Inside Columbia's CEO Summer 2017

SUMMER 2017

www.ColumbiaCEO.com

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CONTENTS Inside Columbia’s CEO • www.ColumbiaCEO.com • Volume 8, Issue 4

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Opening Bell: The Buzz On CoMo Biz

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CEO Roundtable: Columbia’s Leaders Speak Out

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Up & Coming: The Ladder Report

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Business Basics: Boost Morale

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Shopping: Working In Style

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CEO At Play: 3 Questions

22 Data Bank: Chamber Satisfaction Survey

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Networking

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Publisher’s Note

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Closing Quotes

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Entrepreneurial Spirit: Beth Maddox Trades Paths

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Take Team Building To The Next Level

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The Reading List: What To Read This Summer

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ON THE COVER: Michelle Nickerson opened Confetti Craft Co. in December. Customers can create craft projects while sipping on original cocktails. Her business is one of several new companies that work with employers to create team building opportunities.

Read more on page 32.

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STAFF Publisher Fred Parry fred@insidecolumbia.net Associate Publisher Melody Parry melody@insidecolumbia.net Chief Executive Officer Cathy Atkins catkins@insidecolumbia.net Copy Editor Brett Dufur brett@insidecolumbia.net Editorial Assistant Peg Gill peg@insidecolumbia.net Contributing Writers Pam Ingram, Carla Leible, Rebecca French Smith, Jack Wax Photo Editor L.G. Patterson lg@insidecolumbia.net Graphic Designers Trever Griswold trever@insidecolumbia.net Shelby Finch shelby@insidecolumbia.net Joe Waner joewaner@insidecolumbia.net Operations Manager Adam Brietzke adam@insidecolumbia.net Marketing Representatives Marlo Colston Marlo@insidecolumbia.net Marche Hill Marche@insidecolumbia.net Matt Melton matt@insidecolumbia.net Business Manager Becky James rjames@zrgmail.com Distribution Associate Steve Leible, Annie Leible

Inside Columbia’s CEO magazine Zimmer Strategic Communicatios 3215 Lemone Industrial Blvd., Suite 200 Columbia, MO 65201

573-875-1099 www.ColumbiaCEO.com Inside Columbia’s CEO is published quarterly

by Zimmer Strategic Communicatios LLC, 3215 Lemone Industrial Blvd., Suite 200, MO 65201, 573-875-1099. 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.

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OPENING BELL

TH E B UZ Z O N COM O BI Z

The Best In The World

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he best barbeque sauce in the world is made right here in Columbia. Jay Curry, co-owner of Spicewine Ironworks, was notified that his Blue Collar Bar-B-Que sauce earned first place in the world at the American Royal Barbeque Sauce World Championships. His Blue Collar sauce was entered into the Mild Tomato category, which was the largest division of the competition. This year 606 sauces were entered into the competition from 43 states and 13 different countries.

This is the second time this sauce has won the World Title.

Blue Collar also won first place in 2009 in the same competition.

“The first time you win, you think perhaps it was a fluke, but after winning it twice, I think the sauce can hold it’s own,” Curry says.

Blue Collar is a Kansas City style barbeque sauce, mild with tomato and molasses type of sauce. It’s thick and bold and works

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BEST BARBEQUE SAUCE IN THE WORLD

well with different types of meat.

“I named it Blue Collar because it’s a hard-working sauce and it’s definitely working for me,” Curry laughs.

In addition to his sauces, Curry entered his Black & Gold mustard, which placed eighth in the world in the mustard category.

Curry will receive the American Royal Barbeque Sauce World Championship award on stage at the American Royal World Series of Barbeque, which will be held Labor Day weekend at the Kansas Speedway.

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OPENING BELL

N E WS BR I E FS

Astronomical Announcements Solar Eclipse Expected To Have Large Local Impact A solar eclipse, a lineup of the sun, the moon, and Earth, puts Columbia in the direct path of the total eclipse on Aug. 21. But what does this lineup of planets mean to the Columbia economy? According to Amy Schneider, director of the city’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, it’s hard to tell but with a possible 100,000 visitors to mid-Missouri, they are expecting a large impact on the local economy. Most solar eclipses occur over large bodies of unpopulated regions. This is the first total solar eclipse in the continental United States since 1979, and Columbia is in the direct path. According to Schneider, a solar eclipse occurring over a populated area allows for movement for viewers to find the most optimal spot. And Columbia can expect a lot of movement, with 12 million people living in the path of totality; 88 million people living within a two-hour drive of the path; and 150 million people living within an eight-hour drive. Good weather and visibility are some determining factors into how many people may visit mid-Missouri.

Hub & Spoke’s Web Design Nationally Recognized Hub & Spoke, a Columbia marketing and design agency, was recently honored with two Gold awards at the 34th annual Healthcare Advertising Awards. The company was one of only a handful of Missouri winners in the competition. Work for the University of Missouri’s Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders took home one of the Gold awards in website design, for a micro-website promoting their ECHO Autism initiative. The other Gold was claimed by Hub & Spoke’s website design for Compass Health Network, which includes 50 locations across its Pathways Community Health, Crider Health Center and Royal Oaks Hospital brands in Missouri and Louisiana.

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Günter Hans Owner Named President Of Mid-Missouri Restaurant Association Lydia Melton, owner of Günter Hans, a downtown Columbia Europeaninspired pub and café, has been named president of the Mid-Missouri Restaurant Association — a group representing restaurants and cafés in Columbia, Boone County, Jefferson City and the Lake of the Ozarks. As founder and CEO of Günter Hans, Melton is an entrepreneur who opened her first bar at the age of 24. Having studied abroad in Belgium, she returned to find that many of the beers and treats she loved sampling while in Europe were unavailable in the U.S. Worse, many people had never heard of these brands. Working with a local bank and Kickstarter, an online funding platform, Melton fundraised from the Columbia community to give support to her project. Serving with her on the restaurant association board of directors are James Gray, vice-president; Richard Walls, treasurer; and Terra Crane, secretary. MMRA is one of the Missouri Restaurant Association’s six chapters located throughout the state.

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OPENING BELL

N E WS BR I E FS

KRCG Launches Drone Program KRCG 13 announced the launch of aerial news gathering with an unmanned aircraft system. These unmanned aerial vehicles, more commonly known as drones, are becoming an important part of news gathering. A drone can fly places where helicopters and planes cannot, providing a distinct perspective. KRCG 13 has two FAA regulated and licensed drone pilots, who spent three days at the Virginia Tech campus, learning the ins and outs of safely operating a drone. Chief Photographer Riccardo Montgomery and Multimedia Journalist Garrett Bergquist are working to obtain their FAA certification.

American Outdoor Brands To Invest $55 Million Boone County has been chosen as the location of the national distribution facility for most of American Outdoor Brands’ products. The American Outdoor Brands Corporation is a provider of quality products for shooting, hunting, and rugged outdoor enthusiasts. Under the plans, the company would break ground on the new 500,000 sq. ft. facility in the next several months. The company is said to be considering 189 acres on Route Z, just north of Interstate 70, as the site of a new warehouse and distribution center. The company plans to invest $55 million with a goal of creating more than 300 jobs. It is expected to create 154 jobs in the first three years of operation. The company’s application for Chapter 100 Revenue Bonds, which involves a 50% tax break, was presented to the impacted taxing district representatives. The taxing districts voted unanimously to recommend the application. If all contingency requirements are met, construction for the new site will take approximately 18 months to complete.

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Fuzzy’s Taco Shop To Open Downtown It might be a little foreign to some who haven’t tried it, but baja-style tacos are one of Fuzzy’s Taco Shop’s specialties. At the end of the summer, Columbia residents will be able to try one of their own. Fuzzy’s will open its doors on Aug. 24 at 132 S. Ninth St. near Shakespeare’s Pizza. The restaurant must get Columbia City Council approval to serve alcohol since it is within 100 feet of two churches, the Missouri United Methodist Church and Calvary Episcopal Church.

The original Fuzzy’s Taco Shop opened in Fort Worth, Texas in 2003. Now there are more than 100 Fuzzy’s stores throughout the U.S.

Bank Of Missouri Earns Award For Top 10 Community Bank

Kliethermes Given Customer Service Honors

The Bank of Missouri recently received an award from the U.S. Small Business Administration for being the fourth largest community bank lender in the Eastern Missouri District, which spans from the Iowa to the Arkansas border.

The award is comprised from the dollar amount of approved loans in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2016. During this time The Bank of Missouri approved 50 loans, totaling $9,023,200. Twenty-seven of these loans, totaling $5.1 million were made in Boone County. Overall, The Bank of Missouri has approved 95 loans, worth more than $17 million dollars last year.

Kliethermes Homes & Remodeling has won Best of Customer Service 2017 on Houzz®, a platform for home remodeling and design. The family-owned residential remodeling company was chosen by more than 40 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than one million active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals. Awards are given annually in three categories: design, customer service and photography.

Customer service honors are based on several factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2016.

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OPENING BELL

The Ladder Report Look Who’s Moving Up In Business

Three employees at CROCKETT ENGINEERING and CROCKETT GEOTECHNICAL have passed the Professional Engineering Exam. JARED VERSLUES and ZACK CLARK, both in the structural engineering department, and SHANE STEINMAN, from the materials testing department, all passed their professional exams.

NAKEITA STEWART is the new director of corporate owned sales for the Midwest Territory for U.S. CELLULAR. She brings more than 11 years of sales, development and project management experience, most recently serving as a multi-channel area sales manager for AT&T. Stewart is relocating to Columbia from Atlanta, Ga. She earned a degree in psychology and business management and organization skills from Spelman College, and an Executive Masters in Business Administration degree from Kennesaw State University.

GINA GERVINO has been promoted to senior vice president with the COLUMBIA INSURANCE GROUP. She will also continue in her role as the company’s general counsel and secretary. Gervino has worked for the past eight years at the Columbia branch of the company.

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CHRISTINA LINK, CFP®, financial advisor at WELLS FARGO ADVISORS, has earned the certification of Certified Financial Planner professional or CFP ® professional as authorized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. Link has been a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors for two years and has nine years of experience in the brokerage industry. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Missouri.

CASEY WILSON has joined the business sales team at SOCKET. He will work with Socket’s business clients across the state to provide high-speed Internet, local telephone and other telecommunications services. Prior to joining Socket, Wilson worked as an automotive sales consultant for Corwin Automotive in Jefferson City. He also spent seven years as an account executive at Charter Media.

KATE BERRY has recently joined the team at ATKINS, INC. as the manager of Human Resources. She joined Atkins in April 2017.

BAILEY CALTON has joined CALEDON VIRTUAL digital marketing agency as an account executive to manage client relations. She comes to Caledon Virtual from Stoney

Creek Hotel and Conference Center, where she served as sales manager. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwest Missouri State University in December 2008, with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in business.

After college, Calton began her career working for a conference planning company, Custom Meeting Planners, where she planned and executed events.

PAT HOLMES has been named senior vice president of operations for FRESH IDEAS. At the company she has increased customer satisfaction and customer retention while increasing efficiencies for operators. As a registered dietitian, she plays a role in menu development, presents nutritional sessions, guides the company on allergen education and is a nutrition resource for operators and students. KRIS LENSMEYER has been named chief operating officer. She will drive the company’s sales, marketing, operations and innovative strategies.

During her career, she has worked in almost every position in dining services from the dish room to most recently vice president of business development. She has increased sales, expanded into new markets, created new dining program concepts and was instrumental in the new FreshX mobile payment technology.

SHANE O’NEIL and PAUL ROBERTS have been promoted to the role of retail banking officer and branch manager at COMMERCE BANK, central Missouri

U P & CO M I NG

region. O’Neil will manage both the main bank location and the 5th & Broadway branch. He has seven years of banking experience and, prior to his promotion, was assistant branch manager at Commerce’s Rock Bridge location. Roberts will serve as branch manager for Commerce’s branch located in Hy-Vee on West Broadway.

He joined Commerce in 2009 and has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Missouri.

DAVE ROBERTS has been selected as the new dean for Student Affairs for COLUMBIA COLLEGE following a national search.

He had been serving as interim dean for Student Affairs since January. Roberts joined the college in 2011 to work as assistant dean of Student Affairs, then was promoted to associate dean in 2014.

He will serve as the chief student conduct officer for Columbia College students at main campus, the nationwide locations and in online education.

JASON BRADSHAW has been recognized in the National Beer Wholesalers Association(NBWA) Employee Spotlight Program. Now an on-premise sales representative, Bradshaw has worked for N.H. SCHEPPERS DISTRIBUTING CO. for eight years, having started in the warehouse and as a relief driver. The spotlight program highlights standout beer distribution employees and showcases their achievements.

Share your business news with Inside Columbia’s CEO. Email the editor at CEOeditor@insidecolumbia.net.

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DIVIDENDS

SH OPPI N G

Working In Style

Add a little fun and style to the workplace and watch your productivity grow. These items from Columbia retailers can help you look like a CEO.

Daniel Wellington watches

These watches come in different band and face colors to suit every man’s style, available at Binghams ($229 - $249)

Moonshine Gentleman's Cologne

This cologne is handcrafted in Texas and smells wonderful, available at Binghams ($80)

Peepers Eyewear

Show off your stylish readers in a variety of frames and colors, available at Calhouns ($19.95) 20

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Wurkin Wallet

The thin and stylish wallet has radio frequency identification protection for added security, available at Binghams ($75)

Retro 1951 Ballpoint Pens

These animal print pens will keep you smiling throughout the day and the company gives a potion of the proceeds to a rescue organization. Several styles available at Calhouns. ($25-$45)

Spartina 449 Bag and Planner

This market tote and 2017-18 weekly planner is perfect for the office, available at Calhouns ($67.50 tote; $29.50 planner)

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DIVIDENDS

DATA BAN K

Chamber Satisfaction Survey Recently the Columbia Chamber of Commerce conducted professional interactive voice response polling with voters in each of the city’s six wards, asking them about the direction of the city and infrastructure issues. The total number of completed surveys was 1,670 (+/- 3 percent).

ignored. A list of priorities would include addressing public safety issues, advocating for airport funding, reforming the city’s sign code ordinance and supporting affordable housing.

Below are the results of the polling.

According to the chamber, polling numbers indicate the Columbia City Council is focusing on issues that are not important to Columbia citizens. Matt McCormick, president of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, explains that many projects that are important to residents have been

6.76%: Yes

QUESTION: City Councilman Ian Thomas has proposed a “road diet” be applied to Forum Boulevard. In your opinion, should Columbia resident tax dollars be spent on decreasing the amount of road space available to drivers along Forum Boulevard by reducing the number of lanes from four to two and building additional bike lanes along this busy stretch of road?

QUESTION:

In your opinion, how important is it for the Columbia City Council to complete infrastructure projects that have been approved by voters?

Don’t know/undecided 21.97% No 71.27%

QUESTION: Generally speaking, do you feel things in the City of Columbia are going in the right direction, or have they gotten off on the wrong track?

2.67%: Very unimportant 6.56%: Don’t know/Undecided 7.47%: Don’t know/undecided

Strongly wrong track

3.73%:

Somewhat unimportant

Strongly right direction

29.6%

56.53%

Very important Somewhat wrong track

Somewhat important

15.93%

24.82%

15.69%

37.0%

Somewhat right direction 22

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ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT

Beth Maddox: Trading Paths – From MD To GC b y PAMEL A IN G R A M

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ph ot os b y LG PAT T E RSON

ad Beth Maddox followed her college career path, she’d be wearing a white lab coat with a stethoscope draped around her neck.

She’d probably be a resident physician at a local hospital preparing to become a boardcertified member of Columbia’s vast medical community. Her name would be embroidered across the pocket of her lab coat: “Beth Maddox, MD.” Instead, she wears a leather tool belt and muddy work boots to work everyday. Beth Maddox, general contractor and owner of Laurmar Consulting, broke through what some may call the “concrete ceiling” in the construction industry.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, of the nearly 10 million people employed in the nation’s construction industry, fewer than 10% are women, and only a few of those are general contractors or business owners. According to the website constructionlabor.com, recovery and growth following the 2008 economic slump has created a double-digit demand for construction workers and construction managers, and many colleges and universities are offering degree programs in construction management, construction engineering and construction administration, exposing more women than ever before to the construction industry.

Maddox’s rather circuitous journey into the construction business began at college, but not in the classroom. After earning a degree in marketing from Missouri State University in Springfield, Mo., she set her sights on medical school and to prepare, enrolled at the University of Missouri – Columbia to pursue a degree in biochemistry.

“I didn’t just want to go back to get the prerequisites for getting into medical school,” she explains. “I wanted to go ahead and get my degree in case I decided not to go to medical school.

It was just something I wanted to do because I wasn’t loving the marketing field.”

Her plan to become a physician, however, took a sharp turn during her senior year at MU when her sorority, Sigma Sigma Sigma (Tri Sigma) asked her to consider founding the non-profit corporation that would manage the sorority when it moved onto campus. Every Greek house is managed by a separate non-profit corporation and in 2011, Maddox founded and became CEO of the Eta Chi House Non-profit Corporation, the organization that would manage everything from food service and maintenance to contract negotiations. Later, she was asked to work alongside the project manager who supervised the building of the Tri Sigma house.

“I spent my entire senior year finishing up my biochemistry degree while also overseeing the entire construction project with the project manager,” she says. Initially, she thought work for her 24

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Beth Maddox and her father, Kirby Maddox, and her brother Jack Maddox. Beth grew up on construction sites with her father.

sorority project would only take a couple of hours a week but, in reality, it took a lot more time than that. So much more time that when she “adopted” a brick to place on the front of the sorority house, she had it etched with the words, “Blood, Sweat and Tears.” What began as a hobby reignited a long-dormant passion for construction.

“I just loved it and found myself asking, ‘Why can’t I just do this instead of medicine?’” This sudden change in direction was actually more of a return to her first love than wandering into a brand-new career.

Maddox began spending time on construction sites with her father shortly after her mother died when she was five years old. Her father, then a single dad, began taking her and her sister to work with him in the evenings.

“When I was remodeling a doctor’s office and had to work at night, I’d go in at eight and the girls would color on sheet rock while I worked and I’d make a pallet on the floor for them to sleep on,” explains Kirby Maddox, owner of RKM Corporation, a residential and commercial construction company.

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During those nights on the job with her dad, Maddox fell in love with building. She started holding boards in place for him to nail when she was just a little girl, and he’s been mentoring her ever since. “I just love bouncing ideas off of him. If I think something does not look correct, I’ll just run it by him,” she says of her “perfectionist” dad.

“I love being challenged and learning new things. It helps me become a better builder,” Maddox explains. So much better that she sometimes helped her dad with his projects. “I recently asked my dad, ‘What do you need me to do while you’re gone?’ so he wouldn’t be stressing while he’s on vacation. I’ll be puttying nail holes in the trim and doing some painting so his project will stay on schedule,” she says. “And, I can call on him when I need help.”

Maddox’s first project came after completing her biochemistry degree when her father handed her a project that he simply couldn’t fit into his schedule.

And she did a total gut of a commercial building that she “took completely down to its shell.” She did a lot of the work herself under her father’s supervision.

She recently completed a 5,800 square foot custom home with a twostory garage that sits on 13 acres just east of Columbia. Lyndell and Sharon Scoles asked Maddox to build their house because they knew she’d been trained by her dad, an expert builder, and could defer to him if she had questions along the way. All those years of dad’s mentoring obviously paid off.

“She’s a lot like her father, a perfectionist, and very keen to details so we knew it would be done right,” Sharon boasts. “I think every builder should have a lady that works with them because a woman has a different perspective than a man does when it comes to design and the practical use of things. As the woman of the house, I could relate to her and there was never any such thing as a stupid question,” she adds. “She’d go the extra mile and go beyond what the standard is.

She probably used more Ribar than the average builder and tied it more than the average person because she wants it to be right,” remarks Sharon.

But Beth Maddox is no average builder and no average person. She’s the biochemist who signs her name “Beth Maddox, GC.”

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Provided Photo

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TEAM BUILDING Boost Morale And The Bottom Line

BY JACK WAX

he team's the thing. Although nothing can replace excellent management skills and a respectful work environment, more and more companies are getting their employees out of the office and into team building experiences. Their aim is to create strong teams, composed of people who trust each other and who enjoy working together.

But before deciding where to go for team building experiences, there's an image problem managers need to overcome. The notion of spending a day away from the office might seem extravagant or even a waste of time. Kelsey Kupferer, coordinator of the University of Missouri's Venture Out outdoor team building center, knows otherwise.

“A lot of people think team building is hokey, and I get it – everybody is underpaid and overworked, and we only have so many hours in a week. We all have a thousand emails in our inboxes and we all want to get home to our families,” Kupferer says.

“Here at the university, we are constantly using internal and external feedback to research how we can make the Venture Out experience something that has a lasting impact where people leave with tools they can use to work better with their teammates the rest of the year.”

Team-building exercises come in a variety of sizes and styles. At Venture Out, the experience might include climbing a 60foot tower. It could mean baking a cake with coworkers at Back 2 Basics Cooking; being part of a team that tries to figure out an antidote that prevents people from turning into zombies at Columbia's Escape Plan; or making a wooden project and sharing a drink at the Confetti Company.

Can an afternoon away from the office really make a difference? Improving communication between people is always good practice. The same goes for increasing empathy and understanding. “The research is really clear that if you are the type of company or boss that really invests in your employees by taking time to get out of the office, to have alternative experiences where your group can get together in a fun, safe environment and have conversations about what can be done to make your workplace better, those companies have happier and more productive employees,” Kupferer says.

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Provided Photo

Venture Out offers team building activities on the ground or 45 feet above the ground.

Venture Out, University of Missouri – Columbia At first glance, the Venture Out high ropes course looks like a giant Lincoln Log playground or a boot camp obstacle course. Just five minutes from the university campus, several raw timber towers, linked together with steel cables, rise more than 45 feet above the grass.

This combination of wire and wood is known as the Odyssey High Ropes Course. Another set of logs, dubbed the Alpine Climbing Tower, stands by itself, featuring a platform 60 feet off the ground. Intimidated? Don't be: Plenty of people participate in the university's team building activities while keeping both feet on the ground, at all times.

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Venture Out staff can guide groups through more than 100 team-building exercises on the firm ground beneath the towers. “A lot of people do our Team Challenge Course, which is all on-theground challenges. Others combine it with a high ropes course for just those people who want to. Some people will look at our high ropes course and say, 'yes, can't wait, sign me up for that,' or they'll say 'absolutely not. I'm not going to do that,'” says Kupferer, Venture Out coordinator.

A major misconception people have about Venture Out is that its team building activities are designed for athletes or daredevils who like scaling 60-foot towers. It's actually more of an outdoors playground and educational center where thoroughly trained staff

help companies and organizations – and their employees – reach personal and organizational goals while having a good time.

Team building exercises are customized to the needs and goals of the organization and the people that comprise it. Of course, safety is the first priority. Any time participants are in the air, they are safeguarded by either being on belay or secured at the end of a rope to keep them from falling.

“On the Alpine Tower, participants work together to set and accomplish individual goals. The Odyssey Course is our newest and most popular course. It's a team building obstacle course where participants have to physically use each other in order to traverse four horizontal challenges. And then they zipline to the ground,” Kupferer says.

Back 2 Basics Cooking The routine of daily office life can make for stale interactions between employees.

But at Back 2 Basics Cooking, those relationships can be nourished and freshened up.

Cooking together is an activity that can break barriers down while building up rapport and morale. Ashley Nichols, owner of Back 2 Basics Cooking at 2011 Corona Road, in south Columbia, is part cook, part social coordinator. “My goal is to have people get to know each other better outside the office, have a good time, and eat something healthy,” she said.

Her commercial kitchen has room for groups of up to 14. The change in environment – from office setting to commercial kitchen – sets the stage for new experiences. “For most people, it's the first chance they've had to experience a commercial kitchen,” Nichols says.

The kitchen is a gleaming collection of stainless steel appliances and counter tops, all of it super-sized for commercial production. It includes a couple ovens, a gas stove, refrigerators and enough pots, pans and assorted other whisks, bowls and buckets to produce a gourmet feast.

Nichols provides team building experiences, a heavy dose of fun, and a healthy meal.

Clients create a customized menu, then work together to prepare a meal. “While we're waiting for the food to cook, we do activities to help them get to know each other better,” she says.

Not only is the food selection customized, but so are the experiences and the client's goals. Sometimes the activities include blindfolding one person and letting a partner be that person's eyes. (Of course, hot items and sharp utensils are kept out of reach.) Other times, it might mean playing ice-breaking games, such as listing favorite places to visit, or foods or activities. The idea is that people learn things about each other that they might not have a chance to talk about at work, or that people who work remotely have a time to get to know their long-distance teammates.

“My goal is to have people learn something about someone they didn't know, even after 15 years of working together,” Nichols says.

Sessions last about three hours, which includes meal preparation and time to enjoy the healthy food the group creates. For more information, see www.back2basicscooking.net or call (573)268-2248.

About 150 groups each year take part in team building activities at Venture Out. These groups range from eight to 200 people each. Depending on the activities they choose, groups spend anywhere from an hour to a full day at the site.

Throughout their experience, a facilitator debriefs the groups after they complete every challenge.

“Our goal is that everyone who goes through a Venture Out program learns something they can use back at their office, in their organization. We'll present your group with a challenge, you'll work through it together, and the things you learn will help your team work better together all year,” says Kupferer.

For more information, or to request a quote, go to https://ventureout.missouri.edu/.

Photo by LG Patterson Ashley Nichols helps clients with team building experiences while the food they prepared is cooking.

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Confetti Craft Company If Confetti Craft Co. had a tag line, it would be Crafts with a Twist. And that twist would be lemon or any of the other ingredients that go into their alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks. Or that twist could be a twist of fun.

Everything about Confetti Craft Co. is bright, colorful and inviting. Its space at 1200 E. Broadway is as well designed as its array of craft projects that participants can complete. With its spacious white walls, its naturally lit storefront and wooden tool boxes at each of the work table, the space seems designed for fun and light conversation. A stocked bar, with traditional countertop and bar stools is located along one wall, not far from a display of the 21 DIY projects that can be made on site.

Michelle Nickerson, owner of the company, which has been open since December, wants to provide a place for friends, colleagues, families or dates to work on projects and have a good time.

Making the setting even more congenial, she offers a line of her original cocktails and a selection of wines and beers.

What's not to like about the concept?

Several local companies have already discovered Confetti Craft Co., Nickerson says. Groups come to break out of the rut of office work and give employees a chance to relax and enjoy themselves.

There's some team building going on, but mostly, there's a lot of fun and people getting to know each other better while they work on projects.

“DIY has exploded right now. Our goal is to combine giving people something to do and be creative,” says Nickerson.

Nickerson's 21 project kits come complete with all needed supplies, required tools and instructions.

Her project menu includes several woodworking projects, jewelry making, pillows, wall hangings and a leather passport holder. For dog lovers, there's even a handmade leash project.

Nickerson has room for up to 68 participants at a time. Typical groups range from six to 12 people, she says, and last two to three hours.

For more information, go to www. confetticraftco.com or call (573)424-3624 32

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Photo by LG Patterson Michelle Nickerson gives employees a chance to work on a craft while enjoying a cocktail or non-alcoholic drink.

Escape Plan, 314 Nebraska Ave. Getting out of the locked rooms at Escape Plan doesn't take a Houdini.

It takes a lot of creative thinking and an equal amount of teamwork. “Think Sherlock Holmes, not something scary, like the movie Saw,” says Lauren Davis, Escape Plan's owner.

The plain white building that houses her company's operation on Nebraska Avenue is staged for three different games – Harley's Ride, Meat Locker and Double Agent. The idea behind Escape Plan is more complex than merely finding a hidden key. Four to eight people are locked into a room together and they have an hour to figure their way out. The catch? Each room is an ingenious puzzle, that can be solved only a piece at a time.

Clues are periodically provided over a computer monitor attached to the wall.

In Harley's Ride, the main room is set up like a grungy biker's bar. A deck of cards and a can of beer are on the counter, the walls are decorated with biker gang flags and bandana hats. An adjoining section of the biker's bar setting is designed as a motorcycle garage, with tools scattered on the floor, a set of old tires in one corner and walls decorated with license plates.

In Double Agent, the team works in a spy's study, set up like an ordinary office

with bookcases and other sitting room props. In Meat Locker, the setting is a hospital room, with a zombie's body on the floor. A virus is killing people, turning them into zombies, and the team has to find the vaccine that can save them from a horrible fate.

For corporate users, managers are strongly encouraged to come on-site with their teams and to monitor their interactions from the control room.

Davis sits with each manager and shares her own observations, based on having seen many different groups work either successfully or stressfully together.

Sometimes, managers don't care to observe, instead sending their groups over for team bonding.

Either way, it's an engaging and fun experience for participants. So far, the success rate for solving the puzzles is about 20 percent, Davis says. But the experience isn't all work. The lobby is set up as a reception area, where teams can start off with a catered meal or local beers and wines.

Participants may come reluctantly, unsure of what to expect, but they leave enthusiastic. “A lot of times teams aren't initially excited. They're here because a manager scheduled them. But the second they get in the room, they get pumped.

It's not childish. It was made by adults for adults,” Davis says.

For more information, go to moescaperooms.com or call (573)489-2890

OTHER TEAM BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES Eco Zipline Tours, New Florence About an hour drive from Columbia, Eco Zipline Tours offers a variety of experiences, and all of them provide a bird's-eye view of Missouri woodlands, seen while zooming along a zipline.

Different tours take riders anywhere from 1,000 feet to a mile through the air and up to 225 feet above ground. For some of the tours, riders zip together in a group. http://ecoziplinetours.com/index.php or call (314)456-1444 Cardinals Baseball For sports lovers, a trip to the ballgame is a sure-fired morale booster, as well as a way for a group to have a bit of a bonding experience.

Discounts for some selected games amount to 50 percent for groups of 20 or more. On Friday and Saturday games, the discount goes down to only 10 percent.

For more information: http://m.mlb.com/stl/tickets/ group/small Mizzou Baseball Going to a Tigers baseball game is a lot easier and less time-consuming and expensive than going to a Cardinals' game. Tickets for the Tigers are an affordable $5. http://www.mutigers.com/

Logboat Brewing Company, 504 Fay St. Few employees wouldn't enjoy spending an afternoon or evening sampling beers and snacking at a picnic table on the lawn at Logboat Brewing Co. In addition to the local beers and pleasant surrounding, there's always a chance to play a few games of cornhole, a cross between beanbag toss and horseshoes. Regardless of who wins, tossing the beanbags into the holes is a team sport everyone can enjoy. http://www.logboatbrewing.com/ or call (573)397-6786 The Canvas On Broadway, 706 Broadway Groups that sign up for The Canvas can expect to enjoy a drink, an art lesson and the satisfaction of having learned to paint a pleasing picture. Up to 50 people can take part in the experience at the same time. www.thecanvasonbroadway.com or call (573)443-2222 Lazer Lanes, 3412 Grindstone Parkway The main attraction here are the 12 high-tech bowling lanes, featuring pins that glow beneath florescent lighting, strings of flashing lights and immense TV screens at the end of the alley. For those who want to try out laser tag, a 3,500-foot arena can accommodate up to 20 people, who target each other in a dimly lit room. There's a large arcade area with pinballs of all sorts, and a bumper car zone that might help employees release a little aggression. http://www.lazerlanes.com/ or call (573)447-6021

Photo by LG Patterson In the Escape Plan, owned by Lauren Davis, participants have one hour to figure their way out of a room through a series of puzzles.

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THE READING LIST

Five Business Books To Read This Summer

Women Who Work: Rewriting The Rules For Success

by Ivanka Trump (Portfolio)

by Sam Walker (Random House)

After appearing on The Apprentice and receiving a flood of letters from young women asking for guidance, Trump realized the need for more female leaders to speak out in order to change the way society thinks about “women who work.” This book will equip readers with the best skills she has learned on subjects such as identifying opportunities, shifting careers smoothly, negotiating, leading teams, starting companies, managing work and family, and helping change the system to make it better for women. A portion of Trump’s book proceeds will be donated to charities ocused on women and girls.

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The Captain Class: The Hidden Force That Creates The World’s Greatest Teams

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The founding editor of The Wall Street Journal’s sports section profiles the greatest teams in history and identifies the leadership qualities of the unconventional men and women who drove them to succeed.

As the author dug into the greatest teams of all time, a pattern emerged: Each team had the same type of captain – a singular leader with an unconventional skill set who drove it to achieve sustained, historic greatness. Walker identifies the seven core qualities of this Captain Class. This book presents a fresh take on leadership that can be applied to a wide spectrum of competitive disciplines.

SUMMER 2017

Iron Ambition: My Life Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By And Get With Cus D’Amato Your Financial Life

by Mike Tyson and Together Larry Sloman (Blue Rider Press)

From the former heavyweight champion and New York Timesbestselling memoirist comes an intimate look at the life and leadership lessons of Cus D’Amato, the legendary boxing trainer and Mike Tyson’s surrogate father. When D’Amato first saw 13-year-old Tyson spar in the ring, he said, “That’s the heavyweight champion of the world.” D’Amato would go on to train the young Tyson and raise him as a son. In this book, Tyson elaborates on the life lessons that D’Amato passed to him, and reflects on how the trainer’s words of wisdom continue to resonate with him outside the ring.

by Erin Lowry (Tarcherperigee)

If you’re a cashstrapped 20- or 30-something, it’s easy to get freaked out by finances. But you’re not doomed to spend your life drowning in debt or mystified by money. It’s time to stop scraping by and take control of your money and your life with this savvy and smart guide. Financial expert Erin Lowry goes beyond the basics to tackle tricky money matters and situations most people face.

Packed with refreshingly simple advice and hilarious true stories, Broke Millennial is the essential roadmap every financially clueless millennial needs to become a money master.

The End Of Loyalty: The Rise And Fall Of Good Jobs In America

by Rick Wartzman (Public Affairs)

In this eye-opening book, Wartzman chronicles the erosion of the relationship between American companies and their workers. Through the stories of four major employers – General Motors, General Electric, Kodak and Coca-Cola – he shows how big businesses once took responsibility for providing their workers with an array of social benefits. In post-World War II, these companies also believed that worker pay needed to be kept high in order to preserve morale. By tracing the ups and downs of these four icons over 70 years, he illustrates just how much has been lost.

This is a biography of the American Dream gone sideways.

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MARKET OUTLOOK

b y STACY BUTTON

COU Reaches New Heights

The Turnaround of Air Service and Infastructure During the Past 10 Years

In 2007, passenger numbers at Columbia Regional Airport sank to record lows. Today the design for a new runway and teminal are moving forward.

D

ecember 31, 2007 - (Columbia Mo) Columbia Regional Airport - CLOSED. As a result of continued declines in passenger numbers and the inability to secure a reliable air service provider, the City of Columbia will close Columbia Regional Airport effective immediately.

This was a headline and story that almost was. At the height of the recession and with air travel still in the doldrums after 9/11, passenger numbers at COU sank to record lows in 2007. A little over 9,000 passengers boarded flights at Columbia Regional (COU) and the airport was without an air service provider for several months. When air service was available, it was so unreliable that travelers refused to take the chance

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their flight would actually occur and instead went elsewhere. City leaders had to ask the hard question: should we continue or simply close the doors, turn out the lights and concede that St. Louis and Kansas City are the only options for air travel?

Today, we know COU did not close its doors. We are fortunate that city leaders and staff had the belief and conviction that COU could be a viable economic driver for Columbia and mid-Missouri.

Instead of closing the airport, an idea was hatched to take a hard look at what was ailing COU. The city, with a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), entered into a contract with RS&H Inc. to develop an ambitious updated 10-year master plan to improve the infrastructure at COU with the hopes air service and passengers would return.

The final report in 2006 from RS&H Inc. indicated, in short, the runways, taxiways and buildings were all in need of significant repairs, upgrades or replacement. Specifically, the primary taxiway, the entire crosswind runway, portions of the primary runway and much of the apron were in need of complete reconstruction. The terminal, designed in 1963, did not meet many ADA requirements, modern TSA screening had consumed a large portion of the original lobby, and passenger boarding area and a temporary mobile home attached to the terminal in 1974 was not a sustainable secured passenger holding room. The estimated costs to complete the projects identified on the 2009 master plan were in excess of $65 million. Would the investment of millions of federal and local funds turn things around?

Promotional Content

Inside Columbia’s CEO

Executive

Spotlight

DAV ID C O IL

EXECUT IV E V IC E PRES IDENT C O IL C O NS T RUC T IO N What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love learning about other businesses in the community. Understanding what makes my clients’ business successful allows me to maximize the value of their facility.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

I can remember wanting to be a park ranger in the 5th grade because I loved being outdoors and I thought having the title ‘ranger’ would be cool.

What advice would you give to someone just getting started in their career?

Find time to think. Neither professional nor personal growth can take place if you don’t take the time to reflect on your successes and failures.

What would you say has been a defining moment in your career?

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Welcome Home, Inc.’s Emergency Shelter for Veterans. This was a great community project that I had invested a lot of my personal time in. By helping get this project off the ground, I believe I demonstrated the leadership abilities needed to take Coil Construction into the next generation.

What’s the best thing about working for your company?

Our company is filled with great people. They are hard working, intelligent and genuine. Everyone has something different to offer and teach the group.

Because of the quality of our personnel, we can all afford our own autonomy and job satisfaction in the workplace.

Coil Construction

209 East Broadway 573-874-1444 • www.coilconstruction.com

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The Airport Crash Rescue Truck was funded in 2015.

In 2016, voters agreed to temporarily raise the lodging tax by 1 percent to fund the teminal project.

With a plan in place, city leaders, staff, airport management and the FAA embarked on a journey to prioritize and fund the infrastructure projects outlined in the report while also working to secure reliable air service to major hub airports.

What a difference 10 years and a well thought out plan makes.

Infrastructure projects began to take shape. In 2010, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) moved forward with a project off airport property that allows airport users to have safer access to the airport when they constructed the US 63 and Route H overpass.

SINCE 2010, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FAA, THESE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AT COU: 2012 - new perimeter security fence 2014 - Runway 13-31, the crosswind runway and taxiway went into design 2015 - Realignment and construction of Rangeline Road to accommodate the runway 13-31 project 2015 - The Airport Crash Rescue Truck replacement was funded 2015 - The State of Missouri appropriated funds for the Terminal Area Master Plan 2016 - Construction of runway 1331 and Taxiway B began with expected 38

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Runway construction is expected to be completed later this year.

completion in the fall of 2017 2017 - the design work to realign State Route H to accommodate the future extension of the primary runway, 2-20, began.

THESE PROJECTS ARE MOVING FORWARD: 2019 - The design for the extension of the primary runway, 2-20, will begin 2017 - The design for the new terminal is scheduled to begin 2020 - The construction of the extension of the primary runway and Taxiway A is scheduled 2024 - Master plan update is scheduled to begin.

These projects combined invest more than $40 million in vital new infrastructure at COU. It is important to remember that the future projects are subject to approval by the FAA and are dependent on FAA funding.

The city has a great partnership with the FAA and believes these projects will move forward as scheduled.

In tandem with the infrastructure projects, a focus on securing reliable air service began. Dusting off a 2006 Passenger Demand Analysis, the community and consultants began to look at how to stop the revolving door of air service providers

at COU and secure at least one reliable air carrier. In August of 2008, Northwest Airlines began daily air service to Memphis through an Essential Air Service (ESA) agreement with the FAA. A small step in the right direction, but not quite where air travelers had hoped to go and EAS can often be difficult to sustain. Patience was rewarded when Northwest merged with Delta in December of 2008 and daily jet service to Atlanta began in the spring of 2009. Direct daily flights to a major hub gave hope that air service would continue to improve. A few years later in 2012, Frontier Airlines announced it would begin weekly service from COU to Orlando, a popular tourist destination.

Mimicking a similar plan, first used at Manhattan, Kan., to entice air service for their community, COU’s air service was greatly enhanced when city leaders, local businesses, the University of Missouri, Boone County and others created a twoyear, $3 million revenue guarantee fund to entice airlines to provide additional flights and destinations to and from COU. American Airlines soon announced twicedaily jet service between COU and Dallas - Fort Worth, along with once-daily jet service to Chicago O’Hare on Feb.14, 2013.

The question was whether the revenue

guarantee would be successful or would the investment be a bust and would air service at COU soon be back on life support?

Of course we know today that the community investment has paid dividends, literally. American has been a staple now at COU for four years, adding a second-daily flight to Chicago O’Hare as well as retiring their fleet of 50 passenger jets and replacing them with 65 and 75 passenger jets on both routes to meet increased demand. An additional announcement was made of new 175s becoming part of their fleet at COU with a roomier cabin for greater passenger comfort come August. And, the revenue guarantee funds were returned in 2015 to all of the investors with interest!

It is said that success follows success.

In March, United Airlines announced they would provide daily jet service from COU to Denver International Airport as well as twice-daily jet service from COU to Chicago O’Hare beginning on Aug.1.

Additional daily flights to a major hub and service to a new destination has been met with great enthusiasm. Denver has long been on the list of requested destinations by mid-Missouri travellers.

With both American and United providing service at COU, air travellers

now have more options, with 14 flights arriving and departing COU daily starting on Aug. 1. And who knows what the success of two major airlines operating at COU will bring in the future?

As record numbers of passengers flow through COU, the aging terminal soon came into focus. The firm of ParsonsBrinkerhoff was hired with monies from a grant through the Missouri Department of Transportation Aviation Division to determine the future terminal needs. The report is expected to be complete by the end of June and in the hands of FAA for review and comment. However, enough work has been completed to date to clearly show the need for a terminal expansion.

With this information, the Columbia City Council placed a ballot issue before voters in August of 2016 to temporarily increase the hotel-motel gross receipts lodging tax by 1 percent for up to 23 years to raise $10 million towards the terminal project, which is estimated to cost between $38-40 million. Voters handily approved the temporary increase and hotels-motels began collecting the monies on Jan. 1.

Local elected representatives in the House and Senate at both the state and federal level are avid supporters

of Columbia Regional Airport and the terminal project. City officials are pleased to recently learn that pending the Governor's signature on the 2018 state budget, an allocation of $2.5 million was approved to help fund COU’s terminal project.

The city continues to meet and discuss airport terminal needs with partners at the FAA. It is hoped that the FAA will utilize discretionary monies to fund up to $20 million of the airport terminal project. So far, this partnership looks promising.

In about a year, Columbia Regional Airport will celebrate its 50th birthday.

Although there have been some rough times since 2007 at COU, it is on a positive trajectory. The next 50 years look very promising, thanks to an engaged community and the support of local, state and federal leaders who understand that safe, reliable air service and modern terminal facilities are an economic engine for Columbia, Jefferson City and all of mid-Missouri.

Stacy Button is Columbia's director of economic development

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Keeping The Pipeline Full

The steady work of Columbia’s commercial construction, design and real estate industries

by

REBECCA FRENCH SMITH

photos by

LG PATTERSON

armer weather is conducive to the construction of new buildings, roads and infrastructure, and the stakeholders coming together for the summer CEO roundtable at the Broadway Hotel are the designers, builders and growers of the Columbia community.

Inside Columbia Publisher Fred Parry welcomes the group to the luncheon that features Broadway Hotel’s Chef de Cuisine Ben Randolph’s take on the lighter brighter flavors of scallop ceviche with avocado and Fresno hot sauce to start; a roasted strip loin with steamed asparagus and scalloped potatoes and a simple pound cake, fresh strawberries, sweetened crème fraîche and rhubarb jam to finish.

Prior to the meeting, a survey of those in attendance revealed common optimism and concern. The majority shared the view that improved economic conditions would have the most positive impact on the industry, while a majority also agreed governmental regulations could have the greatest negative impact. Despite their generally positive outlook on their industry, the reality the new planning and zoning codes have brought to the market temper much of the conversation.

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CEO Moderator Fred Parry engages architects, builders and real estate professionals during a recent luncheon at The Broadway hotel.

THE INTRODUCTION OF THE UDC As the architects, builders and real estate professionals settle in, Plaza Commercial Realty Owner Paul Land puts their shared market outlook in order.

“The market’s very good. Activity is up.

Inventory is down,” Land states simply, but he is quick to note, “we’re going to have to see some speculative development because the inventory is pretty tight.”

While business seems to be good right now, he raises concern about new city zoning ordinances.

“We don’t have experience with it yet,” Land continues. With some 60 years of experience with the old code, 40 days into the new code comes with a steep learning

curve. Land is referring to the Unified Development Code (UDC), which was adopted by the Columbia City Council in March and sets new comprehensive zoning and development codes for the city — something that had not been done to this scale since the 1950s.

John States, a partner at Little Dixie Construction, refers back to Land’s mention of speculative market needs and the code’s possible negative influence.

“The problem is the cost of doing a speculative building in Columbia, Missouri. That’s why you don’t see any right now. With the new UDC, there are so many restrictions before you can even break ground or even think about

John States (left) and Randy Coil 42

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developing a set of plans, that you stop as soon as you start putting a pencil to it.”

Certainly, the architects present admit they haven’t had much exposure yet. Bill Oswald, architect and principal at Simon Oswald Architecture, and architect Stuart Scroggs agree it will be different.

From a realty perspective, Land says, “it’s going to introduce more cost at the front end because those of us that had experience with the old code could make certain assumptions, and we’re going to have to engage the architect or the engineer earlier in the process, which is a cost. It could end up no project, and the cost is sunk.”

Cost aside, he says, some of the appeals for use no longer go before the Board of Adjustment, but before the Planning and Zoning Commission, which can add two to three months onto the process and brings in a political element rather than the appeal being a business decision.

INDUSTRY STABILITY AND UNCERTAINTY The general state of the industry is promising, though, says Reinhardt Construction President Jerry Daugherty.

Their slate is full at the moment, given the size of their team and their contracted projects. Reinhardt is in the last phase of a project at the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and is beginning a major renovation at Kappa Kappa Gamma.

Indeed, while the individuals around the table and the companies they

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represent have workloads underway that keep them busy, Coil Construction President Randy Coil says the industry is still recovering from the economic downturn almost a decade ago.

“Our industry lags behind the general economy maybe a year or so before we really start feeling things, but it also doesn’t go down hill,” Coil says. “We have things in the pipeline even as the economy goes down for at least a little while. We were still recovering in 2012, and the numbers were starting to go up pretty dramatically. Now, nationally, it looks like we’re trending more level or slow … It was very robust in the last couple of years, actually terrific, but nationally, the numbers are starting to slow.”

Emery Sapp and Sons President Billy Sapp describes their current outlook as “robust.” Emery Sapp and Sons just completed a million-square-foot project for Amazon in Kansas City. Three large commercial jobs in Columbia are underway, and more coming. He is also optimistic about the housing market.

“The housing market is phenomenal at the moment” Sapp says. Houses are selling, and there is a shortage of lots. It’s hard to explain why, he says, but ventures that several factors could contribute: medical access, the University of Missouri, retirement appeal.

With that, Scroggs tempers the enthusiasm. “I don’t want to be gloom and doom,” he says, “but everybody at this table knows that our industry is cyclical, and we’re way up here.” His hand juts up above his head.

Coil agrees there is much uncertainty caused by several variables.

“We don’t know the effect yet of political aspects,” Coil says. “We don’t know yet where our taxes are going to be. We don’t know yet where all the deregulation is going to come from with the EPA and other things. We’re not sure

The CEO Roundtable panel finds a lot to laugh and commiserate about at their recent luncheon.

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The Delta Gamma sorority house. Construction is ongoing in Greek town this summer.

how that’s going to affect us. Hopefully very positively, but that’s not built in to any of the models from most of the forecasters.”

LABOR ISSUES Uncertainty carries over into skilled labor issues for some in the group.

“We’re fortunate we have a long history with a lot of our workforce. They’ve been with us a long time,” States says. Finding new workers in the area is challenging.

Wages are becoming a moving target.

“Our state legislature is going to cause

RANDY COIL Coil Construction

"Our industry lags behind the general economy"

us problems moving forward because they are actively trying to lower the denominator of wages for construction workers,” says Huebert Builders President Wayne Huebert. “That will have a negative effect as we move forward.

“Whether you’re a proponent of prevailing wage or not, it’s irrelevant to another issue and that is that we need to have a workforce that is making a living wage and getting paid decently,” he adds.

The group, however, felt workforce issues also arise from the appeal of construction work to the generation currently in the educational system.

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“It’s construction, in general,” Sapp says. “Nowadays, the kids go to college and they want to sit at a desk and work on a computer and manage a billiondollar trust fund.” Blue-collar workers are elusive. While there are tech schools that serve the industry, he says, they have entertained the idea of starting a tech school of their own on multiple occasions, just never pulled the trigger.

Huebert mentions the Columbia Area Career Center and the tech-savvy, food-service orientation of some of its coursework, and a desire for more construction-based curriculum and student interest.

DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIPS The conversation turns back to city regulations and relationships with the UDC as the overarching issue.

“The Unified Ordinance is over 400 pages long.” Huebert says. “I was trying to read it before the vote was taken and the page count was literally changing less than 48 hours before the vote was taken, maybe 72 hours. … I couldn’t get it read before the vote.”

“One of the supposed benefits of the new code is that we will get away from planned districts.” Land says. “It’s going to be interesting to see if that really happens, or if somebody who has a planned district will go in and try to get it rezoned.”

Mel Zelenak, broker-salesperson at Maly Commercial Realty, brings up Addison’s South as an example of a planned district. It was zoned C-P, planned commercial. When Addison’s bought that site, they had the assumption based on its zoning that a restaurant was permitted, he says. With a planned district, city council has the opportunity to comment on your plan. Addison’s ended up not getting approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission; however, after outreach to the surrounding residential community and adjustments to the plan were made, the council approved the plan. The process allows for more project delays and hinderances.

Developers are also timid about submitting subdivision projects because of the uncertainty of possible issues. Sapp has one in progress that he has one word for: scary.

States reinforces the point. “There’s not going to be any because people are going to say, ‘There’s not a chance we’re going to submit anything right now until something gets worked out.’”

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Above: Stuart Scroggs (left) and Tony Grove; Bottom: Jerry Daugherty

PAUL LAND

Plaza Commercial Realty

“One of the supposed benefits of the new code is that we will get away from planned districts.”

WATER, SEWER, ELECTRIC, OH MY Before the group gets too far down the path on zoning, infrastructure comes up.

With two new major employers coming to Columbia next year and the growth of downtown, the debate of its adequacy is timely.

In terms of power, Coil says, some things are in the works, but sewer is going to be the key.

After four years since the 2013 sewer bond passed, the city council voted in May to approve the Henderson Branch sewer project. Delays were a result of higher than anticipated project costs,

The new U Centre on Turner apartments, located on Providence Road.

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more than double the initial estimate of $2 million. Coil says it should have been in progress, but ultimately, it will expand Columbia’s west side for residential and commercial development.

Grove Construction General Contracting Owner Tony Grove, who sits on the Mayor’s Task Force on Infrastructure, says the task force faces difficult challenges without answers always being forthcoming. But, he agrees, sewer is, without a doubt, the largest problem.

Finding ways to make it economically viable can be done, Grove adds. “There are sins from the past that we’ve got to pay for, but we’ve got to move forward.”

Finding solutions won’t be easy, but Sapp says, “Attitude of everything comes from the council. It comes from the top.”

GROWING COLUMBIA Keeping Columbia moving forward is going to have to be a joint effort on several fronts.

“One of the things the county’s been good at doing is keeping a lot of the work local, whether it was trustees or the county, whether it was the 911 center, things we’ve done for the hospital and others,” Coil says, but city project bids are often awarded elsewhere.

“We all buy local — our steel, our concrete, our lumber,” he adds. “We buy everything locally, here.” The economic impact, in turn, of those dollars stays in the community.

Beyond economic impact, Sapp notes physical issues like area traffic flow need to be addressed. Currently, he’s working on a design-build project in Liberty, Mo., which will cut a new road across a cow pasture to connect two highways.

“It’s the cheapest it will ever get done because there’s nothing in the way,” he says. “Here, we wait until it’s almost impossible to get built before we ever do anything.” He cites the intersection of Forum and Nifong, Stadium Boulevard and Grindstone Parkway as missed opportunities to be proactive.

Funding challenges exist but having a plan would be optimal should the funds materialize.

THE ROLE MU PLAYS Within the group, nearly half have current projects underway on the University of Missouri campus, and more than a couple express a desire to better support the university.

When campus unrest occurred last year, Huebert admits his remorse about not trying to do more. “I didn’t do anything but just throw my hands up. My kids both went there. I went there. I’ve got strong connections to it, and it is a driving factor in this community. When it goes a little bit south — we’re growing like a banshee in Columbia with just our population — but if the university goes south, we all go south to some extent.

Personally, they’re a big driver in my workload.”

“Mine, too,” Oswald says, “but not right now. We used to have three, four projects

Construction on the new Boys and Girls Clubs' location on the Business Loop.

going all the time, but right now we’ve got two.”

It’s a cautionary tale, according to Zelenak, for all of the pomp and circumstance in the discussion about how great everything is. “There’s concern with what city council’s representing with UDC and some of the unknown of how the UDC will be interpreted, but I think with what the university has on the horizon with the decline in enrollment and some of the layoffs,” he says, “there’s very real probability that we’re going to feel some pain from a general economic feel across the city of Columbia as a whole.”

Prior to 2015, Zelenak says, Maly was working on north of $15 million in land acquisition costs alone for developers who were looking at Columbia, and after some of the events that transpired, all of those have gone away.

“There’s worry, obviously, we’re having issues right now with filling even downtown product,” Zelenak says. “What’s going to happen with the Highway 63 corridor? And Grindstone?

Some of those projects, if you’ve held the note long enough, you can probably withstand what’s coming. I’d be willing to bet every dollar I have that some of those folks in the not-too-distant future — I know what those notes look like and when they’re going to be called — they’re in trouble. Then again, what that will do and how that will change, time will tell. … If you have an opportunity to promote the university in whatever capacity possible, that’s one thing that is going to be important long-term.”

RAPID FIRE ROB CHRISTENSEN Owner, Christensen Construction Company “Columbia is a good place to live and I really think that’s probably the main economic driver. People want to come hang out where they went to school. They like the trails. They like the parks. They like the festivals, and they like the Midwestern, small-town atmosphere.”

PAUL LAND Owner, Plaza Commercial Realty “There’s a lot more positive than there is negative in the community. We tend to concentrate on the negative, but there’s a lot of positives here. In the final analysis, we all do business here because we have choices, and we chose to do business here. Why? Because it changes. It’s a changing landscape all of the time. That’s always going to be the case. That’s the nature of our business. We have to look to the future.”

RANDY COIL President, Coil Construction “As important as the university is to the city, 20 years from now, the university may not grow at the same rate that all the other things around Columbia are going to grow.

We’re getting the airport development, a new terminal at the airport and a new airline. We’ve got two new manufacturers coming to town. So, in terms of the role that the university plays in the next 20 years, it’ll be interesting as the population grows and we have other industries that come to town.”

WAYNE HUEBERT President, Huebert Builders “We as a community need to start letting smart things happen instead of fighting them.”

STUART SCROGGS Architect/Owner Scroggs Architecture “I would try to encourage retired people, experienced people, to run for the council. If we can try to encourage and recruit and locate good, experienced retired people, it’s just a perfect spot, to encourage folks like that to run for the city council.”

JERRY DAUGHERTY President, Reinhardt Construction “I’ve lived here in Columbia 50 years in my life, and downtown was always very unique. What is it today?

Totally changed from what it has been, the history. All you see, one high rise, then you see another high rise. How do we want Columbia downtown to look today? Do you like the changes?”

BILLY SAPP President, Emery Sapp and Sons “We need forward thinking people on the council. We’ve got to change something so we’re not making decisions at 2 o’clock in the morning.

It’s easier said than done, I understand.

We’ve got to have more infrastructure to move us around to attract more people.

We need more manufacturing in this town to help the lower end, lower our crime, that all fits together. It goes back to our leadership.”

JOHN STATES Partner, Little Dixie Construction “We didn’t talk about the process of attracting new business, how we can bring new companies to Columbia. In other communities, they welcome you at the airport. They want you to be there.

You need sewer? We’re going to bring it to you. Columbia? You’ve got to come in with everything ready, and it might take you a year to get on the docket to see if they want you to come. You’ve got to be open and willing to accept new people into the community, and I don’t think we are.”

MEL ZELENAK Broker-Salesperson, Maly Commercial Realty “There are a lot of positive aspects in play, but at the end of the day, we need to have both eyes open.”

TONY GROVE Owner, Grove Construction General Contracting “There should have been a lot more process put into [the UDC]. It should have been looked at harder. I personally read the entire thing twice. It doesn’t put a stop to big downtown development as portrayed. It’s the local homegrown people that care about Columbia that it’s hurting.”

BILL OSWALD Architect/Principal, Simon Oswald Architecture “The extra fees the city is charging — sidewalks, roads — we’re just getting into it. It’s costing the contractor a lot more than what they originally thought it was going to cost for stopping the traffic for more than 24 hours or whatever it is, but it’s a big deal. It’s costing local developers a lot of money.”

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BUSINESS BASICS

b y CA R LA LE I BLE

Boost Employee Morale

Eight Team Building Exercises that Help Create Happier Employees

Zimmer Radio Group employees recently participated in a scavenger hunt to have fun while building team chemistry.

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very employer wants his or her team to work well together. Working toward a shared goal is one of the best ways to encourage bonding between your employees. And sometimes, you just have to kick back and have fun to really get people to open up.

From fun to competitive, and at a variety of costs, several suggestions are listed in this article for activities that will boost employee morale even higher.

Below are our eight favorite teambuilding exercises we’ve used to build camaraderie.

1) THREE TRUTHS AND A LIE Each person writes down three true statements about themselves and a false statement. When it’s their turn, they 50

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read all four statements out loud and the staff has to guess which one isn’t true.

This game will get your more introverted office members sharing interesting items they wouldn’t normally bring up, and gives your more extroverted employees a chance to learn about some of their coworkers. Encourage your extroverts to start the game so people gain a level of comfort and see how easy (and fun) it is to share something about themselves.

When we use this icebreaker, we always learn new things about our staff members – even ones we have worked with for years. This is a game that can really help people connect with those who may have initially thought they had nothing in common. It’s also a great opportunity for new employees to learn more about the rest of your team.

2) TRIVIA NIGHT You already know the people in accounting can crunch numbers, but did you know one of them is an expert in 16th century classical music? A group trivia night is a great way to share some friendly competition between departments.

We would suggest offering prizes for the winning team to really get people involved. This activity will show you how well your team can work together, especially if they don’t always have the answers.

3) MINEFIELD Trust falls are cliche (and uncomfortable if someone fails to catch the person who’s falling), but this game will help your teammates build trust with blindfolds on as well. Before your group

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gathering, make a “course” with tape on the ground, and fill it with squeaky objects (such as dog toys). Fill as much of the remaining floor space in the “course” with large pieces of paper. Split your group into teams, with each team selecting a member to wear a blindfold and make his or her way from the start to the end of the course. If someone steps on one of the pieces of paper, they have to freeze until somebody else steps on a squeak toy. Participants have to follow the vocal commands of their non-blindfolded teammates to try and reach the finish line before anyone else’s group does.

This team building activity really helps to build trust and communication. It’s also a great activity to see how well people take direction and listen when someone else is talking.

4) KARAOKE With the popularity of music lyric videos on YouTube these days, a quick setup with a computer in your conference room can turn lunch hour into karaoke hour. Your employees will have fun trying something lighthearted that everyone’s equally untrained at doing, and they’ll also get to know each other by learning more about each other’s tastes in music.

Another take on this could be having a lip sync battle between employees. Our sales team recently tried karaoke on their sales retreat and it was undeniably one of their favorite parts of the day. This kind of activity is something that is just plain fun.

It really helps bring people out of their comfort zone and is a nice way to start, or end, your day.

5) BOWLING It may be a little harder to arrange for everyone to meet up outside of work, but most bowling alleys have food and beer, both of which are known to attract people to social gatherings. Maybe you’ll find out you’ve got some competitive bowlers in your office. Or maybe you’ll equally enjoy how bad you all are at bowling.

Either way, it’s a good way for your team to bond over a break from sitting at a desk, without requiring everyone to do an intense physical activity.

6) PAINTBALL If your staff members are up for more physical activity, break out the helmets and padding, and head to a paintball range to blow off some steam. Aside from seeing which team will be the last standing, you can play a variety of other styles of matches such as capture the flag, king of the hill, or an individual free-for52

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all. For your employees who don’t like going outside, explain to them that it’ll be like the Call of Duty video game, with more realistic graphics and less danger.

7) SCAVENGER HUNT The best way to find team chemistry might be to send everyone on a search.

You can split your teams up as big or as small as you want them to be, and can make an office-wide event out of picking any themes for the items that get selected for the list.

The scavenger hunt is one of our employees’ favorite team-building activities. The entire organization plays.

We break off into teams, with each team having ridiculously funny costumes they have to wear the entire hunt. Make no mistake, we are showcasing them to the public the entire time! This is a great opportunity to not only build team confidence, but also a great recruitment tool to show others how much fun your employees have.

However, if you feel like your office is up for a challenge more like “The Amazing Race” than a casual scavenger hunt, check out geocaching, a worldwide scavenger hunting game that can use your phone’s GPS to input coordinates for “treasures” hidden in cities all over by members of the geocaching community.

8) TOWER OF CARDS Challenge your employees to use their creativity along with their teamwork skills, with nothing more than a couple decks of playing cards. Set a timer, mix up your teams, and challenge the teams to build the tallest tower (that doesn’t fall over) before time runs out. This will be a lighthearted task, but one that throws the teams immediately into the challenge of thinking together and improvising on the fly.

One last, but very important tip: If you’re doing an activity that involves splitting the office up into teams, try to mix up the teams so that people who normally don’t interact with each other are on the same team and get to know each other better. This is one of the ways we have really strengthened our communication between departments.

If your office is looking to mix things up a bit, try any one of these team-building exercises and see what happens.

Carla Leible is the market manager for Zimmer Radio & Marketing Group. She has spent 16 years helping managers become great leaders.

“The whole-body approach of caring for a patient is something that I apply to my business. I listen to and validate my employees and my clients.”

Dan Latham prides himself on making good on his company’s motto of being “just a heartbeat away” from solving a client’s staffing problems.

Pulse Medical Staffing provides temporary supplemental staff and medical professionals to more than 300 hospitals and long-term care centers nationwide.

Latham and his employees provide 24/7 service and support to their clients.

The company pays personal liability and offers basic life-support certification and renewal courses for medical professionals.

Whether your facility needs supplemental, temporary or permanent professional staff, or you are a nurse, physician or other professional looking to feel the difference, Pulse Medical Staffing is ready to serve you.

PulseMedicalStaffing.com 620 N. Trade Winds Pkwy. Columbia, MO Telephone: +1-877-883-8677 E-mail: dan.l@pulsemedicalstaffing.com SUMMER 2017

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BUSINESS BASICS

Three Questions If you’re in the business community, it’s likely that you know someone in the Taylor family, father Jerry or sons Jed and Jake. Here’s an inside look at these three local business leaders who have relied on hard work and determination for their success.

What is your secret to success in business?

Jerry Taylor Veterans United Home Loans

Jed Taylor Columbia LandCare

JERRY: Treat every job you have been handed as the most important job in the world. And don’t worry about setbacks or even having to start over. It helps to remind you what is important, and the large roll that luck plays in success. And, of course, hard work and grit are the two things you can control. But it took many years to appreciate how long you have to work hard at something to be successful at it.

JED: I think the secret to success in business is to identify what success is for yourself and/or your organization.

It’s hard to be successful when you don’t have success defined with goals. Other than that, in my opinion, there is no secret to success in business. It’s about working hard, doing what you say you’ll do and doing the best you can to take care of people. (All of which I have failed miserably at different points in my life.)

JAKE: My definition of success has changed over the years in business.

In some ways I think I have achieved success and in other ways I think I have fallen way short. When a business plan or vision is backed with the drive and relentless determination to see it through regardless of the obstacles, I think the odds of success increase greatly. Be teachable and allow a trusted few the opportunity to speak truth and help give perspective. This has helped me greatly over the years.

What is it about your upbringing that made you successful in business?

Jake Taylor Winter Dent & Company

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JERRY: My parents sent me to work the summer on a ranch in Wyoming when I was 12 years old. So I learned hard work early. My dad died that year and left us with no money. My mother became the first female Realtor in Nebraska,

eventually becoming the most successful Realtor in the state. So I suspect it is that combination of events that made me a bit of a workaholic.

JED: From an early age our dad taught us hard work; it’s just a part of who we are. Also, our parents gave us a lot of autonomy. I think that evolved into entrepreneurial qualities as we grew up.

We like to make stuff happen.

JAKE: Dad taught us early on how to work hard. At an early age we experienced the satisfaction and reward that comes from working hard and finishing a job. Specifically, I can distinctly remember going to borrow money at age 15 with my father to start my cattle business. Year one was a success and year two I could barely pay back the note. This experience, along with many others, made an indelible mark on my passion and hunger for business.

How do your leadership skills differ from your sons?

JERRY: They are considerably better managers than I was at their age. I think they see a bigger picture than I did. And I suspect that comes from the many wonderful hours we spend talking about business.

JED: We certainly have more similarities than differences; however, I think I have more patience than my father and brother when it comes to leadership. That might have something to do with being the youngest, but I’m not sure.

JAKE: I wear the sales hat of the three of us. My father and brother are operational gurus. My focus in business is on relationships, taking care of my customers and driving sales. I like to rely heavily on people in my business like my father and brother to help compensate for my shortcomings. My brother is correct, patience is a continual work in progress for me.

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DIVIDENDS

N ETWOR K I N G

Jim Kidwell Memorial Gala The Cancer Research Center hosted the 2017 Jim Kidwell Memorial Gala on April 8 at the Parkade Plaza Event Center. The gala honored the late Lee Freese, a long-time Boone County resident and staunch CRC supporter. More than 300 attendees raised nearly $51,000 to fund CRC’s Raymond Freese Doctoral Fellowship and support cancer research in central Missouri.

1. Judy Freeman and Mike Boicourt | 2. Alycia McGee and Ray Bozarth | 3. Lisa Robitalle and Pano Terzopoulos | 4. Mike and Melissa Quast with Heather Landrey and Paul Swearengen | 5. Stephens College Event Planning Class with Cindy Hazelrigg | 6. Callie Thompson, Sam Sullivan, Nancy Wilson, Deb Corkery, Judith Lee, Nick Thompson and Bill Burnett | 7. Cindy and Dennis Suich with Michelle and Woody Woodson

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photos by ALYCIA MCGEE & PENNY LATTIN

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DIVIDENDS

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Comedy Night Fundraiser There were a lot of laughs at the annual Comedy Night fundraiser, which was held at Stoney Creek on April 26. The event raised more than $58,000 and benefitted Job Point and the Assistance League of Mid-Missouri. Local comedians Gary Oxenhandler, Tom Procter, Greg Flaker, Amy Susan, Bob Pugh and Doug Pugh set the stage for professional comedian Rex Havens. The event was hosted by Fred DeMarco.

1. Bob Pugh | 2. Sondra Flaker, Donna Beckett and Carole Adams | 3. Doug Pugh | 4. Tom Procter | 5. Fred DeMarco and Rex Havens 6. Paul Land, Amy Susan and Peter Buchert | 7. Rob and Rosemary Christensen with Judy and Ron Carter

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DIVIDENDS

N ETWOR K I N G

Best of Columbia Food & Drink Party A large crowd celebrated the Best of Columbia – Food & Drink winners on May 25 at the Peach Tree Catering & Banquet Center. Guests enjoyed an evening with samples from some favorite Columbia dining locations, as well as music from the Norm Ruebling Band. Part of the evening's proceeds were donated to Central Missouri Honor Flight.

1. Joy Madole, Melissa Hagen and Kelley Berghager | 2. Dex Williams and Bobbi Russow | 3. Jenny McNamara and Shannon Fennell 4. Susan and Gene Patterson | 5. Lori Lindsay, Lance Lanier and Kim Stading | 6. Josh Lane and Luke Sperkowski | 7. Mike Cummings, Francis Bagby, Mandy Rosenstengel and Dena Cummings

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photos by SHELBY FINCH

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ADVERTISING INDEX Accounting Plus..................................................17 Atkins, Inc. ............................................................ 6 Automated Systems......................................... 39 Binghams............................................................. 35 Bloom Bookkeeping..........................................62 Caledon Virtual.....................................................2 Central Bank of Boone County..........................7 Central Design Group.......................................... 23 Central Trust and Investment Company.......11 City of Columbia Water & Light.....................61 Coil Construction........................................10, 37 Columbia LandCare.............................................3 Commerce Bank.................................................15 Hawthorne Bank................................................68 Infinity Contractors........................................... 57 Inside Columbia CEO Updates.........................62 Inside Columbia Subscriptions...................17, 35 Iris Media The Dove..........................................21 KIA of Columbia.................................................. 4 LammTECH......................................................... 27 Mediacom..............................................................5 Moresource........................................................... 9 Mutual of Omaha.............................................. 63 PCE..........................................................................11 Plaza Commercial Realty.................................. 51 Postal Signs Express......................................... 35 Pulse Medical Staffing..................................... 53 Questec Mechanical.......................................... 13 Tech Electronics..................................................10 Tiger Family Chiropractic................................. 13 The Broadway, A Double Tree by Hilton..... 57 The Connection Exchange...............................19 University of Missouri – Trulaske Exec MBA.....61 University Subaru.............................................. 67 Williams Keepers, LLC..................................... 23 Zimmer Radio Group The Eagle....................65 Zimmer Radio Group KCMQ.......................... 55 Zimmer Strategic Communications............. 59

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PUBLISHER'S NOTE

b y F R E D PARRY

Urban Farm Sets Great Example

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s I’ve mentioned in previous columns, my new role as a Boone County Commissioner tends to take me to places that I never knew existed. A few weeks ago, I had the unexpected pleasure of touring the urban farm at the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture. I have been driving by the eclectic assortment of colorfully painted sheds and neatly planted rows of garden vegetables at the corner of Smith and Fay Streets for years. Like many people, I had assumed the site was nothing more than a community garden that was tended by neighbors and area residents who didn’t have room for garden spaces in their own yards. Now that I know the rest of the story, I’m eager to share more about this vibrant organization and its big plans for the future.

The Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture (CCUA) was actually started in 2009 as an offshoot of a project for a handful of University of Missouri students working on a sustainable agriculture program that involved composting waste from the student dining halls on the MU campus. During its first two years, the project was responsible for the composting of more than 50,000 pounds of food waste that would have otherwise gone into a landfill.

Over the years, CCUA has morphed into a much bigger enterprise that creatively blends the entrepreneurial, environmental and agricultural interests of a large array of citizens.

The group’s mission statement puts

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it more succinctly: To enhance the community’s health by connecting people to agriculture and the land through hands-on learning opportunities from seed to plate.

While it’s difficult to adequately describe CCUA, it’s a simpler task to talk about some of the things it does to fulfill its mission. My tour took me through a greenhouse and past rows of lettuce, spinach, onions and pepper plants. Every square inch of the community garden is meticulously maintained using agricultural techniques that maximize the productivity of the soil while using a variety of sustainability processes to produce a significant volume of fresh garden vegetables and fruit.

Much of the work is done by volunteers who support the overall mission and appreciate the chance to feed their passion for gardening while learning more about the craft.

The day I toured the urban farm, there were dozens of school children there learning in the outdoor classroom.

With the help of volunteers, the students and their teachers were preparing a large salad from the farm that would soon be their lunch. Last year, more than 2,240 students toured the farm and had a similar experience. CCUA’s partnership with our local schools is typical with the way it’s done business in Columbia over the years. Its partnership with the Food Bank’s local food pantry has made CCUA the primary provider of fresh vegetables to the pantry, delivering more than 6,800 pounds last year.

Last month, CCUA announced the public phase of a capital campaign

that will elevate the organization to an entirely different level. CCUA is partnering with the Columbia Farmers Market, Sustainable Farms and Communities and the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department to build a 10-acre urban farm next to Columbia’s Activity and Recreation Center at Clary/Shy Park. This development will include a Farmers Market with room for 98 vendors, a greenhouse, barn, public restrooms and a large multipurpose building similar to the Reichmann Pavilion at Stephens Lake Park. This building will include classroom space, a commercial kitchen and an event space large enough to accommodate 1,000 people.

The group has already raised $1.7 million towards its $5 million goal for the project that will be developed in three phases. If all goes as planned, the public may be enjoying this new space in a matter of three to four years.

The new urban farm will actually be operated and managed as a city park by the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department. Parks and Rec will use rental fees from Farmers Market stalls and other event rentals to subsidize its investment in the farm.

The work of CCUA is a classic example of what happens when we combine a little ingenuity with a desire to collaborate with other organizations for the good of the community. There’s a lot we can learn from its early success and its spirit of corporate citizenship.

Fred Parry

Publisher • fred@insidecolumbia.net

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CLOSING QUOTES

What Columbia’s Business People And Community Leaders Are Saying

“You’ve got to be open and willing to accept new people into the community, and I don’t think we are.”

– John States on attracting new companies to Columbia.

“It’s the local homegrown people that care about Columbia that it’s hurting,” – Tony Grove on the new Unified Development Code (UDC), which sets comprehensive zoning and development codes for the city.

“I didn’t do anything but throw my hands up,”

– Wayne Huebert says on his remorse to do more when the MU campus unrest occurred last year.

“Think Sherlock Holmes, not something scary, like the movie Saw,” – Lauren Davis, Escape Plan’s owner, on the concept of getting out of a locked room

“Why can’t I just “A lot of people think teambuilding do this instead of is hokey, and I get it – everybody is underpaid and overworked, and we only medicine?”

– Beth Maddox asked herself about working in the construction field instead of going to have so many hours in a day.” medical school – Kelsey Kupferer, coordinator of the University of Missouri’s Venture Out team building center, on common objections she hears

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INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO Zimmer Strategic Commuications 3215 Lemone Industrial Blvd., Suite 200 Columbia, MO 65201

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