35C August September 2010

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The business of alpacas I Northfield company keeps corridor firms truckin’ I Truck driver unwinds on the race track

35C

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

Commerce along the I-35 Corridor

Healthy Choices Joyce Mattson & owner Melanie Nelson have taken Owatonna’s Learning ZoneXpress to new heights. i n s i d e

Outdoors coverage in GO! Get Out

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

The great outdoors comes to life in Get Out!, a special section for enthusiasts exploring the region’s many natural offerings.

35Contents A very soft market

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Raising alpacas in the region is more than just fun, it’s turning profits for many farmers.

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Conquering the road The merger of Churchill Tire and New Prague Tire puts Milan Hart in an enviable situation.

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Cover story Joyce Mattson and owner Melanie Nelson have given Learning ZoneXpress a bright future.

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GO! ... Bonus Section Get Out

Get Out! and enjoy the outdoors. Here’s some information to help you escape the office.

Tranquility Lane 35Caricature: Henderson’s Darrell Eckblad finds peace behind the wheel of his stock car.

Departments 4-5

35Connected

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35Confab

11

35Catalyst

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35Construction

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35Culinary

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35Chamber 35C photo by Jerry Smith

Cover Photo Joyce Mattson and owner Melanie Nelson find ways to make learning about healthy choices both fun and profitable at Learning ZoneXpress. (Photo by Jerry Smith)

About Us Volume 3, Issue 1 Copyright © 35C 2010 Published August/September 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

Publisher: Sam Gett Associate Editor: Jerry Smith Sales Director: Julie Frazier Advertising Consultants: Nicole Howard, Lauran Rott & Ashley Kruse Graphic Designer: Ashley Ptacek Staff Writer: Brenda Ward Contributing writers (in this issue): Azna A. Amira, Jerry Smith & Brenda Ward.

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35Connected

Regional business briefs to keep you in touch

/FARIBAULT/

atne opened a new garden center located at 600 Division Street in downtown Northfield. The sisters stock their new business, named Eco Gardens, with plants purchased from several organic growers in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and plan to remain open year-round, offering seasonal items.

• Jade Gertzen is the new owner of Joy of Dance Academy II in Faribault. Gertzen bought the Joy of Dance Academy from Betsy Arce in March and changed its name to Joy of Dance Academy II. This summer Gertzen is working to improve the studio by remodeling it with new paint, adding mirrors and a new sprung dance floor. • SAGE Electrochromics of Faribault has partnered with three out-ofstate companies to market and sell its technology in markets across the country. Michigan-based Advanced Building Solutions will sell SAGE products in the metropolitan Detroit area; Massachusetts-based David Adamson Sales will support the northeast market; and Florida-based Designbasis will cover its state. SAGE has been in Faribault since 1998 and is in the midst of a major 250,000 foot, $120 million expansion in Faribault that will ramp up production of its glass. The plant will begin producing glass by late 2011.

Eco Gardens of Northfield was opened in the spring by sisters Jeni Holt and Becky Guneratne.

and transfer printing, vinyl lettering, signs and banners. The Rylands moved their business from Cannon Falls. /LE SUEUR/ • 215 Holding Co., the parent of the First Farmers & Merchants banks, announced the signing of a purchase agreement to acquire the White Rock Bank from BancMidwest Corporation. The First Farmers & Merchants banks are “community banksâ€? operating in 12 southern Minnesota communities, including Le Sueur, and are involved in all aspects of financial services.

/KENYON/ • Don and Peggy Ryland plan to open their business, Write On, at 26 Red Wing Avenue in Kenyon as soon as August. The business provides, among other services, custom embroidery, dye

/NORTHFIELD/ • Sisters Jeni Holt and Becky Guner-

• Andrea Torgerson of Randolph opened Aescendant Accessories, a jewelry and accessories shop located at 13 Bridge Square in Northfield. The store melds a boutique-like atmosphere with reasonable prices and carries a large assortment of jewelry, along with handbags, sunglasses and men’s watches and wallets. • Northfield’s newest cafÊ, Tea Creations, opened for business next to Fit to be TRIed at 306 Division Street. Owned by husband and wife team Daniel Xiong and Pa Nou Yang, the restaurant serves sandwiches, spring rolls and a variety of loose-leaf teas, and the unique bubble tea – a cold milk tea latte mixed with a choice of tapioca pearls or flavored jelly. • After just over two years in business, CitiFinancial Services Inc., located at 1500 Clinton Lane in Northfield, closed its doors for business in July. >>> More 35Connected >>>

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/OWATONNA/

Dwight Schmit said the recession and other factors took its toll on the business, leaving him no choice but to close after six years of operation. The building has been sold to a Fairmont man.

• Brick-Meger Funeral Home in Owatonna recently doubled the size of its structure after a complete remodel, adding around 4,800 square feet and bringing the building “into the 21st century” ‘including updated technology and a new fellowship hall and more comfortable public spaces. • Weber’s Bar of Owatonna changed hands when new owner Ron Schouweiler bought the business, now known as Reggie’s Brewhouse, from Kenn Gowlland. Schouweiler may eventually turn the bar into a microbrewery as well. • Entrepreneur Larry Erickson, owner of Auscon in Owatonna, received a small business loan from Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation to expand his inventory in order to meet growing customer demands. Erickson plans to double his workforce to 20 employees within the coming year. • Federated Insurance will serve as the 2010 United Way Corporate Campaign Leader for United Way of Steele County. The Federated Corporate Campaign Leadership Team includes Harlan Moret, first vice president; Julie Rethemeier, director of public affairs; and Federated Corporate Campaign Chairs Anna Marie Brick, Tammi Ferch, Karen Spielman and Denise Kenow. This year’s campaign goal is $750,000.

/WASECA/

Clear Lake Press of Waseca recently acquired The Sign Shop of Waseca at 515 South State Street.

Peter is a historic landmark and is now home to Stone Valley General Store, an antiques and collectible vintage store owned by Nancy Sargent and Jackie Hoehn. • After working toward an expansion for the past three years, the St. Peter Food Co-op has purchased the property on the former site of Neilsen Chevrolet in downtown St. Peter. The co-op is planning to remodel the existing building to create a store that is twice its current size, has a larger deli, a teaching kitchen and ample parking.

/ST. PETER/

• Creation Technologies celebrated the official grand opening of its new state of the art 50,000 square foot facility on North Sunrise Drive in St. Peter. Creation Technologies is a leader in the Electronics Manufacturing Services industry; the St. Peter facility is one of 11 business units throughout the world.

• The former Engesser Brewery building, located at 110 Pine Street in St.

• Ooodles Café of St. Peter has closed its doors for good. Owner

• O’Reilly Auto Parts has broken ground on the lot east of Wal-Mart, on the north side of Waseca. The 6,800 square feet store will have a layout identical to the current location in Owatonna. The store plans to carry everything for a car except tires and body parts, with a complete line of automotive after-market parts. O’Reilly currently has locations in Owatonna, Mankato and Faribault. • Oscar and Francisco Marquez, owners of El Molino, opened Waseca’s newest restaurant, Las Brazas Mexican Grille. The restaurant is located in the former Shell station on South State Street. • The Mexican Restaurant chain El Tequila opened in the former David’s Olde Towne Eatery building located at 200 South State Street in Waseca. • Clear Lake Press of Waseca has acquired the assets of The Sign Shop of Waseca from Trevor and Amanda Kanewischer, who had owned the business since July 2009. The new business entity will operate under the name Clear Lake Signs, a division of Clear Lake Press, and will continue to be located at 515 South State Street. Clear Lake Press is a national full service commercial printer in its 22nd year of business in Waseca. r

Connect to the real you - look as beautiful as you feel Owatonna Clinic and Albert Lea Medical Center welcome Dr. Yao, with a fellowship in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and Aesthetic Plastic Surgery from Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital in New York City, NY. Dr. Yao offers “head-to-toe” cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery of all kinds. He sees patients at Owatonna Clinic and Albert Lea Medical Center.

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Kit Almich and her husband Ron have 50 alpacas on their farm in rural Le Sueur.

Golden fleece Coveted fabric helping regional alpaca farmers turn a profit Story by BRENDA WARD Photos by JERRY SMITH

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s dusk hits the Ron and Kit Almich farm, young alpacas, known as crias, dash with unbridled delight through green pastures as the Almichs watch in amusement from their front porch — the evening entertainment just one reward of the lifestyle they’ve chosen. “It is the most fun to sit

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on our front porch and watch the babies run. They are very engaging animals. We love our animals, we really do,” Kit Almich said, a sentiment that appears to be the norm when it comes to raising these charming, yet profitable animals. As one of the earliest alpaca farmers along the I35 corridor, the Almichs are going on 14 years of raising the animals, which are native to South America,

35Cbusiness.com

but a growing business in the United States and right here in Southeast Minnesota. In the region alone, including the counties of Steele, Rice, Waseca, Le Sueur, and parts of Goodhue, Blue Earth and Dakota, at least 15 alpaca farms have materialized over the past 15 years. Currently, the Almich farm, located outside of Le Sueur, is one of the largest in the area, with just under

50 animals owned, Kit Almich said. For the Almichs, raising alpacas was an opportunity to make money in a unique industry. “Rick and I were both raised on farms,” Almich said. “After the kids were grown, we decided to get back out in the country, but we didn’t want to raise anything we had to kill to get an end product from.” After visiting alpaca >>>

>>> farms in the Black Hills and one in Minnesota, the couple purchased their first animal — a female huacaya — in December 1996, and within two years bought three more. But it wasn’t until June of 1999 that they finished building a house and outbuildings on their newly purchased property that they were able to bring their animals home. Since then, Kit has been the primary caretaker of the animals, though Rick, the City Administrator for the City of Le Sueur, is handson as well.

Right now, the U.S. alpaca fiber industry is young, a growing business in need of a larger national herd to truly thrive. And alpaca farmers, as well as grass roots organizations, are focusing their efforts on educating the public on what exactly alpacas are as well as the benefits of the fleece. They are doing this through alpaca shows, like the annual Minnesota Alpaca Expo each April in Owatonna, and through farm tours, open houses and retail booths, for example. And the tactic seems to be A coveted fabric working. Unlike the beef or “This is the pork industry where sixth year we’ve the animal is raised had a booth for its meat, income at the Minnein the alpaca sota State Fair,� industry is based Almich said. “It ABOVE: It didn’t take long for the Alon its prestigious began as an edumichs’ kitten to become friendly with fleece — breeding, cational thing, selling and purchas- one of the newborn alpacas. but product sales TOP RIGHT: Kit Almich displays some ing the animals is have grown so of the products she sells at alpaca all about getting much through shows and the Minnesota State Fair. the best quality of the years, even fleece possible from in the downa healthy animal. turned economy. Once people experiThe fleece from just one animal, ence the benefits of alpaca, even if it is weighing 5 to 10 pounds, commands more expensive, they come back year $150 to $400, depending on the after year.� quality, cleanliness and weight, Almich There are two types of alpaca fleece: said, and is used to make all types of The huacaya alpaca has a fuzzy, teddygarments, like sweaters, felted hats bearish coat, whereas the suri (a lonand shoes, scarves, and more. Typiger coated alpaca) has a silkier, more cally, alpacas are sheared each May. lustrous fiber. Both, however, >>>

The business of alpacas Alpaca products Scarf: $20 to $75 Gloves: $15 to $60 Hat: $20 to $75 Sweater: $99 to $179 Poncho or cape: $40 to $285 Coat: $100 to $450 Blanket: $75 to $220 Teddy bear: $25 to $90 Tax benefits • Depreciable over five years, giving investor an immediate investment return in tax savings while the herd is growing • Qualifies for Section 179 of the I.R.C. allowing farmer to depreciate the first $250K of the investment • Deferred taxes on the herd’s increasing value until the offspring start selling • All expenses involving the raising of the animals are deductible • The sale of breeding stock qualifies for capital gains — alpacanation.com

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>>> are highly desired and provide numerous benefits when used for clothing products. The fiber of alpaca fleece is an excellent insulator, more lightweight than wool, yet provides more warmth for the same volume. Because the scales in the individual alpaca fibers are closer to the shaft than wool, it allows for a softer feel, enabling those who may be sensitive to wool to find a luxurious comfort in alpaca, Almich said. And because alpaca is a much drier fabric than its high-lanolin counterpart, it is naturally hypoallergenic and stays cleaner. Alpaca clothing does not pill, stain easily or create static. “You choose breeding as to what you feel you need to improve on in the herd,� Almich said. “If you need more fineness of fiber, you choose that for breeding. Color is typically one of the last things you consider.� Alpaca fiber is then sold to spinners (or spun by those who raise the animals), or to mini mills within the U.S. where the raw fiber is turned into beautifully spun yarns or garments. Earning potential The real money comes from the sale of the animals. The value of each animal ranges with the quality. A breeding female can fetch anywhere from $5,000 to $40,000 or more. Male breeders range in cost from $5,000 to $200,000, and non-breeding males, used for their fleece only, can often be purchased for less than $1,000. The price also varies by color and even genetics, making

the registration of each animal significantly important. The not-for-profit Alpaca Registry Inc., the largest alpaca pedigree registry in the world, offers blood-typed protection for owners by using DNA technology to validate the parentage. Animals cannot be registered unless both of their parents are registered. In this way, owners are ensured that the gene pool is protected. Though the industry does not appear to be endangered, it has taken a step back financially over the past couple of years. Although sales have not been as high as in prior years, Almich said the business of raising alpacas has not suffered greatly. Interested buyers are a little slower to purchase, and with fewer buyers and the population of animals still growing, prices have come down somewhat. “This is an investment that you can look at and it doesn’t melt away like Wall Street investments can do,� Almich said. “It will reproduce itself.� Lislie Draeger, an alpaca farmer from Le Center and vice president of Upper Midwest Alpacas, agrees. “Before the economy took a turn for the worse, there was a lot of financial growth,� Draeger said. “When the economy started taking a dive, it most certainly hurt some of the alpaca businesses. It didn’t plummet or crash, but prices dropped. People just have to be a little more creative.� UMA is an organization that promotes educational events, fleece shows and fiber festivals. >>>

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Area alpaca farms Farm information available at www.alpacanation.com •Ahjoomas Alpaca Farm, Cannon Falls – Sarah Balser and Cherol McManus •Alpacas at Devonshire, Farmington – Patrick and Dawn Devney •Apulanda Alpacas, Owatonna – Dan and Paula Simon •BBF Alpacas Inc., Cannon Falls – Connie and Rick Bodeker •Cozy Acres Alpacas, Le Sueur – Kathy and Tyler Erlandsen •Creeks Bend Alpacas, Le Center – Ken and Lislie Draeger •Fossum Family Farm Alpacas LLC, Northfield – Kevin and Vicki Fossum •Jen & Ole’s Alpacas & Organics LLC, Owatonna – Brian and Jennifer Oleson •Lazy Day Farm, North Mankato – Charles Schroeder •North Country Alpacas, Le Sueur – Rick and Kit Almich •Pearl Alpacas LLC, Kasson – Perri Bartley and LaMar Johnson •R&S Hillside Alpacas, Dodge Center – Ray and Sandy Spaulding •Rose Crest Alpacas LLC, Webster – Ron and Kathy Kasten •Sunnyside Farm, North Mankato – Kevin and Donna Killion •TamaRon Alpacas LLC, Waterville – Ron and Tammy Wynkoop

>>> Draeger said the organization has “grown in leaps and bounds” with 89 current members from Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and parts of Wisconsin. Building a reputation Ron and Kathy Kasten — self-proclaimed city slickers — purchased a 15-acre hobby farm near Webster and began raising alpacas in 2005. Like the Almichs, Kathy is the primary caretaker of the herd, and Ron, who works in information technology for Thrivent Financial in Minneapolis, helps out part-time. “We’ve been in the business for five years now and I never get tired of it,” Kathy Kasten said. “I think I’m not supposed to like it so much. It’s almost embarrassing.” The Kastens credit their success to their top-notch customer service offerings and innovative marketing strategies. Along with hosting an annual open house the last weekend of September and tour groups throughout the year, the Kastens offer ongoing support to those who purchase animals from their farm. Perhaps most unique are the roundtable meetings. “We bring our customers together and meet to discuss how to help each other, what skill sets we have to share to make us each more successful: computer skills, nursing skills, sharing stalls at shows or sharing trailers,” Kasten said. “We’re trying to help minimize expenses and draw from

Kathy Kasten holds one of the young alpacas she is raising at Rose Crest Alpacas in Webster. The Kastens began raising alpacas in 2005.

each person’s unique skills.” In February 2009, the Kastens hosted a weekend with Ian Wett, nationally known alpaca expert and president of the Australian Alpaca Association, providing their customers a free opportunity to learn from Wett’s extensive expertise. They also have working relationship with reputable farms in both California and Wisconsin to allow for the design of special packages they alone may not be able to provide. “I feel like we’ve really tried hard to honor our customers,” Kasten said. “I want them to feel like we want them to succeed and that they are treated fairly and successfully. We’re all in this together.”

Who’s in the business? Perhaps one of the most unique aspects of alpaca farming is who the farmers are — not your typical bucolic types. “Some of my best friends in the whole world are alpaca breeders: lawyers, blue-collar workers, executives — there is such a vast spread of backgrounds in alpaca breeders,” Kasten said. The Almichs have noticed a recent interest in 4-H families purchasing alpacas, typically non-breeding males. “These kids are the potential alpaca breeders of the future,” Kit Almich said. “It is the easiest way for kids to get to know alpacas and requires the least amount of specialized care. “The majority of the time, people come back and say they are interested in getting into the breeding end of it.” Alpaca farming is an ever-evolving way of life, and owners must always be willing to learn — whether new to the business or an experienced veteran. It is the welfare of the animals that is, after all, the most important thing, Almich believes. “To successfully manage an alpaca farm, you first of all need to be willing to never stop learning; you always have to be searching for more information and knowledge,” Almich said. “The learning curve is very steep and these animals are continuing to educate us. You work with other breeders, not against them. If someone is failing, it means we all are.” r

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35Confab

A chat with Minnesota Energy Resources president Chuck Cloninger

M

?

5 Takeaways

from Chuck Cloninger 1. By making some simple

changes, you can reduce your business’ energy use and manage your costs.

2. Energy audits can iden-

tify ways to save energy and reduce operating costs.

3. Installing energy-efficient technology is a smart way to lower your energy bills.

4. Natural gas is the preferred fuel for businesses because it provides comfortable, safe and reliable heat.

5. Natural gas costs less on

innesota Energy Resources president Chuck Cloninger makes no qualms about wanting his company to grow and prosper. But Cloninger believes that can be achieved with the customer and the environment in mind. “We’re in the energy business and we want our customers to use our products wisely so it’s good for them and the environment,” said Cloninger, who has been president of Minnesota Energy Resources since 2006. “It’s all about being a good corporate citizen and doing our part.” Cloninger says the company has been growing and expanding into Southern Minnesota. The company currently has 210,000 customers in Minnesota and 225 employees. He gives much of the credit for growth to the company’s customers. “The only way we can be successful is if our customers are successful,” said Cloninger, who is based in Rosemount. “If we can help our customers save energy, in the long run, that adds up to success for us.” In a 35C interview, Cloninger talks about the need for Minnesota Energy Resources to provide quality natural gas products, how to save on energy costs and controlling energy waste. Q: What is the mission of Minnesota Energy Resources? A: We want to give customers the best value in energy and related services, and to always provide quality, safe and reliable natural gas. We help customers conserve energy, provide one of the cleanest forms of energy, and consider the environment in our everyday work. Q: What is involved in an energy audit and how can it help a business save money? A: Energy audits start with a review of a facility’s utility bills to determine the energy and water consumption. The auditor then conducts an on-site inspection to examine the building envelope and insulation, HVAC system, domestic hot water, and other equipment. The information gathered is used to make recommendations about ways to

average than other energy sources, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. 10 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010 35C

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reduce energy use from changes in operations and maintenance to capital improvements like replacing furnaces or adding heat recovery equipment. Q: What is the biggest source of energy waste at a small business? A: Every business is different, but the biggest challenge that small business owners face is keeping track of energy consumption. By measuring and tracking energy use, small businesses can establish a baseline level of performance and set goals to improve the efficiency of how energy is used in their facility. Benchmarking the savings may help businesses discover instances when equipment is left on even when it is not used or put into place a maintenance program to tune up boilers or replace filters and belts for other HVAC equipment. Minnesota Energy Resources offers the Commercial Benchmarking Program to help businesses learn how to use ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager to track energy use from month to month. Portfolio Manager also allows users to compare their energy use to similar businesses to see how they’re doing. Q: Can energy use be managed even at larger businesses? A: Minnesota Energy Resources offers several energy efficiency programs for our business customers. They include: • The Commercial Benchmarking Program is offered for larger businesses as well. • With larger businesses that have dedicated staff assigned to facility maintenance, Minnesota Energy Resources sponsors the Building Operator Certification training, which covers building operation and maintenance and offers an in-depth look at the best ways to manage a facility, from the latest technologies to trade tips. • The Turnkey Large Commercial and Industrial Program is offered to provide technical assistance to our largest customers with energy use in their facilities. • Custom and Prescriptive Rebates are also available for businesses of all sizes. r — Visit Minnesota Energy Resources on the Web at www.minnesotaenergyresources.com.

The only way we can be successful is if our customers are successful.

35Catalyst

Making things happen along the I-35 corridor

Northfield Retirement Community’s Sears is no stranger to a new tasks

Nicollet County Bank Vice President of Operations Jean Gansen does a lot behind the scenes, but according to Senior Vice President Lisa Gault, it’s vital to the success of the bank. 35C photo by Jerry Smith

Nicollet County Bank’s Gansen keeps bank operations running smoothly

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t’s a job that requires a lot of behind-the-scenes work, and at times unexpected undertakings, but Nicollet County Bank’s Jean Gansen is always up to the task. As vice president of operations employed with the St. Peter bank for the past 25 years, Gansen is involved with all aspects of bank operations, including processing daily transactions, mainframe computer work and the installation of new technology like the bank’s remote capture deposits and no-fee debit cards through MoneyPass. “Being in operations of the bank, she’s definitely behind the scenes and a lot of people don’t know of the work that she does,” said Lisa Gault, senior vice president of the bank. “But if it wasn’t for the work she does, many things wouldn’t get done. Her work is a vital part of the bank and she is very deserving of this honor.” Not only is Gansen adept at her daily tasks, she also is not afraid to go the extra mile when called upon, like after the F3 tornado touched down in St. Peter in 1998, a disastrous weather event that destroyed or damaged much of the city. As residents set their focus on cleanup and rebuilding, Gansen, along with two other employees, spent the week putting the bank’s disaster plan into action in order to keep operations of the bank afloat. Each day, the three women loaded into their vehicles all the bank transactions from the previous day and traveled to the Federal Reserve Bank in St. Paul to process them, often returning to St. Peter late at night. “It was a difficult but interesting time,” Gansen said. “We didn’t have many customers during that time, but it was still a comfort to give that reassurance to them and let them know that we were here and everything was up and working.” Gansen credits challenges like that, her co-workers and customers for making what she does enjoyable and worthwhile. “There are a lot of long-term employees which I think speaks well for the bank and management,” she said. “It is a good daily working environment.” r — Brenda Ward

As director of Health Services for Housing at Northfield Retirement Community, Owatonna resident Tina Sears is a self-starter, never one to shy away from taking on a new task. With her ambitious attitude, Sears has helped develop housing at NRC into what it is today — a community that has increased from 120 to185 employees and seen growth in almost all of its housing complexes during the past 4 ½ years. “When I started working here, with living in Owatonna I didn’t expect to stay here, but I like the community layout and the opportunities offered here for seniors,” said Sears, who continues on an upward path with NRC. “And the leadership here is excellent.” Sears has been employed with the organization since 2001. She has held her current position since 2004 and will begin as NRC’s vice president of Community Health Services on Oct. 1. Sears now oversees the entire housing department, including eight campuses, 40 nursing assistants and five nurses. As if that wasn’t enough, Sears is also the lead instructor for the Northfield Care Center Nursing Assistant Registry/Home Health Aide — a 96-hour class offered four times each year — and does consulting work on policies and procedures for Gunderson Gardens of Kenyon. “Her confidence and strength have allowed us to pick up the contract with Gunderson Gardens,” said Kyle Nordine, president and CEO of NRC. “I’m sure the people of Kenyon are very grateful for her expertise. We’ve been blessed too.” In addition, Sears recently helped implement NRC’s exciting new technology — eNeighbor, provided through Healthsense — that allows for individualized health monitoring of each resident. “We’re going to be bringing this system into communities, allowing family members and doctors to monitor or view readings via the Internet,” said Sears, who will be taking on this endeavor as part of her upcoming position as vice president of Community Health Services. She’s a self-starter,” Nordine said. “She doesn’t say ‘I can’t do it.’ She says, ‘Let me figure out how I can do it.’” r — Brenda Ward Tina Sears, director of Health Services for Housing at Northfield Retirement Community, takes Alice Wolfe’s blood pressure at Parkview West. 35C photo by Jerry Smith

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hi

s

Expanding Horizons

Churchill Tire’s Milan Hart is bucking the trend as he sets his sights on the entire region Story and photos by JERRY SMITH

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ilan Hart knows that it takes a little luck to be successful in business. He’s living proof of that. Hart was making a good living selling Bridgestone and Firestone tires in Apple Valley a few years back when he decided to put out feelers for any tire and auto care businesses on the market, especially in a rural area. He wanted to go into business 12 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010 35C

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for himself. Within weeks, he was told about a small business in Northfield that was going on the selling block because the owner decided it was time to retire. Hart owns that business now, and since April 8, 2008, he has expanded hours, added services and hired employees at Churchill Tire. “I remember that day well because I got it on my birthday,” said Hart, 30, who lives in Northfield with his wife Kasia and 2 1/2-year-old son Leander. “I had quit my job, sold my

home and had my first child within a couple of weeks. It seemed to happen all at once.” Tireless tire man Since starting at Indy Lube at age 15 in his hometown of Albert Lea, tires and autos have been a big part of Hart’s life. Even at that young age, Hart had a plan. “I always wanted to do something more than work for someone else,” Hart said. “When I worked for Bridgestone-Firestone in >>>

>>> Apple Valley, I was able to squirrel away some money because they had an excellent bonus plan. I had a pretty successful career there and was able to come up with a down payment on Churchill Tire because of that.” Hart has found working for himself a rewarding — and profitable — proposition. He has grown the company, adding additional hours to the service schedule, adding services and hiring more employees. But the biggest change Hart made was to add on-site service to Churchill Tire’s list of offerings. “They didn’t do any on-site or over-the-road service,” said Hart, who quickly became a Goodyear-certified service company that offered 24-hour road service. “When I bought the place, there were three people in the shop and one service writer. Now, there are six people in the shop and we have three service writers. And right now we have five service trucks.” Hart said that in Northfield, commercial, overthe-road and farm clientele account for 30 percent of his business, while auto care makes up the other 70 percent. He said Churchill Tire benefits from being close to I-35 and from the fact that his company is only one of a handful in the state that offers similar over-the-road, 24-hour service. “We do a lot of commercial tires,” said Hart, who listed College City Beverage in Dundas, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers in Owatonna, and Met-Con Construction in Faribault as a few of his biggest clients. “There aren’t many companies that do what we do and do it as well as we do.” College City Beverage’s Clancy Swanson, who oversees a fleet of 65 semis and

Churchill Tire 517 Water Street S Northfield 507-663-1264 www.churchilltire.com Founded: 1987 Owner: Milan Hart (since 2008) Employees: 6 in shop; 3 service writers Services: Auto and tires (including 24-hour commercial and farm road service) Hours • Monday-Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. • Saturday: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. • Sunday: After hours service

Churchill Tire owner Milan Hart works with service technician Tasha Calderon to replace a tire on a semi-trailer owned by Central Valley Co-op in Northfield. The driver told Hart that a nail punctured the tire casing, which needed to be replaced.

New Prague Tire Service Inc. 4975 Le Sueur Avenue New Prague 952-758-4658 www.newpraguetire.com Founded: 1960 Owner: Milan Hart (since 2010) Employees: 3 full-time

trailers and 148 total pieces of equipment that require tires, said Churchill Tire does an “excellent” job. “He does all of our semis and trailers and takes care of the tires on our delivery vans and pick-ups,” said Swanson, who has been using Churchill Tire’s service for just over a year. “You can call him any time and he is there. He’s a very reputable guy and does an excellent job. We’re very satisfied with his work.” Expansion fever Almost mirroring the way he started his own business, Hart recently stumbled on a business opportunity that has already

helped him expand his service territory and his reputation. A little more than a month ago, Hart bought out Steve Tupy’s New Prague Tire, acquiring all of his assets, service vehicles and clients. “I was interested in buying one of Steve’s larger trucks so we could do more commercial work and he told me he was going out of business and was auctioning his other trucks,” Hart said. “The auction was set for a couple of weeks away, so I showed up at the last minute.” Before the auction even took place, an agreement was reached between >>>

Services: Auto and tires (including 24-hour commercial and farm road service) Hours • Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Mobile service on call Tire Tips • Rotation: The best way to prevent uneven wear is to have your tires rotated every 6,000 - 8,000 miles or as specified in your vehicle’s owner manual. • Replacing Your Tires: You should replace your tires with the same type of tires that came on your vehicle’s original equipment. This includes tire size, type and speed rating.

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>>> Hart and Tupy that would turn New Prague Tire over to Hart. “I bought all of the equipment, worked out an agreement to rent the building and the land and agreed to keep all of the employees,” Hart said. “This is a phenomenal opportunity.” One obstacle Hart has had to overcome is that Tupy advertised that he was closing New Prague Tire. He said that he and his crew have been working to get the word out that it’s not only not closing, but is expanding. “That’s how I found out about the truck,” Hart said. “Now we’re trying to let everyone know that the New Prague location is still open for business.” Hart estimates that commercial, farm and over-theroad accounts make up 70 percent of New Prague’s business. He said he would like to keep adding new accounts and growing that location, which now has three full-time employees in

addition to him. “We have a real opportunity to expand here,” Hart said. “Now we can get the big business accounts near new Prague much like we do in Northfield. And we’re looking to expand our overthe-road service. We look at exits 59-79 on I-35 as real hot spots.” Bucking the trend Look in any newspaper or business publication and you are likely to see a list of businesses that are closing due to the economy. For Hart, things appear to be moving in the opposite direction. By adding national accounts, having reputable car care service, providing over-the-road tire service and constantly finding new commercial and farm accounts, Hart has essentially bucked a trend that has been ongoing since 2007. He credits his background, extraordinary employees and good fortune as reasons for his success. >>>

“We have a real opportunity to expand here. Now we can get the big business accounts near New Prague much like we do in Northfield.”

Duane Tupy, who has been at New Prague Tire for 21 years, changes a tire on an “Air Flow” fertilizer spreader at River Country Cooperative in Montgomery. Commercial and farm accounts — both on the road and in the shop — make up nearly 70 percent of New Prague Tire’s business.

— Milan Hart, owner of Churchill Tire and New Prague Tire

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>>> “My background at Hanson Tire in Albert Lea was huge,� Hart said. “That’s where I learned to do larger tires. Without that background, I never would have been able to do that here. “The same can be said about the people who work for me. They all bring something vital to this operation and they all have an amazing work ethic. I owe a lot of where we are to them.� When many service comWhen Milan Hart of Churchill Tire in Northfield bought out Steve Tupy’s New Prague Tire, he more than doubled the size of the fleet of service vehicles.

panies have folded since the economy has taken a dive, Hart has expanded. And when many companies have laid off employees, Hart has doubled the number he has working for him in Northfield. “I’ve invested in inventory and employees and have expanded services,� Hart said. “So far, it’s been a pretty successful business model. Now we have to set our sights on growing New Prague Tire.� r

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

Northfield townhomes, colleges receive facelifts

Faribault Senior Living, a new senior housing project, is under construction in Faribault. Expected to be completed in the first half of 2011, the estimated cost of the project is $6.5 million. According to city permits, the facility will have 90 total units.

Construction is underway on all 50 units of the Jefferson Square townhomes (top left photo) as each will be renovated and a 1,600 square-foot clubhouse will be constructed before the snow flies in Northfield. The estimated cost of the project is $2.3 million, according to city records. In the last year, Northfield has has seen more than $30 million in new, large-scale commercial/industrial construction. The former science building (top right photo) on the campus of St. Olaf College will soon house the school’s departments of education, all six languages and the World Languages Center. Expected to be completed in early 2011, the estimated cost of the project is $16.8 million.

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Advertising: Nicole Howard | 507-645-1135 Lauran Rott | 507-645-1110

— 35C photos by Jerry Smith

35Culinary Top restaurants serving the I-35 corridor The Cheese Cave 318 N. Central Ave. Faribault

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. We perform wine & cheese pairings and serve light lunches and make our own cheese curds fresh every week. 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 or visit the website at www.cheesecave. net.

Patrick’s on Third 125 S. Third St. Saint Peter

Starfire Grill 204 2nd St. SW Waseca

Costas Candies & Restaurant 112 N. Cedar Ave. Owatonna

Patrick’s on Third invites you to take the “Chuck Norris” challenge. On Tuesdays, if you can eat a 2.1-pound 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.

Starfire Grill invites you to enjoy a dining experience you won’t forget. Start with one of our appetizers, from Bruschetta, alligator, even frog legs. For your entrée, enjoy Orange Lime Salmon, Bacon Wrapped Scallops, White King Salmon, Halibut, Filet Mignon, succulent Rib Eye steaks, Pheasant, and more in the understated elegance of the Historic Miller Armstrong Building. All of our steaks are flat-top seared then fire broiled in a Montague Broiler to give them the signature Starfire taste. With impeccable service and an elegant atmosphere, Starfire Grill offers nightly specials (Wednesday – Saturday) and a Sunday breakfast brunch. The Starfire also features a wine list that offers choices for any palette. There is a list of seasonal and domestic draft and bottled beers, and our gourmet martinis and specialty drinks are second to none. Enjoy live entertainment on the patio every Saturday from summer to fall. For more information about specials, hours, wine and beer tastings, or to make a reservation, call 507-833-8756, or visit the the website at www. wasecamac.com/starfiregrill.

Costas Candies & Restaurant has been serving the area’s finest chocolates, breakCOSTAS fasts and lunches Candies for more than & Restaurant 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. 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. Information/contact: Call Costas Candies & Restaurant at 507-451-9050 or visit the website at www.costaschocolates.com.

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“In the classroom I was always innovative and came up with something new all of the time. With the family consumer science, I knew there were lots of opportunities and needs out there that weren’t being met.” — Melanie Nelson, Learning ZoneXpress owner

A healthy message Learning Zone Xpress has found a niche in an ever-changing market targeting nutrition, child development Interview & photos by JERRY SMITH

M

elanie Nelson is a survivor. The Owatonna business owner has overcome obstacles of Biblical proportion — losing her business to fire one year, then four years later taking a major blow when

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the building she owned flooded, destroying virtually everything — and still has built Learning ZoneXpress into one of the top distributors of health, nutrition and life-skills learning products in the U.S. and worldwide. “You can’t give up, even when faced with overwhelming odds,” Nelson

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said. “I’m a tenacious person and that served me well when this company experienced those setbacks.” Nelson also has been served well by her background as a high school Family and Consumer Science teacher for 13 years. That experience is the true foundation of her business.

With that knowledge and a dream of owning her own business, Nelson founded Learning ZoneXpress in 1997, a company that creates products targeting nutrition, child development, financial literacy and life management skills. Learning ZoneXpress develops, publishes >>>

Michelle Obama is uniquely depicted in a variey of different foods encouraging people to “Eat Smart.” While the First Lady has helped more children and adults think about nutrition, Learning ZoneXpress has helped get that message to thousands.

>>> and distributes educational products such as videos, posters, games, PowerPoint presentations, lesson plans and other learning tools. Nelson said that Family and Consumer Science programs in schools have been the primary market, but that LZE has found success in the fitness market, corporate wellness programs and food service management companies. “The food pyramid really launched us because in 1995 the USDA changed the food pyramid,” Nelson said. “So what we did was come up with educational tools that would help teach what the pyramid meant. “That market (Family and Consumer Science) has continued to decline, so we’ve reached out to many other markets. Now we’re in about 14 markets, the biggest which is public health, WIC programs, professional health organizations and libraries with some corporate wellness and international education mixed in.”

“She’s one of the main reasons we’ve grown to where we are today,” said Nelson, who brought Mattson on three years ago. “In just a short time, she has helped lead this company in the right direction. We’re growing in part because of her knowledge and her energy.” Learning ZoneXpress recently appeared on the Inc. com list of the 5,000 fastestgrowing private companies in America. And, Nelson was recognized by Ernst & Young as a finalist for its prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2007. These accolades, along with double-digit growth each year during the span of its existence, show just how far Nelson has come from her humble beginnings in 1997. “The difference that we make and our knowledge of the markets we are in really has launched Learning ZoneXpress on an accelerated path of growth and success,” Nelson said. “We’re making a difference.”

Continued success While Nelson credits her staff’s focus, knowledge and hard work for the company’s continued success, she’s quick to point out that one person has catapulted LZE to new heights. That person is Joyce Mattson, the chief operating officer for Learning ZoneXpress.

In a 35C interview, Melanie Nelson and Joyce Mattson talk about Learning ZoneXpress’ creative process, the role technology plays in the business and its vision of growth. Q: What in your background made you believe you could be

The Learning ZoneXpress file a successful business owner in this market? Melanie: Two previous business experiences with partners. One with a former teacher called “You and Me” and one was with my former husband called “Pineapple Appeal.” Both of those were national companies and were more mail order in nature. At that point, after those two, I decided I could build a business on my own. Q: Before that was there any thought of going into business on your own? Melanie: In the classroom I was always innovative and came up with something new all of the time. With the family consumer science, I knew there were lots of opportunities and needs out there that weren’t being met. Q: Was there a need for the products Learning Zone Xpress creates? How did you arrive at that conclusion? Melanie: It really was following what was happening in the industry. We found in the industry were big buyouts and consolidations, so there wasn’t anybody little and entrepreneurial like me, and nothing fresh and fun. >>>

What: Learning ZoneXpress is the premier source of “edu-taining” and award-winning learning tools. Location: Owatonna Founded: 1997 Mission: To design, create and deliver innovative messages on life skills topics, including nutrition, child development, family living, character education, wellness, and career and financial management. LZE offers a wide variety of educational DVDs, videos, posters, games, incentives lesson plans and PowerPoint presentations. Employees: 12 full-time; 3 permanent part-time Owner: Melanie Nelson Personal: Single with three children, ages 25, 22, 19. COO: Joyce Mattson Years with LZE: 3 Background: Joyce was CFO and vice president of Operations for Cybex Fitness in Owatonna from 1983-94 and came back to join Nelson as COO of LZE in 2008. Personal: Married to Dennis Wille and has two daughters (ages 25 & 19) attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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>>> Everybody was doing the same old, same old. So, we decided there was a need and opportunity there. Joyce: We were able to make decisions quickly and to change rapidly. Melanie is very innovative with products, so we do more than 100 new products a year. There is a lot of change and creativity and fresh ideas all of the time. Q: What advice would you give other entrepreneurs thinking about venturing out on their own?

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Melanie: It really would be to have a passion for what you think is going to work. And then there is the idea of being a survivor and being tenacious and not giving up. The ability to morph is important, too. You really have to enjoy hard work. I’ve never shied away from hard work. Joyce: That’s true.

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Q: What is the mission of Learning Zone Xpress? Melanie: It started as teacher products for teachers by teachers. We’ve really expanded that into life skill products and nutrition awareness. We’re not into behavior change. We’re really into nutrition and healthy messages, and that is what the posters have really done, as well as the videos. So, it’s really health messages. Joyce: I would add to that Melanie’s passion is critical to our success. She’s passionate about finding people with a message and getting their product out there and enabling them to share information. We have the distribution channel from there. One of our greatest assets is that we have the customer base and existing distribution channels.

Q: Is nutrition your main message? Melanie: That was really a morphing as well, because there is so much nutrition information out there. The government has all of these free posters and Websites for the food pyramid and things like that. Everybody has their own nutrition materials. We just saw sales growing and knew there was a need and decided to keep producing for that area. From the phone calls and shows, people said we need this and that and we just kept adding to our line. Schools are 50 percent of our business. A major distributor just fell out of the picture in 2009 and we’re all reeling from that. We really are the force for family consumer science. The commodity groups aren’t out there giving away their free materials like they used to, so we do have a niche opportunity and it just grew. Joyce: I really think we’ve been doing it (nutrition messaging) for some time and are ahead of the curve. We have products developed and now with the greater national awareness from Michelle Obama, we have been ahead of that, so now it’s just natural that people find our information and find our messages and it fueled us to develop more, faster to stay ahead of the curve. We’re really on the leading edge of a growing trend. Where better to be? Melanie: I’ve always said I couldn’t do this if I wasn’t in Minnesota. With healthy choices, the environment and just being great resource people here, it’s been more successful. The culture that you are brought up in is a higher level and there are higher standards than the rest of the country. An example of that was one of our own (employees) was just in New Orleans and she >>>

Joyce: In a shrinking market, we’ve been able to grow.

>>> picked up trail mix and the gal at the checkout said ‘I don’t even know what this is.’

Q: How have you remained successful in such a tough economy, where there are cutbacks in virtually everything?

Q: That being said, are the majority of your sales in Minnesota? Joyce: Not really. The Midwest is a larger segment for us, but it is really is national and even international. We’re growing in Asia, Australia and the U.K. Otherwise, the big states have more just because of the sheer numbers. Q: There have been cutbacks in education all across the nation. You cater to the school nutrition programs. Has this affected your business? Joyce: We’re still growing in the schools. It’s very interesting. The school market is shrinking and our market share is growing. Our sheer

Chief Operating Officer Joyce Mattson and owner Melanie Nelson are proud of the fact that Learning ZoneXpress launches 100 new products each year.

numbers are still up pretty consistently in double digits. We’re very impressed and thrilled that that continues to occur. We really believe that it’s because of our product, because we know the core purchasing and the sheer number of family consumer

science teachers is shrinking by double digits. Melanie: That’s why a major player dropped out. They had a very nice catalog and were very significant three years ago and they continued to drop in sales.

Melanie: Our sales were up just over 10 percent last year, and now they are up 12 percent this year, so far. We’ve been up double digits every since we started. We’ve been creative and the money has gone back into trade shows and reaching new markets. Joyce: Strategically, we have tried to take existing product into other markets and then continue to take that growth into new products as well. We invest into new products pretty heavily. At the same time, we’ve been able to manage the operations of the >>>

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and is that the gold standard for your company?

>>> business so we have less cash in inventory. We’ve been more efficient on the back end and have been able to grow. It’s the model you always strive for.

Melanie: Through customer service and through trade shows. Through nurses or family consumer science teachers or dieticians. They come from all over and many are viable.

Melanie: I don’t think Michelle Obama and her message is the reason, but she’s added credibility. Q: Will the current bubble burst? How can you stop it? Joyce: We just always have to stay ahead. We just need to come with the current message faster, brighter and with more eye appeal. We just have seconds to catch peoples’ attention. Melanie has unbelievable intuition about that and so far that has helped.

heard of this or that or have you thought about that? That group of advisors is really virtual. A lot of the things that we do are virtual.

Melanie: I get emails from registered dieticians and people that I meet or connect with ask me if I’ve

Joyce: There are so many good ideas and it is hard to pick. Some will not have enough market to be viable,

Chief Operating Officer Joyce Mattson and owner Melanie Nelson occasionally like to venture into the warehouse and see what is being shipped to their customers.

but others will. We have thousands of ideas coming our way and we try to pick the best 100 out of those. Q: You have mentioned that Learning Zone Xpress creates 100 new products a year. Where do the ideas come from

Quit washing your money down the drain.

Joyce: We really just have the time to do that many. It’s really a push. It is intense here all of the time. I do think that is part of the reason the recession hasn’t affected us so far. During the growth years, business is easier and you can cover up a lot of mistakes with volume. When things are retracting, it’s not so easy to cover up those mistakes with volume. We’ve never had that here. It’s just always intense here. It’s always about what’s best? How can you be fastest? How can you be more efficient? >>>

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>>> We’ve lived under the pressure like there is a recession since we’ve started. So, it wasn’t a step up for us to live through a recession. Using our DVDs as an example, slow for Melanie is from concept to video in 12 weeks. That’s really fast. Everyone else is doing it in nine months. Q: You’ve seen doubledigit growth in the last two years. Has your company sustained this growth throughout? Melanie: It was faster in the earlier years. It was 20 percent in 2008. We’re doing good work. It’s quality messages that people need to hear. And it is to change behavior as much as we can. It’s all about being personally responsible about taking care of yourself. Joyce: And we really do have an excellent team. It’s

About Nutrition through Activities) Preschool Program. It has the best potential for early childhood and healthy eating for little kids, because there is big government money now into Head Start and into any of those programs about healthy choices when kids are young. We finally found a focus. Not that we aren’t going to do other things here, but that has huge potential for us. Melanie Nelson (far right) says she has surrounded herself with bright, creative people and that is key to LZE’s success.

hard with a small business to have an A team top to bottom and we do. When you are all pulling in the same direction, it’s much easier. Q: How do you plan to continue growing Learning ZoneXpress in the future? Melanie: It’s really keep-

ing our ear to the ground with what’s important and what we can focus on. Diversity has its opportunities and it has its limitations. So, when we are sending out 40,000 catalogs and it costs us $80,000, it’s worth it because people like what we do. What I’m really excited about is the “LANA (Learning

Joyce: We’ll continue to seize any opportunity for health and nutrition messages. There is a great need. It is a growing market and we do it well. Our distribution channel is really significant and we’re good to our core customers and we’ll continue to honor them. — Visit www.35cbusiness. com and click on the 35C cover story to read the entire interview.

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35Chamber

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

Energy Smart’s efforts could save business owners money on energy bills

K

elly Spors expends a lot of her own energy making sure companies in southern Minnesota don’t waste valuable resources. Spors is the communications and outreach coordinator for Energy Smart, a nonprofit program run through the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce that helps businesses evaluate their energy use. Energy Smart recently launched an energy

effort in the Northfield business community, sending out letters to about 200 businesses and following up with visits. Spors has been going door-to-door talking to business owners about energy-saving strategies and arranging for free energy-use consultations. “We’ve found that the best way to educate people about energy use is through energy consultations,” said Spors,

who has set up about 55 walk-throughs in Northfield. “The consultations are free and we provide a report at the end of the visit.” Energy Smart is funded through Minnesota utilities, including Xcel Energy, to help them meet energy sales reduction goals mandated under state law. “We help businesses find ways to save money, and also help utitlities meet their goals,” Spors said. r

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Waseca

Faribault has ‘Main Street’ designation Faribault has been selected to receive official Main Street designation. The Main Street program is a comprehensive commercial revitalization strategy that helps communities preserve some of their most significant assets. Faribault events set • Chamber Golf Outing is Sept. 16 at the Faribault Golf Club. Contact the Faribault Chamber to sign up. • Second Annual Blue Collar BBQ & Arts Festival: Aug. 21. • Tree Frog Music Festival: Sept. 18 & 19. • Faribault Balloon Rally: Sept. 17 & 18. • Taste of Faribault: Oct. 7 (11a.m. to 1:30 p.m.)

Chamber reminds people to make plans With summer winding down and fall season around the corner, it’s time to start making plans with your family and friends for a fun and entertaining time in Northfield. Track Jesse James along the Outlaw Trail, tour many historic sites, take in a play or concert, or enjoy our many recreational activities. Here are a few events to mark on your calendars: •Defeat of Jesse James Days (Sept. 8-12): One of Minnesota’s largest community celebrations. • Riverwalk Market Fair and Farmers Market (Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) • Rice County Steam and Gas Engines Annual Fall Show (Sept. 3-5).

Steele County Free Fair is the place to be “You’ll Love It Again In 2010” is the theme for this year’s Steele County Free Fair — Minnesota’s largest county fair — to be held Aug. 17-22. The SCFF offers a wide variety of events and attractions and as always, is FREE! Here’s what you can look forward to: • Vendors from 25 states and Canada bringing a wide range of goods. • Over 100 food stands will tease the taste buds. • Thrill seekers will love the 30-plus midway rides. • The Grandstand offers eight shows from auto racing to bull riding. For more information on the SCFF, visit the Website at www.scff.org.

Nicollet County Fair set for Aug. 11-15 There will be a few new free entertainment shows during the Nicollet County Fair this year, held Aug. 11-15 at the fairgrounds in St. Peter. Grandstand entertainment will once again be the same as previous years: Truck and Tractor Pull (Thursday night); Demo Derbies Friday & Saturday); and Compact Car Races (Sunday). Minnesota Magic Amusements will also be on the grounds. 19th annual Rock Bend Folk Festival set Sept. 12 & 13 marks the 19th annual Rock Bend Folk Festival. This free music and arts festival will be held in St. Peter’s historic Minnesota Square Park.

23rd Marching Classic set for Sept. 18 The 23rd annual Waseca Marching Classic is coming to the Waseca High School on Sept. 18. The field show of approximately a dozen high school competing bands starts at 4 p.m. and will take place at the Waseca High School athletic field. The Waseca Marching Classic is consistently one of the finest Marching Band competitions in the upper Midwest, according to band directors and musicians in the region. One of the highlights is the 100 parade units and precision bands participating in the downtown parade at noon. If you like to run or walk, there will be an 8k Fun Run/Walk through historic downtown and around Clear Lake.

• 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.

24 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010 35C

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35C photo by Jerry Smith

Kelly Spors (right), communications and outreach coordinator for Energy Smart, talks to Aquatic Pets owner Liz Messner about her energy use.

Enjoying the outdoor life of Southern Minnesota

GO!.

The great outdoors Everyone needs time to play. 35C offers this special section to help you plan a respite from the daily grind.

Get Out

{Contents]

26

Xtreme hiking

Northfield’s Azna A. Amira gets back to her roots as she hikes the rugged Appalachian Trail.

28

The BIG Trip

Lake Sakatah State Park is centrally located in the region and offers fun activities for everyone.

29

Alternative Trip

If a nature hike by a quaint waterfall is what you desire, Big Woods State Park is the place.

30

Getting Started

Wayne Bedeaux of Leo’s South in Lakeville gives you expert advice on choosing an ATV.

{ GO! ... Feature] Get Out

“It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten.” — African proverb ith my 40th college reunion approaching, I found myself thinking of this saying of the Ashanti people of Africa, from whom I am partially descended. Like the two-headed Roman god Janus, it reminds us that looking back helps us decide where we’re headed. I won’t be winging in from Washington or Wall Street. I have only to walk three blocks from my apartment to campus: I’m back in Northfield, having come full circle to the place where I started out. I’m sure we survivors of the 1960s will spend some time looking back, comparing the castles we’ve created — and those still under construction — with our dreams and talents in the wake of those turbulent times, and forward toward the future. As many of you are reading these words, I’m in the midst of renewing my spirit, soothing and energizing my soul, rejuvenating my body and in essence, renegotiating my contract with myself and reality. I’m hiking the Appalachian Trail. Why would a 61-year-old with arthritic knees, minimal backpacking experience and a limited budget set out on the granddaddy of long-distance hiking trails? Well, it’s one thing to acknowledge limitations, but quite another to be hamstrung by them. I want to break free and go back for what I have forgotten. I’m hoping to roll the major life goals together, to give them synergy. Inspired by a talk given by the late genealogist and novelist at Carleton 40 years ago, I had determined to reproduce his feat with my own African, Scotch-Irish and Cherokee ancestors, whose stories converged in the Appalachian Mountains. Somehow, as a journalist

Story by AZNA A. AMIRA • Photos by JERRY SMITH

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26 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010 35C

Azna A. Amira (front) hikes the trails at Frontenac State Park in preparation for her Appalachian Trail endeavor.

Preparing body & mind Northfield woman trains to hike the Appalachian Trail and TV producer, I’d gotten sidetracked, telling other people’s stories at the expense of my own. I finally decided if not now, then when? A pilgrimage to that part of the country to finish my research seemed in order. I wanted to experience the territory much as my ancestors had. “Thru-hiking” from Georgia to Maine is not my intent. I plan to walk only the 250-mile ridge forming the border between

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North Carolina and Tennessee, where my ancestors intersected. Though I’ve always loved the outdoors, am reasonably fit, and was a pretty good Girl Scout, it was immediately apparent that even that portion of the trail was going to call for additional physical training. It would also be a challenge to travel light but cheap at the same time. The new, high-tech, featherweight gear recommended to trekkers in Backpacker

Magazine can easily run into the thousands of dollars. Working Smarter, Not Harder The best gear on earth won’t help unless one is physically up to the task. I’ve always been reasonably fit, but had lately been aware of certain limitations. A former runner, I was recently diagnosed with Stage III arthritis, which brought my running career to a screeching halt. I usually keep in shape with daily walks and yoga practice, swimming several times a week, commuting by bicycle and doing weight and core training in classes at the Senior Center. However this winter, sidelined by a shoulder injury and weeks of serial dental surgery, all activity ceased for nearly two months. I knew that at my age, that length of inactivity could result in losing up to 40 percent of muscle endurance and 10 percent of muscle strength. In short, I’d lost half of my fitness, and I felt it. I had gained weight, had no energy and slept either not at all or too much. But as I began working out again — adding more weights, more reps, more laps in the pool and more miles on the bike — in hopes of making up for lost time, I found this had the opposite result. It was far too time-consuming; moreover it was exhausting and discouraging. I began to fear that only some super-tough boot camp would suffice to whip me into shape (or that I’d end up doing time on some torture device, like an elliptical machine). It was easy to see that this adventure was going to require some adjustments in my attitude and expectations. Fortunately, I found a secret weapon in the person of Don Forsberg. He and his wife Mary Flaten would help bring my body back into shape, update my Girl Scout camp craft skills, and tailor my gear kit to my own particular needs. >>>

{ GO! ... Feature] Get Out

>>> Forsberg, a personal trainer at the Northfield Senior Center, was able to show me that at my age, the trick was not just to increase intensity of exercise, but to do so scientifically, targeting those areas of the body that would be most challenged on a hike in the mountains. Himself an accomplished woodsman and year-round camper, Don knew better than anyone just what areas I needed to reinforce to support a hike through the mountains. Don explained that my usual fitness activities were fine, but told me that doubling up on them would have the opposite of a training effect. That being said, Don put me on an alternate-days training schedule, and prescribed for me some exercises targeted to muscles on which the trail would take its toll if I were unprepared. My practice hikes in the Carleton Arboretum had provided a diagnostic of my arthritis condition: I could walk almost endlessly on level terrain, but had more difficulty going downhill, than up, a situation I knew would be more difficult carrying my bedroom, kitchen and pharmacy on my back. After just three weeks of using Don’s training methods, my doctor noticed that my muscles were firmer. Gathering gear on a budget This brings us to the cardinal rule of outfitting: the lighter it is, the more it costs. The canvas tents and heavy sleeping bags have passed from the scene, and long-distance hikers measure such items in ounces, not pounds. And the days of rubbing two sticks to-

Azna A. Amira (standing) learns the proper place to pitch a tent from Don Forsberg at Frontenac State Park.

gether to make fire are also passé, since fire along the AT has been banished to preserve it. There’s a plethora of lightweight stoves available, but all use fuel that one must carry. The guidebooks are adamant and unanimous about the absolute minimum musts for AT hiking. Equally clear is that one could spend thousands getting outfitted. In addition to the requisite sleeping bag and tent, three layers of clothing engineered to keep you warm and dry are needed, as are boots. There are water filtration and cooking systems to be considered as well. But it was also soon clear that one

person’s luxury is another’s non-negotiable. For example, I found I could consider going without a sleeping pad, forgoing all toiletries, and skipping underwear, all in the interest of traveling light. But the writer who suggested leaving my journal, camera and mini-tape recorder behind does not know my mission. It was into this murky in-between area that my coaches’ experience, common sense and thrift were a welcome complement to my own. Mary found for me — at the local resale store — a practically new one-person tent and lightweight sleeping bag, no doubt saving me hundreds of dollars. I also found gently used synthetic fleeces, a wind shell and a rain suit. I found hats, gloves and a fanny pack from Mary. Of course, some crucial items — such as boots and backpacks — must be carefully measured to fit the hiker and can’t be bought at a resale store. Much of the summer has been spent doing practice runs in the state parks — with Don and Mary nearby to answer questions. It was crucial to brush up on how to choose a campsite, how to pitch a tent (in the wind and/or rain) and how to use a topographical map with compass to find water. I’m putting my months of training, coaching and practice runs to the test. If all goes well, I’ll have a fascinating story to tell my friends and my old college classmates. r — Read about Azna’s experiences on the Appalachian Trail in a future issue of Get Out! ... And visit www.35cbusiness.com to read about how Mary Flaten and Don Forsberg are a match made in the great outdoors.

www.settesportscenter.com

Shooter’s Roundup

All Accessories, ices Parts and Serv

August 28-29 • 9am-5pm both days

Test fire hundreds of guns from air rifles to anti-tank guns Numerous trick shooting shows and stage performances Flea Market • Food Court • 2 Bands

2 miles north of Morristown, MN • 507-685-4243 www.ahlmans.com (click coming events)

2299 Austin Road, Owatonna 507-451-6922 M-F 9-5:30, Thurs ‘til 7, Sat 9-1

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010 35C

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27

{ GO! ... The BIG Trip] Get Out

Get Out! photo by Angela Lauterbach Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail runs through Sakatah Lake State Park and stretches 39 miles from Mankato to Faribault. The paved trail offers hikers, bikers, skiers, and snowmobilers beautiful scenery through Minnesota’s hardwoods.

Sakatah Lake State Park is a jewel in the Minnesota parks system S

akatah Lake, a natural widening of the Cannon River, lures canoeists to paddle the calm waters, and anglers to catch walleye, large mouth and white bass, northern pike and panfish. Whatever the season, visitors enjoy camping and picnicking at one of the jewels of the Minnesota state parks system. Wildlife Open fields, wetlands, upland forests, lakes, and for-

est edges provide the perfect habitat for many southern Minnesota wildlife species. Deer, squirrel, raccoon, mink, rabbit, and coyote are animals commonly seen in the park. Listen for songbirds, woodpeckers, hawks, and owls in the park. History Members of the Dakota Nation, the Wahpekita (Wapacoota) tribe inhabited the area that is now the park.

The business of fun.

They named the area Sakatah, which translates to “the sights and sounds of children playing on the hill,” or loosely translated as “Singing Hills” for the state trail. The Cannon and other area rivers served as an important Indian water route between south central Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Big Woods made land travel difficult and a water route allowed larger loads. Numerous trading posts and

Indian villages existed along the route. A village site is believed to have existed in the area of the point separating Upper Sakatah and Lower Sakatah Lakes. In 1862 a trader by the name of Alexander Faribault established a post on the northeast shore of Cannon Lake — one of the first white settlements in the area. He eventually opened at least five other trading posts along the Cannon River. — Minnesota DNR

Quality Marine

35C

Over 20 Years Experience

Special Auto Pages Coming in the October 35C

Corporate or private group outings

(starting at just $15 per person, for 9 holes and meal)

Winterization, IO’s, Inboards, Outboards, Jet Boats, Mercruiser, Volvo, OMC Call Gregg, Joe or Rob 2 miles South of Mankato on Hwy 22 For more information call Tim at 507-325-7665

28 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010 35C

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507-332-2445

6526 Nerstrand Blvd Faribault

{ GO! ... The BIG Trip] Get Out

Nerstrand-Big Woods State Park

A

s an alternative, enjoy Nerstrand-Big Woods State Park on foot, any season of the year. Relax by Hidden Falls in the summer or take in the radiant colors in autumn.

Get Out! photos by Angela Lauterbach

Camping

Sakatah Lake State Park

• 51 Drive-in sites

Trails • Enjoy hiking in the spring, summer and fall, and cross country skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing in the winter.

Information To find out more about Nerstrand-Big Woods, visit www. dnr.state.mn.us.

Camping

Recreation

• 62 Drive-in sites • 14 Electric sites • 5 Bike-in sites • 2 Group Camps (Up to 50 people) •1 Cabin

• Picnic Area (along the lakeshore) ... Picnic area is alongside the fishing pier on Upper Sakatah Lake. • Canoe rentals ... Four canoes are available. Rental season is mid-May through September, weather permitting.

Trails Summer • 1/4 mile Handicapped Accessible • 5 miles hiking ... Trails are moderate to challenging • 3 miles paved bike Winter • 5 miles cross country skiing • 3 miles snowmobile • Snowshoe ... Anywhere in park

Getting there Take I-35 to State Highway 19 east into Northfield. Go south on State Highway 3, east on State Highway 246, then turn right onto County Road 29.

Information To find out even more about Sakatah Lake State Park, visit www.dnr.state.mn.us.

Getting there The park entrance is located on State Highway 60, 14 miles west of Faribault, or one mile east of State Highways 13 and 60 in Waterville. Planning your dream home or project? Let us help you from planning to finish. Lamperts offers a variety of quality building materials for all your needs.

Southside Marine

110 East Front St. • Janesville

507-234-6292

www.lampertyards.com

Your Southern MN G3 Boat Dealer 32661 128th St., Waseca • (507) 835-3032 • southsidemarine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010 35C

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29

{ GO! ... Getting Started] Get Out

ATVs can provide many hours of enjoyment Leo South’s expert says it’s important to consider what type of riding you want to do before buying Leo South’s expert Wayne Bedeaux has been with Leo’s South in Lakeville for 32 years. His expertise in ATVs, gear and accessories is unmatched.

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hen choosing a four-wheel drive All Terrain Vehicle — commonly referred to as an ATV, you must first consider what type of riding are you planning on doing. Leisure trail riding works best with a two-wheel drive ATV. However, if you intend to ride year-around through mud, snow or deep sand, a

Equipped for the Job There are dozens of optional equipment and accessories available for All Terrain vehicles at Leo’s South in Lakeville. • Carry extra gear with front and rear rack extensions. • Add a windshield for extra comfort and safety. • Install a power winch to help pull you out of tough spots and oversized tires for greater traction and

four-wheel drive ATV works best. ATVs are designed to be dependable, versatile and functional, and provide hours of enjoyment whether you are using it for work or play. Thousands of All Terrain enthusiasts use their ATVs to take them out into the back woods and remote areas for hours and days of fishing, hunting, trail riding, camp-

ground clearance. • From gun scabbards and tool boxes to hard and soft cargo boxes to camo covers and ATV covers, you can personalize your ATV for the right application that makes work more fun and fun even more enjoyable.

Safety Gear You should always wear a DOT approved helmet with eye protection, gloves, boots that cover your ankles, a long sleeve shirt and pants. Before you leave on your ATV from Leo’s South, make sure that you have enough gas in your tank and all systems are in proper working order.

Can-Am Outlander 400 Max

Where to Ride & Enjoy your ATV You can ride your ATV on your own personal land, or on private land with the landowner’s permission. Minnesota has many ATV trails in various state parks, and private land that you can enjoy. The Soo Line South ATV trail runs 114 miles from just south of Little Falls all the way into Wisconsin, and it crosses the Soo Line North ATV trail near Moose Lake, which runs another 148 miles to near Bemidji. You can go online to www.findthetrails.com for more information and even maps of the trails. 30 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010 35C

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ing and more. And when equipped properly with the right accessories, your ATV can help you take out the game trophy with ease. Many rural farmers use their ATVs as a second tractor to pull light loads out of fields or run errands and do chores around the farm.

Where to Buy Leo’s South in Lakeville has a large inventory of Can-Am ATVs in a variety of sizes and models, plus all the optional equipment and accessories to fit the type of work or play — or both — that you desire. Visit with the 4-wheelin’ experts of the Leo’s ATV Ride Team and they will help you get the maximum enjoyment from your ATV with a minimum investment. Call 952-435-5371 or visit Leo’s South on the Web at www.leossouth.com. Color logo vers. #1

Color logo vers. #2

Age guidelines for safe ATV operation The ATV Safety Institute recommends the following age guidelines: • Age 6 and older — under 70cc engine size. • Age 12 and older — 70cc to 90cc engine size. • Age 16 and older — over 90cc engine size. These are the age guidelines that ATV dealers have to adhere to when selling new or used ATVs to customers for their children to operate. The state of Minnesota also requires youth ages 11-15 to take ATV safety training to legally operate an ATV on public lands or trails, including frozen lakes. Also, anyone born after July 1, 1987, must also complete an ATV CD training course to legally operate an ATV on Minnesota public lakes or frozen lakes. You can contact the Minnesota DNR at 1-888-6466367 or online at www. mndnr.gov/safety/vehicle for more information.

35Caricature

Corridor professionals draw strength from outside the office

Stock car racing always brings a smile to Eckblad’s face Story by BRENDA WARD Photo by JERRY SMITH

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hen it comes to taking your mind off of work, some people hit the greens, while others find running or travel works the best. For Darrell Eckblad, getting away from the everyday grind comes in the form of racing a stock car at high speeds around the slick dirt track of Arlington Raceway. “It just gives me a few moments to think about something besides the business,” said Eckblad, co-owner of Eckblad Trucking of St. Peter. “When racing, I can unwind and have fun.” A quintessential American pastime, stock car racing was born in the days of Prohibition in the Southeast where bootleggers souped up their cars in order to outrun the law while transporting their moonshine up and down windy mountain roads. Soon after, car owners began challenging each other on dirt tracks in pastures, while amping up their cars to be faster and lighter. Today, car racing is a wellregulated, highly popular sport with hundreds of tracks around the country, and competitors often joining the sport in their late teens. The 32-year-old Eckblad, currently in his fourth season of competition, might be considered somewhat of a latecomer to car racing.

Put Darrell Eckblad behind the wheel of his stock car, and all the worries and stressors in his life seem to disappear.

The sport has, however, been a longtime interest for Eckblad, who has been a familiar face at Arlington Raceway for several years while acting as crew chief for his friend, Mark Oestreich, since age 17. But in 2001, after starting a trucking business with his brother Dan, Eckblad found himself busy — far too busy to consider taking this timeconsuming hobby to the next level, until recent years. Eckblad Trucking began with two trucks hauling regional container freight to now running 18 to 20

trucks and expanded freight, including general commodities, like food-grade soybeans transported to rail yards, and more recently, the transporting of machinery. Between driving trucks during busy times and dispatching and generating business during slower periods, Eckblad easily puts in 70 to 80 hours a week on the job. “There are so many families counting on our business so they can make money for their families,” said Eckblad, who feels the stress of his responsibilities every day.

But when racing, the stress just seems to fade away. At age 29, Eckblad finally made the time to race his own car and began in the Hobby A class, quickly moving up to the IMCA stock car class, where the standard 350cfm carburetors and smoother running tires of the cars make for more intense competition. “What I like is when I’m going down the track, three to four cars wide,” Eckblad said. “That’s when your adrenaline really starts going because there is bigger competition.” Today, even though Eckblad finds he doesn’t have as much time as he would like to work on his racing program, it doesn’t stop him from heading out to the track on Saturday nights when the weather cooperates and track conditions are right. Eckblad now races in friendly competition against his buddy, Oestreich, and around 15 to 20 other competitors on the one-half mile semi-banked dirt raceway. “I have good nights and bad nights,” he said. “Just being behind the wheel is a big thrill.” Eckblad lives in St. Peter with his wife and 1-year-old son. r — Brenda Ward is a staff writer for 35C business magazine. She can be reached at 507-645-1134.

“When racing, I can unwind and have fun.” — Darrell Eckblad, part-owner of Eckblad Trucking in Henderson, Minn., and stock car racer AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010 35C

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