October 2016 Business Journal

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2 | BUSINESS JOURNAL | October 2016

Monday, Oct. 3‌

www.thebusiness-journal.com

Wednesday, Oct. 26‌

Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Restaurant, 2959 N. Oakland Ave. Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club, 158 W. Prairie Ave. Women’s Progressive Club, 6 p.m., Greater Northside Baptist Church.

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

Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.

Thursday, Oct. 27‌

Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility, 3909 W. Main St. Lincolnland Decatur AMBUCS, noon, Decatur Club.

Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club.

Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.

Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club.

Mount Zion Lions Club, 6:30 p.m., Four Star Family Restaurant.

Decatur Camera Club, 7 p.m., Rock Springs Environmental Center.

Wednesday, Oct. 5‌

Friday, Oct. 28‌

Tuesday, Oct. 4‌

Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Breakfast, 7 a.m., Decatur Club. Scheduled speaker is Larry Klugman.

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

Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Facility.

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

Saturday, Oct. 29‌

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

Monday, Oct. 31‌

Thursday, Oct. 6‌

Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Restaurant.

Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club.

Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Decatur Club.

Human Services Agency Consortium, noon, Central Christian Church, 650 W. William St.

Friday, Oct. 7‌

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

Saturday, Oct. 8‌

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

Monday, Oct. 10‌

Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Restaurant.

Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club.

Altrusa International of Decatur, 6 p.m., location varies

Tuesday, Oct. 11‌

Tuesday, Nov. 1‌

Monroe St.

Thursday, Oct. 13‌

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.

Lincolnland Decatur AMBUCS, 6:30 p.m., Independence Pointe Building, 2715 N. 27th St. Decatur Area Women’s Network (DAWN), 5:30 p.m., Decatur Club.

Mount Zion Lions Club, 6:30 p.m., Four Star Family Restaurant, 1100 Illinois 121.

Decatur Camera Club, 7 p.m., Rock Springs Environmental Center, 3939 Nearing Lane.

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. Friday, Oct. 14‌ Woodford St. Decatur Breakfast Sertoma, 7 a.m., Scovill Decatur Area Society for Human Resource Banquet Facility.

Management, 11 a.m., location varies.

Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club.

Saturday, Oct. 15‌ Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.

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

Wednesday, Oct. 12‌ Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Monday, Oct. 17‌ Scovill Banquet Facility.

Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Mount Zion Chamber of Commerce LunRestaurant. cheon, 11:30 a.m., Antioch Christian Church.

Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club.

Scheduled speaker is Kim Carlson of the Mount Women’s Progressive Club, 6 p.m., Greater Zion Children’s Christmas Fund.

Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Northside Baptist Church.

Facility.

Mount Zion Chamber of Commerce Busi- Tuesday, Oct. 18‌ Kiwanianne Club of Decatur, 9:30 a.m., Sconess After Hours, 5 to 6:30 p.m., Runn-Inn-It vill Banquet Facility.

Stay & Play, 1555 N. Illinois 121.

Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club.

Decatur Real Estate Investors Association, Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.

6:30 p.m., Perkins Family Restaurant, 2999 N.

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

Noon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club.

Decatur Landlords Association, 6 p.m., Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club.

Doherty’s Pub, 242 E. William St.

Wednesday, Oct. 19‌

Wednesday, Nov. 2‌

Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Decatur Golden K Kiwanis Club, 9:30 a.m., Breakfast, 7 a.m., Decatur Club.

Scovill Banquet Facility.

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

Facility.

Decatur Shrine Club, noon, Scovill Banquet Mount Zion Chamber of Commerce Busi- Facility. ness After Hours, 5 to 6:30 p.m., Vaughn Foot & Ankle Clinic, 1640 Illinois 121.

Thursday, Nov. 3‌ Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill BanThursday, Oct. 20‌ quet Facility.

Early Bird Kiwanis, 6:45 a.m., Scovill BanDecatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, quet Facility.

Decatur Club.

Decatur Christian Women’s Connection, Human Service Agency Consortium, noon, 11:30 a.m., Scovill Banquet Facility.

Central Christian Church, 650 W. William St. Decatur Metropolitan Rotary Club, noon, Metro Decatur Home Builders Association, Decatur Club.

6 p.m., Beach House.

Friday, Oct. 21‌

Friday, Nov. 4‌

Saturday, Oct. 22‌

Saturday, Nov. 5

Monday, Oct. 24‌

Monday, Nov. 7‌

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

Facility.

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

Club.

Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Decatur Noon Lions Club, Diamonds Family Restaurant.

Restaurant.

Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club.

Decatur Rotary 180, noon, Decatur Club.

Women’s Progressive Club, 6 p.m., Greater Tuesday, Oct. 25‌ Northside Baptist Church.

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

Decatur Building Construction Trades To submit items for Your Calendar, contact Council, 10 a.m., IBEW Local 146 Hall.

Scott Perry at (217) 421-7976, at sperry@herNoon Kiwanis Club, Decatur Club. ald-review.com, or click the “Submit an Event” Noon Sertoma, Decatur Club. link at www.thebusiness-journal.com

October 2016 | BUSINESS JOURNAL | 3

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FROM THE EDITOR

T

his is the last time this year I will write about Lake Decatur. I promise. ‌I can say this with certainty because summer is quickly coming to a close, meaning weekends and weekday nights spent relaxing on the lake will come to an end, too.

I still find it funny how I view a day spent at home watching a football game or napping (which I did on a beautiful Sunday afternoon a couple weeks back) as wasting time, whereas a day sitting on the lake doing little more than floating around and talking with friends is considered time well spent.

And believe me, these past few months have warranted an extra dose of lake therapy.

But enough about me.

With my last note of the year about Lake Decatur, I want to say how happy I am to see a few daring business folks doing what they can to introduce people to the lake. Peddle boats, kayaks and paddle boards are a great start. I’m hoping people took advantage of them this year so they come back bigger and better next year. And with the Decatur Park District looking to further develop Nelson Park, the lake should get even more attention.

And let’s not forget the dredging project. While the goal of that project is to create a more reliable water

Volume 21

601 E. William St. Decatur, IL 62523 217.421.7976 217.421.7965 (fax) Publisher: Julie Bechtel General Manager: Joel Fletcher source, there are boater benefits. The lake is cleaner and spots that had been off limits because of shallow water are now open to boat travel. It will only get better.

Forget the countdown to Christmas.

How many days is it until boating season Scott Perry, editor resumes? My count has it at 211 days, Business Journal of Midcentral Illinois give or take a few.

12 Spreading the good word

STANDING FEATURES 6

Business Clips

10

Fred Spannaus

12

Free Time calendar

Which workers are your best cheerleaders?

8

Health calendar

16

Julie Shields

12

Liz Reyer

19

Office Coach

19

Wendy Gauntt

17

Wall of fun Construction delays at Richland Community College created a unique opportunity to bring students together to do something they could never do as kids. Coloring on a wall.

Page 4

Editor: Scott Perry Advertising: AnnaMarie Hanes Cover photo: Jim Bowling

October 2016 Contents Biz Bites

Issue 10

14 Real Men Wear Pink Breast cancer awareness campaign turns 10

ADVERTISING: The deadline for ad and ad copy for the November issue is Oct. 17. Call 217.421.7953 for rate information.

STORY IDEAS: Email sperry@herald-review.com or call 217.421.7976 SUBSCRIPTIONS: To order additional copies, call 217.421.7931 The Business Journal of MidCentral Illinois is printed monthly and is a publication of Lee Enterprises, Inc. Information published is the responsibility of the author and does not reflect the opinions of The Business Journal of MidCentral Illinois. To submit articles, mail typewritten and 500 words or less to: The Business Journal, 601 E. William St., Decatur, IL 62523. Articles will not be returned.

Any editorial content or advertising published is the property of Lee Enterprises, Inc., DBA The Business Journal of MidCentral Illinois.

Herald & Review All rights reserved for entire content.

4 | BUSINESS JOURNAL | October 2016

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Richland students making their mark Delayed construction projects leads to coloring wall CHRIS LUSVARDI Business Journal Writer‌

‌DECATUR — An extended delay in a construction project at Richland Community College has led to an opportunity to create a highly visible outlet for student expression.

Since early September, students and others visiting campus have been invited to color on the temporary wall separating the Mueller Student Center with the stalled construction space for the future Student Success Center.

“It’s becoming a sign of the times,” said Tracy Withrow, Richland’s marketing coordinator who helped develop the idea for the project along with theater professor Michelle Stephens and local artist Amy Rankin. “Coloring on a wall is one of those things you’re told not to do growing up that we’re now saying go ahead and do it.”

Coloring has become an increasingly popular activity among adults, so Withrow said the project was based in part on that trend.

“We added a coloring page in the student handbook,” Withrow said. “It’s so popular this year.”

Briannica Houston and Dearian Lipson were among those in recent weeks adding their part to the wall.

“It’s very creative,” Houston said. “It gives us something to do.”

The wall has become a collection of phrases, tributes and artistic expression.

“It’s a good way to show how diverse people here are,” Lipson said.

The project has gotten students involved on campus in a new way during what has been an active start to the fall semester, said Jason Brooks, vice president of Richland’s Student Government Association.

“The wall has brought a lot of activity,” Brooks said. “We’ve been looking for ways to reinvigorate the student body. This gives us a voice.”

The longer the wall sat blank in such a high traffic area, Withrow said the more there seemed to be a need to give the area more character. Markers are set out on a table for anybody passing by to use, although Withrow said some people have brought their own writing and drawing tools to use.

“We knew this had been up here a while,” Withrow said. “This gives them a chance to have fun with it.”

Richland officials aren’t sure how long the wall will last with plans moving back onto track for restarting construction of the building intended to consolidate offices for student services into one spot. Offices were scattered with anticipation the construction would be completed in a more timely fashion.

Richland had used its $1.175 million share of the project to start construction last year before it was caught in the state budget impasse.

After it was among the projects included in the June 30 budget agreement, the Illinois Capital Development Board recently released

JIM BOWLING PHOTOS, HERALD & REVIEW‌

Student Alexis Markwell browses the new coloring wall while writing her own message on it next to the Mueller Student Center main entrance at Richland Community College.

“Coloring on a wall is one of those things you’re told not to do growing up that we’re now saying go ahead and do it.”

Tracy Withrow, Richland Community College marketing coordinator

The temporary construction wall provides a creative outlet for Richland students. $4.2 million in funding for the project, clearing the way for restart plans to proceed. A meeting was held earlier this month with the contractor to discuss what is needed to begin construction once again.

An exact timetable hasn’t been established, said Greg Florian, Richland vice president of finance and administration. He said the condition of the framework has deteriorated while it has remained unenclosed.

“We don’t have the new schedule from all the contractors,” Florian said. “We’re scheduling a building analysis to find out how much damage has been done.”

Changes to original plans are being considered to keep expenses in line as crews are being asked to justify any cost increases from the delay.

Florian estimates a start date around Nov. 1, with construction expected to last 6-8

months with the onset of winter being a factor. He said that estimate would likely allow the center to open by late summer.

“The weeds are starting to be knocked down,” Florian said. “It won’t look like a ghost town much longer.”

Withrow knows the wall won’t remain up forever, but she’s among those hoping the artwork can be preserved, possibly even incorporated into the layout of the new Student Success Center.

“It’s changed the space,” Withrow said.

“It’s hopefully not going to go away.”

Pictures of the changes have been taken and posted on Richland’s social media pages, so Withrow said at the very least a record of how it’s looked and developed can be kept that way.

October 2016 | BUSINESS JOURNAL | 5

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Video gambling curbed Decatur council votes to limit number of parlors in city ALLISON PETTY Business Journal Writer‌

‌DECATUR – After months of discussion, the Decatur City Council acted last month to limit the number of video gambling parlors in the city.

The council voted 5-2 for changes that govern Class P liquor licenses, which are issued to establishments with the primary purpose of providing video gambling machines. The measure effectively caps the number of parlors at 30, the number of existing establishments and those with pending license applications.

Over time, the city will reduce the number of parlors to 20 through attrition. Additionally, new parlors must be located 1,500 feet from other parlors.

“I think, in general, the public wanted to see some changes,” Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe said after the meeting. “While we’re not making sweeping changes to close anybody down, we are making some changes so we’re answering the general call of the public.”

Council members Chris Funk and Bill Faber voted against the ordinance change, for very different reasons.

Funk said the city officials already made the choice to allow gambling, and subsequently to allow parlors, and shouldn’t change the rules now.

“To now try to shove stuff back into Pandora’s box, so to speak, and say now we don’t want quite so many or we don’t like the way it turned out, I think is bad policy,” Funk said.

Faber, on the other hand, said he thought the council should involve the community and find a more comprehensive solution to the spread of gambling in Decatur.

“We have the power to solve this problem,” Faber said of the council. “What we don’t have is the political will to solve this problem.”

In other business, city staff walked council members through the process that contractors follow to bid on public works projects. The presentation included a review of minority participation goals that the council created in March 2015.

Council members raised questions about the process in August during discussions about street repair work. Several contractors were deemed nonresponsive by city staff because they failed to meet the requirements under the minority ordinance.

The goals require that contractors make a “good-faith effort” to ensure minority workers perform at least 18 percent of the total hours worked on city projects. When the job includes

DAVID PROEBER, LEE NEWS SERVICE‌

a subcontractor, the goal is for 10 percent of the total dollar amount to be performed by minority business enterprises, which are owned and controlled by minorities.

Public Works Director Rick Marley described a pre-bid meeting that is held with potential contractors to outline requirements of the ordinance, including what constitutes a “good-faith effort.” For instance, bidders should make contact with at least three minority business enterprises for each subcontracting opportunity.

City Manager Tim Gleason said it has become clear to him over the past year and a half that the minority participation goals are very important, as are local contractors and unions.

“None of these compete. The ultimate goal is that all three come together and deliver the best opportunities that we can to the community,” Gleason said.

Several people spoke in favor of the minority participation goals before the council meeting, including multiple representatives from the Metro Decatur Black Chamber of Commerce.

“The city council cannot afford to water down this ordinance,” said its president, Wole Adeoye. “Your credibility would be at stake.”

Moore Wolfe asked the council members after the study session if they wanted to make changes, and no one offered any. She said after the meeting that there are no plans to change the minority business enterprise ordinance.

“I think we’re seeing some real progress,” Moore Wolfe said of the ordinance. “I think now that there is a much clearer understanding from everybody, I think it’ll make it a lot easier for everybody in the future.”

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BIZ BITES

On the move‌ A Decatur cleaning machine repair company is moving into a remodeled building after 30 years in business.

USA-CLEAN spent $1.8 million to purchase and remodel the building at 2803 N. 22nd St., the former home of Wickes Lumber.

The move consolidates buildings on Brush College Road and Cundiff Road where USACLEAN had been operating along with a rented warehouse in a former K’s Merchandise building.

The multimillion dollar company founded

by CEO and President Bruce Bushert has outgrown those spaces. USA-CLEAN, which employs 50 people in Decatur along with 600 technicians across the country, fixes and repairs floor cleaning machines for clients in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Bushert, a graduate of Argenta-Oreana High School, started the business after purchasing a floor cleaning company in 1986. He made calls in an attempt to get cleaning jobs and began cleaning floors in Walmarts.

Bushert found a need to repair machines, expanding the business to service machines at Walmart, Decatur Memorial Hospital, HSHS-St. Mary’s Hospital, HSHS-St. John’s Hospital and other health care facilities. Its clients include educational institutions such as Millikin University and Northwestern University along with St. Louis and Chicago Public Schools.

USA-CLEAN serves retail locations including Target, Aldi and Toys R Us. The company’s Asset Readiness Monitoring

& Operational Reporting, or ARMOR, device that attaches to battery powered equipment and reports activity is patented and manufactured in Decatur at Internal Control Services. *** The Perfect Place events space in Moweaqua is now at home in a new perfect place.

It’s moved down the village main drag a few doors and, since early September, has been located at 117 N. Main St., a former pool hall.

The Perfect Place owner, Shawn Conlin, said the owner of the building was looking to make a change and the new address serves up several advantages.

“It can accommodate 60 people seated (twice as many as the old location) and it’s got central air and there is a small kitchenette in there,” Conlin said.

She said the location is ideal for anything from baby showers to parties, or even as a classroom. Conlin is also dressing the place up with vintage touches like a wall that features old business mementoes and pictures.

“We’re working on what we call the Moweaqua Memorabilia Wall,” Conlin said. “It’s going to look nice.”

Call (217) 620-3330. *** Current Springfield Clinic patients in Decatur will soon be seeing their doctors at a new building.

The hope is that the change — moving from the HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital campus to Decatur Memorial Hospital’s in the renovated, 14,000-square-foot office building at 250 W.

Ameren opens Decatur gas control center CHRIS LUSVARDI Business Journal Writer‌

‌DECATUR—A recently opened facility in Decatur is at the center of keeping natural gas operations for Ameren Illinois running in a safe and efficient manner.

The newly constructed $5.3 million gas control center at 2425 N. Woodford St. provides real-time monitoring of the utility’s natural gas delivery system.

“It is a major piece of our natural gas operations,” Ameren Illinois President Richard Mark said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the center. “We oversee gas flow in Illinois and Missouri.”

Mark said Ameren has more than 800,000 natural gas customers in Illinois and 125,000 in Missouri.

Ground was broken for the facility in November, and it was up and running in August, ensuring it will be in operation by the time natural gas usage begins to increase as more people begin to turn the furnaces in their homes on, said Ron Pate, senior vice president of operations and technical services.

“This is a proud moment for us,” Pate said.

“We want to ensure our gas system remains one of the safest and most reliable in the country.”

The 12,100-square-foot building is built to withstand severe weather, and redundant systems are in place elsewhere to ensure the system can be monitored no matter what happens, Pate said. It operates around the clock every day of the year, he said.

Mark said Ameren has a similar monitoring and control system set up for its electrical delivery operations.

The facility is among the first newly constructed buildings that Ameren has built in the past 20 years, said Gussie Reed, a regional division director for the company. A regional electric and gas distribution services operating center opened last month in Macomb, she said.

Mark said constructing the new facility in Decatur is part of its commitment to the community. Mark said the new facility is just part of the investment Ameren is planning to make in Decatur through 2017.

In that time, Mark said the company is planning to spend an additional $24.5 million for gas and electric infrastructure projects in Decatur.

“Decatur is one of our largest operational centers in the state of Illinois,” Mark said.

“We’re glad to be here.”

Kenwood Ave. — will eventually mean an expansion of Springfield Clinic’s specialty services in Decatur.

Construction is still in progress at the building on Kenwood, but Springfield Clinic Chief Operating Officer Jay York said he’s targeting mid- to late November for the building to be ready for patients.

York said while, on the surface, this looks like Springfield Clinic “switching allegiances” from St. Mary’s to DMH , that isn’t the case. He said the move keeps the Springfield Clinic from having to build new construction but offers it room to grow.

“The reality is that the current practice on the St. Mary’s campus is spatially constrained, and we really can’t grow there,” York said. “We had been looking at other areas in town, and this is going to allow us to spread out and add more services. Our discussions about those services are currently ongoing.

“But we’ve been clear with St. Mary’s. This isn’t us saying we don’t want to work with them in the future. We’re here to serve the community as a whole.”

Springfield Clinic’s Decatur family medicine doctors moving to the new office are John DiMondo, Dennis Heim, Cynthia Marschner, Dennis Rademacher, Tammie Buzan, Mercedes Kent, Nicole Mason, Jennifer Norton and Sara O’Brien. Specialties are adult and pediatric endocrinology, neurology, rheumatology and adult and pediatric dermatology.

“It’s just a different location for them; we hope to retain all their patients,” York said.

“We’re not hospital-based, and if you think about the way health care is today, physicians aren’t aligned with one hospital to where if you see them, you have to go to that hospital.”

Expansion‌ First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc. has completed its acquisition of First Clover Leaf Financial Corp.

The acquisition represents approximately $537 million in deposits and $450 million in performing loans in seven full-service banking centers in Illinois and Missouri, operating as First Clover Leaf Bank.

“We are very excited to expand our St. Louis metro east presence,” said Joe Dively, First Mid Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to maintaining strong relationships and involvement in these communities and the opportunity to bring expanded services to our First Clover Leaf customers.”

With the completion of this acquisition, First Mid will have 53 banking centers and 66 ATM’s across Illinois and Missouri. This growth expands its overall service area and offers customers banking capabilities in 37 Illinois communities.

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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8 | BUSINESS JOURNAL | October 2016

The Arts‌ Anne Lloyd Gallery: Gallery 510 hosts the annual October National, a juried exhibit, Opening reception from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 7. Call (217) 423-3189. www. decaturarts.org Gallery 510: Wood turning by Don Davis. Opening reception from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 7. Call (217) 422-1509.

Decatur Airport: Artwork by Barbara Dove.

Decatur Public Library: Macon County 4-H visual arts.

Blue Connection: Millikin University alumni art.

On Stage‌

BANQUET

Kirkland Fine Arts Center: “Wonder Bread Years,” featuring Pat Hazell, 2 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 9; and Johnny Peers and Muttville Comix, 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30. For tickets, go to www.kirklandfinearts.com or call (217) 424-6318.

Theatre 7 presents “The Great American Trailer Park Musical,” Oct. 14-16 and Oct. 21-23, in the Decatur Civic Center Theatre.

For tickets, call (217) 422-7300. www.theatre7.net.

Gallagher, 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28, at the Lincoln Square Theatre. For tickets and more information, go to www.lincoln-

squaretheatre.com “The Baby Boomer Comedy Show,” 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, Decatur Civic Center. Tickets at www.decaturciviccenter.org Decatur Underground Theatre presents “Jekyll & hyde The Musical,” Nov. 1113 and 18-20, in the Decatur Civic Center Theatre. Tickets at www.decaturciviccenter.org Millikin University department of Theatre and Dance presents “Nice Work if You Can Get It,” Nov. 11-13 at Kirkland Fine Arts Center.

Charity events‌ Walk to End Alzheimer’s, a 2-mile walk to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, in Fairview Park. For more information, go to alz.org/ walk.

WSOY Community Food Drive, to benefit local food pantries, 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, at Kroger, 1818 Airport Plaza.

The Decatur Craft Beer Festival will be held on Friday, Oct. 7, at Doherty’s Pub & Pins. The event will benefit MRI, Northeast Community Fund and the Good Samaritan Inn. The cost is $20 and includes four beer samples from a selection that will feature over 80 craft beers and ciders. For tickets

GUIDE

or information, call (217) 875-8850.

Walk to Defeat Diabetes, hosted by Decatur Chapter of Frontiers International and benefiting the American Diabetes Association, 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, in Fairview Park. Includes 1- and 2-mile courses. Go to main.diabetes.org/goto/decaturfronteirs2016 for more information.

Lincoln Square Theatre 100th Birthday Bash, 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, at the theatre. For more information, go to www. lincolnsquaretheatre.com.

Diamonds and Desserts, to benefit local Girls Scouts, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Country Club of Decatur. This year’s honoree is Kara Demirjian Huss. For more information, call 1-888-623-1237.

Music‌ Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra: “Admiration and Emulation: Brahms and Dvorak,” 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at Kirkland Fine Arts Center. For tickets, call (217) 424-6318.

Millikin University School of Music: University Choir Alumni Concert, 2 pm.

Sunday, Oct. 2, and Fall Choral Concerts, 2 and 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, both at Central Christian Church; Millikin Wind Ensemble: Baseball and Music, 7:30 pm..

Friday, Oct. 7, Kirkland Fine Arts Center;

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Halloween Concert, Thursday and Friday, Oct. 27 and 28, Albert Taylor Theatre.

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

Mount Zion Chamber of Commerce Community Prayer Breakfast, featuring Wally Sparks, 7 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, Mount Zion Convention Center. For tickets, call (217) 864-2526.

For the kids‌ Children’s Museum of Illinois is host to a variety of activities, including Halloween Hoopla, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15. For information, go to www. childrensmuseumofil.com or call (217) 423-5437.

Scovill Zoo: Boo at the Zoo, Oct. 14-16, 21-23 and 27-30.www.scovillzoo.com. Call (217) 421-7435.

Hallow-Teen costume and dance party, 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Mount Zion Convention Center. Costume contest, karaoke and videos for kids ages 12 to 18. www.mtzconventioncenter.com.

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October 2016 | BUSINESS JOURNAL | 9

What makes them tick 3M, others figuring out ways to retain millennials on staff

U.S. WORKFORCE BY GENERATION Millennials: 53.5 million

DEE DEPASS Tribune News Service Writer‌

‌ INNEAPOLIS — Cassandra Garber’s M plan when she moved to Minnesota in her early 30s was to telecommute and keep her environmental stewardship job at Coca-Cola in Atlanta.

Then one night she went to a party and met up with some people around her own age who worked at 3M Co. They talked up the opportunity there and suggested she apply.

The company did work she would enjoy, they said, hailing pollution-prevention initiatives with customers. It ran contests that awarded employees prizes for suggesting ways to cut power and material use.

“I was blown away. 3M has amazing sustainability programs,” said Garber, now 35 and head of 3M’s Strategic Initiatives for Sustainability. “Here we talk about doing business with purpose (and making) a positive difference in the world. Millennials are kind of expecting it and demanding it. Here, it’s the culture. You can do anything.”

Employers increasingly are focused on attracting and keeping employees in Garber’s age group, the millennial generation born in

Gen Xers: 52.7 million Baby boomers: 44.6 million Silents: 1.7 million Source: Pew Research Center the last two decades of the 20th century. Few have been as effective as 3M, which recently came out on top in a national survey that asked 13,000 millennials where they would most like to work.

Things that appeal to these workers about the company, headquartered near the Twin Cities, include mentors, training in the sciences, leadership programs and lots of flexibility for employees to work on projects of their own choosing. The survey, by the National Society of High School Scholars, or NSHSS, found that millennials are looking for employers that are stridently committed to the environment, social causes, communities, teamwork and flexible work schedules.

With baby boomers hitting retirement age at the rate of 8,000 a day, according to AARP, Please see Millennials, Page A10

TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE PHOTOS‌

3M engineer Genevieve McSpaden, right, works in a lab on film and coatings with Katrina Hale, left, (who hired her) at 3M in Maplewood, Minn.

WHY MILLENNIALS QUIT Wanted to take risk since recession ended To take a job that better fit their identity To find a job that would help them stay com-

petitive To make a difference in the world To be mentored

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BIZ CLIPS

WHAT IS SNAPCHAT?

New staff members‌ Ken Dallmier has been named president/ chief operating officer of Clarkson Grain Company.

Elizabeth Gipson and Ron Drane have joined SCB Wealth Management, Gipson as assistant vice president and trust officer in the company’s Decatur office and Drane as vice president/chief investment officer in the company’s Bloomington office.

HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital welcomes Sara E. Abercrombie, certified nurse midwife; Dr. Venu M. Rangu, internal medicine; Allison M. Rottman, surgery/podiatry; Deanna L. Wallace, internal medicine/ family nurse practitioner; and Dr. Fawwad Iqbal Zaid, internal medicine.

Dr. Debra Jackson has joined the DMH Medical Group.

Jeff Tucker has joined Hickory Point Bank as a mortgage loan officer for the Decatur area.

Q A Dallmier

Gipson

Drane

Cayla Hittmeier Clevenger

Jackson

Tucker

Banker magazine and Best Companies Group.

Ati Fleet Services of Illinois has successfully completed training and is now capable of performing Hi-Rail Inspections, services and repairs.

Jake Sigmon, of Peerless Cleaners Inc., Stephen P. Clevenger has been named has been certified as an IICRC-approved carvice president and trust officer in the Soy pet cleaning technician.

Capital Bank’s Wealth Management Department.

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 Busey has been recognized among the www.thebusiness-journal.com and click on the 2016 Best Banks to Work For by American Submit a Business Achievement link.

Digital Specialist Herald & Review

What the heck is SNAPCHAT and do I need it as a business?

So maybe you’ve heard of it and maybe even downloaded it, but just didn’t get it and ditched it. At least that’s what Millennials are counting on. In a recent survey of Snapchat users, 30% claimed they use Snapchat because their parents DON’T. So, it seems it’s not really for us old fuddy-duddies. However, if you have a product or service that you’d like to promote to 18-34 year-olds, Snapchat is the way to go.

Snapchat is a popular mobile app that allows the user to send a picture or video that disappears after viewed, unless it’s posted on the user’s “story.” It’s also popular for messaging friends and for adding fun filters, text and graphics over photos. Launched in September 2011, Snapchat has quickly grown to over 100 million daily active users. Over 9,000 photos/videos are snapchatted every second. Of all users, 73% are Millennials (aged 15-38 yrs) and over 70% of users are women. Also, Snapchat adds 60 million new users daily. Combine this with the fact that Forbes reports that by 2017, the Millennial age group will spend $200 billion dollars annually, it would certainly seem being present on Snapchat is smart.

Okay – I’ve sold you! Now you want to advertise on Snapchat…WRONG! Purchasing advertising on Snapchat is EXPENSIVE….crazy expensive. Buying a “SnapAd” (ad that appears between stories that a user follows) starts at $100k per day. Sponsoring a “filter” that allows users to enhance their photos, similar to what Taco Bell did with the “taco-head” filter will cost you between $450-$700k per day.

Pocket change, right?

Your best bet? Create a Snapchat profile and start following local people. Don’t worry…they’ll follow you back; it’s common courtesy among Millennials. However, if you don’t offer up fun content and keep it fresh, forget about keeping those “friends”.

Promotions‌

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So now you know what Snapchat is and how to use it. Go play with the filters and engage the youngsters…you’ll feel so hip (or at least you’ll be able to see what your kids and grandkids are doing). *DMR Stats (Aug 2016), Mediakix.com and Forbes (Jan 2015) were used as statistical reference for this article.

Achievements‌

Millennials From A9

companies have little choice but to embrace these preferences. U.S. census records show millennials number 83 million strong, displacing baby boomers as the largest generation in the workforce.

A blitz of outfits from 3M and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to consulting giants such as McKinsey & Co. and Deloitte are striving to educate employers so they can create welcome workplaces where this demographic wants to come and stay.

It’s critical, said Sean O’Neil, head of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s Grow Program.

“Businesses are having a harder time finding employees and millennials in particular” in industries such as manufacturing, he said.

“So, it’s important to be able to track and retain millennials to make sure we continue to have a strong workforce.”

The industries that are the most interesting to millennials include science, health and technology, according to the NSHSS survey.

Ranked 13th was the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

“Survey after survey consistently says that millennials want to change the world and make it a better place,” Mayo recruiting director Brent Bultema said.

At 3M, recruiters and managers carry easy reference charts showing a list of “Millennial Needs” and “3M Offerings.”

CEO Inge Thulin has been determined

to help young millennials prosper and gain skills at 3M since before he took office in 2012.

“When you get recognition like that (NSHSS millennial survey), it is not coming out of the blue. It’s a lot of work that is leading up to it,” he said during a recent interview.

Studying millennials has helped the company learn that they tend to want freedom, training and diverse leadership. But ultimately, “they want to know they can make a difference. And here they can and do,” he said.

Garber, the sustainability manager, said her “favorite part of working at 3M (is that) no matter what you are working on, you can spend 15 percent of your time on something of your choosing that has a societal impact,” she said. She works with scientists from around the $30 billion behemoth who constantly have energy, water and timber saving ideas they want to implement.

Understanding how millennials connect to your company is essential.

“Businesses must adjust how they nurture loyalty among millennials or risk losing a large percentage of their workforces,” said James W. Lewis, president of the high school scholars group.

In its fourth millennial survey released in January, business consulting firm Deloitte found a “loyalty challenge.” Some 67 percent of the 7,700 young professionals interviewed planned to quit their jobs by 2020. More than 40 percent planned to quit in two years because they found leadership lacking, felt overlooked or wrestled with inflexible work schedules.

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Low-level workers best business barometer Unhappy employees can undo best PR efforts

custodians, the customer service reps.

What happens when they talk about their work? Well, you pay attention. You actually expect them to tell the truth.

So it goes. Studies apparently agree, or so I’ve been told. The lower the employee’s ou pretty much expect the highstatus, the higher the credibility concerner-ups to say nice things about the ing their workplace. And the opposite is places where they work. also true. TThe higher the position in the ‌Heck, if I had a organization, the less a person is trusted to great job, a nice mid-six-figure sal- have an objective view.

Makes sense to me. And if it makes ary, sweet and juicy sense to you, too, hang with me for the annual bonuses, rest of the thought. unlimited vacation Because there are serious implications and a cozy retirehere, for you and for the place where you ment package, I’d praise the joint, too. work. Starting with the next paragraph, I will unveil a stunningly obvious and inYou bet. credibly effective PR technique. But it’s When the boss only for those who want a positive public speaks well of the company, it’s about perception.

The place to start is with lower-level as shocking as an Human Resources oak leaf in October. employees. The people who toil on the sales floor, on the production line, in the And the grunts?

Think of the people classroom and in the windowless office cubicles. You know, the ones who do the toward the other end of the organization chart – the hourly production workers, the authentic day-to-day work that keeps the

‌Y

Fred Spannaus

organization alive.

The paycheck-to-paycheck brigade.

They are the most credible ambassadors, for good or for bad. They are the most effective spokespersons, for positive or for negative. They are believed. What they say carries more weight than a thousand gorgeous ads.

Do you think it might be smart to do everything possible to make their workday experiences good ones? To make sure their jobs are challenging and fulfilling?

To ask for their opinions? To take them seriously? To value them with more than cheap words on pretty posters, but in real-life work situations?

And, yes, to pay them well, too.

But, counterintuitive though it is, pay is not the number-one factor in job satisfaction. It ranks in the middle, below trust, below fairness and below respect. You know, those things that cost you nothing but are often overlooked.

Oh, it’s not a magic potion. Some people complain about everything, including their employer. No matter how fair and ethical the company, they grumble

about it.

It doesn’t matter what you do with them or for them. They complain anyway. That is the truth of it. They whine anyway. If you must put up with them, you can at least hope that the chorus of happy and satisfied colleagues drowns out their pitiable droning.

And, boy-oh-boy, it is worth the effort.

Friday evening, a worker lounges with friends on the patio behind her modest bungalow. Food and drink flow freely.

Laughter fills the crisp autumn air. In conversation, the worker says she cherishes her job and she loves the place where she works.

She talks about how she is appreciated for her contributions, how sincerely she is thanked, how she gets opportunities to grow and flourish. How lucky she is.

You can’t buy that kind of publicity. You can’t buy that kind of loyalty.

You can’t buy it, but you can earn it.

Fred W. Spannaus, principal of Spannaus Consulting, is a senior professional in human resources.

Alternative financing methods filling biz funding gap

‌D

ecatur-Millikin Executive Association (MDEA) recently hosted a futurist by the name of Michael Rogers (www.practicalfuturist.com). ‌Among the interesting facts mentioned were the Midwest is the fifth largest economy in the world (ahead of California which is the eighth largest economy in the world) and industries that deal with molecules (stuff) as opposed to electrons (tech and services) are less susceptible to Entrepreneurship upcoming disruptive changes. In between the lines, he subtly mentioned AltFin as an industry-driving disruption.

That term piqued my curiosity. I immediately, and rudely, googled the term during his presentation. I found AltFin is short for alternate finance and includes vehicles such as crowdfunding, online business lending, invoice financing, peer-to-peer lending and nonprofit financing, among others.

In April 2016, the University of Chica-

Julie Shields

go’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Cambridge University and a handful of other pedigreed contributors published Breaking New Ground, a benchmarking report specifically on AltFin in the Americas (polskycenter. com/altfin/overview.html).

The report highlights the growth in the alternate finance industry from 2013 to 2015. Essentially, it’s a baby book for the AltFin industry in the United States, Canada, Chile and other emerging American markets. During that time frame, AltFin financing represented $50 billion in total transactions. From 2014 to 2015, it grew 212 percent, from $11.68 billion in 2014 to $36.49 billion. It is enough to sit up and take notice. Not only is there demand from small to medium businesses for this capital, but there is a dynamic, albeit messy, industry beginning to address the demand.

There are about 2,000 crowdfunding platforms alone, and there are hundreds of online lending options for existing businesses – Avant, Snap Cap, Kabbage – to name a few. These engines are now viable and accessible ways around traditional banks and financial gatekeepers who have ever-increasing governmental regulations and restrictions that slow or prevent investment in small to medi-

um-size enterprises (SMEs).

While entrepreneurs can get funding through a variety of means — even if local or traditional funding options seem too restrictive — having time to wade through all the options can be paralyzing.

Business News Daily published an online review of the best alternative small-business loans for 2016. In addition to the reviews of companies that offer “the best” working capital loans, lines of credit and startup funding, they also share company names and links to about 90 other online institutions. Word to the wise, of course, is to be careful of interest rates and fees. But some of these providers have unique business models with low overhead to positively impact the cost of capital.

In a recent conversation with Rob Dixon with Town & Country Bank, he recommended small businesses that rely on these kinds of alternate financing options to “be cognizant of the cost of capital…address the horizon for transitioning away from potentially higher cost options into lower cost financing strategies.”

There are two macro trends with regard to AltFin recently discussed in a blog article on Hyde Park Angels’ website.

First, traditional banks will collaborate and partner with these more nimble Alt-

ENTREPRENEURS AMONG US Ryan Bodine is the CEO of Ru Rah Records, a Decatur-based music collective which uses its regular events to promote live music, local art, philanthropy for the community and, most of all, good vibes.

Fin platforms – especially those loaning money to existing businesses.

Second, AltFin platform consolidation is needed. There are too many options and some are not adequately capitalized. Read more about it at hydeparkangels.com/alternative-finance-market-headed/ Is alternate financing here to stay? It’s hard to say. However, if the trend in the UK is any indication, where 46 percent of all funding is going through AltFin vehicles, then at some point the “alternate” descriptor might need to go away for something more accurate like “popular financing.”

Dare we coin it PopFin. Julie Shields is the director of Millikin University’s Center for Entrepreneurship.

October 2016 | BUSINESS JOURNAL | 13

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LISA MORRISON, BUSINESS JOURNAL‌

Pink socks, like these being worn by members of the Meridian High School football team in 2014, are a common sight during games in September and October as schools have really embraced the Real Men Wear Pink message.

Blitz continues to tackle breast cancer Real Men Wear Pink campaign celebrating 10 years JUSTIN CONN Business Journal Writer‌

‌DECATUR — Real Men Wear Pink in Decatur began in 2007 as a show of support from men to the women in their lives and their health.

But it took football to bring the message to the masses.

In its first two years, Real Men Wear Pink in Decatur was a billboard with some prominent men in the community dressed in pink clothes supplied by the Brass Horn.

In 2009, Millikin women’s basketball coach, two-time breast cancer survivor and thenHSHS St. Mary’s Oncology Board Chair Lori Kerans had the idea to bring the campaign to the high schools through football. The result is 15 area schools holding annual events in September and October raising awareness in Macon County and the surrounding area of the disease and what can be done to help prevent it.

Real Men Wear Pink originated through HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield and the American Cancer Society in 2006. Former Millikin women’s basketball assistant coach Dick Marshall had a heart attack and was undergoing surgery, and Kerans was there visiting him when she noticed a sign on an elevator.

“There was a big poster of a doctor, the mayor … and some other rich guys, and it said,

‘Real Men Wear Pink in October,’” Kerans said.

“That was back before it was cool to wear pink in October.”

Kerans took the idea to the St. Mary’s Oncology Board and a similar campaign was started in Decatur. By the second year, St. Mary’s was hearing from several groups in the community wanting to get involved, including the Macon County Farm Bureau and Decatur Fire Department.

As the board met before the 2009 campaign trying to come up with ways to spread the message, board member Tom McNamara — sports editor of the Decatur Tribune — had to leave to go cover a football game. That’s when the idea to reach an audience through high school football surfaced.

“Our first couple years we had the mayor and (WSOY’s) Brian Byers — people who shopped at the Brass Horn — but those weren’t the people we needed to reach,” Kerans said. “We wanted to reach everyone, especially the underserved and the under-insured.

“The night Tom had to get going to a game, we started talking about football and bringing this to the local high schools and getting them to wear pink on Fridays in October for their moms and grandmas. We weren’t sure if people would do it. That was before the NFL started doing it. But Tom and I split the names up and we started calling, and to a person they all said, ‘Absolutely. We’ll do anything to help.’”

Maverik Marketing began supplying pink

Upcoming RMWP nights Oct. 7: Maroa-Forsyth vs. Riverton Oct. 14: Cerro Gordo-Bement vs. Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond; MacArthur vs. Chatham Glenwood; St. Teresa vs. Sullivan-Okaw Valley Oct. 15: Millikin University vs. Augustana College Oct. 21: Argenta-Oreana vs. Cumberland; Eisenhower vs. Springfield Sacred Heart Griffin gear for the football teams and it’s become tradition — pink socks, wristbands, T-shirts and gloves will be seen all over the area for the next month.

“It got legs, then it grew wings and now it has a life of its own,” Kerans said. “We joke all the time that we should take credit for what you see now, as far as at the NFL and college levels.

“We just wanted a way to help educate young men about an issue for the women in their lives and have them encourage their moms, grandmas and sisters to get tested. It takes courage for a young man to take the time to think about women’s health care, and to go up to their mom, give them a hug, say I love you and encourage them to get tested. That was always a goal.”

Kerans is no longer involved with Real Men Wear Pink, but is proud every Friday in October

when she sees pink everywhere she turns.

“I don’t go many places where I don’t see those shirts. Pink has become a fall color,” Kerans said. “I helped grease the skids and get it started, but now the schools have figured it out on their own.”

The schools were told from the beginning to make what they wanted of the event, and most of them have. Central A&M, in addition to its Pink Game that was held on Sept. 16, holds an annual bike ride. Sangamon Valley, which also had its Pink Game on Sept. 16, has a bags tournament.

“The schools get it,” St. Mary’s Director of Oncology Val Jordan said. “And at this point it’s filtered down to the junior highs and grade schools.”

Kerans said while the impact of the campaign isn’t easy to measure, she believes it’s helped break the ice for families to broach the subject.

“I believe that some women have gotten mammograms, seen their doctors or just done a better job at self-care because their son came home and said, ‘Mom, I love you, and I want you to take care of yourself,’” Kerans said.

Jordan said reaching young people with the message has been invaluable.

“The youth are the future of oncology. It’s likely going to be one of them that discovers the cure,” Jordan said. “This gets them knowing about these issues and making it more real at a young age.”

October 2016 | BUSINESS JOURNAL | 15

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Sugar getting blame for unhealthy America Health care experts say obesity, diabetes rampant in children JUSTIN CONN Business Journal Writer‌

‌DECATUR — Sugar won a PR battle in the early 1960s that Americans — and children in particular — are now wearing around their waist.

With U.S. obesity rates among the highest in the world, the American Heart Association recently released new guidelines for children’s sugar intake: fewer than 25 grams per day. That’s in line with adult guidelines: less than 36 grams for men and 24 grams for women.

In 1961, Ancel Keys’ Seven Countries Study, later found to be flawed, persuaded the AHA to issue guidelines targeting saturated fat. According to Time Magazine, new research on Keys’ data found what best correlated with heart disease was sugar — not saturated fat intake.

And, according to an Associated Press story, in 1964 the group now known as the Sugar Association internally discussed a campaign to address “negative attitudes toward sugar” after studies began emerging linking sugar with heart disease.

The following year, the group approved “Project 226,” which entailed paying Harvard researchers today’s equivalent of $48,900 for an article reviewing the scientific literature, supplying materials they wanted reviewed and receiving drafts of the article.

The resulting article published in 1967 concluded there was “no doubt” that reducing cholesterol and saturated fat was the only dietary intervention needed to prevent heart disease. The researchers overstated the consistency of the literature on fat and cholesterol, while downplaying studies on sugar, according to the analysis.

It was at that time foods high in carbohydrates — and made to taste good by sugar — replaced some of the foods in U.S. homes that were high in saturated fat. Sugary drinks and less active lifestyles have also contributed to an obesity rate that’s up from 13 percent in 1962 to 35.7 percent in 2010, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While scientists are still working to understand links between diet and heart disease, in recent years they have shifted the blame away from fat and toward sugar, according to New York University professor of nutrition Marion Nestle.

A committee that advised the federal government on dietary guidelines said the available evidence shows “no appreciable relationship” between the dietary cholesterol and heart disease, although it still recommended limiting saturated fats.

Sugar, though, has been directly linked to higher obesity rates, which lead to more cases of diabetes, high blood pressure and

heart disease. And the health problems are occurring younger and younger, particularly diabetes, according to HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital pediatrician Dr. Samir Patel.

“When you take in more undesirable calories, like from sugar, you gain weight,” Patel said. “Insulin needs to get to the target organ to help let sugar in, but when you have increased weight gain, it stops the insulin from getting in, and that causes diabetes.

“Now, with so many more obese kids, we’re seeing a lot more type 2 diabetes in kids.”

Crossing Healthcare dietitian Allison Raiha said cases of type 2 diabetes didn’t exist 20 years ago, but now she sees it frequently.

“It’s mind blowing, and it’s coming completely from diet and lack of activity,” Raiha said. “What’s scary is, we know how to take care of someone who gets diabetes in their 40s, 50s or 60s, and we know the cost as far as their health care goes. But we’ve never taken care of kids with diabetes before. What does that look like cost-wise over the long haul, and what are they going to feel like when they’re 30?”

In addition to limiting the amount of added sugar for children 2 to 18 to less than 25 grams, the AHA’s new guidelines said children 2 and younger should consume no added sugar.

Dr. Miriam Vos, nutrition scientist and associate professor of pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, said there had been a lack of clarity and consensus regarding how much added sugar is safe for children. The result, she said, was that the typical American child consumes about triple the recommended amount of added sugars.

There are people who are sugar conscious and stay under the 25- to 40-gram mark regularly, but for the average person, that’s not much sugar. A pop tart (just one, not both) and a cup of coffee with a teaspoon of sugar: that’s 21 grams.

For the rest of the day, you can have one teaspoon of ketchup (3.8 grams), one tablespoon of salad dressing (4 grams) or two slices of bread (3 grams for two slices), but no pasta sauce (10 grams per serving) and no yogurt (20 grams per 5-ounce serving) for the rest of the day. Drink a 44-ounce Big Gulp from the gas station — 128 grams of sugar — on Monday and that’s it for sugar until the weekend.

Raiha said one of the main problems she faces as a dietitian at Crossing is families who consume too much sugar. Fighting sugar is a passion of hers and a constant struggle.

“My goal with my patients is to clearly demonstrate what the amount of sugar they’re eating looks like, and also have people be more mindful and aware of sugar, and start looking for it on labels,” Raiha said. “The goal isn’t to be perfect, but to be mindful. The thought process should be, ‘Reduce, reduce, reduce.’

“I really encourage people to keep a food diary of what their children are eating. It’s hard enough for adults to make good decisions. How, as adults, can we expect the child to make the right decision? We have to set

up an environment to where those options aren’t available.”

Added sugars are any sugars — including table sugar, fructose and honey — either used in processing and preparing foods or beverages, added to foods at the table or eaten separately. Starting in July 2018, food manufacturers will be required to list the amount of added sugars on the Nutrition Facts Panel of their products.

“Until then, the best way to avoid added sugars in your child’s diet is to serve mostly foods that are high in nutrition, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean meat, poultry and fish, and to limit foods with little nutritional value,” Vos said.

Raiha said those aren’t easy changes, but their impact can be great.

“If you’re able to stick to your guns and change your habits, and change your family’s habits, and stay consistent with it, your children are going to be healthier, and their children will be healthier,” Raiha said.

“You’re impacting generations to come by making that decision and sticking with it.”

Because of the lack of research for or against the routine use of nonnutritive sweeteners, such as aspartame, saccharine and sucralose in the diets of children, the AHS felt it could not make a recommendation for or against

no-calorie sweeteners.

“There is no research study out there that’s conclusive as far as sweeteners, and there are a lot of myths out there,” Raiha said. “I think it’s a choice, especially here and there, but it’s a good idea to focus on eating foods the way they were intended to be eaten.”

That’s where tracking sugar in the diet can get complicated. Though milk (lactose) and fruit juice (fructose) have sugar, the sugar is naturally occurring and they come with other health benefits. It’s not known whether the high sugar content in 100 percent fruit juices should cause the same concerns as beverages with added sugars.

“Juices that have 100 percent fruit juice are OK because they don’t have added sugar, but limit it to 4 ounces,” Raiha said. “Because though the fruit juice is natural sugar, there’s no fiber to slow it down and it’s still stored as fat.

“But when you look at milk, chocolate milk has 23 grams of sugar, but there are 12 essential nutrients in milk. So at least it’s a healthier trade-off than soda or Kool-Aid.” When in doubt, Patel said, drink water.

“It’s important that we stay hydrated, and the more water you drink, the less hungry you are,” Patel said. jconn@herald-review.com|(217) 421-7971

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COMMUNITY HEALTH CALENDAR

Support groups‌

Wednesday, Oct. 12, Cancer Care Center tion Center, 2122 N, 27th St. Call (217) 876of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. 2699.

Growing Through Grief, 11:30 a.m. McKinley Ave. For cancer patients and their Tuesdays, Cancer Care Center of Decatur, families. Register online or call (217) 876Parkinson’s disease support group, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. 4735.

1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, Westminster PresTo register, call (217) 876-4735. byterian Church, 1360 W. Main St. Call John Pink Link breast cancer support group, Kileen at (217) 620-8702 Helping Hands Bereavement for Chil- 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13. Call (217) 876-4377. dren, 3:30 p.m. Thursdays, Cancer Care Renewal bereavement support group, Center of Decatur, 210 W. McKinley, Ave. Brain tumor support group, 10 a.m. 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24, Cancer Care Center Register online or call (217) 876-4735.

Saturday, Oct. 15, Cancer Care Center of De- of Decatur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. catur, Education Classrooms, 210 W. McKin- McKinley Ave. Register online or call (217) Grief support group, 12:30 p.m. Friday, ley Ave. Register online or call (217) 876-4735. 876-4735.

Oct. 7, HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital, Conference Room 561. Call (217) 464-1074.

Postpartum emotional support group, Us TOO prostate cancer support 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, HSHS St. Mary’s group, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, Cancer Breastfeeding support group, Hospital, Assisi Conference Room. Call (217) Care Center of Decatur, Education Class10:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 10, and Oct. 24, 464-2334. rooms, 210 W. McKinley Ave. Register online Baby TALK, 500 E. Lake Shore Dr. Call (217) or call (217) 876-4735.

464-2334.

Breath of Life, noon Tuesday, Oct. 18, HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital, Room 561. SpeakWidowed support group, 11:30 a.m.

SHARE support group, 7 p.m. Monday, ers available to answer questions from those Thursday, Oct 27. Monthly lunch gathering.

Oct. 10, HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital, Room with breathing problems. Call (217) 464- For location or to register, call (217) 428-7733.

G18. Support group for those who have expe- 2603. rienced the death of a baby during pregnancy, Lyme-MTHFR support study group, at birth or early infancy. Call (217) 464-2045.

Cardiopulmonary rehab wellness 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, Mari-Mann Herb group, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, Decatur Co., 1405 Mari Mann Lane. Call (217) 429Epilepsy support group, 5 p.m. Tuesday, Memorial Hospital. Register online or call 1555.

Oct. 11, HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital, Assisi (217) 876-2496.

Conference Room. Call (217) 853-1655.

Diabetes support group, 11 a.m.

Facing Cancer Together, 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, DMH Diabetes EducaInfant CPR Class, 7 p.m. Monday, Oct.

Classes‌

10, Decatur Memorial Hospital OB Classrooms, third floor. Register online or call (217) 876-3100.

Newborn care and breastfeeding basics, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, Decatur Memorial Hospital, OB Classroom. Registration required online or call (217) 876-3400.

Cardiopulmonary risk factor education, 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 21, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Classroom B. Call (217) 876-2496.

More‌ YMCA breast cancer information, 8 to 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 6. Call (217) 876-2850.

Share Walk for Remembrance and Hope, 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, Nelson Park Pavilion. A walk and memorial service to commemorate the lives of babies lost due to miscarriage, stillbirth and infant death.

Registration form available at the HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital chaplain office. Call (217) 464-2045.

Pain and the Power of Loneliness, a four-part spirituality series, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18 and 25, and Nov. 1 and 8; and Thursday, Oct. 20 and 27, and Nov. 3 and 17.

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October 2016 | BUSINESS JOURNAL | 17

Getting the best value on tech hardware

‌C

omputer equipment is a significant cost for all businesses, large and small, but unplanned IT expenses can truly wreak havoc on a small-business owner’s cash flow. ‌Here are some tips to get the best value for your money.

What to buy‌ The first challenge is determining exactly what you need to buy.

Whether you are looking at computers, servers, network gear, printers or other peripherals, you always face the same issue: technology changes rapidly, and it’s rare to be able to replace old or failed equipment with the exact same item.

You will get better technology at a lower cost, if you know what to buy.

But that’s not easy.

Buy equipment that doesn’t meet your needs and you face the risk of more outages and chronic inefficiencies that will cost you dearly.

Of course you Technology don’t want to overspend, either.

Your best bet is to get advice from the experts: the people who handle your IT. They know your systems, they know your plans, they can help you understand pros and cons of various options, and they can help you build for the future.

However, you are responsible for helping them understand your budgetary priorities when it comes to cost versus quality. If they think you won’t spend money, they may recommend options that are inexpensive but don’t fully meet your needs. If they aren’t considering budgetary constraints, you may end up purchasing unnecessary features that don’t have a significant benefit to your business.

Either extreme is expensive over time.

Wendy Gauntt

the computer manufacturers do. You can often find excellent deals, but make sure you are looking at their business-class hardware and not consumer PCs. In some cases, quality is the same, like the Microsoft Surface and nearly all Apple products. If you purchase several computers at a time, the traditional PC companies (HP, Dell, Lenovo) may provide additional discounts. Just call and ask. However, Apple will not, and popular products like the Surface also are unlikely to be further discounted.

Online resellers: These can be the source of amazing deals, but they can also cause frustration due to poor service and bad customer experiences. Buyer beware.

Well established resellers like CDW and PC Connection are reliable and offer very competitive pricing. Amazon offers a wide selection at great prices, but be very careful to check manufacturer part numbers, descriptions and the sellers themselves. Amazon offers many of its products through a network of third-party resellers who aren’t always as reliable as Amazon. Companies like TigerDirect are known for providing rock-bottom prices by selling overstocks and refurbished machines, which can be a risky strategy since you may end up with old or unreliable equipment.

Your IT company: If you work with an IT provider, they can likely procure hardware for you. It may be more expensive than the other options listed here, but the advantage is that they know your systems and should be able to recommend exactly what you need, which ultimately saves you time and money. They may bundle installation into the purchase price as well, or discount it when you purchase from them.

How to buy‌

You can always purchase equipment directly, but that’s not your only option.

Leasing is an extremely popular choice for IT equipment. Leases typically run three to five years, in line with the expected lifetime of the equipment you are purchasing.

Installation costs can usually be rolled into these leases, further increasing their appeal.

Another options is hardware-as-a-service (HaaS). This is a fancy term that basically means you are renting your equipment from the HaaS provider. You usually pay on You have a variety of options when it a monthly basis, and maintenance costs are comes to purchasing computer hardware. often rolled into the overall price. Compare Which is best?

HaaS costs carefully with other options as Big box stores: The biggest advantage of the big box stores is that they are local, so it’s often one of the more expensive choices.

However it can be very convenient, since it’s if you need something, you can purchase it usually easy to add or remove equipment as immediately without waiting on shipping.

However, choices are limited, and the com- your staffing levels change.

If you purchase your equipment, consider puter selection is often geared toward consumer needs. That means that they may use a Section 179 deduction, so you can expense the “home” version of the computer operat- it all immediately instead of depreciating it ing system you want, and the quality may be over several years. reduced to keep costs low. Those good deals they advertise don’t usually hold up well in the business world.

Manufacturers: Not all tech manufacWhat should you do with that old equipturers sell equipment directly, but most of ment? Many companies have a closet or

Where to buy‌

Retiring old equipment‌

spare room that has become an electronics graveyard. If this is you, it’s time to clean up.

Anything that can’t be repurposed should be disposed of through an electronics recycling company. Completely clear any hard drives or memory before disposal, or get a certificate of destruction from the recycling company to guarantee they have taken care of this for you.

Unexpected expenses‌ The best way to minimize your unplanned IT expenses is to turn them into planned,

proactive purchases. Keep an inventory of what you own, along with the equipment age. Review this every year at budget time and plan replacements for items nearing end of life. If you have a large quantity of aging PCs, consider adding a few spares so that your team still has a place to work if their PC goes down. If you try to keep old equipment working past its lifespan, you’ll eventually have extended downtime, emergency expenses and the additional cost of an office full of people who can’t work.

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YOU R MON E Y

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Treat your marriage like a business LIZ WESTON NerdWallet Columnist‌

‌My artist husband likes to say that if I were in charge of our spending, we’d be sitting on milk crates instead of furniture and that if he were in charge, we’d have no retirement accounts.

The fact that we have both nice furniture and retirement funds is a testament to compromise — and the wealth-building power of marriage.

Married people are significantly wealthier than single people in every age group, and the gap tends to widen as people approach retirement age. Married couples age 55 to 64 had a median net worth, excluding home equity, of $108,607 in 2011, the latest available Census Bureau figures show. By contrast, single men in the same age bracket were worth a median $14,226 and single women $11,481.

Income and education also contribute heavily to wealth — and to the likelihood that people will marry. But a 15-year study of 9,000 people found that even after controlling for those and other factors, marriage itself contributed to a 4 percent annual increase in net worth. The same study found that wealth typically began

to drop four years before a divorce, which ultimately reduced people’s wealth by 77 percent.

Since marital status is so powerfully associated with financial status, people would be smart to view marriage as a business arrangement in addition to a romantic one.

Taking a few pages from the business world has certainly made our 19-year marriage stronger as well as wealthier.

Here’s what works for us: Conduct due diligence: before a “merger of equals,” companies can spend millions of dollars and countless hours scrutinizing each other’s financial details, performance and prospects. You don’t need to hire a fleet of lawyers and accountants, but knowing what each person owns and owes before marriage can prevent unpleasant surprises later.

Create your own financial statements: you need two: a balance sheet showing your net worth as a couple — your assets minus your debts — and a cash flow statement, which shows your current incomes and expenses. Use these documents to judge your financial health, spot potential problems, such as spending more than you make, and track your wealth-building progress.

Employers seek workers’ help to limit health costs TOM MURPHY AP Health Writer‌

‌A growing number of U.S. workers are covered by health insurance that sticks them with a bigger share of the medical bill but also softens that blow by providing a special account to help with the expense.

Companies are turning more to these socalled consumer-directed health plans, which push patients to shop around for the best prices for care, because they can cost less than other types of coverage and help hold down future increases.

Nearly 3 out of 10 employees have this kind of coverage, up from 2 out of 10 in 2014, according to an annual study of private insurance trends from the Kaiser Family Foundation released Wednesday.

A decade ago, these plans were almost unheard of. In them, patients and employers generally pay less toward the premium, or cost of the coverage itself. But then patients have to pay higher amounts out of their own pockets for most care, up to a certain level known as the deductible. The idea is that customers will make smart financial decisions because more of their own money is on the line.

To help patients deal with potentially higher out-of-pocket costs — and entice workers to sign on to the plans — employers often set up

an account and stock it with money that can be used to cover these expenses.

“Most employers want to continue offering insurance but they just want to pay less,” said Dan Mendelson, president of the consulting firm Avalere Health.

Mendelson, who reviewed the Kaiser study, said insurers have developed better tools for helping people compare cost and quality. That might make companies more comfortable with sending their employees out to shop for something as complicated as health care.

Kaiser researchers say rising deductibles from plans like this are helping to restrain premiums.

Overall, the cost of employer-sponsored health insurance, the most common type of coverage in the country, is still growing modestly like it has for the past five years, according to Kaiser. The average annual premium for family coverage, shared by employer and worker, rose 3 percent this year to $18,142. That’s more than double what coverage cost in 1999, even after adjusting for inflation.

Kaiser released its survey while companies are preparing to tell their employees about coverage options for next year. The annual window in which employees can enroll in their company’s insurance for 2017 or make changes to their coverage begins in November for many companies.

Draft your business plan: successful businesses have to set priorities and decide where to concentrate their resources. So do couples, who have to figure out how to save for the future (with retirement, emergency and college funds, for example), pay off the past (mortgages, student loans, credit card debts) and live their lives in the present (paying the bills and having some fun).

You’re likely to have more goals than money to achieve them, so you’ll need to decide together which are the most important and how to divvy up your income among them.

Appoint a chief financial officer: chances are one of you is better at the dayto-day financial details, such as paying bills and monitoring financial accounts. Having one person take responsibility for these chores helps make sure they get done. The CFO also may be the person who researches large purchases, does the tax returns, shops for insurance and rebalances the investment accounts. The CFO does not, however, make financial decisions unilaterally. In the business world, the CFO is responsible to the board of directors. In a marriage, the partners are responsible to each other and should be making the big decisions together.

Commit to full disclosure: publicly

traded companies have to keep their shareholders informed with quarterly financial statements, audited annual reports and announcements of major events. Couples don’t have to keep to a federally mandated schedule, but regular meetings to review the finances are a good idea. Disclosure is key if you’re going to make sound financial decisions together. Unfortunately, a recent Harris poll for NerdWallet found that 1 in 5 Americans in a relationship with a partner who’s saving for retirement have no idea how much their partner has saved.

A similar proportion of those saving for retirement haven’t disclosed the amounts to their partners. That’s bad enough, but what’s worse than lack of disclosure is deliberate dishonesty. Hiding debts, concealing purchases and having secret accounts all undermine intimacy and trust. That doesn’t mean you can’t have separate accounts or “no questions asked” spending money to reduce conflict. But you shouldn’t conceal or lie about your financial situation to avoid a fight. That’s a red flag that there’s something you two should be discussing.

Liz Weston is a certified financial planner and columnist at NerdWallet.

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October 2016 | BUSINESS JOURNAL | 19

Manager needs help with troublesome worker ‌Q: I have repeatedly attempted to discipline one of my employees but it hasn’t done any good. “Shelby” likes to stir up trouble and constantly tries to intimidate her co-workers.

Although I have warned her many times, her behavior hasn’t changed at all.

The problem is that Shelby works closely with the owner of our business. If I give her a performance warning, she goes crying to him and says I’m picking on her. He has frequently told me to just leave her alone.

Because the owner won’t allow me to do my job as office manager, Shelby knows she can get away with anything. EvOffice Coach eryone is frustrated with her behavior, and several people have left because of it. What can I do about this?

A: To find a more effective approach, you need to consider three facts. First, without the backing of higher management, disciplinary actions are completely meaningless. Issuing empty warnings might make you feel more like a manager, but you’re actually just wasting time and energy.

Second, to have any hope of success, you must get the owner on your side. While a larger organization might provide other avenues of support, in a small, privately owned company, the owner has complete control. Despite having the title of office manager, you only have as much power as he gives you.

Finally, your biggest obstacle is that Shelby currently has more leverage than you do. As

Marie McIntyre

long as the owner keeps ruling in her favor, she can safely ignore your warnings. So you must help him see that she’s a problem which needs solving.

To get the owner’s attention, keep the focus on business issues. Instead of complaining about Shelby’s irritating personality, calmly describe how her behavior is hurting the company. If she’s driving people away, for example, you could discuss the cost of turnover and the time required to train new staff.

When employees gripe about Shelby’s behavior, consider suggesting that they take their concerns directly to the owner. If he views this as a personal conflict between you and Shelby, hearing from her unhappy colleagues may paint a more accurate picture. *** Q: I’m new to being a business owner, and unfortunately, in the short time I’ve been running my own firm, I’ve encountered a number of male customers who seem to view me as an available female rather than a professional accountant. Although I wear modest, conservative attire and do nothing to project an “on the market” vibe, these customers have focused on my social circumstances instead of my abilities.

Recently, for example, I met with a potential client who asked several overly personal questions. Because I didn’t want to be rude, I wound up providing more information than I would have liked. As a result, he offered a lot of advice about my personal relationships. This seemed very disrespectful, so how do I keep it from happening again?

A: While a few creepy customers might have lecherous intentions, some of these guys may simply be trying to fill a conversational vacuum. So the first step in solving this problem is to maintain control of the discussion in a pleasant, professional manner. Since you’re just starting out, this might require a bit of practice.

When meeting with prospective clients, you must be prepared to initiate the conversation and then move it forward in a productive direction. If you start with a concise description of your services, followed by some targeted business questions, customers are less likely to drift off track.

With those who like to chat, keep the topics appropriate by differentiating between what’s friendly and personal. Talking about pets, sports, or travel is friendly, while discussing family matters or social relationships is personal.

And sexual banter is in a category all its own.

Once you have mentally defined your conversational boundaries, try to recognize when things are about to take an inappropriate turn.

At that point, one helpful strategy is the “nonresponsive response,” in which you reply to a question with an answer that is both uninformative and redirecting.

For example, if a customer were to say “Do you enjoy being single?” you might reply, “My real focus is on work. By the way, how many different product lines do you have?” This approach can be useful whenever a direct answer could lead you down an undesirable path.

To summarize, begin your client meetings with a businesslike opener and remain focused on your goal. If “getting to know you” conversations begin to cross the line, tactfully shift direction. And should you encounter any creepy-crawlers, immediately delete them from your client list. *** Q: I recently got a new manager who is giving me a hard time, so I’m hoping to transfer to another department. Because I have been in my current position for three years, this would also be good for my career.

When I mentioned transferring, my manager said he wanted me to stay in this job for one more year. However, I would like to move as soon as possible. How should I handle this?

WEEKLY TIPS Get weekly tips form Liz Reyer and the Office Coach at www.thebusiness-journal.com A: To avoid irritating your manager, you want to increase your odds of transferring without blatantly lobbying for a new position.

Therefore, you should look for ways to interact with people who may know about available openings. As you grow your internal network, opportunities may appear.

At the same time, you should make every effort to get along with this challenging new boss. Remember that managers do talk to each other, so anyone who might hire you is likely to ask him for a recommendation. *** Q: Every year, our department sponsors several fundraising activities for the company’s favorite charity. Although I always give the suggested amount of money, I have never volunteered to work at these events.

Because the same people always offer to help, our manager recently said that everyone should take a more active role in fundraising. I don’t believe that this forced participation is appropriate. What’s your opinion?

A: While providing an opportunity for charitable giving is commendable, pressuring employees to donate money or time feels very much like an abuse of power. It’s one thing to accept voluntary contributions for the community’s United Way campaign, but quite another to compel support for the CEO’s pet cause.

When managers imply that fundraising is a job requirement, they have inappropriately crossed the boundary between work and personal life. But since this is your current reality, you unfortunately must decide whether skipping these events will harm your career and whether that risk is worth taking.

Fresh ideas fall victim to a planning rut ‌Q: I’m leading a task force to come up with new ideas for my company’s products, and I feel stuck in a rut. How can I get some fresh ideas to emerge?

A: When’s the last time you did something new?

Or took a new approach to a familiar role?

It’s been my observation that many companies, when they’re trying to come up with new ideas, still put the same people together and have the same conversations they always have.

Liz Reyer

So let’s break loose. First of all, envision the knowledge sets, experiences and work styles your ideal team would include.

Think in terms of the problem you’re trying to solve; if your task is to design products that appeal to millennials, you’ll likely miss the mark if all your task force members are in their 50s or 60s. And this often happens, as people with more experience tend to be tapped to be on these advisory groups.

If your group is already formed, take a look at its strengths, and also possible gaps and opportunities to improve it. You may find that some of the team composition doesn’t match your new vision. If the discrepancy is minor, you might be able to work with it by adding some folks with new perspectives.

And the new approaches you will bring may reinvigorate some existing members.

But what if you realize that this team just

isn’t the right group? You could reconfigure, either “excusing” some people or canceling the team and starting over. If you have red flags going up about possible political sensitivities with this approach, it’s a sign you’re thinking the right way. Consider the best way to handle this, given the dynamics at your company, and get advice from your boss or other mentors.

Turn next to the activities you do to generate new ideas. As a team, get away from looking within your industry. What’s happening across the full spectrum of your customers’ experiences? They’re not just thinking about their next purchase from you _ they are shaped by all their experiences, from retail to banking to health care.

Do you really understand their needs? Cast a wide net to build big new ideas; you can always trim later based on feasibility, cost

and other factors.

None of this will be possible if you and the others on your team haven’t turned on your creative minds. So shake it up a bit.

There are great resources for triggering more right-brain thinking; Daniel Pink’s book, “A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future,” is one of my favorite resources. Pick an activity, and if doing something this out of the box scares you, that’s a good thing, and all the more reason to proceed. Face this anxiety; after all, what’s the worst thing that could happen?

Remember, your company can’t afford the risk of not changing; you need to find the next new thing.

Fear of looking ridiculous prevents many good ideas from coming forward. Give your task force a new vision, new tools and a safe space, and great things can occur.

20 | BUSINESS JOURNAL | October 2016

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