business standpoint, it’s a whole new market.” Greenwell is hoping the change will also help alleviate wait times for Saturday evening dinner by allowing a possible earlier start for some diners. The new hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Call (217) 330-6483. nnn Millikin Bookstore has begun the transition to an online book vendor to make the process of buying books easier and potentially less expensive for students. Ruby Brase, vice president of finance and business affairs, said the university added www.ecampus.com and is phasing out Follett Higher Education Group, Inc., the bookstore’s vendor since 2010. The store, located at 210 N. Oakland Ave., will continue to sell apparel and other college supplies. “Students can search for new, used, rental or marketplace books and have them shipped to their homes or to the store for pickup,” Brase said.

Expanding‌

BUSINESS JOURNAL 7

A business near Mount Zion is expanding to include garden plot rental. Four E’s Trees at 5651 Traughber Road will be offering plots to grow fresh vegetables, co-owner Marge Evans said. The plots are a chance for beginning gardeners or those without access to sufficient land to grow fresh food, Evans said. “It could be a chance for young families to have an experience together,” Evans said. Space is available on a first come, first choice basis, Evans said. Free tilling and free mulch are included, she said. Email fouretrees@aol.com or call (217) 864-4704. nnn The Wireless Shop has added a second location in Decatur as it looks to help customers with repairs to devices such as cell phones and tablets. The new location is at 102 S. Oakland Ave. next to Garcia’s Pizza, which is in addition to its other location at 1909 E. Eldorado St. Having a device repaired can many times be a cheaper alternative to finding a replacement for it, manager Caleb Shoemaker said. “If it’s not cheaper, we’ll let you know,” Shoemaker said. “Anything broken, we can fix it. We’re here you help them save money.” The store also sells phones, accessories

and other products, Shoemaker said. Call (217) 330-8848 for the Oakland Avenue store or (217) 330-8761 for the one on Eldorado Street.

Closed‌

Tammy Griffin was saddened one day last month to be packing up for the final day with plans to move the Earthen Pottery store out of Decatur. The store started five years ago in downtown Decatur and, after a couple moves, has been located at 225 N. Main St. But as Griffin and her husband, Mike, were looking at future expansion plans, they found an opportunity in Springfield they couldn’t pass up. So they decided to move the entire store and focus on operating the business at 2931 Plaza Drive on Springfield’s west side in the Gables shopping area. It will be difficult moving the business out of Decatur, but Griffin is hoping to attract more customers in the new spot. “It’s a bigger and better location for us,” she said. “We’ve worked too hard. I love what I’m doing.” The new store will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and open on weekends with hours to be decided, Griffin said. Call (217) 433-1444. nnn Freedom Medical Supply, which most recently was located in Brettwood

Village in Decatur, has closed and merged with Personal Mobility based in Springfield. Personal Mobility owner Gerry Davis said it was part of a consolidation between the two businesses. He said Personal Mobility is a private, familyowned company that provides health care equipment and services. It specializes in providing home medical equipment and rehabilitation technology services. The business, which started in 2001, serves customers throughout Central Illinois with locations in Springfield and Peoria. Sales and service will be provided through either location at 2924 N. Dirksen Parkway in Springfield or 7611 N. Harker Drive in Peoria. Freedom Medical had been located in Brettwood Village for about a year after moving from North Main Street. It was owned by Candace Poe, who now works for Personal Mobility. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MondayFriday and by appointment. Call (217) 241-1548. Biz Bites highlight businesses that are opening, closing, expanding … you get the picture. If you have information for our Biz Bites column, contact Tony Reid at treid@herald-review.com, Chris Lusvardi at clusvardi@herald-review.com, Theresa Churchill at tchurchill@herald-review.com or call them at (217) 421-6979.

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May 2015

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Bee-uitification contest enters fifth year RACHEL RODGERS

Business Journal Writer‌

‌ ECATUR—Businesses entering the D 5th annual Let’s Keep Decatur Bee-utiful contest will have the chance to compete in a new award category this year. The contest, organized by the business beautification task force of the Beautify Decatur Coalition, recognizes businesses that maintain or develop an aesthetically pleasing exterior and set a good example for the overall beautification atmosphere of the community. “The contest has grown dramatically, and it’s really got a life of its own now,” task force co-chairwoman Susan Avery said. Participation in the contest more than doubled during its first four years, growing from 40 businesses in 2011 to 88 last year. Registration for the contest kicked off on May 1 and will end on June

12. Participating businesses are divided into three categories of small, medium or large based on the number of employees. Each division contains first-, secondand third-place awards for gift certificates totaling $350, $200 and $100 to From the Ground Up landscapes, Connie’s Country Greenhouse and Cedar Lake Gardens & Gifts, respectively. Business that have won an award more than once are automatically entered into the running for the $350 Speed Lube Continued Excellence award, which debuted in last year’s contest. “We encourage all businesses to register, whether they have won in the past or have never entered,” task force cochairwoman Jill Davis said. A new award this year is the $350 Lowe’s Best in Show award, which will be distributed to one of the firstplace finishers that best exemplifies the contest. Judging for the contest will take place the week of June 15, and participants will be ranked based on the maintenance of the landscape, hardscape, facade, trash and litter throughout the perimeter of the property. Avery said businesses would do well to give attention to the location’s full

Bee-utiful information

To register or for more info about the Let’s Keep Decatur Bee-utiful business beautification contest, go to www. beautifuldecaturbusiness.com

perimeter, not just the front of the establishment. “A lot of times, businesses think they need to put out a lot of money for beautification, but it’s the small things that can make a big difference,” she said. “They can do little things like making sure the litter is picked up, that the garbage is in the dumpster and the dumpster is closed and secure.” All businesses that register for the contest will receive a 15 percent discount coupon from Connie’s Country Greenhouse. The awards ceremony is scheduled for June 22. Contest sponsors in addition to the award contributors include The Coaching House Inc., Busey Bank Wealth Management, Herald & Review, Grain Journal, Milikin University, Wood Printing, Decatur Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Dunn Company, Bob and Cindy Smith, and Kevin and Sue Breheny.

Brush College School site set for development The former Brush College School in Decatur has a new owner with plans to develop the site into a food manufacturing hub. The building at 575 N. Brush College Road was closed as a school in May 2013 and was sold in April 2014 with plans at the time to develop it as a transitional living space for veterans. The Decatur City Council approved a request in March to rezone the 7.5 acre site from a single-family residence district to an intense commercial/light industrial district. The petitioner of the request was Tony Caccomo, owner of My Shipping Place at 303 E. Pershing Road. A sale to a new entity, National Foodworks Services, was completed last week. The Economic Development Corporation of Decatur and Macon County is assisting the group, EDC President Ryan McCrady said. The goal is turn the building into a food production, packaging and shipping facility, McCrady said. He said it is seeking users in the food production industry for the remodeled facility.

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Break out the bikes

Bicyclists emerge from long winter wait RYAN VOYLES

Business Journal Writer‌

‌DECATUR – With temperatures on the rise, Molly Anderson said she looked for a way to enjoy the outdoors. Biking around Rock Springs seemed like a pretty good option. “It’s better than staying cooped in all day,” the Decatur resident said. She and others across the area have looked for new ways enjoy the beautiful spring weather, and bike stores in the area have seen the interest grow as the temperature get hotter. But it’s not just as simple as buying a bike and riding around, says Scott Magruder, owner of the Decatur Bicycle Shoppe, especially if people hope to take their biking seriously. “The best chance of success is to make sure you’re prepared,” Magruder said. “The stubborn types who think they can just get on a bike and go will just get more frustrated.” One item that can be overlooked for new riders is the proper equipment and gear. Aside from helmets, Magruder recommends items to check and fill air in tires and proper athletic clothing. In addition, he suggested that riders get their bikes from places that will provide lifetime warranties to help cover for maintenance as bikes break down. The first step toward purchasing a bike can be intimidating, with prices starting in the low hundreds to several models in the thousands of dollar price range. But cyclists say it is up to the customer to purchase a bike at a range they are most comfortable with and going from there. “It really depends on the individual and how much they plan to use the bike,” Magruder said. Once one has the proper bike and equipment, they have their share of places to ride in Central Illinois. The area not only provides a Decatur trail system that includes Conservation District Trail and Kiwannis Park, but also trails in surrounding communities like Sullivan. And if the thought of riding alone doesn’t do it for riders, there are plenty in the community who provide group rides. Spin City Cycles holds several group rides throughout the week, for more experienced riders down to intermediate. Troy Brown, manager of Spin City Cycles, said the rides are for those who want to learn new routes, but did not rule out the social aspect of it as well. That social aspect is something that Magruder said can be important for those first starting to ride. “It gives you a chance to meet new people and you can share that common interest in riding,” he said.

Decatur Bicycle Shoppe co-owner Wes Hogan wheels a bike back to the maintenance area for a tune-up.

Business Journal, Jim Bowling‌

Business Journal, Ryan Voyles‌

For the Business Journal, Jim Spaniol‌

Riders gather outside Spin City Cycles before a weekly bike ride around the community. The group rides are meant to introduce riders to new trails in the area and provide a social setting for fellow bike riders. LEFT: Decatur Bicycle Shoppe co-owner Scott Magruder installs a panier rack on a new touring bicycle.

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Calendar of events

The Arts‌

Anne Lloyd Gallery: Barn Colony Artists Annual Show. Go to www.decaturarts.org or call (217) 423-3189. Gallery 510: Abstract paintings by Tom Crawford. Call (217) 422-1509. Decatur Airport: Paintings by Carol Kessler. Decatur Public Library: Oil paintings by Anthony Collins. Blue Connection: “Healing through the Arts,” featuring art by Jarrott Sekosky. Go to www.millikin.edu/blueconnection or call (217) 428-0112. Perkinson Art Gallery, Kirkland Fine Arts Center: Student Show, featuring the juried works by freshman through junior level art students.

On Stage‌

BANQUET

Lincoln Square Theatre: Popovich Comedy Pet Show, 3 p.m. Saturday, May 2; Dr. gonzo and Kevin Meaney comedy show, 6 p.m. Thursday, May 7. For tickets and more information, go to www.lincolnsquarethreatre.com. Little Theatre-On the Square: “Mary Poppins,” June 3-14; Hairspray, June 17-28. For tickets, call (217) 728-7375. www.thelittletheatre.org. Millikin University Department of Theatre and Dance presents “Equinox, A Concert of Dance,” May 8-9, at Kirkland Fine Arts Center. For tickets, call (217) 424-6318. Chill on the Hill, 6:30 to 10 p.m. Thursdays in Mount Zion’s Fletcher Park. Lineup includes Feudin’ Hillbillys, June 4; Shot

For a complete list of events, go to www.herald-review.com/go/ Gun & Lace, June 11; Misconduct, June 18; and Jac Freeze, June 25. For more information, go to www.mtzconventioncenter.com or call (217) 864-5424.

Music‌

Decatur Civic Center: Third Shift’s D-Town Throwdown, 7 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Walkin’ With Cash, 7 p.m. Saturday, June 13. For tickets, go to www.decaturciviccenter.org or call (217) 422-7300. Lincoln Square Theatre: Rock of Ages fan appreciation concert with opening act Third Shift, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23; Gypsy, 7 p.m. Saturday, June 13. For tickets and more information, go to www.lincolnsquaretheatre.com Cookin’ with Chorale, 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 30 and 31, Fairview Park Pavilion 1.

Charity events‌

Coffee Connection Fun Run/Walk, to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Illinois Chapter, 8 a.m. Saturday, May 2, Coffee Connection, 2502 N. Main St. For more information, call (217) 330-8065. Woofstock, to benefit Homeward Bound Pet Shelter, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May

GUIDE

2, at Macon Resources, 2121 Hubbard Ave. Includes performances at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. by Fying Houndz Frizbee Trick Dog Show and a pooch parade at 11 a.m. For more information, go to www.homewardboundpetshelter.com or call (217) 875-1910. Duck Derby Day, to benefit the Children’s Museum of Illinois, on Saturday, May 2, at the museum. Activities begin at noon, with the Duck Derby set for 2 p.m. For more information, go to www.cmofil.org or call (217) 423-5437. Trivia Night, to benefit Decatur Underground Theatre, 7 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at Doherty’s Pub and Pins. Cost is $10 per person, with maximum team size of eight members. Participants encouraged to dress as their favorite movie characters. Call (217) 791-1966. Dash to the Bash, to benefit Junior Welfare Association, on Saturday, May 23 at Sliderz. The proceeds from this 5k/10k run will be sued to provide shoes and athletic garments to kids in Macon County. For more information, go to www.juniorwelfare.com.

For the kids‌

The Rock Springs Nature Center hosts a long list of mini camps, family adventures

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and classes during the month. 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. Scovill Zoo: Zippy Zoo Days with Mom, 1-4 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Call (217) 421-7435. Children’s Museum of Illinois: Music at the Museum, 9:30 a.m. Fridays; Play. Write. Workshop, 2 p.m. Sundays; Passport to the World: A Celebration with Decatur Sister Cities, Saturday, May 16; Call (217) 4235437. www.cmofil.org

Misc.‌

Master Gardeners’ plant sale, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 2, Macon County Fairground. For more information, call (217) 877-6042. Stars Over Athens, Thursday, May 7, Greek Orthodox Church, 570 N. Union St. Bake sale at 9 a.m. and dinner at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Carry out available. Call (217) 428-9030. Airport Fun Day and Experimental Aircraft Association Pancake Breakfast, 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, May 23, Decatur Airport. MidState Cup Tournament, May 29-31, Decatur Soccer Complex. www.midstatesoccer.com Got an item you’d like listed in the Your Free Time calendar? Send the information to Scott Perry at sperry@ herald-review.com or 601 E. William St., Decatur, IL 62523.

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May 2015

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TECH

BUSINESS JOURNAL 11

TALK

Tech troubles just waiting to happen ‌Is technology working smoothly in your business? For most, there are at least a few challenges and frustrations. However, even those lucky few who think they are in good shape may have hidden issues waiting to be uncovered. Here are some common “gotchas” that can cause a huge amount of grief if they aren’t caught in advance. Check into these potential trouble spots now to prevent disastrous issues later.

Wendy Gauntt

Security updates‌

With all the Technology hacker attacks lately, you’ve surely heard how important it is to apply Microsoft patches on a regular basis. You can set these to apply automatically, and you may have done exactly that. If you think that makes you safe, think again. It is common for security updates to stall or fail from time to time, which means it’s very likely at least a few of your PCs are behind on patching and thus vulnerable to hacks. Your servers require reboots to complete certain patches, and those have to be done manually to avoid unexpected downtime. Those pending reboots can hold up additional patches that need to be applied. Again, you may not be as up-to-date as you think. Better safe than sorry. Go check, now.

Default passwords‌

You have a password policy in place requiring complex passwords that change every few months, right? Believe it or not, the most common passwords in use are “password” and “123456.” How hard is that for a hacker to guess? For network equipment, hackers try the default administrator passwords that are factory-programmed. If your IT guy never bothered to change them, or you don’t have an IT guy and just plugged it in hoping it would work, you are easy prey.

I’ve been hacked‌

Most people are under the mistaken impression that they will know if they are hacked. Viruses like Cryptolocker make the news because they are so visible and bold. The virus encrypts all your data and requires a paid ransom to release it. These hackers use the “dark web” (a hidden part of the Internet) and BitCoin (a digital currency that is difficult to trace) so that their identities are not revealed. If you get hit with this hack, you’ll know it. However, more often a good hacker will leave no

trace. They will get in, steal your data, and get out. Like the Cryptolocker hackers, they too rely on the dark web, where they can sell credit card numbers, Social Security numbers and other financial data. They can make a lot of money doing this.

Unlicensed software‌

Often as your company grows, your tech will reuse software licenses. If these are paid, and the right type of licenses, that’s just fine. But it’s easy to lose track or make a mistake in how they are used. “OEM” licenses, for example, cannot legally be transferred to another computer or server. Volume licenses let you have multiple activations, so you can keep using them, but you have to pay enough to cover what you are using. That may not seem like a big worry, but there is a very unfriendly organization called the Business Software Alliance that seeks out companies with licensing issues. They pay handsomely for tips to get employees to tattle on their employers. They even advertise on Facebook these days, so they are becoming more and more visible. If you become the target of an investigation, you will need legal counsel, you could face 6-figure fines and it will take a tremendous amount of time to resolve. It’s not worth the risk.

Expired support contracts‌

Nearly every tech vendor offers support contracts for their products, whether it’s hardware or software. The expense can add up fast. Vendors often let you choose different plans with different response times. For example, do you want to get replacement parts within four hours or is the next business day acceptable? Do you want to be able to call for help 24-7, or will business hour support be sufficient? When things are running smoothly you may feel like a lower level of support is just fine, but if you are in the middle of a crisis, consider what you would want in that case. If you call in only to find you no longer have support, you could spend precious hours just trying to sort that out before you can even start to get the help you need. Downtime is costly. When key equipment like a server or firewall fails, you need immediate assistance to get your business back on track.

Backup failure‌

Once you get your backups set up, they just keep running, right? Unfortunately not. Backup jobs may work flawlessly for months on end, and then for no obvious reason they start failing. Or you may find that backups appear to work fine, but they were set up incorrectly, so you don’t have everything you need. Or the backups run successfully, but the recovery process fails. There are many points of failure in the backup process. The way to head off

these problems is to do recovery tests at least a few times every year, and be sure to monitor the backup jobs in between. When you do a recovery test, you restore entire servers in a test environment to make sure they come up properly. The better quality backup software options have ways that this can be done easily, and regularly; with lesser quality products this can be a very complex, time-consuming endeavor. Don’t

forget to test your offsite backups as well. If you don’t run these tests, you may find out the hard way that your backup didn’t work. Businesses that face a catastrophic data loss rarely survive. Wendy Gauntt is president of CIO Services LLC, a technology consulting company that specializes in small business solutions. Go to www.cioservicesllc.com for more information, ideas and free resources.

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YOUR

BUSINESS

Business Journal, Jim Bowling‌

Brinkoetter and Associates operations manager Tommy Brinkoetter and president Carla Brinkoetter are pictured with a photo of their father and company founder Tom Brinkoetter Sr. The Decatur-based real estate company is celebrating 50 years in business.

Determined to leave a legacy Real estate agency enabled founder to emerge from shadows TONY REID

Business Journal Writer‌

‌DECATUR – Tom Brinkoetter Sr. founded a business that became a major mover and shaker in the Decatur real estate market because he wanted people to know who he was.

Fifty years on, it’s clear he succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. Anybody involved in buying and selling homes recognizes the name of Brinkoetter & Associates. Back at the beginning, however, it was a different story. Brinkoetter’s father, Bernard, worked for the railroad but he had several brothers who were prominent in businesses ranging from plumbing to carpeting. When Tom Brinkoetter was introduced to strangers, they asked him which of

the uncles was his dad; nobody knew Bernard, and it got on his son’s last nerve that his side of the family was getting shunted into the background. “He was just determined that he was going to be the Brinkoetter that somebody knew,” said his widow, Jackie Brinkoetter, 85. “It was what drove him to be the successful man he became, and everybody did know who he was.” Today, Brinkoetter & Associates has a team of 48 agents and Brinkoetter’s daughter, Carla Brinkoetter, 61, is

president and owner and her brother, Tommy Brinkoetter, 49, is general manager. Carla Brinkoetter’s husband, Terry Smith, retired from that post in 2013 after having suffered a brain aneurysm in 2011, but still drops into the office regularly. The Brinkoetter siblings seem to be handling their business legacy well enough between them, and one day big sister plans to transition out and turn

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

May 2015

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Continued from page 14 over the company to her kid brother’s care. One day. A self-confessed “workaholic,” like her late dad (he died in 2008 at age 80), she loves the profession as much as her father did and finds it hard to live without it. She’s done well growing the business in her own right since taking command in 1995, when she bought her father out. “I think we’ve exceeded even what my dad thought we could ever do as a business,” Carla Brinkoetter said. “We had an almost 55 percent market share last year, so one out of every two houses that gets sold, we sell.” The daughter likes the whole name recognition thing, too. She recalls how she knew she had arrived in the business world one day when her dad was still alive and somebody came up to him and asked: “‘Are you Carla Brinkoetter’s dad?’ And I am like ‘Yes, yes, yes. I can retire now,’” she recalled with a laugh. There have been a lot of trips down Memory Lane in this 50th anniversary year. The Brinkoetter siblings recall their company founder as an extraordinary character who started out as a production worker at A.E. Staley Mfg. Co. and taught himself the real estate business, working it in his spare time. He was eventually making more money selling houses then he was manning the production line at Staley, but was a little nervous about moving into his own business full time. “It took him a whole year to make up his mind and I finally got so aggravated I said, ‘either quit Staley or quit real estate,” recalls Jackie Brinkoetter. “Well, I’ve cleaned that up a little bit; I won’t tell you what I actually said to him.” Her husband made the jump into running his own real estate business full time in 1965 and worked it like his life

This April 1966 photo shows the new Brinkoetter and Co. office at 1037-43 E. Eldorado St.

depended on it. His days started well before 8 a.m and, while he would always come home promptly for family dinner at 6 p.m., he’d be gone again until maybe 1 a.m. “I went to work for him at 13 just so I could see him,” recalled Carla Brinkoetter. Her brother was mowing grass on dad’s rental properties, another part of his real estate empire, at a similar age. “And I became the employment agency to Lakeview High School,” said Tommy Brinkoetter. “All my buddies came to work for my dad to cut grass.” While his sister grew up and into the business, Tommy Brinkoetter would eventually branch out on his own, working as a real estate appraiser in Florida for 12 years. He came back in 2000 to use his technical savvy to revamp the Brinkoetter website and wound up launching and running a whole new company called HomeSight Real Estate Marketing Services, which puts interactive home floor

Make a note of it ‌Tom Brinkoetter Sr.’s carefulness with a dollar has become the stuff of family legend. He liked writing down financial goals and carried a piece of paper in his wallet from his early years in which he had pledged to have made $1 million by the time Brinkoetter Sr. in he was 40. He 1971 achieved that goal. “And that piece of paper was still in there the day he died,” said his daughter, Carla Brinkoetter.

Her brother, Tommy Brinkoetter, said his father never believed in spending money for the sake of it. As a teenager, he can remember asking him for $10 so he could go out on a Friday night. “And he would say ‘Sure, son. Now when do you think you can pay me back?’” And then Tommy Brinkoetter says there was the time his dad’s real estate firm sold a house to eager buyers only to discover the sellers had ripped everything out of it, fixtures and fittings and even the carpets. “One of our agents told me ‘You know what your dad did? He walked over to those buyers and wrote them a check for $5,000 and told them to go get their house fixed up.’”

plans and accompanying pictures online. After his brother-in-law’s illness, Tommy Brinkoetter stepped in to help his sister run the family firm. He says making the business relationship work well took some adjustments and fine-tuning, but they’ve found their groove. “I’m having a great time now,” he said. “I love it.” Part of the fun, and the challenge, has been watching the real estate business change so much since the days of their

BUSINESS JOURNAL 15

father operating with a desk phone, a pen, a smile and a handshake. When computers moved into the real estate neighborhood, everything changed, although some business rivals had a hard time realizing it. “We had brokers in this town who thought the Internet was just going to be a fad, you know?” Tommy Brinkoetter said. Now everybody’s clients do serious house shopping online and the Brinkoetters believe we’re just scratching the surface of where online house-hunting is heading. “Virtual reality, I think, where you will be able to put on a headset and you will be in that house from wherever you are, able to take a complete walkthrough tour and see everything,” Tommy Brinkoetter said. “That’s what I think will happen next.” But no one expects the personal service and sheer hard work Tom Brinkoetter built his reputation on will ever be sidelined by technology. The Brinkoetters say those qualities have sustained the company through its first half century and will carry it well into the next 50 years. “And the coolest thing is we’re going to keep it all going under the Brinkoetter name,” Tommy Brinkoetter said. “I think dad would look down on us and be happy that we’re doing that; it’s a legacy thing, and we’re proud of it.”

We fix

H 217-429-4444

LES dunnco.com

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May 2015

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That executive parking spot speaks volumes ‌“What is a pompous thing that I could do to remind people constantly that I am their boss?” That is one question I have never been asked. But it is no doubt lurking in the subconscious minds of many insecure, tyrannical, self-promoting executives. Today I come to help them. I can offer several good suggestions off the top of my head. Constantly criticize your underlings in front of each other. Never giving praise without a negative twist of the knife (“Good work, Nelson. You surprised me with that.”). Insist on being called by your last name even as you call everyone else by their first name. Make sure Human Resources your office is the biggest, fanciest and best located. Send email blasts detailing your accomplishments. Walk out in the middle of conversations. Keep callers on hold. But the question called for one tactic, not a host of them. So, if I am asked that question, I will be glad to recommend this inexpensive and totally effective action: Call a painting company and order a simple metal sign that reads, “Reserved for Company President.” Then post that sign at the head of the parking spot closest to the entrance to the building. The benefits will be immediate and plentiful. Most significantly, it will create and maintain a gigantic

Fred Spannaus

Jupiterimages‌

sense of separation between you and everyone else. All of your employees will be reminded that you are far more important than they. This glorious little sign will have the value-added impact of repeating that lesson on a daily basis. Every time one of your employees trudges past your special parking place, he or she will remember that you, and only you, are allowed to park in that spot, and they will realize anew that you earned that right by being more valuable than them. This is particularly gratifying on days you are out of the office, when the little people can gaze wistfully at the unused spot. “Why do you get that space,” they will ask themselves. Well, they will conclude, it is because you are so needed

Employment Services

Heather Sawyer

Account Representative

655 W Pershing Rd Decatur, IL 62526 (217) 872-7400

decaturil.expresspros.com

Owners Lee Best Brian Lockwood

Is your company struggling to attract applicants to fill jobs?

This is not the same employment market of a few years ago. Job seekers rely on mass marketing tools to promote themselves. They look for channels to automatically distribute their information to companies that are hiring without applying to any specific employer.

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.

Google Wants You To Be Mobile-Friendly Q A

Electronic job boards are too numerous to count. There are so many, that new sites are continually being developed to consolidate sites and net more users. It has become a complex web. Employer job postings trigger responses from applicants with unrelated work history. The hiring manager must sift through resumes for relevance. Worse yet, there may be no applications retrieved at all! Express utilizes the most current recruiting methods and search techniques. We have dedicated staff that screen applicants and conduct interviews every day. When you call Express for candidates, you receive finalists who are qualified for the job. All you need to do is select who you think would fit best in your organization.

that you must be able to get into the building more quickly than any other person. You and you alone cannot afford the critical loss of time that is consumed in walking a few extra feet. They, on the other hand, are far less worthy and far more dispensable. It simply doesn’t matter if they have to walk farther. It really is of little consequence if they get soaked in the rainstorms, or slip on the ice. But that’s not all. Never forget that this reserved parking spot gives you an excellent opportunity to demonstrate that you make more money than them. With that higher salary, you can buy yourself a nice set of wheels. Every year. I’m talking really nice, something that none of them could hope to own without a winning lottery ticket or the timely death of a rich relative. You know, a vehicle that will figuratively sneer at the cars and the pickups that modestly populate the commoners’ spaces. Yes, when it comes to inflating your ego and deflating everyone else’s morale, nothing says it quite as well as your own personal reserved executive parking space. The late Robert Townsend transformed Avis into a great car rental company and wrote “Up the Organization” back in 1970. Here’s what he wrote on this topic: “If you’re so bloody important you’d better be the first one in the office. Besides, you’ll meet a nice class of people in the employees’ parking lot.”

Cayla Hittmeier Digital Sales Specialist Herald & Review

Call Express and actually talk with someone experienced and knowledgeable about hiring. Then focus on your core business while we perform the search for you.

601 E. WILLIAM ST. DECATUR, IL 62523 217.421.6994 cayla.hittmeier@lee.net

Why is it important that my website have a “Mobile-Friendly” or “Responsive” version? Well, my quick and easy “Mom” answer is…”Because Google Said So.” But, if you’re like my 5-year-old, you’re going to need more explanation than that. The truth is, Google is constantly revising their Search Algorithms and changing the game. They just recently launched a new mobile-friendly algorithm that will determine how websites will rank on their search engine. What does this mean? When someone searches on Google for a topic germane to your business, Google uses this new algorithm as it crawls across your website to label it either “mobile-friendly” or not and ranks it accordingly. Sites that are not mobile-friendly, will suffer in search. Don’t think you can rest easy if you’re of the mindset that not everyone uses Google, some people use Yahoo or Bing. True, a smaller percentage do use these other search engines…but trust me, if you’re asking, “If Google jumps off a bridge, will Yahoo & Bing follow?”…the answer is yes. Soon, they will follow suit and rank according to mobile-friendliness as well. So, as I like to bring all lessons home to the “moral of the story” for my children, I’ll do the same for you. The moral…you MUST make certain your website is “mobile-friendly”. While you’re at it, take it a step further and be certain your website is responsive across all devices, including tablets like iPads, Kindle, etc. Log on to this link to test the current mobile-friendliness of your website: https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/. If you don’t get a satisfactory answer, call me. The websites created and managed by the Herald & Review will always meet Google’s standards of mobile friendliness.

May 2015

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BUSINESS JOURNAL 17

BUSINESS CLIPS

Baker

Bauer

Promotions‌

Brad Beesley has been promoted to executive vice president, chief trust and wealth management officer for First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust. Connor Wilhoit has been promoted to manager of the GNC store at 4705 E. Maryland St. Hickory Point Bank has announced the promotion of Tamela Kramer to vice president regional branch manager; Amy Frazier to human resources officer; Christina Baker to assistant vice president; and Jeff Tucker

Beesley

Frazier

Kramer

Rodgers

Tucker

to personal banker/mortgage loan originator.

James Community Bankers Cup for 2014.

Achievements‌

Keyria Rodgers, special projects director for the Macon County State’s Attorney’s Office, has been appointed to the board of the Illinois Balanced and Restorative Justice Project. Kim Bauer, noted Abraham Lincoln scholar, was a featured speaker at the recent Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow conference in Springfield. David W. Tyrolt, president of Dunn

Aaron Meador, store manager of the Water Street McDonald’s, has been selected Outstanding Store Manager in the Greater Chicago Region. Kids N Fitness and Decatur Day Care Center have earned the Silver Circle of Quality award from ExceleRate Illinois. First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc. has been selected as a recipient of the Raymond

ASK THE SCORE COUNSELOR ‌Q: How can a small business owner foster success within his/her business? A: In order to be a successful small business, you have to think and act like a successful business. Sounds simple, but many small business owners and startup entrepreneurs forget this basic concept. In the face of financial adversity, they adopt a “can’t do” attitude. As the leader of your business you should spread a message of success to everyone involved, from employees and vendors to customers and prospects. The most successful entrepreneurs find ways to make successful thinking contagious. Working productively will help build your business, but generating creativity and passion for what your business does is a hallmark of a highperformance business. One way they do that is by emphasizing long-term potential over short-term thinking. They learn to innovate rather than hesitate, and they spark new interest and enthusiasm inside the business. High-performance businesses allow people to take risks, generate new ideas, make mistakes and learn from them. Accelerate success by identifying a few profitable activities and make them happen ever more flawlessly and quickly. Open the lines of communication. Generally, those around you need more information, not less, in order to feel successful. Let people know where you think the business needs to go, the problems it faces and what keeps you up at night. That makes it easier for you to involve them in finding solutions to your biggest challenges. Ask their advice about what you are doing right, what hurts and what needs fixing. That way, everyone has a bigger stake in your success.

Lee

GOT A QUESTION?

Send your question for the “Ask the SCORE Counselor” column to charding@ millikin.edu or send it to SCORE Chapter 296, Millikin University, 1184 W. Main St., Decatur, IL 62522. For individual counseling sessions, please call the SCORE office at (217) 424-6297.

Be open to new ideas, even if they sound silly or outlandish. One such idea just might be your “next big thing.” And reward people for extra effort, either cash or non-cash incentives — like time off or a company lunch — have gained popularity as a means of rewarding employees. And finally, always deliver what you promise. Keep promises to employees, suppliers and customers. Integrity fuels the success engine, and it’s tough to recover if you blow it. –Bethany Wetherholt, SCORE counselor

Meet a SCORE counselor

Jim Mandoline began his sales career in 1963 as a route salesman for Purity Baking Company, rising through the management ranks at that and other food companies before retiring in 1985 and starting his own businesses and serving as a member of a venture Mondoline capital group. Jim has been active in the Mount Zion community, serving on the Chamber of Commerce board and is the current chairman of the village planning and zoning commission.

Announcements‌

Tyrolt

Wilhoit

Company in Decatur, was elected treasurer for the Associated General Contractors of Illinois. John C. Lee, M.D. presented a program at the International Symposium on Ophthalmology in Nantong, China. Business Clips are abbreviated versions of paid Business Achievements which appear on Mondays in the Herald & Review. For more information about Business Achievements, go to www.thebusinessjournal.com and click on the Submit a Business Achievement link.

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

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Big egos bad for business ANN BELSER

where they feel they can make positive difference. And then, second, the small problems will grow to be unmanageable, large problems. After all, there was a lot of grumbling about Captain Bligh long before the mutiny on the Bounty, she pointed out. Emerson said the leader of any business has to keep in touch with the workers on the front lines who most directly engage with customers. The people who work with customers hear the complaints about a product or service long before those complaints trickle up through the chain of command. In a blog post, Emerson wrote that any business owner needs to show appreciation for employees and engage them in helping to solve business problems. “Do not hide in your office struggling to come up with all the answers,” she wrote. “Engage your staff in brainstorming sessions to solve issues in the business. I have had many interns save the day.” She also suggests holding regular staff meetings, during which the boss also holds him or herself accountable. “Don’t demand updates from everyone around the table without offering the status of your own projects,” she wrote. “It will help you keep the lines of communication open with your team.”

Tribune News Service Writer‌

Casual is replacing costly at business meetings MARK BELKO

Tribune News Service Writer‌

‌ ot too long ago, if you wanted to seal N the deal with a client, impress a potential investor or recruit the next Steve Jobs, the venue of choice might have been a cherry-paneled steakhouse, a resplendent dining hall in a private club or even a richly appointed boardroom. But an artisan coffeehouse? Whether it’s to cut costs or simply as a matter of preference, people are choosing lattes over lobster and a double espresso over the three-martini lunch to conduct business. At least, that’s according to Aigerim Shorman, CEO of San Francisco-based Triptrotting, a company that created Wist, an app that recommends restaurants, bars and other venues for specific occasions. Shorman said Triptrotting surveyed more than a thousand Wist users to determine their favorite places for business meetings. What it found was that white tablecloth restaurants are giving way to more casual venues like coffee shops. “I think this is a trend. A lot of users (of the app) are between 25 and 40. These are kind of the young professionals who prefer a more casual environment,” Shorman said. She noted more casual places are being used for a variety of business meetings, from those involving potential clients or investors to interviews with prospective employees to get-togethers with colleagues. “We’re talking about a whole spectrum,”

she said. How do you select the right place for a business meeting? Shorman offered some tips: Gain the home field advantage. Suggest the meeting place in making your invitation. Try to pick a favorite place where you know the waiters well, where you know where the best seats are, and where you know you’ll be able to talk without distractions. Minimize hidden cost. Select a place where the parking is free or very inexpensive. Also, stick to places that are reasonably priced. “If it is too expensive, it makes people uncomfortable. Stay within a reasonable budget,” Shorman said. Avoid obvious distractions. Find a place that is quiet and one without television, which can become a distraction in itself, particularly if there’s a sporting event being played, Shorman said. You might want to avoid Starbucks in larger cities because those coffee shops can become noisy and crowded, she said. “In big cities like New York and in areas that are very popular, Starbucks can be packed. It’s hard to find a seat. In general, if you’re in Times Square, don’t pick a Starbucks. You won’t find a seat and you’ll stand in line for an hour,” she said. Break down business barriers. By that, Shorman means finding places that are casual but professional. She added that it also helps to find a venue that offers diverse menu choices, especially if you don’t know the tastes of those with whom you will be meeting.

‌They are the hear-no-evil bosses. The type who overreact to bad news. The shoot-the-messenger sort. They are the managers who will go from calm to panic faster than a Maserati goes from 0 to 60. So what happens? “When the boss won’t take bad news, eventually something really bad will clothes-line the boss on a bad day,” said Melinda F. Emerson, the author of “Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months.” Emerson said, in Fortune 500 companies, a boss who will not reckon with bad news is shown the exit sooner or later. In small businesses, the whole enterprise is at risk. “Any company that kowtows to the owner’s ego will ultimately fail,” she wrote in her book. “You must hire smart people and empower them to make decisions, even if they are not the decisions you would make.” Management has to foster the kind of communication where bad news can be passed along before it is catastrophic news. If a culture develops in which employees are afraid to share what is happening on the ground, two things happen: First, good employees will leave, Emerson said, because people want to work

Did you start your business to become a Payroll Clerk? Did you ever dream of spending hours messing with Workers’ Comp claims? Have you ever said: “I just love to file Withholding Tax and Unemployment Insurance Returns? Did you ever think: “Employee Benefits hassles are a much better use of my time than my revenueproducing work?” If your answer to these questions is NO . . . or even just no . . . you should be talking to ProEmp & Associates. ProEmp provides complete and competent service for Payroll Management, Workers’ Compensation Insurance and Claims, Payroll Tax, Unemployment Insurance, Employee Benefits Administration, and now General Business Liability Insurance. You can hire ProEmp to do these things for you at a very economical cost and you can spend your time doing the work that makes you happy and makes you money. Contact us today for a no obligation review of your business and learn how ProEmp & Associates can help you. 1065 W. Main St. Decatur, IL 62522 217-233-4729 www.proemp.com

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H E A LT H

An extra helping of safety New certification aims to reduces risk of food illnesses EMILY STEELE

Business Journal Writer‌

‌DECATUR – A lot of hands may touch food from the time it prepared in the restaurant kitchen to the time it is delivered to the table. That means there’s room for error. The state of Illinois is now requiring food handler certifications for restaurants to ensure that anyone who touches food or food surfaces is trained in food safety. The new rule also applies to nonrestaurant agencies, causing some confusion about who the new rules apply to. That’s where Kathy Wade, director of environmental health for the Macon County Health Department, comes in. The certification is required for any restaurant and nonrestaurant paid employee who handles unpackaged food, food equipment, utensils or food contact surfaces. It includes most restaurant jobs, including servers, chefs, head chefs, head cooks, cooks, bussers, bartenders, dishwashers, hosts and hostesses and supervisors, such as the general manager or managers. However, many chefs and managers already have the food service sanitation

manager certificate, which is a higher level of training, so they don’t need the new certificate. The health department spent 2014 informing establishments and agencies about the change and the county’s four inspectors started the process of verifying hard copies of food handler certificates on Jan. 1. “We’re going to do a lot of cross referencing to make sure employees are getting the training they need,” Wade said. New employees have 30 days to get trained. “We’ve seen pretty good compliance; we’ve only seen a handful that aren’t,” Wade said. Establishments in violation of the code have 90 days to fix it. Temporary food establishments, such as vendors for Decatur Celebration and volunteer employees, are exempt from the food handler certificate. That’s a relief to the Rev. Stacey Brohard, executive director of Good Samaritan Inn. The food pantry prepares and serves a meal every day with the help of about 425 volunteers. “I was worried about it, because the first information I was receiving was that everybody we had would have to go through it,” Brohard said. Their staff of eight who oversee hygiene issues on the serving line do have the certification, so does anyone who goes through their 13-week Mercy Kitchen

culinary training program. They’re posted on the wall along with their restaurant license for anyone to see. Caitlin Huth, nutrition and wellness educator with the University of Illinois Extension, said the new food handler certification increases food safety and reduces the risk of food-borne illnesses, especially in nonrestaurant facilities where food is served, such as hospitals or day cares. Bacteria may form in food that is not properly prepared or stored. Because of this, Huth said, knowledge is essential. “Some of these groups work with atrisk clients in a nursing home or day care,” Huth said. “These are two groups who are more likely to have problems with foodborne illnesses if they contracted it.” While the extension offers food service sanitation manager certificate training, neither the extension nor the health department is providing food handler training right now. However, the extension may in the future, Huth said. The food handler class covers basic food safety, such as what temperatures food

should be kept and for how long. Courses are available online and cost between $9 and $15. The food service sanitation manager certificate course is longer and has been adjusted to meet new standards required by the law. The original training was 15 hours with a national exam and a refresher course every five years with five hours of education. The change reduces the hours of training to eight with an exam that must be repeated every five years. Some chain restaurants have internal training for employees that covers certification. “It’s about knowing where their role lies in keeping that food safe,” Huth said. However local health departments and the state are still trying to figure out the details, such as what if a server has a mental disability and needs assistance taking the test or retaking it. “There are a lot of questions we don’t have the answers to, so every time one comes up, we’re emailing the state,” Wade said.

The road to loyalty.

Experienced bankers inspire trust and loyalty. And your loyalty helps us serve you better. MEMBER FDIC Business Journal, Jim Bowling‌

Richland Community College Culinary Arts students Ember Workman and Darin Duzan set out salads for a luncheon at the college.

HICKORYPOINTBANK.COM

CHAMPAIGN

DECATUR

PEORIA

SPRINGFIELD

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Community health calendar Support groups‌

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. 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. Grief support group, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 2, St. Mary’s Hospital, Room G24. For information, call Jamie Smith at (217) 5446464 ext. 45268. Breastfeeding support group, 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 11, Baby TALK, 500 E. Lake Shore Dr. To register, call Flo Folami at (217) 464-2334. Postpartum emotional support group, 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 11, St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. For more information, call (217) 464-2334. SHARE support group, 7 p.m. Monday, May 11, 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, May 12, St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. For more information, call

“

(217) 853-1655. Cardiopulmonary rehab nutrition class, 11 a.m. Thursday, May 14, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Classroom C. For more information, call (217) 876-2496. Pink Link breast cancer support group, 6 p.m. Thursday, May 14, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, 210 W. McKinley Ave. To register, call (217) 876-4377. Brain tumor support group, 10 a.m. Saturday, May 16, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Complementary Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4750. Renewal bereavement support group, 6 p.m. Monday, May 18, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Complementary Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4750. Breath of Life support group, noon Tuesday, May 19, St. Mary’s Hospital, Room 561. Speakers available to answer questions from those with breathing problems. For information, call (217) 464-2603. Diabetes support group, 11 a.m. Thursday, May 21, DMH Specific Performance Enhancement Center, 2122 N, 27th St. Call (217) 876-4249. Parkinson’s disease support group, 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 21, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1360 W. Main St. For information, call Kathy Broaddus at (217) 820-3096. Lyme-MTHFR support study group, 6 p.m.

Thursday, May 21, Mari-Mann Herb Co., 1405 Mari Mann Lane. Call (217) 429-1555. Us TOO prostate cancer support group, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 26, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, Complementary Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4750. Widowed support group, 11:30 a.m. Thursday, May 28. Monthly dinner gathering. For location or to register, call (217) 428-7733.

Classes‌

Infant CPR Class, 7 p.m. Monday, May 4, Decatur Memorial Hospital, OB Classrooms. Register online or call (217) 876-3100. New Brother/Sister Day Camp, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7, DMH OB Classroom. Children ages 3-10 learn what to expect with the arrival of a new baby brother or sister. Cost is $15. To register, call (217) 876-3400. Sibling class, 5:15 p.m. Monday, May 11, 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. Look Good, Feel Better: Helping Women with Cancer, 6 p.m. Monday, May 11, St. Mary’s Hospital Cancer Care Center. For more information, call Leanne at (217) 876-6600. Learn More About Colon Cancer Detection and Treatments, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 12,

Decatur Memorial Hospital, Classrooms A and B. Presented by Dr. Ranjodh Singh. To register, call (217) 876-2850. Heart Healthy Gourmet Demo and Dinner: Cooking with Kale, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Cafe DMH 1 and 2. Cost is $25 per couple, $15 per person. To register, call (217) 876-2850. Cariopulmonary risk factor education, 11 a.m. Friday, May 15, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Classroom C. For more information, call (217) 876-2496. Become Stroke Smart, 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Classrooms A, B and C. to register, call (217) 876-2850. Alzheimer’s Research: Get Informed, Get Involved, 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. For more information, call (217) 726-5184. Stroke Recovery, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.., Tuesday, May 19, Decatur Public Library. For more information, call (217) 464-5125.

More‌

Fitness-Come Together Let’s Walk fitness training session, 5 p.m. Monday, May 4 and May 18, Fairview Park, Large Pavilion. Free blood pressure screenings. For more information, call (217) 464-2046. SPEC 7th annual 5k/10k Run and 1 mile fun run/walk, 8 a.m. Saturday, May 20, Forsyth Professional Center. For information, call (217) 876-4249.

Attracting more specialists makes our patients healthier and community stronger.

”

THAT’S HOW DAN PERRYMAN, PRESIDENT AND CEO, IS

ELEVATING HEALTH CARE At HSHS St. Mary’s, we’re giving patients access to medical specialists like cardiologist Dr. Manohar Kola. From the renowned experts of Prairie Heart Institute to leading orthopedic, vascular and urology experts, the specialists of St. Mary’s are elevating health care every day. stmarysdecatur.com

every day.

May 2015

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BUSINESS JOURNAL 21

CAREER

Job prospects improving for college graduates ‌WASHINGTON (AP) — The consulting and accounting firm EY is aggressively recruiting on college campuses this spring. The company formerly known as Ernst & Young plans to hire 9,000 graduates from U.S. universities this year, up from 7,500 in 2014. But recruiting isn’t as easy as it used to be. “I’m seeing a lot more competition” from rival employers, says Dan Black, EY’s Americas recruiting leader. That’s good news for college seniors and graduate students preparing to accept diplomas this spring, and a sign that new graduates will fare better than they did in 2014. The Labor Department reported last month that the unemployment rate for Americans in their 20s who received a four-year or advanced degree last year rose to 12.4 percent from 10.9 percent in 2013. “This is a real breakout year,” said Philip Gardner, director of Michigan State University’s Collegiate Employment Research Institute. In a survey of employers last fall, the employment center found that hiring of graduates with four-year degrees will rise 16 percent this year. “It’s led by the ones you would expect — engineering and business,” Gardner said. “But there seems to be a lot of room for everybody... Even arts and humanities are making a comeback.” Employers have more openings to fill because Baby Boomers are retiring and more workers are feeling confident enough about the economy to switch jobs. Overall, the United States generated 3.1 million jobs last year, the most since 1999. The overall unemployment rate has fallen to 5.5 percent in March from 6.7 percent at the end of 2013. Tyler Etten, 22, had a $54,000-a-year job in finance waiting for him when he graduated from Iowa State University in May 2014. Three months later, he bounced to an even better job with the investment firm Piper Jaffray in Minneapolis. His 3.5 grade point average helped. But Etten says he set himself apart by getting internships, participating in campus clubs and spending his spare time learning financial modeling and advanced Excel skills. “A degree is not enough with record amounts of people graduating from college,” he said. In particular, employer demand for so-called STEM graduates — in science, technology, engineering and mathematics — is high. “We can’t graduate enough engineers,” said Holly Proffitt, employer relations coordinator in the career services office at Arkansas State University. Still, many recent college grads are

Business Journal file photo‌

The Richland Community College Class of 2014 waits for the last of their class before being seated in the Decatur Civic Center. A recent national survey shows this year’s college seniors and graduate students will have better luck landing a job after graduation.

Associated Press‌

Record clerk Josh Kelly wipes a dust speck from a used LP record as he put it in a sales bin at Vintage Vinyl Records in Fords, N.J. A recent Rutgers graduate, Kelly is working at the record store and living with friends while he tries to land a job in journalism or radio programming.

struggling and have yet to enjoy a full recovery from the dark days of the Great Recession. In a report last year, researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco found that wages for recent college graduates haven’t kept up with overall wages

since the Great Recession. Between 2007 and 2014, median wages for all full-time workers rose 15 percent. For recent college grads, they rose just 6 percent. The same thing happened after the 2001 recession: College grads’ wages lagged behind everyone else’s as the economy

recovered, the report said. The Michigan State survey found that 62 percent of employers were planning to keep starting wages flat for college grads compared to last year; 37 percent planned to increase starting salaries. The increases tended to range from 3 percent to 5 percent. Elizabeth Earl, 22, landed a job at a health care trade publication after graduating from Columbia College Chicago in December. The pay is low and the work tedious, but she’s relieved she has a job. “By the time you get out, you assume you’ll be a barista,” she said. “It’s not idyllic nor at all what I want to do, but it is a job from which I can be getting paid while I consider career paths.” Josh Kelly, 23, is hoping to break into radio or journalism after graduating from Rutgers University in January. In the meantime, he’s working at a record store and living with five people in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The job search has proven frustrating, even though he had an internship with a radio company and was president of a student-run radio station. Kelly said he was disheartened to learn that many companies use algorithms to scan resumes for particular keywords. He thought human recruiters were reviewing his applications, “yet now the picture seems to be that most hiring agents don’t necessarily see my resume at all.”

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Consider these keys to improving team spirit at work ‌Q: I’m trying to build more camaraderie among my team at work. We’ve got people of all ages and backgrounds and, while people seem well intentioned, the group isn’t jelling as quickly as I’d like. What can I do to help us come together? A: Create opportunities for people to connect, but don’t force it. That can have unintended consequences.

Liz Reyer

The inner game‌

First of all, ask yourself if there is really a problem. Does the level of team spirit interfere with getting the work done well? If it does, you also need to determine whether some other factor, say, level of knowledge or a training need, could be causing any

account … more on that later.

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performance shortfall. If work quality is acceptable, explore your motivation for wanting more camaraderie. Perhaps you were once part of the “best team ever,” and you’re trying to recreate that experience. While this is well-meaning, it’s probably not realistic. However, you may find that, while the team does well as is, there is an opportunity to unleash some creativity or have more sharing of knowledge if people were a bit closer. Or you may have received feedback that people feel isolated or are not happy at work. Under these circumstances, action would be advisable. So, what to do? Part of that will be determined by the resources you have at hand, including funds for staff events. Team preferences also must be taken into

Outer game‌

Before even going down the team building activity path, look at opportunities to build connections through work project collaboration. People forge close relationships when they’re problem solving and co-creating. It’s up to you to find ways for this to happen. Put people with complementary skills together on a task, especially if they have not had cause to spend time together. There may be a bit of foot dragging because people like their comfort zones, but without making a big deal out of it, be persistent. Soon you’ll find that unlikely people have developed inside jokes and are seeking each other out as thinking partners. Now, this won’t always work, so be tolerant of chemistry that is less than 100 percent. It’s important to be realistic. Once people are talking a bit more, look at some team-oriented ways to broaden the relationship. This is where preferences come in. A day at a rock climbing

challenge may be great for some employees, but not all will be able or willing to participate. So ask your employees; come to an agreement with them about ways to spend some time socializing with coworkers. Be very sensitive to timing, too. People are protective of their personal time, so do not create an expectation for an evening or weekend event. Also, pay attention to major work deadlines. It’s not going to be fun to be out for the afternoon if a major deadline is looming. Keep an eye out for insiders and outsiders to ensure that no one is being left out, and also monitor progress based on your goal for the team.

The last word‌

Closer collaboration is the foundation of a more interconnected team. 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.

Coming to grips with your ‘space cadet’ boss ‌Q: We recently got a new manager who is totally disorganized. “Rick” will tell us to do something, then after we finish, he says that it was not at all what he wanted. Rick also forgets a lot of things after we talk about them. Our team is getting confused and discouraged. How do you work for someone who is a complete space cadet? A: If your previOffice Coach ous supervisor was a systematic, orderly type, then Rick’s leadership style is undoubtedly a huge adjustment. To get what you need from this scattered boss, you and your colleagues may now have to put much more effort into “managing up.” As you have seen, disorganized managers frequently fail to convey expectations clearly. Because they think about results in general terms, they simply don’t consider many details. Then, when a project is complete, they are dismayed to discover that the finished product doesn’t match their mental picture. To minimize these unpleasant surprises, try to extract Rick’s hidden assumptions at the beginning of a project. By asking reasonable questions, you may be able to explore his thinking and better define what he’s looking for. You

Marie McIntyre

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might also propose some possibilities and see how he reacts. At the start of any new activity, build in some feedback points to get Rick’s view of your progress. If he has an opportunity to approve plans, review drafts, evaluate prototypes, or provide input on key decisions, he is much more likely to be happy with the final result. To compensate for Rick’s unreliable memory, put important meetings on his calendar, send friendly reminders about critical dates and follow up discussions with an email summarizing conclusions and agreements. While all this may sound like a lot of extra work, in the long run it will make your life much easier. nnn Q: One of my co-workers gets extremely irritated whenever I type on my computer. She will turn up the volume on her radio, slam things on her desk, curse at me under her breath and occasionally start singing in a loud voice. I have done everything in my power to type more quietly, but that is almost impossible. How can I resolve this? A: Based on your description, your hyper-sensitive co-worker is immature at best and mentally disturbed at worst. But regardless of the reason for her disruptive behavior, you should not have to

put up with it. Instead of meekly continuing to placate this eccentric woman, give her one clear warning before going to management. For example: “Mary, we both know that typing is a normal part of my job and that I can’t control the sound of my keyboard. Your angry reactions are interfering with my work, so I need for this to stop. Otherwise, I will have to ask management to intervene.” If the harassment continues, make good on your promise and talk with your boss or human resources manager. This woman sounds a little unbalanced, so someone in management needs to know about her peculiar behavior. nnn Q: Shortly after I took this job, my supervisor asked to borrow $50. Ever since then, he has made excuses for not paying me back, like forgetting to stop by the bank or finding the ATM out of service. Now he has asked for another $250 to get his car fixed. Because this man is my boss, his requests make me very uncomfortable. I recently learned that he has asked people throughout the company for loans and never repaid them. Do you think I should tell someone about this? A: Supervisors should never ask employees for money in any form. This blanket prohibition includes not only personal loans, but also solicitations for their favorite charity or requests to buy Girl Scout cookies. The reason is simple: when these appeals come from the boss, staff members don’t feel free to refuse.

Since there is safety in numbers, recruit some other victims of this loan scam and go as a group to your human resources manager. Hopefully, that will solve the problem. But if not, just respond to any future requests by saying, “I’m sorry, but I don’t have extra money right now.” If you keep this up, your impoverished boss will eventually seek out more lucrative prospects. nnn Q: I don’t understand why my coworker never greets me at the beginning of the day. She walks right by my desk without saying “Good morning” or “How are you?” Other people have also expressed concern about this behavior. What’s your opinion? A: People who are naturally sociable often find it puzzling when others are not. However, I can assure you that many perfectly normal folks don’t make a habit of offering morning greetings to their colleagues. While that might be the friendly thing to do, it’s simply not part of their personality. If your reserved co-worker is otherwise pleasant and helpful, accept the fact that “good morning” is not in her vocabulary and just continue working when she passes by. Since she apparently acts the same towards everyone, her indifference is clearly not directed at you. She may simply have other things on her mind. Marie G. McIntyre is a workplace coach and the author. Send in questions and get free coaching tips at www.yourofficecoach.com, or follow her on Twitter @ officecoach.

May 2015

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Costs of elder care continue rapid climb

Burden weighs on families, nursing home providers MATTHEW CRAFT

AP Business Writer‌

‌NEW YORK (AP) — The steep cost of caring for the elderly continues to climb. The median bill for a private room in a nursing home is now $91,250 a year, according to an industry survey out Thursday. The annual “Cost of Care” report from Genworth Financial tracks the staggering rise in expenses for long-term care, a growing financial burden for families, governments and insurers like Genworth. The cost of staying in a nursing home has increased 4 percent every year over the last five years, the report says. Last year, the median bill was $87,600. “Most people don’t realize how expensive this care can be until a parent or family member needs it,” said Joe

Caldwell, director of long-term services at the National Council on Aging. “And then it’s a real shock.” The annual report from Genworth, which sells policies to cover long-term care, looks at costs for a variety of services, including adult daycare, and home health aides. It shows that nursing home bills are rising at the fastest pace, twice the rate of U.S. inflation over the last five years. One year in a nursing home now costs nearly as much as three years of tuition at a private college. For its report, Genworth surveyed 15,000 nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other providers across the country in January and February. It found wide differences from state to state. In Oklahoma, for instance, the median cost for a year in a nursing home came out to $60,225. In Connecticut, it was $158,775. Alaska had the highest costs by far, with one year at $281,415. So, who pays the nursing-home bill? “A lot of people believe Medicare will

Lower summer gas prices expected Seasonal average could hit 6-year low ‌NEW YORK (AP) — Drivers will see the lowest summer gasoline prices in about six years, according to the Energy Department. The national average price is forecast to fall 32 percent from a year ago to $2.45 a gallon between April and September, the period when Americans do most of their driving. That would mark the lowest seasonal average since 2009. For the year, the department’s Energy Information Administration expects gasoline to average $2.40 a gallon, down from $3.36 in 2014. “It’s a very realistic average, but like a lot of averages, it doesn’t speak to some of the lumpiness you’ll see,” said Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at OPIS. He expects the fluctuation in the price to be uneven, and said it could even dip below the $2 mark within the period. He expects demand for gasoline to reach a high point in July and August. The lower prices are a result of world oil supplies growing faster than demand because of higher production in North America and elsewhere. That dynamic has been depressing the price of crude oil. But, the Energy Department warned that the forecast could substantially change if oilrelated sanctions against Iran are lifted as part of ongoing negotiations. That country is believed to hold at least 30 million barrels of oil in storage.

The price of Brent crude, a benchmark used to price oil used by many U. S. refineries and the most important factor in gasoline prices, is forecast to fall 40 percent this year. U.S. drivers are expected to consume slightly more gasoline, a 1.6 percent increase, during the summer. But gasoline expenditures by household are expected to be the lowest since 2004, according to the EIA, with people spending about $700 less on gasoline in 2015. Over the past six months, most Americans have kept their savings from cheaper gasoline, instead of spending the proceeds. The personal savings rate climbed to 5.8 percent in February from 4.4 percent in November. Economic growth has been limited because of the choice to save, since consumer spending accounts for roughly 70 percent of U.S. economic activity. “It’s odd, consumers have held back on spending even as they pocket a nice windfall from lower gasoline prices,” said Scott Anderson, chief economist at the Bank of the West. There are two likely explanations for why consumers have been hesitant to spend: Either they assume that gas prices will once again climb back to previous levels. Or, the unusually harsh winter weather prevented them from shopping at the start of the year. The warmer spring weather and continued low gas prices projected by the government should lead more Americans to increase their spending in the coming months, Anderson said.

step in and cover them, but that’s just not true,” said Bruce Chernof, president and CEO of The Scan Foundation, a charitable organization. Medicare will cover some short visits for recovery after a surgery, for instance, but not long-term stays. Often enough, experts say senior citizens wind up spending their savings until they hit their last $2,000, and at that point they can turn to Medicaid, the government’s health insurance for the poor, to help cover the bill. As a result, Medicaid pays for more than half of the country’s long-term care bill. That cost accounts for more than a quarter of Medicaid spending, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Genworth and other insurers offer long-term care policies to help people shoulder the financial burden. But people have to be healthy enough to qualify for coverage.

Those who take out policies find their insurance bill rises steadily as they age. Caldwell described Genworth’s survey as essentially a marketing pitch. “Of course they want people to see how much it costs to sell long-term care insurance,” he said. “What they’re not telling you is that the long-term care coverage is becoming more and more unaffordable for middle-class families.” Mounting costs have also pushed many insurance companies out of the business. Four of the five largest providers have either scaled back their business or stopped offering new policies. The largest provider, Genworth, has struggled under the weight of old policies. Less-intensive care remains much cheaper than staying at a nursing home, according to Genworth’s survey. One year in in an assisted-living facility runs $43,200. A year of visits from an agency’s home health aides runs $45,760.

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