STORYTELLER
Sarah Hill Draws Inspiration From A Passionate Cause
STARTUP STRATEGY
Bill Turpin Takes Over At The MU Life Science Business Incubator
FALL 2016
www.ColumbiaCEO.com
2
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
3
4
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
5
6
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
7
8
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
CONTENTS
Inside Columbia’s CEO • www.ColumbiaCEO.com • Volume 8, Issue 1
40
36
12
Opening Bell: The Buzz On CoMo Biz
36
Market Outlook: How The Overtime Rule Will Affect Your Payroll Costs
18
Up & Coming: The Ladder Report
40
CEO Roundtable: Columbia’s Leaders Speak Out
20
Regional Roundup
22
Data Bank: Citizen Satisfaction Survey
50
CEO At Play: 3 Questions
52
Shopping: Tiger Tailgates
25
The Conference Room: Scott Charton
54
Networking
28
Entrepreneurial Spirit: The Barred Owl Adds To Columbia’s Emerging Culinary Scene
64
Publisher’s Note
66
Closing Quotes
30
Business Basics: How To Boost Employee Satisfaction And Loyalty
34
The Reading List: 5 Business Books To Read This Fall
30
on the cover: Three local restaurateurs Ben Parks, Joshua Smith and Brandy Hughes (not pictured) will open The Barred Owl Butcher & Table this fall. The trio will focus on serving locally sourced and sustainably raised animals. Read more on Page 28. FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
9
STAFF Publisher Fred Parry fred@insidecolumbia.net Associate Publisher Melody Parry melody@insidecolumbia.net Chief Executive Officer Cathy Atkins catkins@insidecolumbia.net Editorial Assistant Peg Gill peg@insidecolumbia.net Contributing Writers Scott Charton, Kat Cunningham Photo Editor L.G. Patterson lg@insidecolumbia.net Contributing Photographer Kayla Wolf Graphic Designers Trever Griswold trever@insidecolumbia.net Joe Waner joewaner@insidecolumbia.net Operations Manager Adam Brietzke adam@insidecolumbia.net Marketing Representatives Joshua Huber Josh@insidecolumbia.net Kourtney Pickel kourtney@insidecolumbia.net Matt Melton matt@insidecolumbia.net Director of Customer Retention Gerri Shelton gerri@insidecolumbia.net Finance Manager Brenda Brooks brenda@insidecolumbia.net Distribution Associate Darren Dawson darren@insidecolumbia.net Inside Columbia’s CEO magazine 1900 N. Providence Road, Suite 324 • Columbia, MO 65202 Office: 573-442-1430 • Web: www.ColumbiaCEO.com
Inside Columbia’s CEO is published quarterly by OutFront Communications LLC, 1900 N. Providence Road, Suite 324, MO 65202, 573-442-1430. Copyright OutFront Communications, 2016. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Postage paid at Columbia, Mo. Annual subscription rate is $19.95 for four issues.
Please Recycle This Magazine.
10
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
11
OPENING BELL
THE BUZZ ON COMO BIZ
PHOTO BY L.G. PATERSON
FAN-TASTIC More than 51,000 fans attended the University of Missouri’s first home football game. With new head coach Barry Odom, merchants are hoping for a rousing football and retail season. The 2016 football season schedule shows seven home football games. In 2013, five Trulaske College of Business students found that out-of-town fans coming to Columbia on football game days had the largest effect on the total economic impact. Visitors contributed more than $31
12
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
million to the mid-Missouri economy. Fans from Columbia contributed slightly less than $13 million. For fiscal year 2014, the total economic impact for all sports was estimated to be $326 million, with $51 million in construction expenses. Retailers are eyeing this year’s football season optimistically. MU has sold 5,000 fewer season ticket packages this season but the athletic department hopes to see a rise in single-game ticket sales.
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
13
OPENING BELL
THE BUZZ ON COMO BIZ
Connect With Entrepreneurs At Mid-Missouri’s Innovation Week In October
photo by L.G. Patterson
Manzo’s Wood-Fired Pizza Ready To Serve Macadoodles’ aficionados can now pick up their favorite cigars, beverages and pizza at the same location. Manzo’s Wood-Fired Pizza can be found on the east side of Macadoodles’ parking lot on Thursday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. Pizzas are typically ready in five minutes or hungry fans can call ahead. Calzones, salads, fruit pies, and of course, fired-oven pizzas are standard menu fare. Manzo’s is located at 455 E. Green Meadows Rd. Co-owner and managing partner of Macadoodles Aaron Jungemeyer opened the pizza business on Aug. 18.
No Dimes Needed The City of Columbia removed parking meters on some lowoccupancy streets in Columbia, bringing the total number of meterless parking spaces in Columbia to 100. These parking stations have a Parkmobile sign with information on how to download the Parkmobile app on Smartphones. A green Parkmobile sticker was placed on an additional 400 meters that gives the option to use the app. Otherwise, these meters still accept coins or the city’s prepaid EZ park card. Over the next three years, photo by L.G. Patterson the city plans to replace all of its deteriorating meters with new meters that will also accept coins, the city’s prepaid parking cards or the Parkmobile app. At the end of the conversion, all 1,700 parking meters and stations in the downtown area will accept Smartphone payments. Simply download the app to a Smartphone and register.
Bringing Up Business will celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of mid-Missouri’s inventors, investors, entrepreneurs and supporters during the midMissouri Innovation Week Oct. 7-16 in Columbia. During Start-Up Weekend, the local entrepreneurial community pitches ideas and develops business plans with the support of mentors. The week includes the Missouri Tech Expo on Oct. 13 to discover possible collaboration with UMC investors and opportunities to meet one-onone with inventors and experts. The Entrepreneurial Resource Fair on Oct. 14 offers resources for entrepreneurs in the mid-Missouri area. Visit bringupbiz.org for details.
Inc. Magazine Recognizes Two Boone County Companies Inc. magazine recently came out with its 35th annual Inc. 5000, a prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment— its independent small businesses. Woodruff Sweitzer is a newcomer to the ranks at number 2,390, recording three-year sales growth of more than 150 percent. In addition, the firm has tripled the number of staff in the same three-year period. Bluebird Network, LLC was listed as number 4142. Bluebird provides high-speed Broadband and fiber-optic connections with more than 6,000 fiber route miles.
Campaign For Change Launches In Columbia
Columbia coalitions are joining together
14
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
15
OPENING BELL
THE BUZZ ON COMO BIZ
employer commitment. To date, 106 local employers in Boone County have signed up to recognize, prefer or recommend the certificate in the hiring process. Businesses can sign on as an Employer Partner for Boone County at http://workreadycommunities.org/ MO/019. More than 1,154 Boone Countians have earned the certificate so far. The test is free and is administered at the Missouri Job Center. Boone County’s participation in the program has been extended until Dec. 31.
photo by Kayla Wolf
Columbia Hosts 32nd Annual Show-Me State Games
This year, the Show-Me State Games included more than 40 different sports for Missourians of all ages and abilities. In its 32nd year, the event added new facilities this year including the Gans Creek for archery and a new championship disc golf course located at Strawn Park. This year St. Louis County won the accolades for having the most participants at the games. The Opening Ceremony was a highlight of the games, with athletes filling the floor of Mizzou Arena. KOMU anchor Jim Riek emceed the Opening Ceremony, with Miss Missouri 2016 Erin O’Flaherty singing the national anthem and speaking to the athletes. Highlights of the event included college athletes Terrence Phillips, a guard on the University of Missouri men’s basketball team; Brock Bondurant, a safety on the MU football team; and Lindsey and Sophie Cunningham from the MU women’s basketball team. Olympic medalist Larry Young and Thomas Schultz, an alternate to the 1952 Olympic soccer team, lit the torch to officially start the games. to launch a campaign to address the problems of homelessness, food insecurity and behavioral health in the community. Well-intentioned gifts to panhandlers can serve to keep them on the street. The Campaign for Change wants to find a better way to address the homeless issue that puts the emphasis on real change, not spare change. The Downtown Community Improvement District has teamed up with Phoenix Health Programs, the Heart of Missouri United Way, the Loop and the Columbia-Boone County Basic Needs Coalition to address the issue.
Columbia Public Schools Foundation Celebrates 20 Years
The Columbia Public Schools Foundation is celebrating 20 years of giving with an event on Thursday, Sept. 29. Columbia Public Schools alumna and Entertainment Tonight correspondent Nischelle Turner will emcee the event. The Columbia Public 16
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
Schools Foundation has funded projects in every school, allocating more than $1 million to education in Columbia Public Schools. The foundation supports programs that directly and positively impact student learning.
Boone County Close To Becoming Certified Work Ready Community
Boone County is participating in the Missouri Certified Work Ready Community program and is close to reaching its targeted goal. This program encourages job seekers to obtain the National Career Readiness Certificate and for employers to recognize this evidencebased credential that certifies essential skills needed for workplace success. The program is a voluntary initiative guided by key community leaders. The Missouri Department of Economic Development assigns targeted goals for each county. Boone County is within 97 percent of reaching its goal for employee and
Minority And Women Owned Business Directory Is Now Online The City of Columbia Minority & Women Owned Business Directory is now online and can be viewed on the City of Columbia’s website. More than 128 Columbia businesses are located in the directory and can be searched by industry, commodity code or certification. Jim Whitt, director of Supplier Diversity Program Development for the City of Columbia, coordinated the effort to launch the directory. “We still have a lot of work in updating business information and promoting certification, but we are off to a good start,” Whitt says. The city’s Information Technology Department was instrumental in setting up the online directory. The online directory can be found at https://www.como.gov/ CMS/mwob-directory/public.php.
New Evening Rotary Club Established There’s a new Rotary in town. The Evening Rotary of Columbia, known as the Columbia Evening Rotary Club has been meeting on Mondays at the Grand Cru Restaurant from 5:15 – 6:15 p.m. The new club appeals to members who can’t make an early morning or noon meeting schedule. The Columbia Evening Rotary Club does not serve a meal but allows for fellowship following the workday. Vistors are welcome to attend.
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
17
OPENING BELL
UP & COMING
THE LADDER REPORT Look Who’s Moving Up In Business
TAMARA PITTS has been named the new airport manager of the Columbia Regional Airport by the CITY OF COLUMBIA. She is a native of Chicago, Ill., and a graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in engineering. Pitts was previously a project engineer with the Missouri Department of Transportation’s aviation section. While there she was project coordinator for 40 airports in Missouri, coordinated compliance with the FAA, approved federal grant applications for airports and managed construction projects.
TRUE NORTH has named ELIZABETH HERRERA as executive director. She graduated with her undergraduate degree from Auburn University and then earned her master’s degree in nonprofit management at Florida Atlantic University. After graduation she worked at PACE Center for Girls Inc. in Jacksonville, Fla., then relocated to the organization’s Miami center in 2013. In that role she coordinated the strategic planning, compliance and hiring of all staff and managing the business operations. Herrera is passionate about empowering others – particularly those marginalized by abuse, poverty, discrimination and neglect.
GREG TUCKER has been named interim director of the MISSOURI SMALL BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CENTERS. Tucker is a 16-year Business Development Program veteran and the former Missouri Small Business and Technology Development Centers’ associate director. 18
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
Tucker’s office is based in Columbia where he is responsible for the day-to-day operations of 14 contract centers located on most of Missouri’s public university campuses and eight business development specialists in the University of Missouri Extension county offices.
The COLUMBIA METRO ROTARY CLUB installed new officers for the upcoming year. SARAH READ was inducted as Metro Rotary’s 25th president, with TOM ROSE named president-elect. SHANE WINTER will again serve as secretary, DON LUDWIG will repeat his position as Metro’s treasurer, ROSE HAYDEN is past president, JAIME FREIDRICHS is the club’s sergeant-at-arms and JIM CHERRINGTON as club historian. The Columbia Metro Rotary Club meets each Wednesday at noon at the Columbia Country Club.
JIM STERK was announced as the UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI’S new athletic director, replacing Mack Rhoades. Sterk joined San Diego State University in 2010 and has overseen the most successful five seasons in its athletic history with 32 team conference championships for the Aztecs since the beginning of the 2011-
2012 academic year. The university has the fourth-highest combined winning percentage in the country in football and men’s basketball. Before joining San Diego State University, Sterk was athletic director at Washington State University. He graduated from Western Washington University in 1980 where he earned four letters in football and one in basketball. He set a school record and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame for his football success. Sterk officially started as MU athletic director on Sept. 1.
DAVID ISAACKS began his position as the new medical center director of the HARRY S. TRUMAN MEMORIAL VETERANS’ HOSPITAL. Isaacks has served as the deputy director of the VA Sunshine Network in St. Petersburg, Fla. since Sept. 2015. Previously he was deputy director of the VA Heartland Network in Kansas City and director of the VA Central Plains Consolidated Patient Account Center in Leavenworth, Kan. Isaacks is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, serving on active duty from 1998 to 2005. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management.
CHAD HAGER recently joined THE CALLAWAY BANK as property manager. His primary responsibility will be to manage all bank owned facilities and properties in Fulton, Mokane, Columbia and Ashland. Hager has more than 20 years in management and real estate experience and has developed organizational systems that have been adopted by national companies. Following graduation from Sullivan High School, Hager attended the University of Missouri – Columbia.
The new COLUMBIA EVENING ROTARY CLUB elected its officers for its first year. The club meets at Grand Cru on Mondays at 5:15 p.m. The officers are: PRESIDENT MARY ROPP; President-elect Kristie Wolfe; Secretary Jessica Macy; Treasurer Ed Elsea; Program Chair Kat Cunningham; Public Relations Chair Tonia Compton; Membership Chair Seth Seely; Community Service Chair Matt Robe; Rotary Foundation Chair Amanda Quick; Sergeant at Arms Ken Pearson.
MIRNA BECEVIC, an assistant research professor in the Department of Dermatology at the UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, recently was honored at the 14th International Conference on Informatics, Management and Technology in Healthcare. The focus of the 2016 conference, held in July in Athens, Greece, was the development, translation and dissemination of health care strategies that improve population health. Becevic received the Best Paper Award for her essay “Show-Me ECHO: Complex Disease Care Capacity-Building Telehealth Program.” DR. COLLEEN GALAMBOS, professor in the UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK, was elected as a 2016 National Association of Social Workers Pioneer. Pioneers are social workers who have explored new territories and built outposts for human services on many frontiers. Galambos was recognized for her contributions as a strong advocate for the social work role in health care and care. She recently helped improve the quality of care for older adults in skilled nursing, assisted living facilities, and helped improve care transitions process for older adults throughout the continuum of care. She spearheaded community initiatives in St. Louis to increase professional’s knowledge of advance directives, and has organized advance directive clinics on National Health Care Decisions Day.
Share your business news with Inside Columbia’s CEO. Email the editor at CEOeditor@insidecolumbia.net. FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
19
OPENING BELL
Kansas City Council Balancing Streetcar Expansion With Infrastructure Needs
The Kansas City Council leaders are questioning what is more important: massive infrastructure improvements or the expansion of the downtown streetcar’s route. Both efforts are eyeing funding options and some are worried the two ventures will compete. Vocal transit supporters want to expand the popular streetcar route and are considering asking voters for a modest property tax increase and sales tax increase. Meanwhile, city officials are eyeing next year’s citywide bond election for infrastructure needs. Some city council members are concerned that the competing priorities would hurt both agendas. 20
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
Jefferson City Ranks As Fourth-Best Small City For New Business
Jefferson City was ranked as the fourthbest small city in the country for starting a new business. According to the finance website WalletHub, the city did well in the cost of doing business, ranking third among the more than 1,200 communities studied. Cities ranking higher than Jefferson City include Holland, Mich., North Chicago, Ill., and Brighton, N.Y. The WalletHub study considered these factors for 1,268 cities with populations from 25,000-100,000: business environment (length of average work week, average growth in number of small businesses, average business revenue), business costs (office-space affordability, cost of living) and access to resources (financing accessibility, employee availability).
St. Louis Developers Plan
Food Truck Park St. Louis may be joining other cities across the country with its first food truck park. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the proposed site is close in proximity to the popular Grove entertainment district. This is an area that officials hope to regenerate with new businesses. The name of the park has yet to be chosen but the site is confirmed. A fall food truck pop-up event is planned for this fall. If all goes according to plans, next spring a rotating group of food trucks will begin to operate every day. Developers are unsure at this time how many food trucks and customers the park will be able to handle.
UMSL Launches
Accelerator For International Entrepreneurs
The University of Missouri–St. Louis launched a new project for international entrepreneurs, the UMSL International Accelerator. The goal of the project is to create pathways for international entrepreneurs to accelerate the growth of their businesses in St. Louis. The accelerator received a $50,000 gift from Civic Progress, an organization of CEOs and other executives working to improve the quality of community and business life in St. Louis. Entrepreneurs accepted into the provide will receive enrollment into a business-building curriculum, discounted office space, network development, H-1Bvisas and access to capital.
Springfield Looking To Change With Millennial Trends
The city of Springfield is looking at ways to leverage changing trends to cater to and attract more members of the youngest — and now largest — generation in the workforce, the millennials. According to the Springfield News-Leader, City Manager Greg Burris said they are open to testing innovations in public transportation that can address pressing issues like extreme poverty and help the community develop in the right direction. They will examine three trends that have already started to affect Springfield: Millennials choose jobs based on location; millennials are renting more and prefer smaller houses; millennials drive less.
Springfield Tourism Group Eyes Airbnb Tax
Members of the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau are asking city leaders to look into taxing Airbnb sales. Tracy Kimberlin, the executive director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, explained that Springfield’s shortterm rental industry is small now but growing quickly. Hotel guests now pay a 5 percent hotel-motel sales tax to the city. About half of the fund goes toward the Convention and Visitors Bureau. A Springfield City Council committee is considering revising the definition of a hotel to one furnished bedroom from eight furnished bedrooms. If the change is made, Airbnb hosts would be required to pay the hotel-motel tax and obtain annual business licenses.
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
21
OPENING BELL
DATA BANK
CITIZEN SATISFACTION SURVEY Are the residents of Columbia satisfied with the services the city provides? That was the underlying question of the seventh Columbia Citizen Survey, which was presented to the city council in August. The survey shows that residents generally have a positive perception of the city with 79 percent of respondents saying they are satisfied with the overall quality of life in the city, compared to only 7 percent who are dissatisfied. Crime and public safety are important issues in this community, with 54 percent of residents satisfied with the overall feeling of safety in the city. Residents were most satisfied with the quality of fire protection and how quickly the fire department personnel respond to emergencies. Here’s a look at the satisfaction residents have with the City of Columbia and their perceptions of safety.
Perception Residents Have Of The City by percentage of respondents (excluding don’t knows)
Overall quality of life in the city Overall quality of services provided by the city Local economic conditions Overall value received for city tax dollars & fees Overall feeling of safety in the city
Perception Of Safety In The City by percentage of respondents (excluding don’t knows)
Walking in your neighborhood during the day In downtown Columbia during the day Walking in your neighborhood at night In city parks
In downtown Columbia at night
Source: The ETC Institute
22
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
23
24
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
THE CONFERENCE ROOM
AMENDMENT 4: PROTECTING TAXPAYERS Nov. 8 Ballot Measure Protects Missourians From New Taxes On Every Day Services by SCOTT CHARTON
Amendment 4 is backed by Missourians For Fair Taxation, a growing and diverse coalition, including the Missouri Association of REALTORS®, the National Federation of Independent Business, The Missouri Broadcasters Association, the Missouri Bankers Association, the Missouri Press Association, the Missouri Funeral Directors and Embalmers Association and many more. These organizations are committed to protecting consumers by keeping services tax-free in Missouri. advanced to a Senate hearing. That’s too close for comfort with a bad idea.
photo by L.G. Patterson
A
business-friendly proposal will appear on Missouri’s Nov. 8 general election ballot: Amendment 4, The Taxpayer Protection Amendment, which will protect Missouri consumers and businesses from a new sales tax on services we all use every day. Amendment 4 would prohibit state and local governments from imposing a new sales or use tax on services. Missouri
and its local governments mostly confine sales taxes to tangible goods, not services, which are activities that one person does for another person. You might ask why Missouri needs Amendment 4 if our state doesn’t currently tax most services. The answer is that the threat is real and it’s here: Missouri legislation creating a new sales tax on services has been proposed the past seven years in a row. One year, it passed the Missouri House by a 90-65 vote and
Unelected bureaucrats at the Missouri Department of Revenue are liberally interpreting the application of sales and use taxes to apply to certain services, such as yoga classes and dance studios. The most recent such interpretation to startle small businesses is a new tax on delivery charges. That case started with a St. Louis construction company seeking a refund on taxes paid for the service of delivery of heavy cranes and a welder. The state bureaucracy ruled against the company, and the Missouri Supreme Court this year upheld the bureaucrats’ position. In July, form letters signed by the Missouri Director of Revenue were sent to thousands of local businesses, warning that, “in general, if parties intend delivery to be part of the sale of tangible personal property, the delivery charge is subject to tax even when the delivery charge is separately stated.” Politicians in our neighboring states of Oklahoma and Illinois discussed just this year creating sales taxes on services to FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
25
In 2015 the Missouri Department of Revenue ruled that fees paid to attend yoga classes are taxable. Amendment 4 protects Missourians from a new tax on services.
plug revenue holes. In Oklahoma, a new sales tax on services was proposed by that state’s conservative Republican governor, Mary Fallin, partly because it is easier there to expand the sales tax base than to raise the sales tax rate. The proposal didn’t pass in Oklahoma this session, but it will likely be back. Meanwhile, Illinois’ budget mess continues, as does talk of new sales taxes on services. Other states started collecting new sales taxes this year on every day services. For example, in North Carolina, sales taxes were previously applicable to parts for a car repair; but as of this spring, the North Carolina sales tax has been expanded to include the services of the mechanic making the repairs. In Washington State, the services of martial arts studios are subject to sales tax as of this year, and those small businesses report the price hikes have meant losing customers who cannot afford the new taxes. A new sales tax on services would create new tax complexities for companies that are in the business of providing multiple professional services to Missourians. Let’s consider banks, because services are what banks primarily deliver to their customers. Consider how 26
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
many services offered by Missouri banks could be impacted by new sales taxes on services: Checking and savings accounts. Personal and corporate lending and credit services. Trust management. Mortgages and real estate. Credit and debit cards. Plus, vehicle loans. Investments and asset management. Endowments and foundations. Retirement services. Travel agent services. Funeral and cemetery trust services. And, special services for certain customers, such as young people and members of the military. Foreign currency exchange. Private wealth management. Online and mobile banking services. Merchant services. Health savings accounts. Wire transfers. In addition, there will be expensive and frequent accounting software changes to recognize the various taxes, and updates required when a jurisdiction adjusts its taxation structure. This can get very complex, very quickly. If a business provides services at offices in multiple taxing jurisdictions, the expense, staff time and general hassle is multiplied. For example, the City of Columbia and Boone County have a basic combined sales tax rate of 7.975 percent, but in special development retail districts, the combined sales tax rates are up 8.975 percent.
Amendment 4 is a pre-emptive strike to stop new sales taxes on services, because you do not wait until your house is ablaze to get a fire extinguisher. History and the record shows that the tax laws and rules will be interpreted by bureaucrats to maximize revenues, as has already happened for some services in Missouri, such as deliveries. And who ultimately pays for new sales taxes on services? Missouri consumers. Just think about the services Missourians use every day. There are services used by families, ranging from day care, to rent, to services of pediatricians and veterinarians, to tutoring and selfdefense classes. There are the services used by individual consumers, ranging from haircuts to manicures to tattoos to dry cleaning to car repairs and funerals. There are services used by businesses of all sizes – the services of attorneys, accountants, bankers, insurance agents, specialized consultants, technology experts. It all boosts the bottom-line costs for consumers. Sales taxes hit hardest on consumers least able to pay: Senior citizens, retirees, the disabled – many on fixed incomes that would be gobbled up by a new sales tax on services. Low- and middle-income families will lose a greater percentage of their hardearned money if they are forced to pay a new sales tax on services. A new sales tax on services would be a cradle-to-grave tax, adding costs to the services of a physician or midwife delivering a baby - and to the eventual services of a mortician, headstone carver and gravedigger. The answer is Amendment 4, The Taxpayer Protection Amendment, to protect Missourians from new sales taxes on services they use every day. Learn more about Amendment 4, The Taxpayer Protection Amendment, at www.MOTaxpayerProtection.com.
Scott Charton of Columbia is the communications director for Missourians for Fair Taxation
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
27
ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
THE BARRED OWL ADDS TO COLUMBIA’S EMERGING CULINARY SCENE by MELODY PARRY • photo by L.G. PATTERSON
A
trio of savvy restaurateurs is combining their talents to open a full service restaurant and retail butcher shop in downtown Columbia. The Barred Owl Butcher & Table will be opening this fall with a focus on serving locally sourced and sustainably raised animals. The restaurant is located at 47 E. Broadway, the former location of Inside Columbia’s CEO magazine. Three talented culinary experts are partners in the new venture. Ben Parks is a Culinary Institute of America graduate and former chef at bleu restaurant. Formerly of New Orleans, partner Joshua Smith was a James Beard Award Semifinalist and a Rising Star Chef of the Year before returning to Columbia and working at Sycamore. Partner and General Manager Brandy Hughes has extensive front and back of the house experience, attending Florida Culinary Institute, as well as serving in management roles at bleu, Sycamore and the Club at Old Hawthorne. With his background in the restaurant industry, Parks shared his perspective of Columbia’s emerging culinary scene.
What are your thoughts on Columbia’s acceptance or desire for locally-grown, harvested and produced foods?
Columbia’s had a vibrant local farm and farmer’s market scene as long as I can remember so I think we’ve been ahead of the curve in some ways. The demand for it has definitely grown in recent years as more people look to connect with where their food comes from and keep more money in the community.
How have local diners or restaurant patrons evolved in recent years? What has changed about their dining habits?
Columbians have become much more adventurous. As the small plate concept has become more popular, diners are more comfortable branching out and getting several focused small plates rather than one big entree with entire meal (meat, vegetable and starch) all as a dish. 28
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
How supportive is Columbia of new restaurant ventures? Columbia diners are extremely supportive of new restaurants! It speaks to them becoming more adventurous diners that everyone wants to try the newest thing rather than going with a “wait and see” approach.
What’s the best thing about owning a restaurant in Columbia? Even though we haven’t opened yet, there is an amazing community of independent restaurateurs in the city. It’s great to be a part of a group of business owners who realize the benefit of everyone’s success. There’s always going to be friendly competition but having that support network during the opening process has been great.
What’s the most frustrating thing about owning a restaurant in Columbia? I think like any business, one of the most frustrating things is not being able to spend as much time doing what it is that got you into the industry in the first place.
How important is the wine list? All beverages, wine included, are tremendously important to any restaurant. Food is an amazing thing on its own but once diners have something with that perfectly paired wine or other beverage, it’s really what takes it to the next level and makes a complete experience.
How important is craft beer to your trade? Craft beer has the same importance as wine and non-alcoholic beverage when it comes to elevating food. The main difference with craft beer being that we’ve got so many great local brewers so that feeds into the same mentality as sourcing local meats and produce.
What local chef inspires you?
There are a bunch of local chefs that I think we could point to as sources of inspiration but what’s really inspiring are the younger cooks who come in without the preconceived notions of how things are supposed to be. When someone comes in with a blank slate sometimes they’re able to give you an idea that never would have occurred to you because of how you’ve always done things.
What are the challenges associated with sourcing fresh foods locally? One of the biggest differences with sourcing local food versus a broadline distributor is being dependent on local weather and climate. While it can be frustrating having to alter your menu due to an unexpected cold snap or heavy rain, it also gives a great opportunity to work creatively with what you do have available.
What will Columbia’s restaurant scene look like five years from now?
Restaurant Partners Ben Parks and Joshua Smith (right)
Columbia has been experiencing a renaissance of independent restaurants in the last few years so we’re looking forward to seeing what the next generation of local chefs brings to the community. I think we’ll continue to see more local sourcing of seasonal items. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy in some ways; the more local chefs demand these products, the more it will make sense for the farmers to grow. FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
29
BUSINESS BASICS
HOW TO BOOST EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION AND LOYALTY Consider Using Engagement Surveys To Gather Feedback by HOWARD DEUTSCH
I
f you need to increase your company’s competitiveness and profit, where should you start? Should you focus on your employees first, or should you start by focusing on your customers first? In reality, you need to do both. It is almost always best to start by focusing on your employees first. Highly satisfied and engaged employees are essential for achieving high levels of customer satisfaction, retention and long-term loyalty. Start by listening to your employees and taking action based on their ongoing feedback. Conduct an employee engagement survey to gather information, suggestions 30
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
and insight from your employees. Ask them about what it is like to work for your company and what can be done to help them do their jobs more effectively and to do a better job of taking care of customers. Include questions about the effectiveness of internal communications, business processes, teamwork and how employees feel about your company’s direction. Make sure your employee surveys also include questions about effectiveness of supervisors and managers, empowerment, ability of employees to make suggestions, effectiveness of rewards and recognition, fairness of compensation,
adequacy of employee benefits, treatment of diverse groups and fear in the workplace. Include questions about quality, customer service and ways to increase productivity. Ask questions about anything that may be positively or negatively impacting employees and customers. Don’t be surprised if you end up identifying a very large number of challenges and opportunities. If challenges and problems exist, you need to know about them, prioritize them and take action. There is no single silver bullet. Identifying and addressing the top three problems is not enough, especially when there are
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
31
Three Easy Ways To Retain Employees Tina Olson is an assistant professor and director of the Graduate Business Programs at Stephens College. Here is her advice to employers on how to keep good employees. 1. Spend time getting to know your employees. Learn about their interests, background, family, pets and what’s important to each of them. This takes time yet employees want to know their leaders care about them. Be sure you’re also showing your “human side” and sharing similar information. 2. Show empathy for individual situations and remember there is a human being behind every problem. Empathy does not mean employees get a pass on being accountable. (Watch some TedTalks by Brene’ Brown to learn more empathy.) 3. Allow time for fun and support of our community. Spend time talking with an employee from Veterans United about their culture and you’ll see the impact this has on organization.
32
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
many more problems that already impacting your employees. It is important to do a thorough and objective job of analyzing the survey findings. It is then equally important to create a comprehensive action plan and to do a good job of getting everyone involved and executing the plan effectively. This requires communicating the results of surveys so that employees know that you listened to them and that you are committed to making needed changes based on their feedback. Your goal should be to use the employee survey results to achieve large-scale increases in employee engagement and satisfaction, with a much greater focus on your customers and meeting or exceeding their expectations. To ensure that you are achieving success, conduct employee attitude surveys annually to measure progress and to identify any new challenges and opportunities that surfaced since the previous survey. Your focus on and commitment to continuous improvement will ensure continued satisfaction and loyalty.
Once you start to achieve positive results, you should also conduct customer surveys to assess customer satisfaction levels and to see how your customers feel about your company, your employees, your products and services and other key issues that drive customer satisfaction and retention. Don’t be afraid to ask customers about things you know you are not doing well. You need to learn about how customers feel. Guessing isn’t good enough. Your customers are probably also buying from your competitors. It is important that you learn first-hand how they compare your company, products and services with those of your competitors. In summary, take good care of your employees, set the right direction, provide good leadership, identify problems and opportunities, take action and measure ongoing progress. This will enable your company to attract and retain customers and to be competitive and profitable. Howard Deutsch is the CEO of Quantisoft, a full-service survey company.
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
33
THE READING LIST
5 Business Books To Read This Fall
The Golden Apple: Redefining WorkLife Balance For A Diverse Workforce
A Truck Full Of Money
By Mason Donovan (Bibliomotion, 2016)
By Tracy Kidder (Random House, 2016)
Tracy Kidder tells the inspiring story of Paul English, the founder of Kayak.com and Lola. As a boy he rebelled against authority but discovers a medium for his talents the first time he sees a computer. As a young man, despite suffering from a bipolar disorder, he begins his pilgrim’s journey through the ups and downs in the brave new world of the Internet. When English sells the website Kayak for almost two billion dollars, the first thing he thinks about is how to give the money away. The author casts a fresh, critical and often humorous eye on the way new ideas and new money are reshaping culture and the world.
34
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
Organizations are coming to the reality that work-life balance is no longer solely an issue for working women. Four generations of workers are expressing the need for an improved sense of work-life balance. It has become central to maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace. This book gives leaders practical solutions they can take for immediate impact: the 50-minute meeting, mindful minutes and establishing clear boundaries that can instantly provide a valuable return with minimal effort. In short, the book shows how full engagement of a diverse, inclusive workforce is the competitive advantage of all time.
FALL 2016
The Long View: Career Strategies To Start Strong, Reach High, And Go Far
By Brian Fetherstonhaugh (Diversion Publishing, 2016)
The chairman and CEO of OgilvyOne Worldwide and career advisor Brian Fetherstonhaugh outlines the three stages of a long, successful work life and offers guidance to plan ahead and get the most out of each phase. The author shows three distinct but interconnected stages of a career, and how to build fuel at every step along the way to create long-term success. This book teaches new ways of finding jobs, new methods to build careers that last and a new definition of work that embraces life-satisfaction and happiness. The book is filled with highly practical exercises that challenge readers to rethink how to assess their skills, invest their time and expand their personal networks, and provides a framework for facing tough job decisions.
Raising An Entrepreneur: 10 Rules For Nurturing Risk Takers, Problem Solvers And Change Makers By Margot Machol Bisnow (New Harbinger Publications, 2016)
In this book, a political powerhouse and mother of two thriving entrepreneurs interviews the moms of more than 50 of today’s most successful innovators. Based on her findings, the author provides 10 rules for raising confident, fearless, self-made individuals whose ideas and drive will change the world. This book presents 76 stories from the mothers of some of the most successful entrepreneurs today. Not every kid will be an entrepreneur, but all kids have something that makes them unique. For parents seeking a way to nurture their children’s passions and help them harness their talent, drive and grit into a fulfilling life purpose, this book is a must-read.
Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One By Jenny Blake (Portfolio, 2016)
Jenny Blake, bestselling author and former career development program manager at Google, shows how to move into the next career phase by leveraging what one already does well. Now, more than ever, employees must navigate career changes deftly and frequently. The average employee tenure in America is just four or five years, and even those job roles often change dramatically. This book is for anyone without an answer to the question, what’s next? This book is for those who may have hit plateau in the perfect-on-paper job, those considering taking on a new role, or those who want to move to a new company or industry.
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
35
MARKET OUTLOOK
HOW THE OVERTIME RULE WILL AFFECT YOUR PAYROLL COSTS by KAT CUNNINGHAM
per week salary minimum? Or do I make my salaried employee an hourly paid staff member and pay for all overtime at the 1.5 hour rate? Or do I simply hire more people to reduce the number of hours that any one employee must work? None of these three options come without a price and the bottom line is that it will cost more to have employees, even if they are not paid at the new higher salary minimum of $913 per week. After receiving more than 270,000 public comments regarding the changes the DOL’s Final Rule is viewed as a “compromise” the changes are significant and heavily favor the employees.
There are four points you need to know:
T
here is no easy way to sugar coat the message to you, the employer, that the cost to have employees will be increasing on Dec. 1. Your business is governed by labor laws and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
36
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
recently issued its Final Rule pertaining to payment of overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which will go into effect Dec. 1. So what this means to businesses, large and small, for profit or not-forprofit, is that they will find themselves faced with a decision: Do I raise the wages of my employee to meet the $913
1: The minimum weekly salary for exempt employees is $913 per week or $47,476 annually for a full-time worker. 2: Nondiscretionary bonuses and incentive payments, including commissions, may satisfy up to 10 percent of the new standard salary level if paid on a quarterly or more frequent basis, and employers may make “catch-up” payments at the end of the quarter. 3: The minimum annual salary required for highly compensated employee exemption will increase to $134,004 for a full-time worker. 4: The minimum compensation requirements will automatically increase every three years going forward. The first one will occur Jan. 1, 2020, and the updated rates will be published at least 150 days before their effective date. Here is the Final Rule in a bite size pack: A full time salaried employee must earn a minimum of $913 per week or $47,476 annually.
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
37
Again, what does this mean to you, the employer?
The Overtime Rule
For employees to be salaried and exempt from overtime provisions, they not only need to meet the duties test, they must also meet the minimum salary test: $47,476.00 per year OR $ 3,956.34 per month OR $ 1,978.17 semi-monthly OR $ 1,826.00 bi-weekly OR $ 913.00 per week OR $ 22.83 per hour If salary rates are not at or above the rates shown for the designated frequency, employers will not be in compliance with the new Overtime Rule, unless they also pay overtime. The overtime pay is calculated at 1.5 rate for each hour worked over 40 hours in a seven-day work week.
38
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
Starting Dec. 1, 2016, no employee will be exempt from the overtime requirements of the FLSA if they are paid a salary less than the new minimum salary of $913 per week or $47,476 per year, which is more than double the current minimum. For any and all salaried employees presently earning less than the new minimum, employers must decide the following: 1. To increase the employee’s salary to meet or exceed the new minimum. 2. To reclassify the employee as nonexempt and pay overtime for all hours worked over 40 in a week, in addition to complying with record keeping requirements.
What employers can, and should do now? Either option can have a significant budgetary impact, especially for employers with large numbers of employees who are currently exempt but do not meet the
new minimum salary of $913 per week threshold. Employers should utilize the notice period to analyze options and make educated decisions. Some employers may even need to hire additional employees to control overtime impacts. Very recently as I was speaking to some of our non-profit clients, we discovered that many in the nonprofit industry believed that they were not subject to the new Overtime Rule provisions. According to the Department of Labor, virtually all employers in the United States will be impacted by the new rule because any business or employee of a organization that does business, in any form, with another organization out of state will be involved in interstate commerce and therefore they will be covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act. For example, using copy paper that was received from an out-of-state vendor, making phone calls or receiving phone calls from an out-of-state vendor or client all equates to doing interstate commerce.
Reach out to human resource experts. They can help you analyze your current staff ’s status and pay rates to determine which employees fall under the new exempt/salaried minimum rate. They can also educate you and your staff about the new Final Rule and answer questions about how the change will impact them. And finally, they can show you why an easy-to-use, yet highly structured timekeeping system is necessary for compliance and why it is best to implement the changes sooner rather than later.
Kat Cunningham is the owner of Moresource, Inc., which provides insurance, human resource services, payroll, bookkeeping, time and attendance services to small and medium-sized businesses.
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
39
40
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
41
CEO ROUNDTABLE HIGH FINANCE
ROUNDTABLE ROLL CALL
42
I
CRIS BURNAM President StorageMart
BOB PUGH CEO MBS Textbook Exchange Inc.
RANDY COIL Founder & President Coil Construction
GREG STEINHOFF President of Strategic Operations Veterans United Home Loans
STEVE ERDEL President Central Bank of Boone County
RUSTY STRODTMAN General Manager Columbia Mall/ General Growth Properties
BOB GERDING Founding Partner Gerding, Korte & Chitwood CPAs
BRIAN TOOHEY CEO Columbia Board of Realtors
PAUL LAND Owner Plaza Commercial Realty
GARY WARD Vice Chancellor, Campus Operations University of Missouri
THE HOME FRONT
KARA LINNEMEYER General Counsel/ Sales Manager Beacon Street Properties
MATT WILLIAMS Regional President Landmark Bank
MATT McCORMICK President Columbia Chamber of Commerce
MODERATOR FRED PARRY Publisher Inside Columbia magazine
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
Inside Columbia Publisher Fred Parry got the dialogue rolling by spotlighting the bankers in the room, asking for their assessment of the Columbia economy. Central Bank of Boone County President Steve Erdel had a glass-half-full perspective, noting that “things are going well. Our deposits are up double digits, loans are up double digits and our credit quality is as strong as it’s ever been since I’ve been in banking. The local economy is solid; optimism around town is strong, although it’s somewhat guarded.” Landmark Bank Regional President Matt Williams echoed Erdel’s sunny pronouncements. “People are starting businesses; entrepreneurship seems to be at an all-time high,” he said. “I do think we have a little bit of a wary eye to what’s going on at the university — the enrollment drop and just the general state of affairs there. We’re scratching our heads just a little bit.” Erdel and Williams both pegged housing as a sector that’s doing particularly well in the local economy. “There are a lot of people moving into Columbia,” Erdel said. “Our loan demand for residential construction and sales of existing homes is as strong as I’ve seen it.” “We still remember 2008 and 2009,” Williams added, recalling the Great Recession. “We’re talking to builders, saying ‘Hey, are you sure we’re going at this right?’ And they can’t keep up with the demand. We talk to Realtors and there’s not enough inventory.”
The take from real estate professionals sent the conversation into another realm. Kara Linnemeyer, general counsel and sales manager of Beacon Street Properties, cautioned that although 2016 has been a strong year for housing starts, builders are watching changes in zoning laws and building and energy codes to determine how they affect the industry. Linnemeyer, who also serves as president of the Home Builders Association of Columbia, noted that, “Right now the market is good, but we are concerned about some of these things that are happening in the city and how that’s
FALL 2016
Paul Land and Steve Erdel (right)
going to affect the base price of a house.” Brian Toohey, CEO of the Columbia Board of Realtors, pointed to Columbia’s scarce inventory of homes for sale. “In a normal market, you want to have about six months of inventory,” he said. “But for Boone County, we have slightly over two months’ inventory right now; for the city, we’re actually just under two months’ inventory. Those numbers are pretty scary.” For the past four years, demand has outpaced supply of affordable homes, Toohey added. “If you have a house that’s priced around $150,000, the second the sign goes up in the yard it’s off the market.” Toohey blamed the lack of affordable housing on higher permit fees. “The permits keep going up and the demand keeps going up, too.” Land supply is tight as well, Williams added, much more so than it was in 2008. “There are no lots available,” he said. Linnemeyer’s company, Beacon
Street Properties, aims for a three- to five-year pipeline of land available for subdivision development. “Trying to keep up with that is where our mentality is,” she said. “It was easier to maintain that previously, but now we’re working through it a lot faster.” Columbia Mall General Manager Rusty Strodtman offered his perspective as a member of the city’s planning and zoning commission. “We’re predominantly a friendly commission [to homebuilders and developers]. I think the struggle we have is probably with our city council — it’s kind of in the opposite direction a little bit in that regard. For residential subdivisions, there are going to be changes with the new zoning that we’re seeing, but I don’t think it’s as dramatic as it is for the commercial side.”
COMMERCIAL CONUNDRUMS StorageMart President Cris Burnam holds a less parochial view. His family’s
burgeoning self-storage business has expanded rapidly into 175 locations throughout North America with an eye to markets in the United Kingdom as well. “Columbia has always been blessed,” Burnam said. “It always gets worse last, and gets better earlier than most markets that we’re in. It’s been a very stable base.” In a college-town market such as Columbia, Burnam said, storage units fill up seasonally. This past year, he noted, the company has rented fewer units to students than it has in the last five years. “We’re scratching our heads — still trying to figure out what has changed and what it means for the long term in Columbia.” Burnam, whose family also owns Parkade Plaza, brought up the tight commercial real estate market, where low vacancy rates are giving property owners greater pricing power. “It’s a good spot to be in,” he said. “We like it.” Proposed changes in city zoning could impact the value of commercial property, warned Coil Construction President Randy Coil. “It’s a huge document,” FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
43
CEO ROUNDTABLE
(From left to right) Randy Coil, Bob Pugh, Rusty Strodtman, Matt Williams, Greg Steinhoff and Bob Gerding
unpredictability of city regulations and the paralyzing effect it has on appraisers’ valuations. “The value changes with the unknown,” he said. “The theory is if you know what you can do, everyone can live with that. Defining ‘that’ is the problem.” “The goal of form-based zoning was predictability,” Land allowed. “But we missed it.” Cris Burnam and Matt McCormick (right)
Gary Ward and Paul Land (right)
Coil said. “Nobody — except maybe two people in the entire city — has read it. There is a lot of detail. In fact, it may affect the value of your property and what you’re able to do on it.” Plaza Commercial Realty owner Paul Land finds the aesthetic requirements of the new zoning proposals for downtown properties extraordinary — and not in a good way. “It seems incredible to me that we waited 30 years since Columbia Mall went in to get the vacancy level to 2 percent downtown,” he complained. “And now we overhaul the zoning codes to bring us back to a level of undesirability. The whole thing is overwhelming — 400 pages with 1,100 ‘Cliffs Notes’ of changes. It’s extraordinary that we would require a property to be two stories downtown, but you can’t have retail on the second floor so it requires you to put residents up there. Two-story gas stations on Providence 44
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
Road? You people in the housing business know how much demand there is to live above a fuel station.” Land worries about the burdens zoning changes would foist onto his downtown properties if disaster were to strike. Rebuilding after fire or other damage — or even remodeling and expansion — would require a two-story reconstruction, he says, costing building owners time and money while raising insurance coverage. “It’s a triple-whammy,” Land said. “It also interferes with regeneration,” Burnam said. “They’re putting handcuffs on property owners, and that prevents them from investing in their properties.” The chaotic character of Columbia’s process, Burnam said, runs counter to economic development tactics to attract business to the community. Companies are looking for predictability in the communities where they locate, but Columbia only offers chaos, he said. Bob Gerding, a founding partner in the accounting firm of Gerding, Korte & Chitwood, and an owner of several Columbia properties, bemoaned the
‘IT’S ALL POLITICS’ Parry turned to MBS Textbook Exchange CEO Bob Pugh, a former Columbia mayor, for his take on “What’s wrong? How does something like this mushroom out of control?” “It’s a failure on the part of the part of the people who are seeking office,” Pugh said. “People say, ‘Well, why don’t good people run?’ It’s hard to find good people. You might find someone who’s decent but dumb … it’s a political deal and nobody wants to go down there and take all that crap. People are gun-shy. I don’t blame ’em — I’m bullet-proof now — but it really is sad that there aren’t more people willing to step up and take on these issues.” Many roundtable participants expressed wonder at what they saw as a hurried push to put zoning changes in place. “What’s the rush?” Erdel asked. Strodtman sees it as an effort driven by city council members to slow growth downtown. Chamber of Commerce President Matt McCormick wants more people to pay
FALL 2016
Kara Linnemeyer
attention to the proposed zoning changes, an effort he hopes will slow the adoption process for the changes. “We need time to figure this out. There’s nothing magical about a September deadline,” McCormick said. “There are a lot of unintended consequences with these proposed changes. Nobody at the city is looking at the economic impact. There are so many pieces, and people need to find the parts of the document that affect them.”THE
ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM Parry closed out the zoning discussion with a pivot to Gary Ward, vice chancellor for campus operations at the University of Missouri, asking for an update on the area’s chief economic driver. Ward noted that the revenue and enrollment drop anticipated for the 2016-2017 school year would follow the
Pugh worries about the impact of fewer students in Columbia. “The population loses about 2,700 people — that’s like wiping Fayette off the map.” university for several more years. “It’s unlikely that we’ll make up the losses in just one year,” he said. “It’s going to have a lasting impact.” Dwindling state support has provided an opportunity for public higher education, though, Ward said. “Higher education is a consumer-based product now. The opportunity is for Mizzou to become very good at that.” Ward cited demographics changes — the shrinking population of college-age
Americans — as an exacerbation of public funding shortages. “Mizzou’s strategy was to grow our way out of the demographic decline,” Ward said. An enrollment cap at the University of Illinois helped recruitment efforts in that neighboring state until Illinois removed the cap recently. But Ward also pointed to last fall’s protests that led to a shake-up in university leadership as a contributing factor in MU’s financial contraction. “Last fall played a significant role in all this,” Ward said. “We damaged our brand.” Pugh worries about the impact of fewer students in Columbia. “The population loses about 2,700 people — that’s like wiping Fayette off the map,” he said. “Losing that many students — and students do spend money here — means sales tax collections are going to go down.” Yet the financial impact could be FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
45
CEO ROUNDTABLE
Randy Coil and Bob Pugh (right)
eclipsed by the collective emotional impact on Columbia, Pugh warned. “When a city’s largest employer is headed south, what kind of future can you look forward to? It’s not good business!” A lifelong Columbian, Pugh said Columbia has always lived off the good times. “We’ve never had any bad times. And now, Sugar Daddy is going down a little bit. When the folks down at City Hall get their butts pinched on the sales tax loss, we’ll see what happens, because it’s going to happen.” “The city will try to make it up in development fees,” Toohey said. “They always go back to the developers.” McCormick raised the specter of workforce shortages. “So many of our businesses rely on the student population to staff their seasonal workforce,” McCormick said. “We’re going to have a lot fewer employees for them to hire.”
AN IMAGE PROBLEM
Strodtman interjected to offer a twist. Crime, he suggested, has played a part in some students’ decisions to attend college elsewhere, and may be driving a general reticence to visit or move to Columbia. “We are seeing more and more customer feedback at the mall that people — from Kirksville, Boonville — are concerned about coming to Columbia. 46
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
“...People in our own central Missouri region hear and read about the shootings and they think it’s the wild West.” — Rusty Strodtman
People in our own central Missouri region hear and read about the shootings and they think it’s the wild West.” “We’ve got an image problem,” McCormick said. “It’s a perception problem, because our crime rate is down.” Community boosters often point to the Columbia Regional Airport as another image problem for the city. “Columbia has an image problem, all right, and our image problem is that airport,” said Pugh. “We have customers fly in and they think they’ve landed in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.” Voters took the first step to remedy the problem when they approved a measure Aug. 2 to increase the city’s gross receipts tax on hotels and motels to 5 percent as a means to
fund a replacement airport terminal. Greg Steinhoff, president of strategic operations for Veterans United Home Loans, led the effort to pass the lodging tax increase as co-chairman of the Foundation for Columbia’s Future, a political action committee that supported the 1 percent tax increase. “Columbia deserves a better facility,” Steinhoff told the roundtable group. “It’s the face of Columbia to visitors from the outside.” “The bed tax is an appropriate funding mechanism,” Steinhoff added. “Out-oftowners are the main ones supporting it for one-quarter of the financing; the federal government is paying the rest. The financing plan makes sense, and we really need a new airport.” Steinhoff noted that the current terminal is over capacity with two daily round-trip flights each to Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth. “We can’t add any more flights with our present terminal. We’d like to add a flight to Charlotte, N.C., and another flight to Chicago and to Dallas, and maybe add Denver to the mix. But we can’t do any of that until we build a new terminal.”
Promotional Content
FALL 2016
Brian Toohey and Matt McCormick (right)
AROUND THE ROUNDTABLE From the rapid-fire round, here’s a look at what’s preying on the minds of CoMo business leaders.
COIL: “Infrastructure. With all this zoning and rezoning … we really need to get some long-term thinking, some long-term planning into the structure system.” PUGH: “There’s a desperate need to get level-headed, intelligent people to run for city council; to stand up and be counted and try to run this city like it should be run.”
STRODTMAN: “Sales tax. E-commerce. We’re seeing it at the mall — we’re down. One of our fears is we’re going to continue to be taxed to fix a lot of other problems.”
WILLIAMS: “Jobs. When you look at the places around the country that are doing well, they’re welcoming businesses in, and businesses bring jobs. You have to get that mindset — jobs are what drive the economy.” STEINHOFF: “The IT work supply. We hired 60 last month and could have hired several more if we could get adequate programmers.”
GERDING: “This perception about us being a wild, wild West. Last fall, we got beat up really bad, and I don’t know how we get on top of delivering a different message and who would deliver that message.” BURNAM: “Infrastructure and perception — I come across it all the time. If you’re trying to recruit employees, IT workers, and you’re here in Columbia, it’s tough. You have to go to a headhunter.”
McCORMICK: “Low unemployment rate. We have an extremely low unemployment rate here. One of the biggest challenges our employers are dealing with is finding employees.” TOOHEY: “There’s a lot of polarization in Columbia, especially when it comes to dealing with the city. There are so many boards and commissions with polarizing views — one group has the city council’s ear and the other one doesn’t. I think if you combined them, you’d solve a lot of the angst.”
WARD: “The university has to do a better job of communicating how we add value. You’re going to see a lot more of us ringing our own bell.”
LAND: “I have concerns about I-70. Kansas City and St. Louis are getting a bigger part of the transportation pie, and this here is turning into a big parking lot.” ERDEL: “I think our town will remain a regional shopping center, if you will, but I worry about giving away our advantage. We’re making zoning rules that make things harder; our image is bad. We may push small business away to places like Jefferson City, or even Hallsville and Ashland, who are welcoming anybody who will come.”
LINNEMEYER: “The Community Land Trust — where the city will build houses or potentially remodel houses and put them into this trust so it continues to own the land but somebody can buy the house — is an interesting model for affordable housing. It could be a way for the city to promote affordable housing without impacting developers and homebuilders by requiring them to be accommodating when new residences are developed. It’s something I’m trying to monitor — this whole idea of affordable housing and how it actually gets implemented in the city.” FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
47
48
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
Advertisement
People You Should
Know K IMB ER LY C AY C E, M . D .
DES PAIN C AYC E DERM AT O LO GY C E N TE R AND M EDIC AL S PA What would you say has been a defining moment in your career?
The path just to start my career was a long one. When the training wheels were finally removed and I was able to independently care for my own patients, the feeling was amazing yet indescribable with so many emotions (excitement, anxiety, etc.) colliding all at once. I realized I was all grown up now, a real doctor with real patients, and I was good at what I do.
Tell us about someone in the local business community whom you admire and why?
John DeSpain. He’s taught me a lot about the business side of medicine, something NOT taught in medical school. And, his actions demonstrate how much he truly cares about our community.
What’s the best thing about working for your company?
We’re like family. Not every day is rainbows and butterflies, but at the end of the day we all love each other and strive for the same goal - to provide excellent and compassionate care to all of our patients.
What inspires or motivates you? That’s an easy one, my family.
What advice would you give to someone just getting started in their career?
Find your passion, stay focused, and give it your all. It really does pay off.
DeSpain Cayce Dermatology Center and Medical Spa
2011 Corona Rd #207 573-234-1000 • www.columbiaderm.com
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
49
DIVIDENDS
CEO AT PLAY
Three Questions In fall, it’s all about Mizzou football. Downtown retailers can’t wait for fans to converge downtown in their black and gold.
LOOK WHO’S TALKING
What’s your favorite fall tradition? KELLEY: My favorite thing to do in fall is to take a country drive to see the changing leaves, especially when the drive ends at a winery. DANUSER: Biking the Katy Trail to Rocheport along the river with the fall colors.
CHRISTINA KELLEY Owner Makes Scents
STAUFFER & ALABACH: Definitely “storegating!” On home football games we try our best to keep the party atmosphere in the store by serving drinks and tasty snacks to our customers. We all wear black and gold and root on the Tigers at Tallulahs. What’s the best part of having your business located in The District? KELLEY: I love being a part of the Downtown community. I have creative, smart and funny neighbors. DANUSER: The customers come from all over to see Columbia and Downtown seems to be the first place they check out. STAUFFER & ALABACH: We love the feel of community and the diversity here in the District and, of course, all the fabulous events that go on.
DAVID DANUSER Co-owner & Manager Binghams Traditional Clothing
What are the essentials of the perfect tailgate for you? KELLEY: A big bottle of wine (or two) is essential to the perfect tailgate. DANUSER: Mizzou fashion, food and good friends. STAUFFER & ALABACH: The Mizzou adventure wagon filled with all kinds of fun tailgating items and gourmet foods from Tallulahs. What is your win/loss prediction for the Tigers this year?
MARY STAUFFER & MELISSA ALABACH Co-owners Tallulahs
KELLEY: The Tigers will win all the sports ball games! We’re the best! MIZ-DANUSER: Tigers will win five and lose seven. STAUFFER & ALABACH: Best year ever. Barry Odom is going to rock this town! Go Tigers!
50
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
Advertisement
People You Should
Know J O NATHA N C U RT R IG H T C HIEF O PERAT ING O FFIC ER UNIV ERS IT Y O F M IS S O URI HEALT H CAR E What do you enjoy most about your job?
Discovering and developing outstanding leaders to help Missourians be healthier.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I worked in the Speaker’s Office of the Illinois House of Representatives during college, and I thought our elected officials were truly trying to make our community a better place. Through all that, I wanted to be behind the scenes as a lawyer to shape our laws.
Tell us about someone in the local business community whom you admire and why?
That’s easy! Bill Costello at Central Bank of Boone County. He is the official “E-Harmony” for our community. He seemingly knows everyone and has hundreds of relationships that drive business forward.
What’s the best thing about working for your company?
MU Health Care embraces the Culture of Yes through the values of care, deliver, innovate and serve. As you enter our hospitals and clinics, you can really sense the warmth and camaraderie of all of our employees. We’re proud to provide the best care possible to our patients each and every day.
Name a passion you have outside of work?
Running, because I get to run with wonderful friends, and none of us has a cell phone. We only have miles of trails, exercise, beauty and glorious friendship.
University of Missouri Health Care 1 Hospital Drive 573-882-7000 • www.muhealth.org
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
51
DIVIDENDS
EXECUTIVE TRAVEL
Game Day Gadgets It’s football season and we’re ready to cheer on the Tigers! If you want to upgrade your style this year, here are some game day gadgets from Popular Mechanics that you’ll want to bring when you’re headed to Faurot Field.
1
3
2
5
4
52
I
1
Blacktop 360 Grill–Fryer This grill has it all – a griddle for breakfast, a grill for your meats and a deep fryer for the really good deep fried food! ($250)
2
Stanley Carbonated Drink Bottle This insulated 32-ounce bottle has a plastic and neoprene sleeve and will keep your drinks cold for three hours. ($20)
3
Coleman Comfortsmart Suspension Chair Relax in this chair that feels like a hammock with a cool mesh fabric and cup holder. ($60)
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
4
Ion Tailgater AM/FM Pump out your favorite music with 50 amps of power or listen to the game on the AM/FM radio. ($160)
5
Yeti Missouri Cooler The officially licensed YETI® cooler helps you show your Missouri pride while keeping beverages cold. ($299.99)
Advertisement
People You Should
Know TO NY R IC HA R DS
C EO , C LEAR V IS IO N What do you enjoy most about your job?
Helping people make their dreams come true. Every executive or business owner has some unfulfilled dreams about their career or business. I very much enjoy being a part of the process of helping them achieve those things.
What’s the best thing about working for your company?
You have to be open for growth. If you are, it’s a dream job. Our company purpose is all about bringing the best business ideas to our clients and the world. Our people have to be constantly learning in order to fulfill that purpose, and all of our people do that every day.
Who is the most famous person who offered you a job?
Ray Charles, who asked me to go on the road with him and his band.
What class did you take in high school or college that has benefitted you the most in your career? Believe it or not, Agriculture classes in high school and through FFA: I learned how to become a speaker. Psychology classes in college: learning how the human mind works is amazing.
Tell us about someone in the local business community whom you admire and why?
Every single one of my clients. I have watched them face brutal facts, tackle tough challenges and defeat adversity to create vibrant, successful businesses that provide jobs and improve lives.
Clear Vision
20 E. Southampton Drive, Suite 101 573-489-1836 • www.clearvisiondevelopment.com
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
53
DIVIDENDS
NETWORKING
1
2
3
4
Brewery Night Live Bur Oak Brewing Co. held its third edition of Brewery Night Live on Aug. 19, featuring craft beer, local food and live music. They had door prizes, giveaways, aerial yoga, beer flavored mac n’ cheese, beer flavored BBQ sauce and exclusive beer on tap from Bur Oak and their guest brewery, Bell’s Brewery. 1. Dan Johnson, Cindi King and Scott Robinson 2. Matt Chapin, Kylee Perea and Laura Marty 3. Gary and Julie Thompson 4. Craig Stichter and Jacob Halls 5. Kevin Czaicki, Frank and Elizabeth Aten with Celeste Czaicki 6. Marty and Sherry Wohlgemuth with Patrick Tray 7. Fred Parry, Bob Gerding and Melody Parry 8. Desty Siren Pellham and Ben Drummond.
5
6
7
8
PHOTOS BY NANCY TOALSON AND WALLY PFEFFER, MIZZOUWALLY@COMPUSERVE.COM
54
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
Advertisement
People You Should
Know T IM GER DING
AT T O RN EY AT EVANS & DIXO N, AT T O RN EYS AT LAW What do you enjoy most about your job? People and businesses come to me often in their most challenging times. I enjoy the challenge of taking the burden from their shoulders to mine and in solving their problem or finding the solution, whatever that might be.
Tell us about someone in the local business community whom you admire and why? The fella’s name is Bob Gerding. Too easy? Can I go to the legal community? Gary Oxenhandler. Both for hard work and leadership, yes, but more so for honesty and the way they treat people.
What class did you take in high school or college that has benefitted you the most in your career? At the University of Iowa, the Philosophy of Logic
What would you say has been a defining moment in your career?
When I won my first trial. I thought, “Hey, I can do this!”
What advice would you give to someone just getting started in their career?
Learn from your mentors, but be yourself. Don’t model your plan for success after what you see from others.
Evans & Dixon, Attorneys at Law 501 Cherry St 573-777-8823 • www.evans-dixon.com
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
55
DIVIDENDS
NETWORKING
1
2
3
2016 Celebration of the Arts The City of Columbia’s Office of Cultural Affairs, Richard and Tootie Burns and an army of volunteers held the annual Celebration of Arts at the Missouri Theatre on Sept. 1. Scores of attendees enjoyed delectable hors d’ouvres and libations from Columbia’s finest restaurants, topped off by the unveiling of this year’s celebratory artwork and a special performance by Dave & Dyno and the Roadkill Orchestra. 1. Tracy Lane and John Baker 2. Gena Scott and June DeWeese 3. Tony and Sherri St. Romaine 4. Mary Phillips, Brian Treece and JJ Musgrove 5. Craig Rooney and Karen Grundy 6. Peter and Marsha Ely 7. Matt and Courtney Gaunt
4
5
6
7
PHOTOS BY NANCY TOALSON AND WALLY PFEFFER, MIZZOUWALLY@COMPUSERVE.COM
56
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
Advertisement
People You Should
Know DAV ID T O W NSEND
PRES IDEN T, C EO , AGEN T S N AT IO N AL T IT LE IN S URANC E What’s the best thing about working for your company? I would say that communication and transparency are the best things about working for our company. Each employee has the ability to promote their own ideas and create their own success. Everyone knows how the company is performing and where we are taking it. We all work together to achieve our goals and to move the company forward. It creates a true team atmosphere.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy the people that I work with and the title agents that represent us. The title insurance industry is very tight knit. The relationships you are able to forge through business create real friendships. We succeed together.
What would you say has been a defining moment in your career?
By far the defining moment is when Agents National Title Insurance was initially licensed in 2006. I sat down in September of 2005 with the NAIC insurance company application and six months later we received our charter. We have grown to the fourth largest title insurance underwriter in Missouri and are now licensed in 14 states. It all began with that first license.
Where do you see the future for your company?
I see Agents National Title Insurance growing significantly in the next few years. We are now licensed in 14 states and applying for entry into two of the largest. We are implementing a strategy for smart, responsible growth that will lead us into our second decade.
Agents National Title Insurance 1207 W Broadway 573-442-3351 • www.agentstitle.com
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
57
DIVIDENDS
NETWORKING
1
2
3
Mizzou Football Gridiron Girls Night Out Gridiron Girls Night Out served as the premiere ladies social event as the new season of Mizzou football kicked off! Held July 27, The Gridiron Girls Night Out incorporated new amenities, expanded vendor services, an abundance of door prizes and highly exclusive swag bags for each guest. Scores of women celebrated all that Mizzou football has to offer while raising funds and awareness for the University of Missouri Children’s Hospital. 1. Lisa and Van Hawxby 2. Bridgid Kinney and Ariana Turner 3. Kim Ham-Lanes and Bette Ham 4. Molly Borgmeyer and Kay Garnatz 5. Penny Campbell, Jean Gurucharri, Bryanne Harvey and Carol Smith 6. Tritia Odom, Kate and Sara Quinn with Karin Lewis Carratura 7. Tracie Larkin, Jo Mooney and Amy Hill
4
5
6
7
PHOTOS BY NANCY TOALSON AND WALLY PFEFFER, MIZZOUWALLY@COMPUSERVE.COM
58
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
59
DIVIDENDS
NETWORKING
1
2
3
4
Mizzou Alumni Day at Logboat The Boone County Mizzou Alumni chapter held its second annual Alumni Day at Logboat brewery on Aug. 7. Alumni came together to socialize, enjoy the various Logboat beer, and savor three varieties of Boss Tacos! 1. Sue Pfeffer, Mary Stixrud and Nancy Toalson 2. Joe Whitworth and Rhonda Jones 3. Ronald and Annette Webb 4. June Ann Humphrey and Mary Ann Beahon 5. Tyler Nicosia, Jack Lee and Whitney Lee 6. Gina Muzzy, Tracy Evers and Doug Muzzy 7. R. Bowen Loftin and Joe Whitworth 8. Molly and Tom Froidl
5
6
7
8
PHOTOS BY NANCY TOALSON AND WALLY PFEFFER, MIZZOUWALLY@COMPUSERVE.COM
60
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
61
ADVERTISING INDEX Accounting Plus..................................................61 Achieve Balance Chiropractic.........................19 Agents National Title Insurance.................... 57 Atkins, Inc. ........................................................... 31 Automated Systems.......................................... 13 BMW of Columbia............................................ 67 Boone Hosiptal Center....................................... 6 Caladon Virtual.................................................... 8 Central Trust and Investments....................... 35 Cevet Tree Service..............................................19 City of Columbia Water and Light................ 23 Clear Vision Development Group................. 53 Coil Construction.............................................. 63 Columbia LandCare, LLC................................. 39 Commerce Bank...................................................2 DeSpain- Cayce Dermatology Group...........49 Downtown Appliance......................................... 4 Evans & Dixon Attorneys at Law................... 55 Focus on Health Chiropractic......................... 23 Garrett Painting................................................... 13 Hampton Inn....................................................... 32 Hawthorn Bank..................................................68 Image Technologies of Columbia ................. 35 Inside Columbia’s CEO........................................10 Inside Columbia’s Instagram...................21 & 27 Inside Columbia’s Subscriptions.........39, 61, 62 LammTECH..........................................................21 Linkside at Old Hawthorne.............................65 Mercedes-Benz of Columbia...........................17 Moresource......................................................... 59 Mutual of Omaha.............................................. 37 Postal Sign Express........................................... 27 Schaefer Autobody Centers............................15 Shryocks Callaway Farms................................48 Tech Electronics................................................. 39 The Broadway, a DoubleTree by Hilton..........7 The Callaway Bank............................................ 24 UMB Bank............................................................15 University of Missouri - ExecMBA Program.11 University of Missouri Health Care............... 51 University Subaru.................................................5 Wiese USA.......................................................... 27 Williams Keepers................................................11 Winter-Dent & Company ..................................3
62
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
63
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
Merit, NOT Sympathy, Wins!
S
ixteen years ago, the City of Columbia made a controversial move in purchasing a dilapidated building at 10 N. Fourth St. that had been home to a number of funeral parlors over a period of more than 60 years. At the time, the decision was harshly criticized because the purchase price was far greater than market value and the condition of the building seemed beyond reasonable repair. A handful of citizens, however, applauded the city’s actions, citing the fact that the building had historical significance because it was once the home of legendary ragtime pianist J.W. “Blind” Boone. In spite of numerous delays and setbacks over the years, that handful of individuals received vindication last month when the beautifully restored home opened to the public. John William Boone was born on May 17, 1864, the final year of the Civil War, in a Union army encampment near Miami. His mother, a contraband slave, worked as a laundry maid in the camp. His father was a white man named William S. Belcher, a bugler with Union troops. When Belcher moved on after the war ended, the infant Boone and his mother moved to Warrensburg where Boone spent his childhood. At just six months old, Boone contracted what was then called a “brain fever.” Doctors told his mother that the only way to save the child was to remove his eyes. In spite of this disability, Boone took an early interest in music and could play several musical
64
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
instruments even as a young child. Historical accounts tell us that the citizens of Warrensburg recognized Boone’s prodigy-like talents and raised the funds to send him to a school for the blind to develop his musical gifts. He was later expelled from the school for discipline issues, and it wasn’t long before Boone was playing the piano in street bands in Warrensburg, Marshall and right here in Columbia. It wasn’t until sometime in the late 1870s that Boone was “discovered” by Columbia businessman John Lange. Boone had been hired to perform in a Christmas pageant at the Second Baptist Church, which still stands at the corner of Fourth and Broadway. You could say that the rest is history as Lange became Boone’s business manager and set him on a course of success, forming the Blind Boone Concert Company. Boone traveled the country performing thousands of concerts and returned to Columbia in 1887 with a large sum of money. Boone married Lange’s sister, Eugenia, and they made their home in the Victorian-style structure at 10 N. Fourth St. In spite of Boone’s notoriety as a key influencer in Ragtime music, an inept business manager who handled Boone’s affairs after Lange died left the talented musician in financial distress. When Boone passed away on October 5, 1927, his estate was reportedly worth only $127. Shortly after Eugenia’s passing in 1931, the home was sold and became the Stuart Parker Funeral Home. Boone’s career is appropriately
captured in a gallery at the Boone County Historical Society, and now his home also will serve as a tribute to the Ragtime legend’s life and legacy. In my opinion, the real story here is that of the volunteers who believed that Boone’s home should be saved and restored. In an era where immediate gratification rules the day, it’s rare to see a story where perseverance and determination finally pay off with a big reward like we have with the Boone home. Our community owes a debt of gratitude to these determined citizens. It is as if the group lived by the motto that Boone himself coined: “Merit, not sympathy, wins!” Perhaps the work of the John William “Blind” Boone Heritage Foundation will be an example to all who face similar challenges when trying to sell a BIG idea that, at first, seems far-fetched to the community at large. Perhaps other groups will pursue similar endeavors to honor the contributions of national figures with Columbia ties like singer and actress Jane Froman, Sam and Bud Walton and NASCAR star Carl Edwards. A community that pursues big ideas usually thrives. In the coming years, we’re going to need this style of thinking as we endeavor to reopen the Boone County Fairgrounds and build a new terminal at Columbia Regional Airport. When the going gets tough on these projects, I pray that we can find inspiration from those responsible for restoring the “Blind” Boone Home.
Fred Parry
Publisher • fred@insidecolumbia.net
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
65
CLOSING QUOTES
What Columbia’s Business People And Community Leaders Are Saying “Columbians have become much more adventurous.” — Co-owner of The Barred Owl Butcher & Table Ben Parks on how restaurant patrons’ tastes have evolved over the years
“One thing any business craves as it’s looking to build in a community is predictability. And one of the standout things about Columbia is its lack of predictability. There’s some chaos out there.” — StorageMart President Cris Burnam
66
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
FALL 2016
“I feel like spring started early this year.”
— Home Builders Association President Kara Linnemeyer on the strong 2016 season for local builders
“The threat is real and it’s here.”
— Missourians for Fair Taxation Communications Director Scott Charton on why Missourians need Amendment 4
“When you look at the price of a building permit in Columbia over the last 10 years, the only thing that ended up going higher than that was Apple stock before it came back down.” — Columbia Board of Realtors CEO Brian Toohey
FALL 2016 I INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
67
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO OutFront Communications, LLC 47 E. Broadway Columbia, MO 65203
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage
PAID
Columbia, MO Permit 286