35C April May 2010

There’s more to Traxler’s Hunting Preserve than meets the eye I Waseca carpet pro works hard, plays hard

35C

APRIL/MAY 2010

Commerce along the I-35 Corridor

Sibling revelry

Sam Jr. and Lisa Gault have injected new life into the family business: Nicollet County Bank in St. Peter.

Sod story: The economic slowdown has taken a bite out of area sod farms.

35C Business Magazine • P.O. Box 537 • Northfield, MN 55057

Expansion: Northfield’s Center for Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation is growing.

35Contents Growing industry

s

6

While the economic downturn has hurt area sod farms, regional nurseries are thriving.

12

Therapeutic move Northfield’s Center for Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation grows, improves efficiencies.

18

Cover story Sam Jr. and Lisa Gault bring different strengths to the family business: Nicollet County Bank.

24

Preserving history

30

Hot rods and carpet

Traxler’s Hunting Preserve owner has passion for hunting, food and U.S. military history.

35Caricature: Building street rods one way Waseca’s Bill Kortuem eases stress of his job.

Departments 4 5 10 11 16 17 23 28 29

35Commentary 35Confab 35Construction 35Catalyst 35Culinary 35Charitable 35Chamber 35Commendation 35Close-up 35C photo by Thom Caya

Cover Photo

About Us

Siblings Sam Jr. and Lisa Gault have worked hard to carry on the tradition of Nicollet County Bank, which has been in the family for four generations.

Volume 2, Issue 5 Copyright © 35C 2010 Published April/May 2010 by: I-35 Target Media, P.O. Box 537, Northfield, MN 55057 / 507-645-1136 Send releases and story ideas to: Jerry Smith at 35C Business Magazine, jsmith@I35targetmedia.com

(Photo by Thom Caya)

Publisher: Sam Gett Associate Editor: Jerry Smith Sales Director: Julie Frazier Advertising Consultant: Nicole Howard Graphic Designer: Ashley Ptacek Contributing writers: Azna A. Amira, Tracie Fogelson and Amy Roemhildt

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35Commentary Owning a home is still one of the best investments W

hen it comes to real estate trends, I tend to see the glass half full rather than half empty.

I am not saying that the real estate market has been rosy, but fortunately, market trends are cyclical.

So what is the half full version? Opportunities for buyers — especially for first-time buyers — remain excellent. Interest rates are at 40-year lows and inventory is high. There are a number of attractive and safe mortgage products available.

And sellers are preparing and pricing their homes to sell.

A good time to buy Home ownership offers immediate benefits and long-term value. First-time buyers are eligible for an $8,000 tax credit for the purchase of a principal residence through April 30. Repeat buyers who have lived in their homes the last five years are eligible for a $6,500 tax credit, as well. Contracts must be signed by April 30 and closings must occur by the end of June. In all, 4.4 million house-

Tracie Fogelson holds are expected to claim the credit before it expires in June.

For more information on the tax credit, visit www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com.

Owning a home continues to be one of the best financial investments. Nine out of 10 consumers consider home ownership to be a sound financial decision. Given the leverage in purchasing a home, the average return on a 5 percent down payment over 10 years is usually three- to five-times greater than stock market returns. Real estate has delivered the best return of any investment over the last 40 years.

A good time to sell, too Now is a good time to sell a home, as well. Low interest rates, coupled with price

declines, give trade-up buyers a unique opportunity to take advantage of market conditions. What an owner may lose on the sell side can be more than recovered on the buy side. A return to the traditional 3 percent to 5 percent annual home price appreciation rate is likely next year.

Tell-tale signs The following data is provided by the National Association of Realtors: • The pending home sale index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in January, fell 7.6 percent to 90.4 from an upwardly revised 97.8 in December, but remains 12.3 percent higher than January 2009 when it was 80.5. • Existing home sales fell in January but are above levels of a year ago. Existing home sales — including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops — dropped 7.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.05 million units in January from a revised 5.44 million in December, but

GROUP

remain 11.5 percent above the 4.53 million-unit level in January 2009. • In Rochester — home of the Southeast Minnesota Association of Realtors — the market is improving too. In a year-over-year comparison for the month of February, there was a decrease of nearly 3 percent in new listings. This will help even out the inventory. The median home price is $152,000.

Remember that every market is different. Whether you are a buyer or seller, it has never been more important to work with a Realtor.

While I recognize it will take some time for the housing market to fully rebound, recent indicators suggest we are on the right track. So, is the glass half full or half empty? I will let you be the judge. r — Tracie Fogelson is the current president of the Southeast Minnesota Association of Realtors. She can be reached at 507-287-7245, or by e-mail at ezdeals@traciefogelson.com.

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35Confab

A chat with Rice County Habitat for Humanity director Dayna Clemment

S

ince her undergraduate days at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Dayna Clemment has been volunteering for Habitat for Humanity through Thrivent Builds.

That passion for the organization and the good it does paid dividends in November 2007 when she was named Habitat’s full-time executive director in Rice County.

“Seeing the direct benefits to families and how their children do better in school is just a thrill,” Clemment said. “Having a stable, predictable place to live has so many long-term benefits.”

?

5 Takeaways

from Dayna Clemment 1. Habitat is a “hand up,”

not a “hand out.” We don’t give away homes, but rather sell them to partner families at 0 percent interest.

2. Home ownership increases

graduation rates and decreases delinquency rates among children in Rice County.

3. Over 100 local businesses, with more than 2,000 individuals have volunteered in Rice County for Habitat for Humanity.

4. Habitat has met and ex-

ceeded Energy Star and Creen Communities standards to the point that we’ll apply for LEED Certification in 2010.

5. We’ve had a lot of success

in bringing teams of volunteers from local businesses to our build sites.

In a 35C interview, Clemment talks about the important work Habitat for Humanity does in Rice County.

Q: Has Habitat for Humanity done some real good in Rice County?

A: Yes, I believe so. We’re working on our 20th home right now and we have had statements from our homeowners saying their children respect them more and that they are doing better in school because they are in a home. They get to have a sense of community and neighborhood that they probably wouldn’t have had had they been moving from apartment to apartment. It really creates some stability.

So, I think on a couple of levels, we’ve contributed to the community. One is obviously the partner families having places to live, and another is that businesses feel that they are meaningfully contributing to the organization. And then there are our volunteers. We have a couple of thousand volunteers who have been out to the sites.

Some come out every day, some come out one time, but people walk away with a meaningful experience.

Q: Where is the Rice County Habitat for Humanity office?

A: We currently have our office in Lonsdale. There is a couple that has supported Habitat for a long time (R&L Woodcraft).

They built a new shop, so they are leasing to us the warehouse and offices. With three full-time staff people — myself, the development director and a volunteer coordinator — we needed more space.

The warehouse will enable us to build

year-round and inside. This helps us keep the momentum going year round.

Q: Has the recession hurt or helped Habitat?

A: The number of volunteers in our organization has actually increased, and some of them are skilled construction workers. They want to offer their services because obviously the construction industry has been hurt.

We do get calls from interested applicants who have just lost their jobs and are wondering about Habitat. If a person is unemployed, Habitat is not a good fit, because they do have to pay a mortgage.

Q: Are fewer people on Habitat waiting lists because of the number of homes being foreclosed?

A: It hasn’t really affected us that much.

We really look at people who are making $23,000-$39,000 a year. That’s kind of who fits in our targeted population. In terms of us being able to purchase foreclosed land, we have had some opportunities to purchase that land at a reduced price.

We have not found actual home foreclosures to work for us because they are still $70,000 to $90,000 and probably need $50,000-$60,000 in repairs. Our out-ofpocket construction cost is $58,000, plus whatever we pay for land. Believe it or not, it is still cheaper for us to build new than to buy foreclosed properties, rehab them and get partner families into them.

The other issue for us is that we build such an energy efficient house, that it’s really hard to go to a house and retrofit that to be as energy efficient as we build them.

Q: What is the turnaround time in building homes?

We try to select the families about a year in advance, and then we break ground typically at the end of May. Our goal is to have the families in before school starts.

We used to have a six- or seven-month build cycle, but we feel we can reduce that. It’s a bigger operation now, so we can do it in a shorter amount of time. r

Having a stable, predictable place to live has so many long-term benefits.

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Changing landscape While area sod farms are feeling the effects of the recession, many regional nurseries are blooming Story by JERRY SMITH Photos by THOM CAYA

W

hen you turn into the driveway leading up to the Nagel Sod Farm in Medford, you see an impressive array of tractors, semis and farm equipment.

Flash back to a year ago, and much of that same equipment is sitting in the exact spot it occupies today.

That’s how bad things have gotten for the Nagels and other sod farmers in

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southern Minnesota and across the nation.

“Last year, we only ran two semis and we have four,” said Walt Nagel, one of three siblings and a brother-in-law who help run Nagel Sod Farm and Nursery with their mother Helen, who is the owner of the operation. “We didn’t even start two of them and I have a feeling it will be the same way this year.”

With fewer homes being built, less discretionary income and an unsettled

economy, sod farmers have been experiencing a real drought. For the Nagels, the sod end of their business has decreased by more than half the last two years.

“When things are going well, we grow about a million yards of sod,” said James Nagel about the family business that has been around for more than 50 years. “The last couple of years, we’ve been at 300,000 yards, so you can see our business has declined 70 percent. There

is just no sod going out to homeowners.”

Pete Jirik, owner of Jirik Sod Farms in Farmington, has seen the same decline in his business. He says that when new homes aren’t being built, his business suffers.

“We probably declined 30 percent in 2007 and 30 percent to 40 percent the last two years,” Jirik said. “The way I see it, you can mope and complain about it or you can remain positive.”

But for Jirik and other sod farmers in the region, >>>

>>> it’s been hard to stay upbeat, especially seeing this much of a decline in such a short period of time.

“We’ve had some boom years leading up to this recession,” Jirik said. “Back in 2006, we had our best year. But since then, things have fallen off the deep end, not just for us, but for pretty much everybody.”

Jirik blames the burst in the housing bubble as the main reason for the decline in his industry. He said that National Builders (St. Paul) at their peak were building 1,200 new units a year, and now that has dropped to 325 units. The same holds true for College City Homes, which at its peak was building 160 new homes a year. Last year, Jirik said, the Lakeville construction company built only 10 new homes.

“Hopefully, we’ve hit bottom,” said Jirik, whose company is a supplier to both National Builders and College City Homes. “In a boom, we sold palettes and palettes of sod. Now we’re doing 10-roll jobs and jobs that don’t require more than a palette of sod. We aren’t turning down jobs. We’re just trying not to go backwards.”

Nurseries holding their own While sod farmers are struggling, nurseries in the region, and nationally, seem to be weathering the economic storm and appear to be one of few industries that are actually growing.

A 2008 study conducted by the market research firm SBI found that the green industry market nationwide is expected to grow 10 percent from 2008 to 2013, despite the recession.

In Minnesota, the nursery and landscaping industry is a $2.1 billion industry, according to the latest comprehensive study conducted by the St. Cloud State

ABOVE: Trucks used to haul rolls of sod from Nagel’s Sod Farm will more than likely sit unused this year, much like last year.

RIGHT: Plants sit ready for sale at Knecht’s Nurseries and Landscaping.

BOTTOM: Nick Poehler, co-owner of Turtle Creek Nurseries in Owatonna, waters the plants in the greenhouse.

University Department of Economics for the Minnesota Nursery & Landscaping Association.

Jon Horsman, communications director for the MNLA, says that Minnesota has

approximately 3,000 green industry companies with 30,000 employees.

Leif Knecht, owner of Knecht’s Nurseries & Landscaping in Northfield, said his business has felt some of

the effects of the downturn in the economy, but for the most part has stayed the course.

“We’ve been fortunate that we’ve been insulated by the types of customer base we have,” said Knecht, who was recently named the 2009 Business Person of the Year by the Northfield Chamber of Commerce.

“We’ve seen a 2 percent rise in volume in our retail business, but our landscaping is down a bit.

“We made a business decision to concentrate on homeowners so they’ll keep coming back. Many we see five, 10, 15 times a year. We have a really big customer base.”

Those homeowners, Knecht said, have made conscious decisions to spend money on new shrubs and to renew their places for a fraction of what it costs to buy new homes or have them professionally landscaped.

“Our landscaping business is down and costs are up, but we have adjusted to focus our business on private homeowners,” said Knecht, who has been in the nursery and tree growing business for more than 22 years.

“People want a comfortable feeling home. When things are tough, we go back to basics. Plants stimulate good feelings and price of admission is low. I think people refocusing on life will have a good effect on our industry.”

Eric Cornell, owner of Turtle Creek Nursery and Landscaping in Owatonna, has also seen a slight increase in business. Unlike Knecht Nursery, Turtle Creek has benefitted from an increase in landscape jobs.

“We’ve actually seen an increase in landscaping,” said Cornell, who has been in business with his wife Patty and partner Nick Poehler for six years. “We saw >>> APRIL/MAY 2010 35C

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ABOVE: Kathy Donahue stands among the thousands of plants Donahue’s Greenhouse in Faribault will sell locally and across the nation.

Donahue’s has seen an increase in the number of orders, despite the economy.

Create Happiness

RIGHT: Trees line the grounds of Knecht’s Nureries and Landscaping in Northfield.

Like Donahue’s, Knecht’s has weathered the economic storm.

>>> a 25 percent increase in those types of jobs this season. It’s a catch-22. People aren’t taking vacations and are spending more time and money on their homes.”

Cornell said, however, that Turtle Creek has seen a drastic decline in landscaping new homes. In the last year, that part of his business has fallen off 50 percent.

“We’re doing half as many homes as we were doing and that is because of the bad housing market,” Cornell said. “No one is doing high-scale jobs. There are not a lot of $20,000$30,000 jobs out there anymore for anyone.

“The bottom line for our

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business is that if you put landscaping and nursery together, we have gone up in sales. We haven’t gone up drastically, but we’ve gone up.”

Making adjustments The folks at Donahue’s Greenhouse in Faribault have followed the same business plan as many of the other area nurseries in the region and have adjusted to the market to weather the economic storm.

From coming up with ways to conserve heat in the company’s many greenhouses to offering more products for those do-it-yourself projects, Donahue’s has continued to do well. >>>

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507-835-9111 An employee at Knecht’s Nurseries and Landscaping in Northfield prepares for the the business’ opening. Knecht’s opened its retail nursery in 1999.

>>> “Plants make people happy and they are ready to see things grow,� said Kathy Donahue, one of seven family members who are a part of the family operation. “We’ve been able to take on new orders. Two years ago, we were doing about 40,000 orders for our clematis. For 2010, we’ve taken 120,000.�

Adjusting to the growing demand of gardening has also been a benefit for Donahue’s Greenhouse. “We’ve planned for the resurgence of vegetable gardens,� Donahue said. “Mother has been through a recession or two and that is when vegetable gardens are big. She knows the trends.�

Donahue’s isn’t the only nursery, sod farm or landscaping firm that has made adjustments to stay competitive. Each of the firms we talked to for this story has made some kind of adjustment to stave off the effects of the recession.

That’s easier said than done when sod is your company’s main source of income. “We’ve had to devote more of our energy to other landscaping services like trees, irrigation, rain water gardens and retaining walls,� said Todd Volkmann, the husband of Amy Volk-

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Gardening trends for 2010 Garden Media Group has compiled a list of gardening trends for 2010.

1. Main Street is in.

Wall Street is out: Connectivity to neighbors and communities are surging.

2. Edible Gardens are in.

Lawns are out: Growing your own groceries is hot.

3. Slow Gardening is in.

Instant gratification is out: Domesticity is back.

4. Mindful is in. Bling is out: There’s a new culture of giving, creating and collaborating.

5. Eco-Boosting is in.

Chemical Dependent Gardens are out: Green is the new black.

6. Multi-Tasking is in.

Single-Purpose Gardening is out: Barren spaces are being transformed into lush gardens.

7. Perennials and Shrubs are in. Divas are out: Consumers want plants that are easy to care for. mann, one of the siblings who runs the nursery part of the Nagel business. “If we didn’t do all of those things, we wouldn’t be in business.� r

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9

35Construction Projects contributing to the growth of the I-35 corridor

An artist rendering of the proposed expansion of SAGE Electrochromics Inc. in Faribault.

SAGE moving forward with expansion plans A

conditional commitment for a $72 million Department of Energy loan guarantee all but assures the expansion of SAGE Electrochromics Inc. in Faribault.

The loan, which SAGE chief executive and founder John Van Dine said has been in the works for two years, will enable the glass-making and coating company to break ground soon on a new 250,000-square-foot, $120 million plant that could add 160 full-time employees to the 100 jobs at SAGE’s current location.

“This is great for SAGE and for Faribault and the surrounding area,” said Van Dine, who estimated that an additional 200 construction jobs could be a reality due to the expansion.

The loan guarantee program is a part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 intended to support innovative technologies.

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“

“We were given assurances that this was important for the nation.”

— John Van Dine, SAGE chief executive and founder

SAGE has developed the world’s only commercially available, electronically “tintable” window glass — called SageGlass® — which allows natural light in while controlling unwanted solar heat and glare.

According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, part of the DOE lab network, SAGE’s “smart glass” could potentially reduce overall cooling loads for commercial buildings up to 20 percent by lowering peak power demand and may reduce lighting costs by up to 60 percent, while providing building occupants with more natural daylight.

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven

Chu said in a release that the investment will help cut utility bills, reduce carbon pollution and create jobs our economy needs.

“We were given assurances that this was important for the nation,” Van Dine said.

Under the DOE loan guarantee program, SAGE can borrow from the U.S. Treasury at a low interest rate as long as the company obtains 20 percent of its money from other sources.

In this case, SAGE also was able to secure a $31 million Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit.

Also instrumental in keeping SAGE in Faribault were incentives by Rice County,

Minnesota and SteeleWaseca Cooperative Electric.

The city also won approval from the Legislature to extend the state’s Jobs Opportunity Building Zone program through the year 2021 instead of 2016. JOBZ provides local and state tax exemptions to companies that start up or expand in targeted areas.

Faribault was chosen after a nationwide search conducted by Deoitte Consulting. Van Dine said communities in Indiana, North Carolina and New York were in the running.

“They really worked hard to put together a package for SAGE to stay here that I could take to my board of directors,” Van Dine said of the cooperative effort between city and state entities.

“It really made sense to stay right here. Faribault had the advantage because we are already here.” r

35Catalyst

Making things happen along the I-35 corridor

Jeanette Williams has been working at the Southern Research & Outreach Center since 1989.

Her boss, Forrest Izuno, says she keeps the SROC running smoothly from behind the scenes.

35C photo by Thom Caya

Jeanette Williams is ‘go to’ person at Southern Research & Outreach Center

J

eanette Williams wears many hats at the University of Minnesota’s Southern Research & Outreach Center in Waseca.

A typical day could involve putting together a workshop for gardeners in southern Minnesota, giving tours of the facility to a group of second graders and teaching them about agriculture, or planning a get-together for several thousand people who come to the annual U of M Open House in Waseca.

Whatever it is Williams is doing on a given day, you can be sure it is an intregal part of what happens at SROC. “Jeanette is the penultimate catalyst at the Southern Research and Outreach Center,” said Forrest Izuno in his online nomination of Williams as a 35Catalyst. “Every organization has a “go to” person who brings reality to ethereal ideas and makes things happen for the public good and she is that person here.”

Izuno, whose title is professor and head of SROC, goes on to say in his nomination statement that Williams is “generally given an idea of what we would like to accomplish, sits in on discussions, proposes workable plans for execution, and then carries out the plan.”

“Jeanette keeps myself and faculty organized and on task whether it be delivery of educational events or day-to-day activities,” Izuno said. “Jeanette truly keeps the SROC running smoothly behind the scenes.”

Williams, who says her position at SROC is not a typical 8-5 job, was quick to point out that while she was excited about the nomination, others are just as deserving.

“To be recognized is a real honor,” Williams said, “especially knowing there are so many others out here who are just as deserving of recognition.” r — Jerry Smith

Ken Henricksen, Mike Jensen driving forces behind proposed History Center

K

en Henricksen and Mike Jensen love history, especially Steele County history.

That is why the co-chairs of the Steele County Historical Society’s Capital Campaign Committee have devoted so much time to making the proposed $3.3 million History Center a reality.

In her 35Catalyst nomination letter, Charlene Ost, president of the Steele County Historical society Board, said that the two “have had the daunting task of organizing and leading our capital campaign for the new History Center.”

“Working together, they have done an admirable and sometimes thankless job,” Ost went on to write. “We would not be in the position we are at this time without their tireless effort to keep us going.”

“The goal is to get the building built,” said Henricksen, who noted that more than two-thirds of the required funds has been raised. “The reason for building the History Center is really a sense that there is an urgency with Steele County history. We want to tell our history and we simply don’t have a venue.”

Jensen agrees.

“As we look at the region and area, Steele County is rich with history,” he said. “It would be a travesty not to capture that.”

Laura Resler, the director of the Steele County Historical Society, admires the passion of each of the co-chairs.

“It’s a labor of love for both of them,” Resler said of the project, that has been years in the planning stage. “Ken is passionate about history and Mike wants to see this be a legacy for their future. I’m grateful for them every day.“ Those involved in the project are hopeful that the groundbreaking will happen soon.

“We’re scratching at the door,” Jensen said. “We’re close to making it happen.” r — Jerry Smith Ken Henricksen and Mike Jensen are co-chairs of the Steele County Historical Society’s Capital Campaign Committee, raising funds for the new History Center.

Submitted photo

If you would like to nominate a 35Catalyst from your company, please visit 35Cbusiness.com and click on the 35Catalyst icon, or e-mail Jerry Smith at jsmith@I35targetmedia.com.

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Under one Roof Northfield Hospital’s Center for Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation expands to pool resources, help keep skyrocketing insurance costs down Story by AZNA A. AMIRA Photos by JERRY SMITH

T

he sign at the corner of Jefferson Road and Jefferson Parkway announces it as Northfield Hospital’s Center for Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, in a building it shares with the hospital’s Orthopedic & Fracture Clinic.

But there is much more going on there than mending sprains and balming bruises.

In a project begun last summer, the CSMR has doubled its space, concentrated its staff and consolidated a full range of previously scattered services at one location. It’s a veritable one-stop

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shopping spot for a full spectrum of rehabilitative services. Whether one is in need of post-surgical care, physical or

occupational therapy, pediatric speech therapy, or any of the host of other specialties, the CSMR handles it all.

In March, the CSMR added 6,400 square feet to the facility’s original 10,000 square feet. There is space for 15 new treatment rooms for physical therapists, and a larger, well-designed and more efficient reception area, both of which have improved patient flow.

The facility also has a carpeted, state-of-the-art gym — complete with functional trainers — whose nearly floor-to-ceiling windows offer a calming, quasi-sylvan view by a quiet creek.

The combining of services all at one site has advantages, says CSMR director Judi Malecha. >>>

CSMR physical therapist assistant Deb Bauer works with St. Olaf student Gina Collings in the facility’s state-of-the-art gym.

CSMR expansion

CSMR physical therapist Jamin Sawyer (right) plays with 1-year-old Will McLaughlin during a “Motor Movement Evaluation” while Will’s mother Betsy McLaughlin looks on. >>> “This is not only more convenient for our clients, but the new space gives our therapists more resources to use for the therapy they provide,” she said.

Children’s Therapy and Speech, which moved from its previous location off a highway access road to its new address, now has a huge, child-friendly play and observation area adjacent to treatment rooms that provide a range of pediatric services for developmental disorders.

But the best-kept secret in town is the new WorkSystems Program, which is Northfield Hospital’s answer to nationally skyrocketing insurance costs due to proliferating workplace injuries.

Preventive Ergonomics: The coming trend The CSMR is in the vanguard of a burgeoning national trend that advocates putting as much emphasis on preventing workplace injuries as it does on treating and rehabilitating them.

“The trend in preventive ergonomics is finally catching on nationally,” Malecha said. “Businesses are more and more concerned about reducing injuries their em-

Jen Dickerson, a physical therapist at the CSMR, walks volunteer Mike Mittelstaedt through the steps of the “Balance Master.” ployees get as a means of keeping their insurance from going up.”

Ergonomics is concerned with the “fit” between people and their technological tools and environments.

Most of us are familiar with such maladies as carpal tunnel syndrome, which comes from using keyboards at wrong angles, putting too much pressure on nerves in the wrist. But there are other ailments that result from poor use of working spaces.

While the field of ergo-

nomics draws on many disciplines, since the early 2000s, occupational therapists have been moving into the field, which is one of Top 10 emerging practice areas.

Malecha, a veteran physical therapist with 20 years’ experience and CSMR’s director for two years, says she’s glad the hospital decided to invest in WorkSystems, given its potential to help curtail runaway health care costs.

“Our therapists have the training and experience to evaluate work spaces for pitfalls that could cause injuries before the injuries begin to show up,” Malecha said.

The program also provides ongoing education to teach both desk workers and industrial workers ways to avoid undue stress and injuries on the job.

“Office workers typically suffer from back and hip, neck and shoulder, and elbow injuries,” said Monica Erickson, a physical and athletic trainer at CSMR who is skilled in ergonomics and who designs more efficient work sites for area businesses.

“Industrial workers are more likely to have problems with the knees, back and shoulders.” >>>

The Center for Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation is a service of Northfield Hospital and Clinics, which also operates a CSMR facility in the Lakeville-Farmington area, which opened in 2008.

The Northfield CSMR offers a full spectrum of outpatient, hospital inpatient, home health services and athletic training, in addition to WorkSystems and Children’s Therapy and Speech, plus a number of specialized services.

Outpatient Services • Pre- and post-surgical care • Orthopedic bone and joint therapy • Geriatric and neurological care, including balance for elders • Occupational and hand therapy • Headaches and migraines • Custom orthotic fabrication Hospital In-patient Services CSMR provides physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech services to patients at Northfield Hospital and residents of its Long Term Care Center.

Athletic Training CSMR provides certified athletic trainers to Carleton College, St. Olaf College, Northfield High School and Farmington High School.

WorkSystems WorkSystems strives to promote health, safety and productivity in the workplace. Services include ergonomic evaluation, pre-work screens, early intervention for injuries, and ongoing education.

— Source: Center for Sport Medicine & Rehabilitation

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>>> Erickson is invited in to look at offices, classrooms and loading docks of many local businesses. The CSMR has contracts with Malt O Meal, the City of Northfield and its school system, and Carleton and St. Olaf colleges.

“Business is picking up as more (companies) discover benefits of early intervention,” Erickson said. “We go in and look at the worksites or classrooms to see if there are improvements we can make — sometimes just a few inches on a desk can make a big difference.”

Erickson also does pre-employment testing for strength and agility.

“Better to know before they are hired if a person can do the lifting required by the job,” said Erickson, who uses a special room outfitted with graduated weights, along with a machine called a BioDex for more precise calibrations.

The center also specializes in another form of prevention: pre-employment and random alcohol and drug testing. The Minnesota Department of Transportation refers persons to CSMR for drug testing, as do local industries that hire drivers, like Taylor Trucking and College City Beverage in Northfield. Trucking and passenger bus companies require their drivers to be randomly tested to ensure passenger safety.

Staffing the “Front Lines” Therapists at the CSMR say the design of the new facility, with its formal and informal meeting rooms and natural light, has enhanced one of their strongest assets: team spirit, with each other and with the doctors who send them patients.

“There is a great deal of camaraderie among us here on the front lines and we’re energized by the increased opportunities to share and pool our experience,” said Deb Raabolle, a physical therapist. >>>

ABOVE: The Center for Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation recently grew by 6,400 square feet, much of which will be used for 15 new treatment rooms for physical therapists, a state-of-the-art gym and a children’s play and observation area.

LEFT: CSMR director Judi Malecha says the space provides therapists with more resources.

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>>> While therapists are careful to note that they do not trespass on the doctors’ diagnostic domain, their hands-on experience with patients often affords them insights busy referring physicians may have missed. “We work as a team with our referring physicians, so there is mutual trust and respect which best serves the patient,� Malecha said.

A clinic client from Northfield, who asked to remain anonymous, provided an example: “I had severe pain in my shoulder, which a doctor at Allina X-rayed and diagnosed as arthritis. But my therapist, Andrea Hoff, and I both wondered why the pain had come on so suddenly. Her thorough, hands-on manipulations revealed a biceps tendonopathy, which would not have shown up on X-ray. So she just called the doctor at Allina, and they worked out a combination of exercises and medication that’s working.�

Many of CSMR’s therapists

Monica Erickson, a physical therapist and athletic trainer at the CSMR, works in the WorkSystems lab. are also familiar with aspects of alternative medicine such as acupuncture, chiropractic, healing touch and other vibrational medicine modalities that can give patients more treatment options. This is a

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welcome perk for many progressive Northfielders.

Physical therapist Hoff points out that the new facility is not only more attractive and efficient; it is itself an example of ergonomic correct-

ness, thanks to the director’s input in designing the new digs. “I was working at my keyboard one day, when Judi came in, looked at my setup, and said that wouldn’t do,� Hoff said. “Next thing I knew, my keyboard had been adjusted.�

Malecha smiles at this anecdote. “If we’re going to educate people, we must try to be sure our own staff has the right work environment,� she said.

The hospital also recently opened a CSMR facility in the Lakeville-Farmington area, a 5,000-square-foot clinic that opened in early 2008.

The clinic offers physical and occupational therapy and athletic training; other needs are referred to the Northfield facility. r — Azna A. Amira is a freelance journalist from Northfield who contributes to 35C and Girlfriends magazines.

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35Culinary Top restaurants serving the I-35 corridor Costas Candies & Restaurant

112 N. Cedar Ave. Owatonna Costas Candies & Restaurant has been servCOSTAS ing the area’s Candies finest & Restaurant chocolates, breakfasts and lunches for more than 90 years.

From specialty salads to pita specialties to a complete breakfast menu, including the daily breakfast specials ($4.99 w/beverage), Costas is the place to go for great food and delectable treats.

Grant Schultz is the new owner of Costas Candies & Restaurant.

Made from the finest vegetables and ingredients, salads at Costas are mouth-watering good.

With offerings like Costas’ Greek Gyro Salad, the BIG Salad and many other healthy choices, you can’t go wrong.

Costas uses premium meats, cheeses and fresh-baked breads in its sandwiches.

To top things off, Costas offers its renowned palette-pleasing handmade chocolate candies.

Information/contact: Call Costas Candies & Restaurant at 507-4519050 or visit us at www. costaschocolates.com.

Patrick’s on Third

The Cheese Cave

J. Grundy’s Rueb-n-Stein

Patrick’s on Third invites you to take the “Chuck Norris” challenge.

On Tuesdays, if you can eat a 2.1pound bacon cheeseburger and all of the fixings in under an hour, it’s free.

Patrick’s is the home of the World Famous Patty Melt, Best Burger on the Planet, Bucket of Death, Govenaires Drum & Bugle Corps, Drum Corps Museum and a number of other really weird, wacky and wonderful things.

If it’s an amazing burger you crave, Patrick’s on Third is the place to go.

Patrick’s also offers a variety of menu items from burgers to pasta and Mexican to Italian. Look for new appetizers on the menu as well.

If it’s beer you crave, Patrick’s on Third offers 20 craft beers on tap.

Patrick’s on Third is open daily from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. For reservations, call 507-931-9051.

We opened our doors as a retail Artisan Cheese Shop and “factory outlet” store for Faribault Dairy Company in June of 2009. Since that opening, we have been embraced by our community and have grown into so much more than your everyday Cheese Shop.

Yes, we carry over 40 beautiful Artisan cheeses from all over the World, including our own St. Pete’s Select Blue Cheese and our recently awarded “Best Gorgonzola in the World,” but we also carry everything that one could imagine going “with” cheese and much more!

We perform wine & cheese pairings and serve light lunches. We make our own cheese curds fresh every week right here in the store while our customers watch. Yes, we are so much more than a Gourmet Artisan Cheese Shop!

Reservations: To arrange for an affordable and unique cheese pairing event­, contact Laura at 507-334-3988.

An area classic sprawling into three historic buildings on Northfield’s main drag, the “Rueb ‘n’ Stein” has a long list of tradional American food and great spirits.

With an all new expanded menu, the best burger in town and the famous Rueben sandwich, the Rueb offers something for everyone at a great price.

The Rueb also offers a classic bar with drink specials and “Upstairs at the Rueb,” which features live music and dancing separate from the dining area.

Specialties: The Rueb’s famous appetizers and build-your-own burgers.

Information: Call J Grundy’s Rueb ‘n’ Stein at 507-645-6691 or visit the Website at www.ruebnstein.com.

125 S. Third St. Saint Peter

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318 N. Central Ave. Faribault

503 Division St. Historic Northfield

35Charitable MARCH 14

HOPE Center benefits from ‘hot rod’ art show

W

hen Nick Sinclair heard about the HOPE Center from a friend at Carleton College, he was inspired to help the organization’s cause.

Acting on that inspiration, the “hot rod” artist decided he would donate some of his art to raise money for the Faribault/Rice County organization.

Out of that came “HOPE Rides,” an event sponsored

by Faribault Harley-Davidson that not only raised $432 for HOPE Center, but also plenty of awareness.

“With funding streams

35C photo submitted by Faribault Harley-Davidson

Hot rod artist Nick Sinclair helped raise money and awareness for Executive director Erica Staab and the HOPE Center in Faribault.

reducing at every turn, we are more and more reliant on members of the community to step forward to help further our mission to end domestic violence and sexual assault within Rice County,”

said Erica Staab, executive director of HOPE Center.

“We are so appreciative of all of the people who participated and the 60 community members who took time out of their Sunday evening to

We would like to run your organization’s philanthropic news in 35Charitable

MARCH 5-7

‘Hometown Sampler’ concert

exceeds goals

M

ore than 1,200 people came out on the weekend of March 5-7 to watch live music and to help the Steele County Food Shelf raise needed funds.

The concerts raised more than $25,000, which was more than the $17,000 goal, said the Rev. John Lestock, one of the musicians and a longtime supporter of the fundraising effort.

At the end of the threeday event, Stormy Trom,

support this event.”

More than $1,000 of Sinclair’s art was raffled or given away at the event, said Faribault Harley-Davidson Marketing Director and event organizer Machelle Kendrick. Barton Jackson and Scott Bergerman both won an art piece valued at $500, she said.

“We felt honored to help educate people about global violence toward women and raise money for local battered women,” Kendrick said. “The event also was a great way to honor a young artist who had the courage to act on his inspiration.

Because of his heart, ‘HOPE Rides’ will ride again.”

Staab said that in addition to raising funds and awareness for HOPE Center, “we found new volunteers” to help with our cause. r

35C photo by Clare Kennedy (Owatonna People’s Press)

The Bad Tangerines play to a packed house during the “Hometown Sampler,” a fundraiser for the Steele County Food Shelf.

the executive director of the Steele County Food Shelf, said that $19,511 was raised at the door and $6,500 was donated by corporate sponsors.

The total was nearly 29 percent of the $90,000 the food shelf hoped to bring in by the end of March to help restock the organization’s shelves. r

35C welcomes announcements for upcoming charitable events and news of those that have passed.

We are looking to publish information and photos relating to fundraising and philanthropic efforts along the I-35 business corridor.

For consideration, please e-mail information and photos to Associate Editor Jerry Smith at jsmith@I35targetmedia. com. Please include the date, time, place, event name, details and charity served.

Also, include a phone number where we can contact you.

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Family pride Sam Gault Jr. and his sister Lisa have done all they can to help Nicollet County Bank thrive

By JERRY SMITH Photos by THOM CAYA

S

am and Lisa Gault took different paths to Nicollet County Bank in St. Peter.

It was never pre-ordained that the siblings would one day run the family bank, but as fate would have it, both became the fourth generation of Gault to run the financial institution.

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For Sam, taking a bad bounce hop in the mouth during a softball game was the catalyst for him following in his father’s (Z. Samuel Gault) footsteps.

“I have worked here since graduating from college,” said Sam, who has been president of NCB since 1999. “I was going to be a music major, but I took a ball in the face at third base during a softball game and

was out for a while. I taught some kids sax lessons, but decided that’s not where I wanted to be.”

Sam changed his major to Real Estate, Finance, Insurance and Marketing and worked as a part-time teller at the family bank when he was attending Minnesota State, Mankato.

After graduating, he started working full time at the bank and has now been

at NCB for nearly 26 years.

Lisa’s plans never included working at the family bank on a long-term basis. She went to Gustavus Adolphus College to be a teacher.

“I actually wasn’t going to be here,” Lisa said. “Right out of college, I taught school out in Los Angeles for a year, then came back here and did marketing and the more creative part of banking.” >>>

>>> While Sam and Lisa don’t always see eye-to-eye on how to do things at the bank, their relationship and family pride have helped Nicollet County Bank remain strong and a St. Peter institution despite the downturn in the economy.

In a 35C interview, Sam and Lisa talk about their relationship with their father, their management style and what they have done to not only carry on the family tradition, but also to help Nicollet County Bank grow.

think my parents have the say so in how aggressive we are.

Sam Gault has been president of Nicollet County Bank since 1999.

He also takes an active role in his community, serving on the Economic Development Authority in St. Peter and as a past president of the Chamber Board of Directors.

In his leisure, he plays saxophone with the Echo’s Big Band.

Sam: There has been a difference of opinion on how much we should spend. We have looked at other institutions. We have looked to the west and to the north, but it came up short and that’s OK. I’m not sure it was a good time to buy an institution. My mother has directed us to have a small, slow, controlled growth.

Lisa: There have been times that we’ve done our due diligence and decided it would be too costly and wouldn’t be a right fit for our bank. So we are more conservative.

Q: Did your father tell you the door was always open?

Sam: I don’t think he actually said it, but he certainly didn’t deter it, but I was welcome. The door was always open and the opportunity was always there and he was very accommodating.

Lisa: With you, he really didn’t give you much training. It was like throwing the baby in the bath water sort of thing. He would learn as he would go. Then he was offered some help.

Sam was a prankster. The tellers loved him when he was here. He got along re-

ally well with everyone here at the bank.

Q: Is there a fifth generation of Gault waiting in the wings?

Sam: I will not push my kids to this institution or to banking. My kids asked about that and I informed them, no, you follow your dreams. I’m not sure what the future of banking is.

Times have changed in banking. In 25 years I’ve been in banking, people were balancing books

entirely different than we do today. The computer era has changed banking dramatically.

Q: Is St. Peter the only location with a Nicollet county Bank? Has that been the plan all along or has that been discussed along the way?

Lisa: Yes, this is the only location. Expansion does come up occasionally. There have been some offers. We haven’t been overly aggressive, because ultimately I

/ / / /

/ /

Q: What banking organization does Nicollet County Bank report to?

Sam: As a state chartered bank, we report to the State of Minnesota, the Department of Commerce and the FDIC. Q: Have there been other banking institutions that have been intent on buying NCB and how have you kept them at bay? >>>

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Lisa Gault is a senior vice president at Nicollet County Bank in St. Peter. She has been working at the family bank for nearly 25 years. Lisa says that she and her brother Sam have different management styles than their father, Z. Samuel Gault, and that the atmosphere at the bank has been a little more mellow since her brother took over.

Lisa: We recently received a letter in the mail from someone who wanted to buy us.

We do have some larger institutions that keep a relationship in case we are interested.

But we’re not at this point.

Q: Has your father pushed that discussion?

Sam: In all fairness, he has asked us what we want to do.

I tell him I want to be here a little longer. He’s been fair about that. Owning the bank keeps him young, keeps his mind stimulated. So far, we’re happy with the decision not to sell.

Q: When there are disagreements at the bank, how are they handled?

Sam: Typically, Lisa and I agree on things. We don’t always agree, and sometimes she has some great ideas and I didn’t agree with her, but we made it work. An example

20 APRIL/MAY 2010 35C

"USINESS #HECKING -ADE 3IMPLE

would be the drive-through ATM. She said that people would use it like crazy and she was right.

I have employees here that we don’t always agree with and they have great ideas.

My point is, we sit down and discuss things as a group here. Not just Lisa and I, but the other officers and even the employees. Sometimes they will have very valuable information to share. Then we try to make the best decision for the client.

Q: Has the downturn in the economy affected the business strategies that Nicollet County Bank employs?

Sam: Our strategy has not changed. We make loans based on good cash flow and a viable entity. It’s no different than how we did it five, 10, 15 years ago. Twenty years ago, back in the 80s, we utilized more of an asset-based lending. If you had a good net worth, we thought they had to be worth the risk. Assets paid loans on the secondary side. Cash pays loans today. So you find most bankers make loans based upon cash flow.

Some areas of our populace have more difficulty than other areas. We’ve had some niche employers do extraordinarily well in this market and have not had many problems.

In fact, some are still >>>

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>>> Sam: The Gault family controls the bank. My father owns the place and he can decide if we sell or not. There were times when banks sold at nice premiums. We never received an offer because we had no desire to sell. I want to be here and I know Lisa wants to be here. We feel we have a nice future. We have great employees. We are in a great community.

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>>> growing. But we have had some issues with hospitality per say. Some restaurateurs have suffered in this economy. We still work with them and want to work with them. There are new clients who come in and we just can’t help them because they are on their final days.

It’s tough to watch because they are people I like and respect and that I’ve seen over the years, even though they don’t bank here. They are good families. But there are situations where I just can’t do anything for them.

So, we haven’t changed that much. We’re an agriculture-based bank normally, and we do have an awful lot of real estate. We have a substantial number of commercial loans.

fortunate in that we’ve hired very bright people and we have a great customer base.

St. Peter has been pretty stable also.

Lisa: We have a nice diversity.

Q: Can you compare this recession to the bad times in the 80s?

Sam: For the most part, this institution has done very well. We’ve been very

Lisa: Our goal is to be here in the long run. We have never been the most aggressive bank. A few years ago, people would say we didn’t make quite as much profit. We might have sacrificed some profit for the benefit of being her longterm. In 2009, that paid off for banks with philosophies like us. We didn’t have that same risk and it has paid off in more difficult times. Sam mentioned the diversity, so if one area is weak, another area might be strong, and that helps us to be strong as a bank.

Sam: Back then, we were much more dependent on

agriculture-based loans.

You recall back in the 80s there was a farm crisis. That hit us very hard. It was an incredibly difficult time for my father. Today, we’re seeing commercial real estate issues. We’re seeing housing issues. We learned from the savings and loan crisis from the mid-80s when the savings and loans kept their loans in-house. Today, we sell them off to a secondary market. They absorb that long-term risk. Regardless, these are very difficult times.

Q: Is selling off those loans a safe business practice for Nicollet County Bank?

Lisa: I do mortgage lending, so sure, we don’t want to hold loans for 15, 20 or 30 years, because the rate changes. But we retain the servicing here. We care because we want the longterm relationship with that

customer. So it’s in our best interest for our customers to be successful as well. We’re not going to make loans that are very iffy. We’re not going to try to do anything risky.

We want to make sure that customer is successful in the long-term. If he’s not, then neither are we.

Sam: For what it is worth, we have not had to foreclose on a house. The last one was 10-plus years. We have conservative underwriting.

It goes back to what Lisa said earlier. We’re here for the long run and we want to have a good long-term relationship with our client.

Q: Is conservative underwriting just one of the sound banking practices here?

Sam: We have had a willingness to work with our clients. We all have bumps in the road. This bank does, you do, I do. When you hit >>>

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Sam: We have seen growth. Every year, even last year, we grew. We’ve strived to have controlled-growth, because it impacts capital and other areas of the institution.

We’ve been very fortunate.

Q: How do you decide who is worth the risk when it comes to loaning money?

Sam: Businesses were holding more cash and not spending money and buying inventory. It’s been an interesting year, actually.

We’ve had high deposits, a bad economy and we’ve seen politicians underwrite new laws and regulations that we have to comply with. And sometimes that’s difficult. Bank failures have caused problems. We haven’t seen any locally, but we paid seven hundred twenty something thousand dollars for three years of FDIC insurance. This is extraordinarily higher than we’ve ever paid in our entire existence. r

Sam: We look at the cash flow, the balance sheet and the history of earnings. We base it on the known facts.

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Q: Has technology saved Nicollet County Bank in terms of not having to deal with paper as much?

Sam: I have not reduced employees, but I have not added them either. I think technology and computers allow us to do a lot more work with the same number of employees.

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>>> those bumps in the road, you sometimes need someone to assist you. Most of our clients are willing to work through those tough times. And we’re willing to work with those people. If a customer has a $500 car payment and his wife loses her job or he loses his job, we ask what they can afford.

We’re willing to work with that a little bit until they are re-established. That’s a good relationship.

Lisa: It’s interesting, but last year we had more deposits than we thought we’d see.

It was a balancing act.

Q: What was the reason for the higher deposits?

— Visit 35Cbusiness.com and click on the 35C Cover Story link to read the entire Sam/Lisa Gault interview.

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35Chamber

A look at what’s new in the region’s Chambers of Commerce

Faribault elementary students learn the importance of agriculture T

he Faribault Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee has been actively involved in passing on the importance of agri-business to the next generation.

The “Adopt a Third Grade” program not only takes the importance of agri-business to the classroom through the teaching of agriculture — the source of our food products — but also allows the thirdgraders of local and area

schools the privilege to visit a local farm firsthand so they can personally experience and encounter their food source.

Recently, the thirdgrade classes from Jefferson, Roosevelt and Cannon River STEM elementary schools, along with the Lincoln second grade class in Faribault and third grade classes from Medford, were visited by Kevin Estrem, who is a local area farmer and has been visiting

with the classrooms for many years.

This year, Estrem spoke to more than 1,000 students, with many of those students from the Faribault area.

In April, the students will visit local farms for tours and to see firsthand how farms work.

The “Adopt a Third Grade” program is a very positive event for both students, teachers and parents alike, and is of no cost to the local school district(s).

Faribault

Northfield

Owatonna

St. Peter

Waseca

Faribault Chamber hosts Career Fest The Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce Workforce Development Committee hosted a Career Fest on March 9 at South Central College in Faribault.

Career Fest sessions covered nearly 54 different careers, with more than 80 local business volunteers and about 380 high school juniors attending.

Students participated in a Game Show on career trends in the region, produced by iSeek, which is a branch of DEED supporting career transitions for adults and career explorations for youth.

Last fall the students participated in career interest surveys to determine the careers they would like to explore.

Chamber to form financial group At the invitation of a few city officials, the Chamber Board will form a small group of local individuals with financial expertise to review the City of Northfield’s budget and finances.

The group will prepare recommendations for Chamber Board approval in June. The Board will then determine the information to be presented to the Northfield City Council.

Minnesota Alpaca Expo is April 9-10 Hundreds of Alpacas, along with vendors, exhibits and more, will be featured at this year’s Minnesota Alpaca Expo at the Four Seasons Centre in Owatonna.

For more information, visit www.minnesotaalpacaexpo.com

Home & Garden Show set for April 10 The Northfield Home & Garden Show will run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

April 10 at Bridgewater Elementary School. For more information, call Larry Hoffer at 507-6640889 or 507-301-2641.

May Day Celebration set for May 1 Learn the history of the Minnesota State Public School for Dependent & Neglected Chilren.

The May Day celebration will take place from 11a.m to 4 p.m.

Take tours of Cottage 11, Cemetery Walk and the State School Museum. Tours will be led

by Harvey Ronglien, who was a State Schooler.

Watch for more details.

‘Cabin Fever’ mystery dinner set for April 9 The “Cabin Fever” Murder Mystery Dinner, which is an annual St. Peter Chamber event, will begin at 6:30 p.m. on April 9 at the Jackson Campus Center on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College.

The murder mystery dinner, which features a cast of actors from the Twin Cities area, includes appetizers, wine and beer during the social hour, a walleye dinner, silent and live auctions, and a chance to win prizes by solving the murder mystery.

Cost is $30 per person, and reservations are required by 5 p.m. April 5.

Reservations may be made by calling the Chamber office at 507934-3400.

Government Relations Forum invites you The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce policy staff provides the latest on activity at the State Legislature, including the status of business community priorities during the Legislative Session.

The conference calls include timely information about key legislators, key issues and calls to action.

You can now choose to sign up for individual calls, which is an exclusive benefit for local chambers of commerce.

If interested in participating, conference calls will be from 7:30-8 a.m. on April 9, 16, 23 and 30; and May 7 and 14 at First National Bank in Waseca.

Please contact the Waseca Chamber to be a part of this forum.

• Get connected in Faribault by clicking into EVENTS at www.faribaultmn.org.

• To see more Northfield Chamber events, log onto www.northfieldchamber.com.

• To see more Owatonna Chamber of Commerce events, log onto www.owatonna.org

• To see more St. Peter Chamber events, log onto www.tourism.stpeter.mn.us.

• To see more Waseca Chamber events, log onto www.wasecachamber.com.

Kevin Estrem talks to Faribault third graders about the importance of agriculture in their lives.

APRIL/MAY 2010 35C

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Marching through time Military reenactments at Traxler’s Hunting Preserve in Le Center honor war veterans

B

efore long, thousands of American citizens will board buses to enter a war zone.

Nazi soldiers will check to see if their “papers” are in order. Husbands, wives, children and grandparents will leave American soil at the Le Sueur County Fair Grounds to time travel back to World War II at nearby Traxler’s Hunting Pre-

serve just outside of Le Center.

Or, they might visit Vietnam or Korea.

Perhaps they will experience 19th-century Gettysburg. During Traxler’s Living History Day on June 12, spectators from all over the Midwest will have an opportunity to witness battle reenactments, visit with military history buffs and experience a taste of

what past wars were like.

In its third year, the event began as the brainchild of military history enthusiast Jeff Traxler, owner of Traxler’s Hunting Preserve. This summer, he anticipates a visit from more than 100 professional reenactors who will portray accurate accounts of military activity from Civil War to present. >>>

Story by Amy Roemhildt / Photos by Thom Caya

Living History Day When: June 12 Where: Traxler’s Hunting Preserve

Jeff and Kathy Traxler have come up with a formula for a successful business — Traxler’s Hunting Preserve — by mixing wild game, hunting and military history.

>>> Two hundred acres of the 840-acre complex will house military camps and battles. Paratroopers will drop from the sky. Jets, helicopters, tanks, trucks, cannons, machine guns and an impressive display of pyrotechnics promise to awe the 4,000-plus spectators expected to attend.

“I’ve always been fascinated by military history,” Traxler said. “When I saw a small living history event, it got me thinking about what we could do here with all our space. The hunting preserve is ideal for this kind of thing.”

The sheer size of the facility proves ideal air space to meet regulations for aircraft. The natural setting provides exceptional background as living history unfolds for spectators.

It also suits the pyrotechnic experts who simulate explosions during the battles.

Getting started After much planning and collaboration with reenactors and historians, Traxler pulled the proverbial trigger in 2008. The event developed as a tribute to

“I’ve always been fascinated by military history. When I saw a small living history event, it got me thinking about what we could do here with all our space. The hunting preserve is ideal for this kind of thing.”

— Jeff Traxler, Traxler’s Hunting Preserve

soldiers of all nations who fought in wars from the 19th century to present day.

“It’s a thrill,” said Traxler, who pointed out that spectators are treated to two scheduled battles, which they observe from bleachers near a simulated battlefield. “Between the fighting, visitors are encouraged to walk through camps and talk to reenactors. Everything is hands-on.”

Larry Fryklund, a Twin Cities native, became involved in military living his-

tory when he and his three sons experienced an event at Fort Snelling in 1999.

“My sons were 8, 14 and 16 then and wanted to get involved,” Fryklund said. “Now over 10 years later, it’s something we do together.”

Fryklund serves as coordinator for all the reenactors, and works closely with Traxler to organize the many logistics of the event.

A stickler for detail, he emphasizes the importance of accuracy in portraying individuals from history — even fictional ones.

“We demand accuracy from our reenactors out of respect to our veterans,” Fryklund said. “Many veterans will attend the event with their children and grandchildren, and we want to make sure the details are right.”

Reenactors are scrutinized down to the last haircut — especially if someone is portraying a German soldier in WWII. “German soldiers were very clean shaven,” Fryklund explained. “So it’s important that those reenactors are, too.” >>>

What: In its third year, the event was the brainchild of Jeff Traxler, owner of Traxler’s Hunting Preserve. The “Living History Day” will consist of military camps and reenacted battles, paratroopers, military jets, helicopters, tanks, trucks, cannons and machine guns, and pyrotechnics sure to awe everyone in attendance.

Tickets: Buy tickets and board buses at the Le Sueur County Fairgrounds. Buses run all day, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Ticket prices: Adults $20; Youth 6-13 $10; Kids 5 and under are free.

Refreshments: Food and drinks are available on the grounds.

Accomodations: Seating is available for larger battle reenactments and lawn chairs are welcome.

More information: Visit www.traxlers.com or call 507-357-6940.

Movie trailer information: To watch the movie trailer for “Souvenirs,” visit www.souvenirsthemovie.com.

Reenacting information: For information on World War II reenacting, visit WWII HRS.org, the official Website of the World War II Historical Reenactment Society.

— Source: Larry Fryklund, Jeff Traxler

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>>> If reenactors wear glasses, Fryklund said, they are required to purchase eyewear appropriate for the period in history they are representing. Various groups, organizations and supply sources are available to help beginners get started.

“Reenactors are interested in what happened, not in the ideology behind a war,” Fryklund explains. “The advancement of military technology is fascinating. It’s about putting everything together so people can see, smell, touch and understand history in ways you just can’t experience from watching television.”

Movie-making magic Ironically, “Military Living History” at Traxler’s will be heading to the big screen in the near future.

Traxler is producing a World War II movie called “Souvenirs.” The screenplay has been written, and the movie trailer was produced last October at the hunting preserve.

It can be viewed by visiting www. souvenirsthemovie.com.

“We will be shooting the movie here this summer,” Traxler said. “I had no idea this living history event would take off like it has. There’s no turning back now.”

Traxler plans to expand the living history event each year. As it grows, battles are redesigned and new attractions keep satisfied spectators coming back. There’s only one thing that can hurt attendance: bad weather.

“The weather killed us last year,” Traxler said. “But there’s really nothing you can do about that.

You just have to hope for the best.”

A ‘real’ feel Soldiers will move into their camps on Thursday and Friday before the event, living as their historic counterparts did, sleeping in their tents and living outdoors.

Although the actual living history day is just that — one day — they stay all weekend, living the history that they love to share.

Everything is real, except for the bullets. All weapons shoot blank rounds. Well, almost all of >>>

We get you connected.

A poster announcing “Living Military History Day” sits in front of old war memorabilia.

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>>> them. It isn’t possible to shoot blanks from a 19th century cannon, so the Civil War demonstration is as real as it gets. Fifty-five gallon drums of water will be hit with live cannon rounds during one of the event performances, a real crowd pleaser, according to Traxler.

The hunting preserve Live rounds are also used at Traxler’s Hunting Preserve much of the rest of the year. From August 15 to April 15, sportsmen hunt pheasants, partridges and mallards. A full-service shooting range for rifles, pistols and sporting clays provide more options.

“Our first year we released 900 birds,” Traxler said. “In our best year, we released 38,000 birds.”

Traxler’s has grown in size, too.

“I started this business with 200 acres and $5,000 I borrowed from my grandmother. That was 22 years ago.

It’s grown to 840 acres now.”

Twenty-two employees serve Traxler’s visitors. Overnight accommodations welcome guests who want to stay, and experts in Traxler’s kitchen will clean customer’s birds, cook and

uthern life of So

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“We have 10 dogs for our clients to rent, along with guns,” Traxler said. “All you need if you want to hunt here is one good eye and a little cash.”

Traxler started the game preserve because he loved to hunt. To relax now, he has to get away from hunting. He does this by going fishing. But between hunting season and living history, there isn’t much time to fish.

June is fast approaching, and detailed preparations for the event are well underway.

And it’s that close attention to detail that make the “Military Living History” experience feel authentic. Visitors boarding the buses soon realize that the Germans asking for papers are serious — but not dangerous.

The papers required by the Nazis are mere admission tickets. r — Amy Roemhildt is the owner of Akorn Creations, a Janesville company specializing in freelance writing and photography. She can be reached at 507-234-2266.

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The restaurant at Traxler’s Hunting Preserve is known statewide for its elegant wild game meals. Pictured is chef Shelly Krenik with “Sweet Venison Bake,” which is served regularly at the restaurant.

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35Cbusiness.com

27

35Commendation

Recognizing individuals and companies in business along the I-35 corridor /FARIBAULT/ Newspaper group announces board, completes merger Officials from Huckle Publishing, Inc., announced the election of directors and officers and its merger with Mainstream Publications, LLC. Regional magazines 35C and Girlfriends, under the leadership of publisher and editor Sam Gett, were part of the Mainstream Publications group.

Re-elected to the Board of Directors were Steven K. Pope and Renee Huckle Mittelstaedt. They are joined on the board by newly elected director Tom Huckle Yunt, the president and Mittelstaedt CEO of the Dubuque, Iowa-based Woodward Communications, Inc. Yunt replaces retiring director Jim Huckle.

Pope serves as president and publisher of the Colorado Springs Gazette and Midwest Regional Vice President Ensley of Freedom Communications. Mittelstaedt is president and CEO of Huckle Publishing, Inc., and Mainstream Publications, LLC. “We are very fortunate to have experienced and progressive media executives agree Gett to serve as outside directors on our family company’s Board of Directors,” Mittelstaedt said. “Their involvement helps assure the long-term growth of our company as the media industry evolves with new opportunities for us to serve our readers and advertisers with new print and digital products and services.”

Pope also was elected chairman of the Board of Directors, replacing Huckle.

In addition, the company announced re-election of its officers: Mittelstaedt, president and CEO; Ron Ensley, senior vice president; Sam Gett, vice president; and Robert Mittelstaedt, chief financial officer, treasurer and secretary.

Also announced was the merger of

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Huckle Publishing and Mainstream Publications, two companies that have had common ownership. The combined company will be known as Huckle Media, LLC. Renee Mittelstaedt said the merger of the two regional family-owned media companies will help simplify business and administrative functions for customers and vendors doing business with both companies.

Huckle Media publishes 16 daily and non-daily publications, niche products, including 35C and Girlfriends magazines through I-35 Target Media, and operates eight community Websites and a commercial printing company in southern Minnesota.

/WASECA/ Snap Fitness anounces opening of Waseca fitness facility Snap Fitness, the industry leader in fast, convenient and affordable fitness clubs, is proud to announce the opening of our newest and largest corporate flagship location in Waseca.

The fitness club opened March 1 in the Thrifty Drug building on Elm Avenue in Waseca.

The new club offers a host of great amenities that can be found in Snap Fitness clubs worldwide, including no contracts, 24/7 access and full reciprocity for all Snap fitness locations.

Also offered are the industry’s best strength and cardio equipment, full shower facilities, tanning packages and much more.

As a respected member of the Waseca business community, Snap Fitness invites companies to contact them about group and executive membership packages for companies of all sizes.

Contact Snap Fitness at waseca@ snapfitness.com or call 507-835-0043 for more information.

/NORTHFIELD/ Neuger Communications Group receives multiple awards Neuger Communications Group, a full-service marketing and public relations firm, was awarded three honors by the Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals, including the highest honor — a Platinum Award — for

its work on the College of the Atlantic Admissions Viewbook.

The Northfield-based team also was granted a Gold Award for a recruitment packet produced for St. Olaf College and an Honorable Mention Award for the 2009 Annual Report developed for the Lutheran Educational Conference of North America.

Each year, the Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals hosts the international MarCom award competition in which agencies submit work samples for independent review. Judging is conducted by senior-level, experienced professionals and the most recent competition featured more than 5,000 entries from across the United States and several foreign countries.

David Neuger, president and CEO of Neuger Communications Group, Neuger was pleased with the recognition.

“We are delighted to accept these awards,” he said. “Recognition from the MarCom committee serves to reinforce the emphasis our team places on developing results-oriented solutions.”

While the MarCom awards acknowledge the firm’s accomplishments in the field of higher education marketing, Neuger Communications Group serves clients in a wide array of industries across the nation, including financial services, construction and agriculture, non-profit and healthcare.

/FARIBAULT-NORTHFIELD/ Graupmann named private banker by Wells Fargo Wells Fargo recently announced that Chris Graupmann has been named private banker, serving the communities of Northfield and Faribault.

Graupmann will provide customized and creative banking solutions guided by customers’ short- and long-term goals.

Graupmann, who joined Wells Fargo in 2004 as an investment operations specialist, served as a personal banker and manager in Northfield, where he resides.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato, in finance and accounting.

35Close-up he County Health Rankings report — produced by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation — ranks counties in all 50 states on overall health, and on the many factors that affect health.

Below are snapshots of the six counties 35C serves in four categories from the many included in the 2010 report.

High school graduation County grad rate Nicollet 97 percent Rice 96 percent Waseca 92 percent Goodhue 87 percent Steele 86 percent Le Sueur 86 percent

anufacturing and education jobs account for much of the employment in the six counties 35C serves. Here is a snapshot of the largest employers in each county.

Residential foreclosures in the region

Goodhue Treasure Island Casino Red Wing Shoes Red Wing Medical Ctr. Xcel Energy Norwood

1,500 817 780 750 525

Le Sueur Menu Inspirations Le Sueur County Le Center Schools Central Healthcare Winco, Inc.

270 205 90 90 70

Nicollet St. Peter Reg. Treat. Ctr. Gustavus Adolphus Nicollet County St. Peter Schools Taylor Corporation

1,000 690 268 235 NA

Rice Malt-O-Meal St. Olaf College Carleton College Minn. Corrections Northfield Schools

861 830 690 612 500

Steele Federated Insurance Viracon Truth Hardware Owatonna Schools SPX

1,470 1,105 735 688 540

Waseca Brown Printing Itron, Inc. Waseca Schools Federal Corrections Inst.

Waseca Medical Center

840 432 360 223 165

110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 5

108

15

Goodhue

3

1

Le Sueur

Nicollet

Rice

1

2

Steele

Waseca

Counties % degrees 34 percent 25 percent 23 percent 21 percent 20 percent 19 percent

Single-parent households County households Nicollet 8 percent Rice 8 percent Goodhue 8 percent Steele 8 percent Le Sueur 8 percent Waseca 8 percent Uninsured adults County % unins.

Rice 11 percent Le Sueur 10 percent Nicollet 9 percent Goodhue 9 percent Steele 9 percent Waseca 9 percent

According to RealtyTrac (www.realtytrac.com), Rice County eclipsed the other counties 35C serves with 108 foreclosures in July 2009. Rice County Assessor Paul Knutson disputes those findings, saying his office had 55 foreclosures filed in July 2009.

Foreclosure filings (February 2010)

College degrees County Nicollet Rice Goodhue Steele Le Sueur Waseca

T

M

o get a better glimpse of the business trends in the counties 35C serves along the I-35 corridor, the business magazine will present different economic indicators in each issue.

Foreclosure filings (July 2009)

T

Snapshots of various business trends along the I-35 corridor

40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 4 3 2 1

29

26

5

2 1 Goodhue

Le Sueur

1 Nicollet

Rice

Steele

Waseca

Counties In February 2010, foreclosures in Rice County dropped drastically from July 2009 according to RealtyTrac. But in Goodhue County, foreclosure filings increased, from 15 in July 2009 to 26 in February 2010.

— Sources: Chambers of Commerce, City Websites, individual businesses

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35Caricature Corridor professionals draw strength from outside the office

Bill Kortuem sits in the cab of his 1936 Chevy “Rat Rod” truck he is restoring. Painted on the door is the original logo of his father’s oil company (from 1949 to 1973) in Waseca.

Wasecan takes his work, lesisure time seriously Story by JERRY SMITH Photo by THOM CAYA

B

ill Kortuem doesn’t mince words when it comes to talking about work and the leisure time that follows.

"My attitude is I work hard and play hard," said the flooring and carpeting veteran from Waseca.

For 35 years, Kortuem has been installing floors and carpeting in new builds and remodels in Waseca, the region, the state, Iowa and Wisconsin and as far away as Arizona. Included in that time is 23 years spent working for Associated Lumber Marts in Waseca.

“The last 12 years I've been working in assisted living and doing commercial work," said Kortuem, who calls his business Bill's Carpet. "I've done 21 assisted living facilities (80-95,000 square feet each) in 11 years and I'm still going strong. The slow economy hasn't really affected how much work I have. I'm always busy."

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That’s an understatement. Kortuem says a normal job doing carpet for a new assisted living facility consists of working from 8 a.m. to midnight for 60 straight days (with a little time off).

He takes a mattress, a sleeping bag and a pillow and sleeps on the job site. And you can bet that after the job is finished, he’s ready to come home.

“As soon as the job is done, I will try to take a month off,” Kortuem said.

“You are pretty pushed to the limit.”

That’s when the real fun begins. In his leisure time, after getting reacquainted with his family, Kortuem disappears into the garage where work of a different kind commences.

Along with his good friend Todd Gackstetter and two of his boys, Kortuem builds street rods from the ground up, ala Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor in his hit series “Home Improvement.” It’s not only a passion for Korteum, it’s a distraction from the hard work of installing floors and carpeting.

“We’ve built two together and I have four street rods currently,” Kortuem said.

Kortuem is not only proud of the work he has done on his 1936 Chevy “Rat Rod” truck, his 1948 Chevrolet “Cab-Over” truck, his 1927 Ford Roadster and his 1947 Willys Wagon, he takes them on the road.

His favorite is the Hot Rod Power Tour. Last year, Kortuem and company set off for Florida, starting the tour in Wisconsin with more than 1,000 cars.

“Every day we were at a different venue,” Kortuem said. “Along the way, hot rods would join the caravan and we’d lose some. By the time we reached Florida, there were 2,5003,000 cars.”

Kortuem said none of what he does — both work-related and leisure-related — would be possible without an understanding wife.

“She’s wonderful,” Kortuem said.

“She lets me take my hobby and work to extremes.” r

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