Inside Columbia's CEO Spring 2011

Joan Gabel Prepares mu business students For a bright Future

Leading Tomorrow’s Leaders sprIng 2011

www.ColumbiaCEO.com

RENAISSANCE AWARdS:

bUddING bUSINESS:

dETECTIvE INC.:

Celebrating local art’s biggest Fans

What’s Incubating In The Incubator?

We solve Columbia’s business mysteries

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page 31

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CONtENts

Inside Columbia’s CEO • www.ColumbiaCEO.com • Volume 2, Issue 3

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Opening Bell: The Buzz On CoMo Biz

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The Columbia/Boone County Economic Index

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regional round-Up

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The renaissance Awards: An Artful Celebration

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Life science Business Incubator Lures Entrepreneurs From near And Far

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stepping Up: Joan gabel Brings passion For preparation To The College Of Business

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Tablet, Or not Tablet?

A Technophobe’s guide To E-readers And Tablets

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networking

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publisher’s note

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Closing Quotes

Detective Inc.: solving Columbia’s Business Mysteries sprIng 2011

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INsIdE COLumBIa’s CEO

staff Publisher Fred Parry fred@insidecolumbia.net

MEET OUr EDITOrIAL ADVIsOrY BOArD

associate Publisher Melody Parry melody@insidecolumbia.net editor-in-Chief Sandy Selby sandy@insidecolumbia.net

Tom aTKiNs Chairman and CEO, Atkins Companies

Copy editor Kathy Casteel kathy@insidecolumbia.net editorial assistant Haley Adams haley@insidecolumbia.net Photo editor L.G. Patterson

GarY DreWiNG President, Joe Machens Dealerships

raNDY Coil President, Coil Construction

GarY Forsee Former President, University of Missouri System

bob GerDiNG Partner, Gerding, Korte & Chitwood CPAs

Design Consultant Katie S. Brooks Creative Director Carolyn Preul design@insidecolumbia.net Graphic Designer Katharine Ley katharine@insidecolumbia.net

Paul laND Principal/Owner Plaza Commercial Realty

bYroN Hill President & CEO, ABC Laboratories

DiaNNe lYNCH President, Stephens College

GeorGe PFeNeNGer President & CEO, Socket

Digital and New media Projects Designer Jill Hamilton jill@insidecolumbia.net Director of marketing & business Development Bill Bales bill@insidecolumbia.net Director of sales Linda Cleveland linda@insidecolumbia.net

bob PuGH CEO, MBS Textbook Exchange

miKe sTaloCH Vice President of Operations, State Farm Insurance

GreG sTeiNHoFF President of Strategic Operations, VA Mortgage Center

JerrY TaYlor President, MFA Oil Co.

marketing representative Ken Brodersen ken@insidecolumbia.net marketing representative Kyle Gross kyle@insidecolumbia.net special Projects manager Elliott Usher elliott@insidecolumbia.net

Please Recycle This Magazine.

Inside Columbia’s CEO magazine 301 W. Broadway • Columbia, MO 65203 • Office: 573-442-1430 • Web: www.ColumbiaCEO.com Inside Columbia’s CEO is published quarterly by OutFront Communications LLC, 301 W. Broadway, Columbia, Mo. 65203, 573-442-1430. Copyright OutFront Communications, 2011. 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. The annual subscription rate is $19.95 for four issues.

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business Development specialist Quinn Leon quinn@insidecolumbia.net office manager Brenda Brooks brenda@insidecolumbia.net Distribution manager John Lapsley Contributing Writers Whitney Dreier, Anita Neal Harrison, Ed Robb, Caitlin Wherley

OPENING BELL

the buzz on como biz

we think we can!

Canstruction Builds On A Tradition Of Giving

by CAITLIN WHERLEY photo by L.G. PATTERSON

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record player, a dodo bird, a dinosaur and a giant honeybee filled the two lobbies of City Hall during midMissouri’s 13th Canstruction competition on Feb. 26.

The Society for Design Administration started Canstruction in the early ‘90s as a community service project for design professionals, says Kim Trabue, vice president of the mid-Missouri chapter of SDA and chairperson of Canstruction.

Currently, about 80 cities compete in the annual international competition of building structures out of canned goods.

Two architecture firms and two engineering firms from Columbia, along with a team of 18 students and three teachers from Columbia’s Center for Gifted Education competed in this year’s event, entitled “Extinction.” All cans utilized during Canstruction were donated to the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri after a week on display. In all, about 14,000 pounds of food were donated to the Food Bank.

The teams built their structures in a 10-by-10-by-8-foot area, following detailed plans designed on the same software used to design buildings, Trabue says. When they were finished, the judges handed out five awards. Simon Oswald Architecture won for Best

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Meal with The Endangered Honeybee, and Trabue, Hansen & Hinshaw Inc. won for Structural Ingenuity with Record Player. The Society of Women Engineers won Best Use of Labels with Dodo Bird, and the Jurors’ Favorite went to Candace the Canufeedusaurus, built by Peckham & Wright Architects Inc. The Center for Gifted Education was awarded the Merit Award All cans for competing in Canstruction for 10 years. utilized during All teams from the February Canstruction competition will go on to the were donated international competition, which will be to the Food in June during SDA’s annual conference.

Bank for Central Each team put considerable time and Northeast and effort into their entries. Peckham & Missouri.

Wright’s team spent two weeks on the plan for Candace the Canufeedusaurus, according to Erik Miller, principal of the firm and the team captain.

Team members believe the hours of planning and construction is time well spent, Trabue says.

“It is a competition,” she notes, “but it’s also a community service project to raise awareness about hunger.”

OPENING BELL

the buzz on como biz

The recently restored Berry Building, at Walnut and Orr streets, houses several downtown businesses.

A Berry Good Job

J

ohn and Vicki Ott of Alley A Realty recently received a Missouri Statewide Preservation Award for the Berry Building. Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder presented the award during a ceremony in the State Capitol Rotunda on March 2.

John Ott, a local downtown developer, recently renovated the Berry Building, “transforming a blighted area of downtown into a flourishing area of activity with apartments, a health and fitness club, art gallery and office space,” according to Debbie Sheals, a historic preservation consultant. “The Berry Building stood out from other applicants because of the location in downtown Columbia, the value of economic development and quality of historic preservation,” Sheals says. “The Berry Building renovation brings businesses we want to see into an area where we live and work.”

Businesses in the Berry Building include the North Village Lofts, Wilson’s Total Fitness, PS:Gallery, Independent Stave Co. and Pure Exposure

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Photography. Ott says he is “pleased with the outcome of the building and fortunate to have great businesses complement everything that’s going on in the North Village Art District.”

Missouri Preservation annually honors individuals, groups and organizations that have contributed to the preservation of Missouri’s rich and diverse collection of historic resources. This is the 25th year that Missouri Preservation will recognize outstanding projects in commercial and residential rehabilitation, neighborhood revitalization, landscape protection and archaeology.

Ott and his wife, Vicki, were named the first-ever Outstanding Local Historic Preservationists by the Columbia Historic Preservation Commission earlier this year.

The Otts were honored for their work restoring multiple properties in downtown Columbia, including the Dorsey Building on Broadway, the Paramount Building at the corner of Ninth and Cherry, and The Tiger Hotel.

Charity Begins At Home

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oone County National Bank was recognized nationally for its community outreach at the American Bankers Association National Conference for Community Bankers Feb. 22 in San Diego. Bank President and CEO Steve Erdel accepted the award that honored the bank’s ongoing work with Habitat for Humanity and its commitment to home ownership.

“It is such an honor to lead an organization filled with people who dedicate themselves to helping our community,” Erdel says. “We understand what it means to call ourselves a community bank and we try to demonstrate that in everything we do.”

The ABA Community Bank Award was established in 2005 to recognize community banks’ outstanding charitable achievements. Last year, Boone County National Bank donated an 11-acre neighborhood site worth $600,000 to Habitat for Humanity.

The organization hopes to build as many as 30 homes on the site.

OPENING BELL

The Inside Columbia’s CEO

Economic Index Boone County/Columbia Business Conditions Fourth Quarter 2010

97.4

97.7

97.0

94 —

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100.5

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108.1 106.1 104.3

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100 —

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102 —

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106.8

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109.5

110 —

92 — 90 —

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DATE

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nside Columbia’s CEO Economic Index is a quarterly snapshot of how Columbia’s economy is doing compared to where it was five years ago.

Edward H. Robb and Associates, an economic and governmental consulting firm, prepared this index for Columbia and Boone County by collecting data from the past 18 years for 10 key economic indicators: hotel taxes; deplanements at the Columbia Regional Airport; Boone County total sales tax receipts; Columbia total sales tax receipts; Boone County sales tax receipts

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DATE excluding Columbia; total Boone County building permits; total Boone County single-unit building permits; total Boone County employment; total Columbia employment; and Boone County employment excluding Columbia. After analyzing the data, Robb went a step further and seasonally adjusted the figures to create the most accurate index possible.

The result is a single number that indicates how robust our Columbia/Boone County economy was for a given quarter.

Prepared By E.H. Robb & Associates *The base year for all of the indices is 2000. All indices will average 100 for the 12 months of 2000. **Based on one month of analysis

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2 0 1 0 Q 3

2 0 1 0 Q 4 **

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OPENING BELL

regional round-up

Central Methodist University Forges New Partnership

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he presidents of Central Methodist University and Ozarks Technical Community College recently established partnership programs between the two institutions. CMU President Marianne E. Inman and OTC President Hal Higdon signed articulation agreements that formalize the rights and responsibilities of students transferring between the two institutions and enable OTC students to make a seamless transfer into CMU to pursue a four-year degree after completing their first two years of study at OTC. The CMU-Waynesville campus will also accept students transferring from other two- and four-year colleges and

universities and will be open to area residents seeking to complete a fouryear degree or to take individual courses.

Classes will be held in the evening to accommodate working adults. Semesters will run for eight weeks.

CMU degree programs and courses offered at the Waynesville campus and covered by the articulation agreements include the Bachelor of Science in Business, which began its first term in January. Additional degree programs that may be offered later include Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.

Linn State’s Nuclear Technology Program Receives National Certification

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he Nuclear Energy Institute has registered the Nuclear Technology program at Linn State Technical College as a Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Program in partnership with Exelon Corp. Linn State is one of only three higher education institutions in the nation to receive the NUCP certification.

Linn State President Donald Claycomb credits the dedication of Bruce Meffert, chair of the Nuclear Technology program, and his staff as well as Linn State’s partnership with Exelon.

“This certification fits with the tradition of Linn State to seek external validation of the quality of programs it offers,” Claycomb says.

With this announcement, Linn State can now award industry-recognized NUCP certificates to graduates of the Nuclear Technology program. According to Meffert, graduates with the NUCP certificate will be recognized by nuclear utilities as obtaining knowledge of the national standardized curriculum. Meffert says this recognition will allow graduates to complete their initial job training and advance to the next technician pay level faster than graduates without the certificate.

Since 2008, Linn State has been working with the NEI and a small number of community colleges to establish and implement national education objectives and standards for the NUCP. NEI anticipates all participating institutions will adopt the NUCP so that students receive the same training nationwide and the certification becomes a recognized standard of excellence.

Since its inception in 2004, the Nuclear Technology program has graduated 75 students. In 2008, Workforce Management magazine awarded the Nuclear Technology program the 2008 Optimas Award for Vision. The program is located at the Advanced Technology Center in Mexico, Mo. 16

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Moberly Regional Medical Center Offers Innovative Cancer Screening

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oberly Regional Medical Center now provides Selenia digital mammography screening. Selenia incorporates revolutionary imaging technology that provides incredibly sharp breast images. The images appear on the technologist’s monitor in a matter of seconds; there is no waiting for film to develop, which means less time in the breast-imaging suite for patients.

Moberly Regional Medical Center is now a certified Pink Ribbon Facility, a distinction awarded only to an elite group of health care facilities.

By offering digital technology paired with a softer, warmer mammogram using Mammopad, the facility hopes to increase the number of area women who follow recommendations for regular screenings.

Selenia digital mammography offers several other practical advantages and patient conveniences. Because there is no waiting for film to be developed, it significantly reduces the need for repeat exams due to under- or overexposure. Digital images are easily stored and transferred electronically, eliminating the dependency on one set of original films, which can be misfiled or lost in transit.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, exceeded only by lung cancer. The stage at which breast cancer is detected influences a woman’s chance of survival. If detected early, the five-year survival rate is 97 percent.

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COMMUNITY

Columbia Galleries Want to support Columbia’s art scene? Browse these local galleries for pieces, or visit www. columbiagalleries.com for more information.

In The District Artlandish Gallery 1019 E. Walnut St. 573-442-2999 Bluestem Missouri Crafts 13 S. Ninth St. 573-442-0211 Website: www.bluestem missouricrafts.com Columbia Art League 111 S. Ninth St., Suite 140 573-443-8838 Website: www.cal. missouri.org Missouri Art Gallery 9 N. 10th St. 573-443-5010

An Artful Celebration The Renaissance Awards Honor Businesses That Support Local Art by HALEY ADAMS photos by L.G. PATTERSON

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olumbia’s business community turned out on a chilly February evening to bid a warm farewell to departing Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Lorah Steiner and to make one of her long-standing wishes come true. Steiner had dreamed of an awards program that would honor businesses that support the local arts. Her vision became the Renaissance Awards.

Recipients of the inaugural Renaissance Awards were Boone County National Bank, Boone Hospital Center, Landmark Bank and WilliamsKeepers LLC. Each company received an award that featured, appropriately enough, a piece of local artwork — a limited print by Columbia’s own Kristen Brown.

This year’s winners all share a passion for art and a commitment to local art and artists. >>>

Poppy 920 E. Broadway 573-442-3223 Website: www.poppyarts.com PS:Gallery 1025 E. Walnut St. 573-442-4831 Website: www.perlowstevensgallery.com

Outside The District Orchids and Art 10 W. Nifong Blvd., Suite B 573-875-5989 E-mail: kellycoalier@aol.com The Montminy Gallery 3801 Ponderosa Ave. 573-443-8936 E-mail: boonecounty museum@yahoo.com

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COMMUNITY Renaissance Awards 2011

Boone County National Bank

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he choice to showcase Columbia’s art scene has been a long tradition at Boone County National Bank.

It goes back to 1857, when Moss Prewitt, a Columbia merchant, started the bank with his son-in-law R.B. Price Sr., says Director of Marketing Mary Wilkerson.

“The Price family that started the bank were artists themselves, so we were really entwined with the arts from the very beginning,” Wilkerson says.

The bank now boasts a large art collection with a wide variety of pieces.

Wilkerson says the majority of the collection is contemporary, but contains everything from ceramics to photos, indoor pieces to outdoor pieces.

>>> Steve Erdel President & CEO Boone County National Bank The most iconic BCNB piece is People, the sculpture outside the Eighth Street location, by local artist Don Bartlett, who won a bank-sponsored contest to create the work. Wilkerson believes the sculpture says everything about the way BCNB works with art.

The bank supports local art by hosting the Boone County Art Show, which was established in 1959. The show features 300 pieces of art every year from 120 to 150 artists. The entries are displayed at the bank and awards are handed out in multiple categories.

“As a community bank, we’re all about supporting our local community, and part of supporting our local community is supporting local artists,” Wilkerson says.

There are many people who help the bank choose pieces for display, Wilkerson says, including Columbia Art League Executive Director Diana Moxon, who often suggests works to the company.

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including Wilkerson, are always looking for new pieces to add to the bank’s collection.

For business owners interested in investing in local art, Wilkerson advises them to look for new possibilities by attending art shows and galleries to find

the perfect fit for the business.

“As a business owner, part of your personality is expressed by the place where you do business,” she says. “You’re saying something about your business when you are displaying original art on your walls, especially local art.”

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COMMUNITY Renaissance Awards 2011

Boone Hospital Center

>>> Dr. Jerry Kennett Vice President & Chief Medical Officer Boone Hospital Center

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n most businesses or homes, art is simply a way to decorate or enhance a space. At Boone Hospital Center, however, it serves a different purpose.

“It’s a known fact that having art can help create a healing environment,” says Susan Brandt, a project engineer at Boone Hospital. “For patients, art can help take their minds off of why they are here and give them something else to think about.”

With that goal in mind, Boone Hospital started an art program in 2006 when it opened the Center for Advanced Medicine.

A committee worked with local artists to find the best pieces for the new building.

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now meets every first Friday of the month.

“I think each member of the committee brings about a different perspective,” Brandt says. “A patient or visitor who walks in might have a different opinion than a staff member.”

The committee is currently looking for pieces to fill a new patient tower scheduled to open in June. The hospital also has rotating displays in three high-traffic hallways where local artists can display their pieces. Each display stays up for three to four months.

“We like to feature a wide range of art and leave it up to the artist’s creativity,” Brandt says, “although we always make sure that it is appropriate for our philosophy of healing.”

It’s a “win-win” for the hospital, Brandt adds, because it beautifies the corridors and gives the artists exposure. The artists provide a description of their work and contact information with the pieces, and Brandt says patients, staff and customers often stop and ask questions for the artist.

Brandt says having work by local artists is a nice way to bring the community to the hospital, and for the hospital to have a positive effect on the community.

“Everyone interprets art differently and can take a unique experience from each piece,” Brandt says. “I enjoy receiving phone calls from visitors inquiring how to obtain a piece of art because it had an impact on their visit at Boone Hospital Center.”

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COMMUNITY Renaissance Awards 2011

Landmark Bank

>>> Andrew Beverley President Landmark Bank

W

ith a substantial number of pieces at each of its 34 locations in three states, Landmark Bank knows how to showcase art. It also helps that the bank’s owner, Mark Landrum, is an art collector.

Landrum developed an interest and an appreciation for art at a young age because his mother was an artist and an art teacher. He and his sister grew up finger painting, making clay objects, and learning about different kinds of art.

His passion for art continued and his personal collection is now one of the finest and largest collections of ceramics and other formed objects in the world.

There’s a variety of art in the Landmark Bank branches. Some of

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the better-known pieces are the scrap metal horse sculptures by Doug Owen.

“Systemwide, in all locations, we now own 52 horses,” Landrum says. “We might buy some more and put them around various locations.”

Landrum says another notable artist featured around the banks is Peter Voulkos, a famous ceramicist. The bank has a few of his pieces, one of which was made in Columbia.

Like other Renaissance Award winners, Landrum thinks making local art a priority is an important way to be a part of the Columbia community. “The fact that we are in this community means we have to participate in the community and all that it is,” he says.

With such a large collection between his personal pieces and the bank’s, Landrum says he has started to think about what will happen to the art in the future. He hopes that some day there is an effort to raise money to build a museum in Columbia because he feels art owners are obligated to make art available to the public.

For now, however, Landrum is happy to be a part of the tradition of Missouri banks supporting creativity.

“We have a significant collection of art, but it’s really nice that other competing financial institutions also support the arts,” Landrum says. “All of us do it with the idea that it’s not just for us, but it’s for everybody.”

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COMMUNITY Renaissance Awards 2011

Williams-Keepers LLC

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hen Williams-Keepers LLC, a certified public accountancy and auditing firm, moved to a new building in 2007, Mariel Liggett and the rest of the staff knew what they wanted to decorate it with: local art. It’s a choice Liggett learned from her mentor, George Keepers.

“He always said give back to the community that gives back so much to you,” says Liggett, a member owner at the firm.

Williams-Keepers started showcasing local artists with the paintings of Paul Jackson, a watercolorist and graduate of the University of Missouri. The company continued its dedication to local artists and galleries by asking Perlow-Stevens Gallery to help decorate the new Williams-Keepers office.

“When we came over to this new building, it was just natural to go down to PS:Gallery and look at what they had,” Liggett says.

“PS:Gallery put together a nice package for us.”

The building is now filled with pieces of abstract art. The managers’ and supervisors’ offices all have one piece of local art in a variety of sizes and colors.

Liggett says she can’t pick a favorite piece, but she says all of the artwork has helped brighten up the look of the office and the moods of its employees.

“We put a lot of them in our managers’ and supervisors’ offices because they spend so much time here,” Liggett says. “We kind of want to put an uplift in their day.”

Liggett says making the choice to support local art is part of what Williams-Keepers is about and the firm’s dedication to small businesses.

“Williams-Keepers is built on helping small businesses, and artists are certainly entrepreneurs,” Liggett says.

She suggests anyone looking to purchase local art should visit Orr Street Studios, PS:Gallery or the Columbia Art League.

Liggett is sure patrons will find something they like, she says, because the talent in Columbia’s artistic community can’t be ignored.

“We need to support our local artists, and it’s easy to do that because they’re so good,” she says.

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>>> Mariel Liggett Member Owner Williams-Keepers LLC

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innovations

Happy Landings

CoMo’s High-Tech Business Incubator Picks Up An International Following by kathy casteel photo by L.G. PATTERSON

The national origin of individuals working in the incubator include Bangladesh, China, India, Ireland, Israel, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States.

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he neighborhood around Monsanto Place has taken on a decidedly international air these days. The exotic roll call of home countries for the startups and entrepreneurs in the MU Life Science Business Incubator is growing, émigrés sprinkled in among the homegrown idea people and university spin-offs.

The finished space in the incubator is filled, says president and CEO Jake Halliday. All that remains in Phase I of the 33,000-square-foot facility that opened in 2009 are two parcels of shell space measuring 4,500 and 2,400 square feet.

When that space is outfitted, Halliday will turn his attention to Phase II, a 40,000-square-foot addition tentatively scheduled for construction in 2013, if financing can be secured.

The University of Missouri owns the incubator property that is operated by the Missouri Innovation Center, offering state-of-the-art wet labs and engineering suites, meeting and office space, an event room and various support amenities. MIC acts as landlord, providing mentoring services, grant assistance and contacts with research, business and investment colleagues. Incubator revenue flows to MIC through rents, grants and fees for services. The incubator currently houses 14 resident clients with employees from 10 countries, plus administrative staff and the offices of Centennial Investors and patent attorney R. Scott Kimsey.

“We’re in the business of creating very attractive companies,” Halliday says, “and keeping them here in a private, high-tech industry cluster in mid-Missouri. How do you do that? With new venture creation and attracting startup companies.”

The resident clients all started with an idea — one with a feasible plan for business, Halliday points out — and now they direct their energies toward transforming that idea into a commercial spring 2011

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innovations product. It could be years before some of the efforts bear fruit, but the services and amenities afforded them at the incubator will go far toward helping those ideas reach the marketplace via Columbia.

It’s called “soft landings” and very few places offer the caliber of service to the bright idea people working on The Next Big Thing as does the Life Science Business Incubator. As testament to the incubator’s successful track record in attracting international companies to town, the incubator was awarded International Soft Landings certification by the National Business Incubation Association last November, one of just three incubators — and the only one in the United States — so honored in 2010. The Columbia facility was cited for its menu of business services for nondomestic firms and demonstrated success in helping these firms enter the U.S. market. Of the 14 companies currently developing products in the Life Science Business Incubator, eight are homegrown and six were recruited to Columbia. Four of those six recruits came from foreign shores — United Kingdom, Israel, Sweden and India.

Viewed as a model of innovation, the incubator has attracted attention in economic development circles elsewhere; officials from the Austin Technology Incubator in Texas traveled to Columbia to check out the competition.

“They’re benchmarking against us,” Halliday says.

The business incubator has two requirements for residency: n Applicants must have a feasible plan for their business. Incubation managers measure the business plan in terms of economic impact on the region, such as new jobs, wealth creation and investment attracted. n Ventures must have a qualifying collaboration with the University of Missouri. University spin-offs obviously satisfy this requirement; other companies are evaluated and prioritized for their collaboration potential.

Although there is no rigid framework, Halliday says resident clients are expected to stay between two and five years before moving on.

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“When they no longer need mentoring, or no longer benefit from research collaboration, then it’s time to graduate,” he says.

So who are these resident clients — the entrepreneurs and inventors, researchers and tech wizards who toil behind the gleaming steel and glass panes that look out on Providence Road? Let’s take a tour.

Adroit Motion LLC www.adroitmotion.com Adroit Motion is developing ergonomic hand instruments used to perform minimally invasive surgical procedures.

Founded in 2010 by University of Missouri colleagues Anthony Harris, Rebecca Rone, Xandra Sifuentes and Brad Snow, the company’s incubator residency is funded by a Faculty Innovation Award.

The company will market products to the surgeons who perform some 3 million laparoscopic procedures each year. The first hand instrument product line is in the design and early prototyping phase.

Energetics Technologies USA LLC Energetics Technologies conducts research and development in alternative energy. The company hopes to commercialize its results from experiments in low-energy nuclear reaction, so-called “cold fusion” in which power is generated by a nuclear reaction at room temperature without producing radioactivity or waste. If successful, company researchers believe the technology could provide a safe, clean and abundant form of energy.

Equinosis LLC www.equinosis.com Equinosis focuses on collecting biological data for diagnosing equine disease. The company’s Lameness Locator® is the first commercial product to come out of the business incubator.

Veterinarian Kevin Keegan and engineers P. Frank Pai and Yoshiharu Yonezawa invented the system of bodymounted sensors that transmit wirelessly to a tablet PC to help veterinarians diagnose lameness in horses.

Immunophotonics Inc. www.immunophotonics.com Immunophotonics is developing Laserspring 2011

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innovations Assisted Immunotherapy, a proprietary, nontoxic therapeutic vaccine for metastatic cancers. The drug/device combination induces patient-specific immunity against the cancer, causing primary tumors and distant metastases to shrink or disappear, says Tomas Hode, co-founder, chairman and CEO. Immunophotonics is currently preparing an application for approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to conduct clinical trials in the United States.

Masha LLC www.mashananotech.com Masha is a nanotechnology company seeking to commercialize biotechnology devices and materials for use in medicine and communications. One product, a small electrical antenna that can be used in cell phones and defense communication, is in the prototype development stage. President and CEO Maruf Hossain expects to commercialize

the antenna within two years. The company also plans to reach clinical trial for its cancer therapy within five years.

Moxtronics www.moxtronics.com Moxtronics began in 2000 in order to commercialize new semiconductor materials developed by physics professor Henry White at the University of Missouri.

Company research efforts have focused on developing brighter, high-efficiency LEDs for use in household lighting, television displays and telecommunications. The company’s breakthrough is MOXBright green LED, which produces 50 to 70 percent more light than other green LEDs using the same amount of energy with reduced heat output.

tool that utilizes a novel hardware and software platform to build threedimensional semisolid cellular structures while maintaining viability throughout the bioprinting process. The company is targeting tissue engineering professors and research scientists for its customers.

PetScreen Inc. www.pet-screen.com PetScreen offers disease-detection and treatment tools for veterinarians.

Using novel biomarkers, the company is developing tests for early detection and treatment of cancer in cats and dogs.

The company markets a diagnostic test for lymphoma, the most common malignancy that affects dogs. Current development efforts are aimed at a test for early diagnosis of lymphoma in cats.

Organovo

Polarbac

www.organovo.com San Diego-based Organovo specializes in three-dimensional tissue technology that can create tissue on demand for research and surgical applications.

Organovo’s NovoGen MMX Bioprinter™ is a biomaterial sculpting

Polarbac is one of the newest resident clients, a Faculty Innovation Award winner. CEO Shramik Sengupta, an assistant professor of biological engineering at the University of Missouri, founded Polarbac to market his invention that enables rapid detection of live bacteria in suspensions such as milk, fruit juice and blood.

The company is developing an instrument that will speed up blood culture time by four to 10 times, accelerating the diagnosis of sepsis, which arises from bacterial infection of blood.

Value Ag LLC valueag.com Value Ag is an economics and financial consulting company focused on startup and emerging agribusinesses and agriculturebased value-added businesses. Founded

by Joe Parcell, associate professor of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Missouri, the company conducts market feasibility studies, economic feasibility studies, data gathering, analytics and business planning.

Dietary Innovations Dietary Innovations is a value-added nutrition division of Value Ag LLC, led

by Joe Parcell, associate professor of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Missouri. The company works to identify naturally occurring, plant-based health and processing attributes in food.

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Shasun NBI LLC www.nanoparticlebiochem.com Shasun NBI LLC is a joint venture between Shasun Pharmaceuticals of Chennai, India, and Nanoparticle Biochem Inc. of Columbia for research and product development of targeted cancer-fighting agents. The company is exploring clinical applications of its lead product, NBI 29, a radioactive gold compound, in treating prostate cancer.

The treatment has the potential to shrink the size of tumors prior to surgery, and eradicate some tumors without surgery. Shasun NBI will soon file an application with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to conduct Phase I clinical trials to determine dose tolerance and therapeutic efficacy in humans.

Tensive Controls tensive.controls@gmail.com Tensive Controls is developing an oral melanocortin drug that could reverse cachexia, a wasting condition marked by loss of lean body mass.

The company’s product features a patented chemical entity that suppresses the hypertensive effects of melanocortins, improving the effective treatment window for the underlying disease. The work has the potential to become the first FDAapproved drug for cachexia, according to President/ CEO Kenneth Gruber.

John Middleton Leading a company so new it doesn’t have a name yet, veterinarian John Middleton has won a Faculty Innovation Award, granting him a year in the incubator. Middleton’s as-yet-unnamed company will devise innovative medical devices and treatments for the animal health sector. The first product in development is an intramammary injection device to deliver prophylactic or therapeutic products to dairy animals. The device would be useful in the treatment of mastitis, the most common and costly infectious disease of dairy cattle.

Find Out More For more details about the companies in the MU Life Science Business Incubator, go to www.ColumbiaCEO.com. spring 2011

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Commercial Real Estate

The Commercial Real Estate Sampler An At-A-Glance View at Some Of Columbia’s Top Properties Columbia businesses are anxious to put the recession behind them and they’re beginning to show their faith in the recovery by investing in commercial property.

According to Realtor Paul Land’s annual analysis of Columbia’s commercial property market, The Paul Land Commercial Use Report, sales are going up and available property inventory is going down, which means that if you’re thinking about leasing or purchasing commercial property, you may not want to wait much longer.

Here are a few of the outstanding opportunities available for businesses in the Columbia area.

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Commercial Real Estate

The Commercial Real Estate Sampler

912 Rainforest Parkway

1900 N. Providence Road There are office spaces of various sizes available for lease in this high-profile location at the corner of Vandiver Drive and Providence Road.

Listed by Paul Land, SIOR, Plaza Commercial Realty 573-445-1020

This 7,500-square-foot retail building on Columbia’s north side is available for sale or lease. Its location in a growing area means there is excellent investment potential.

Listed by Paul Land, SIOR, Plaza Commercial Realty 573-445-1020, www.PaulLand.com

Stonebridge Business Park 601 W. Nifong Blvd.

Broker/owner Vicky Shy is offering both buildings 5 and 6 of this conveniently located complex for sale or lease. The space could be divided. Features include ample parking, handicap accessibility, elevator, kitchenette and a deck overlooking a wooded stream. A virtual office package, single offices and multi-office suites are available.

Listed by The Vicky Shy Team, Re/MAX Boone Realty 573-876-2888, www.VickyShy.com

2216 Forum Blvd.

This first-generation, professional office space is available on the south side of Columbia. Site offers plenty of parking, the ability to get creative on the interior finish work and affordable rent.

Listed by Mel Zelenak, Maly Commercial Realty 573-443-3200 Ext. 210, www.MalyRealty.com

East Ashland Plaza U.S. 63 & Route Y, Ashland This unimproved Ashland property is zoned C-3 and has great highway visibility. Water, electric, sewer, gas and telephone are all on site. The owner is willing to sell the entire 30 acres or divide the property into smaller tracts.

Listed by The Vicky Shy Team, Re/MAX Boone Realty 573-876-2888, www.VickyShy.com 38

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611 Big Bear Blvd.

This prime industrial building is located in rapidly growing north Columbia. It’s ideal for manufacturing, warehouse or flex-space use. Site provides two loading docks, one drive-in door, 14-foot eave height and easy access to Interstate 70 and U.S. 63.

Listed by Mel Zelenak Maly Commercial Realty 573-443-3200 Ext. 210 www.MalyRealty.com

According to The Paul Land Commercial Use Report, sales are going up and available property inventory is going down.

1391 Boone Industrial Drive There are lots of options for the buyer of this property who can purchase or lease up to 86,000 square feet in this premium industrial business location.

Listed by Paul Land, SIOR Plaza Commercial Realty 573-445-1020, www.PaulLand.com spring 2011

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building FOR SALE!

BUY ME!

office FOR RENT!

Buy Or Lease?

The Commercial Property Conundrum If you’re ready to move your business to a new location, you have a lot to consider.

Perhaps the biggest question you must answer is this: Should I buy or lease my facility?

The Advantages Of Leasing

The Advantages Of Buying

+ Cash Flow Management: Although buying is actually less

+ Savings: The monthly payment for a mortgage is usually lower than that for a lease where a landlord needs to make a profit. Once the property owner has gotten past initial expenses such as closing costs and renovation, the economic balance tips toward buying.

expensive over the long term, leasing may be the way to go when cash is tight, particularly for a startup business.

+ Credit Building: New businesses may not have the credit standing needed for a mortgage, so leasing could be a great way to build a solid credit rating. + Maintenance: Depending on the agreement you make when you become a tenant, leasing can spare you from the expense of major maintenance problems such as leaky roofs, faltering HVAC systems and even snow removal. + Mobility: If you find the facility you’ve chosen doesn’t meet your needs, or if you experience the happy problem of outgrowing your space, it’s much easier to move on from a leased property.

+ Putting Down Roots: If you’ve found your ideal spot and plan to stay there for the long haul, a purchase protects you from the risk of having to move if the landlord has a change of heart. + Control: Want to paint the walls purple? You don’t need anyone’s permission to do that. + Tax Savings: Your accountant can help you make the most of property ownership through deductions for depreciation and mortgage interest.

+ Tax Savings: Rent is a deductible business expense.

Before You Do Anything …

Talk to a Realtor who specializes in commercial properties. Buying or leasing a commercial facility is more complex than buying or leasing a home. A professional Realtor can help you navigate the many provisions of commercial leases and contracts.

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A Fix For Fixes

Outsourcing facility maintenance could save your company money Building and facility managers today face a host of frustrations. Those topping the list include dwindling budgets, employee turnover and project delays. Wise outsourcing of building maintenance can provide a number of short- and long-range benefits, especially when it comes to employee turnover.

The cost of replacing a vacant position on a building maintenance team can be significant. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the April 2010 employee turnover rate was 3.1 percent. Filling vacant employee positions can actually cost more after calculating the costs due to the employee leaving as well as recruiting, training, lost productivity and new hire costs.

A Closer Look

The general approach to calculating employee turnover cost is to use 150 percent of an employee’s annual salary. Another approach to calculating employee turnover uses the cost of hiring and training new staff: total employee turnover cost equals the cost of hiring new employees plus the cost of training new employees.

Taking a closer look at the cost of hiring and training new employees can be staggering. To calculate employee turnover, a manager should consider: + Costs due to the employee leaving (i.e., lost productivity, conducting exit interview, costs associated with training employee, department/ team productivity as other employees fill the gap, cost of lost knowledge, etc.) + Recruitment costs (i.e., advertising costs, recruiter costs, cost to process resumes, conduct interviews, etc.) + Training costs (i.e., orientation costs, cost for person conducting training, cost of training materials, supervisory time to assign, explain and review work, etc.)

Why Outsource?

Outsourcing building maintenance lets owners and managers control operating costs, trim down capital expenses, and reduce the need to hire and train onsite staff; plus, the outsourced company can easily change as the needs for facilities maintenance change — either an increase or a reduction in trained professionals.

Apart from saving money and reducing employee turnover, outsourcing provides many benefits. These include: + Saving time + 24/7 service + Staffing flexibility + Range of services + Qualified professionals all the time + Documentation for work done + Ability to handle large projects + Control of operational costs + No worries about vacation coverage + Workers’ compensation and insurance coverage provided by outsourced firm + A level of consistency + Reduced risk; outsourcing provider manages risk + Quick return on investment Professional maintenance companies often are willing to work with their clients to either transfer valuable employees to the maintenance company’s payroll or to set up a job-sharing arrangement that allows the business’s maintenance staff to handle routine projects while the professional firm handles the tough stuff.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the April 2010 employee turnover rate was 3.1 percent.

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SOLVING COLUMBIA’S BUSINESS MYSTERIES

BY JOHNNY COMO, PRIVATE EYE (aka, KATHY CASTEEL, WHITNEY DREIER, ANITA NEAL HARRISON and SANDY SELBY)

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It wa s qu iet in the cit y, or as qu iet as thi ng s ever get in thi s tow n wh ere som e dre am er is alw ay s rol lin g the dic e on a ne w ve ntu re. I sla mm ed ba ck on e las t gu lp of cof fee . It wa s too str on g an d too col d bu t I wa s too tir ed to car e. It ha d bee n a lon g day an d I wa s rea dy to get ho me to the lov ing em bra ce of my 52 -in ch pla sm a. I ha d my ha t on my he ad an d Sh akesp ear e’s on my mi nd wh en sh e wa lke d in.

Sh e wa s the kin d of wo ma n wh o cou ld ma ke a ma n ord er piz za wit ho ut on ion s, bu t before I cou ld ask “Pe pp ero ni or ve get ari an ?” sh e ha d pe ele d ou t of he r coa t an d pla nte d he rse lf in my gu est ch air. Th e lad y ha d som eth ing on he r mi nd an d sh e did n’t car e tha t it wa s 4:5 9 on a Fr iday aft ern oon .

“H ow can I he lp yo u? ” I ask ed as I reb oot ed my tru sty lap top .

“I ne ed he lp,” sh e sai d an d pu lle d a fol de d no te ou t of a pu rse spl att ere d wit h mo no gra ms . Sh e did n’t tel l me he r na me bu t he r ini tia ls mu st have bee n D an d G. “I’ ve lived in thi s tow n my wh ole life bu t …” sh e pa use d, too k a de ep bre ath . Th en , “I have all the se qu est ion s.”

Sh e wa s gon e as qu ick ly as sh e ha d arr ive d, leavin g me wit h no thi ng bu t a fol de d pie ce of pa pe r an d a pro mi se to ret ur n on Mo nd ay for he r an swers .

It wa s goi ng to be a bu sy we ek en d.

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Is IBM The Only Data Center In Town?

It turns out another company has a 25-year head start on IBM as a Columbia-based data center. And IBM prefers the term “delivery center” anyway, but we won’t get into semantics. Carfax — yes that Carfax — has been collecting and distributing data on used cars out of its Columbia center for a quarter century. I wanted to know more, so I tracked down Chief Technology Officer Gary Lee for a little Q&A. Nice facility you’ve got here, Gary. How many people work here in this Columbia center?

We have about 150 employees at our Maguire Boulevard data facility and about 75 percent of those are computer engineers.

We’re happy to say that the majority of our staff are homegrown, helping us further support the Boone County economy.

Describe this place for someone who hasn’t seen your operation.

It’s a very open atmosphere. Our employees work in teams on various projects and there are no workstations, but rather open work areas. The style of programming that we do here promotes a collaborative approach to our work. It’s very much a “wisdom of crowds” environment.

Any truth to the rumor that you’re going to expand your operation here?

We’re expanding our current facility to better accommodate our business needs as well as our programming style. The building addition is 15,000 square feet and will be built on our existing property. We also purchased 4 acres adjacent to the current property. In fact, part of that land purchase was used to help secure the new IBM data facility for this area. We expect to add up to 50 more employees within five years and we’ll be recruiting locally for those positions. This area has been our home for 25 years and providing additional job opportunities to local residents is important to us.

Photo courtesy of Carfax

Sounds like a nice place to work. What kind of skills do I need if I want to apply for a job here?

The majority of our recent hires are Java programmers and we expect that trend to continue. In addition, each year we hire specialists in areas of technology infrastructure engineering and operations.

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OK, let’s talk about IBM. Does it bother you that there’s so much talk about new high-tech jobs coming into the region when you’ve been here for 25 years? Are you worried an influx of high-tech employers will thin out the applicant pool?

We encourage them to come. Boone County is one of the upand-coming areas for the high-tech industry and those new jobs mean a significant boost to our local economy. It’s exciting to think about Columbia becoming one of the newest high-tech hotspots. You have to believe it will also attract more and more talented people to the area. We’ve been fortunate to find great people to work for us throughout the years. We’re confident that the best talent still will be attracted to the best place to work in Columbia: Carfax!

Do you have a number you can assign to the impact Carfax makes on the Columbia economy?

The impact on the local community is somewhat difficult to quantify. Our direct investment in Columbia is evidenced by our continued growth and expansion, support of other local businesses and our commitment to nonprofits that help improve the local quality of life for all our neighbors. In addition, our staff and their families rely upon the jobs and benefits we’re able to provide. So, I think more important than a number is the fact that we have provided employment and growth in the Columbia area throughout the recent economic downturn. We’re proud that we’ve never had a layoff and we’ve consistently added employment opportunities right here in our hometown.

What about benefits? Any cutbacks there?

We are still very committed to providing a progressive group of benefits to our staff to promote a healthy work/life balance. In point of fact, despite the recent economic downturn, we’ve been able to expand the benefits we’re able to provide. In addition to our ever-popular Free Friday Lunch and health care benefits, over the past few years we’ve added domestic partner benefits, subsidized fitness center memberships and even added pet insurance.

What do the people who only know about Carfax from your TV commercials need to know about Carfax in Columbia?

Columbia is, and forever will be, our hometown. It holds a special place in the hearts and minds of every Carfax employee, whether they work here, at our headquarters in Virginia or in other states. Carfax Vehicle History Reports are an essential step when buying or selling a used car and it all starts right here. We house nearly 9 billion pieces of information in our Columbia facility and load 3 to 4 million new ones daily. The work that we do helps save money and save lives.

This area has been our home for 25 years and providing additional job opportunities to local residents is important to us.

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Why Don’t They Sell Guns At MidwayUSA?

The short answer is: They do sell guns — but only certain types. I’ve got a feeling you’re not paying me the big bucks for short answers, though, so here’s the scoop.

Back in 1977, when Larry and Jerry Potterfield opened Ely Arms Inc. in Midway, the brothers sold new and used rifles, handguns, ammunition, and shooting and reloading supplies. As one of the few gun shops in the area, the Potterfields’ little store on Old U.S. 40 did a booming business. A year later, they changed the name of the shop to Midway Arms to avoid trademark issues with a company named Eley Inc. of Kynoch Industries, a division of Nobel. The brothers had named their gun shop for their hometown of Ely, Mo., and the name wasn’t even spelled the same, but what the heck, you don’t argue with lawyers whose parent company got its start by inventing dynamite. So they renamed it Midway Arms and went right along selling guns and other shooting supplies.

In 1985, Midway Arms closed its retail shop and went to mail-order only. No more store meant no more retail gun sales to the general public.

These days, MidwayUSA (renamed again in 1998) peddles its wares through catalog and Internet sales, where you can get “Just About Everything” in the hunting and shooting sports lineup. But here’s the rub: federal law restricts the direct shipment of firearms — and certain parts that make a gun a firearm — to those with a federal firearms license. Black powder guns and air guns are exempt from FFL requirements, so most customers can buy those from the MidwayUSA catalog, depending on state and local regulations.

Gun components are in the catalog, too — those with a knack for DIY can almost build their own gun (“It’s like Tinker Toys,” says one staffer), but not quite. Say you want to build your own AR15; MidwayUSA will sell you the parts for the upper receiver — and even give you stepby-step assembly instructions — but a licensed dealer will have to order the lower receiver for you. MidwayUSA does sell serialized firearms components to dealers with an FFL. Still want to “buy local” for your security needs?

Check out MidwayUSA’s new line of self-defense products on the website, www.midwayusa.com.

No FFLs required. spring 2011

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Who Is The Greek Family Behind So Many Of Columbia’s Favorite Restaurants?

Seemed like a simple enough question. I figured 10 minutes on the phone and I’d have my answer — and maybe score some baklava. It took a little longer than that to devour this tasty mystery and in the end, I had to draw a picture to make sense of it all. >>>

Gus & Kasiani Aslanidis

Voula & George Terzopoulos

Moved with their kids from Greece to Wisconsin in 1966 and worked in the restaurant business for Kasiani’s relatives. The family moved to Columbia in 1968, where Gus bought into G&D Steakhouse on Worley Street in 1970. The name came from the original owners, Kasiani’s brother George and another investor, Dino Godas, and stayed the same even after Gus bought Dino’s share. “Maybe it cost too much money to change the sign?” wonders Gus’ son, Angelo.

Tina & Jimmy Aslanidis Jimmy owns Jimmy’s Family Steakhouse, which opened in 1991.

Children Gus & Kasiani Gus works at Jimmy’s Family Steakhouse and might take over the restaurant one day.

Kasiani is an occupational therapist in Columbia.

Angelo & Elly Aslanidis Angelo is a coowner of G&D Steakhouse on Worley Street.

Elly makes the restaurant’s baklava. Elly’s brother, Dino, owned Dino’s Steakhouse.

Elly and Angelo met in 1975, when Angelo went back to Greece for a vacation. They were married a week later.

George (1938-2008) opened the first G&D Steakhouse in Columbia in 1969.

Nephews: Pano & Alex Terzopoulos Own G&D Pizzaria on West Broadway.

Maria Duncan Works as a waitress at G&D Steakhouse and Jimmy’s Family Steakhouse.

Alex Aslanidis A co-owner of G&D Steakhouse.

Children: Kasandra Works at G&D Steakhouse.

Children: Gus & Michael Gus is the former owner of a series of restaurants including Gus’ Pizza & Steak on Business Loop 70 (formerly George’s Pizza & Steakhouse) and Gus’ Pizza & Grille, Pizza Subs & Wings and part owner of The Zou Pub & Grille, also owned by his cousin, Alex Ligonis. Gus currently works at Joe Machens Ford. Michael, still works with his father at the G&D Steakhouse on Worley Street.

Michael & Maria Godas

George Godas Opened George’s Pizza & Steakhouse

Athanasia Soula Roussiou & Konstantinos “Dino” Michael Godas Opened several G&D Steakhouses in the 1970s and the Dino’s Steakhouse on Paris Road in 1993. Dino passed away in 2007 in a car accident.

Mary & Angelo Skyvalidas Opened Angelo’s Restaurant in the 1970s.

Children: Pano & Vicki Skyvalidas, Soula Gallatin Pano and Soula help run Angelo’s Restaurant.

Soula is married to Bryce Gallatin; they have one child, Dane.

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How Are MFA Oil, MFA Inc. And Shelter Insurance Related?

I wonder just how many Columbians in cosmopolitan CoMo realize that three of the largest companies in town started out with the word “farmer” in their names.

On March 10, 1914, seven farmers met at Newcomer School in Brunswick to organize the Missouri Farmers Association.

They placed the first cooperative order for 1,150 pounds of baler twine. Several transactions later, the little farm club had saved $400 by ordering as a group. The agricultural cooperative caught on quickly and enjoyed rapid growth as its members discovered there is strength in numbers — and some pretty sweet deals with all that purchasing power, too. By the 1920s, MFA represented 400 local cooperatives; today it serves more than 45,000 members in Missouri and surrounding states. Through its network of MFA Agri Service Centers, local independent co-ops and dealers, the company’s business enterprises include feed production, animal health, plant food sales, seed and crop protection, farm supply sales, custom chemical applications and site-specific services, financing services, and livestock and grain marketing. Joint ventures have extended the co-op’s reach with limited partnerships created for Cache River Valley Seed, AGRIServices of Brunswick and Central Missouri AGRIService. Headquartered in Columbia, MFA Inc. is the 23rd largest employer in town.

MFA branched out in 1929 and formed the energy cooperative MFA Oil Co. The two main products were kerosene and gasoline, delivered to farms by small tank trucks. The co-op endured through economic depression and wartime shortages, and then began expanding to meet the needs of farmers using motorized equipment. Investments in refineries, propane plants, and more recently, biofuel plants have ensured a steady supply of fuel and related products to co-op members. MFA Oil developed an ag-chemical division in the 1940s and later sold it to MFA Inc.

The co-ops formally split into two independent companies in 1985, when MFA Inc. relinquished its hold on half the seats of MFA Oil’s board of directors. Today, MFA Oil has more than 40,000 farmer members and is one of the top 10 propane suppliers in the United States. Its latest enterprise is MFA Biomass through a partnership with Aloterra Energy, an Ohio biofuels company, to create a vertically integrated renewable energy supply chain using farmer-grown Miscanthus giganteus, a warm-season perennial grass. MFA Oil sells products in Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa; it operates more than 100 Break Time, Jiffy Lube and Big O Tire retail stores.

Now what, you may ask, does a company called Shelter have to do with Missouri Farmers Association? Well, farmers need insurance, too, so MFA created a subsidiary — the MFA Mutual Insurance Co. — in 1946 with seven employees and a $100,000 loan from MFA Inc. The insurance company offered policies for auto, home, life, business and farm.

Are you seeing a pattern here? In 1981, a divorce from MFA Inc. created an independent company and a new identity. The insurance company changed its name, taking a cue from its slogan: “MFA is your Shield of Shelter.” The name change to Shelter Insurance also meant a new name for the company’s MFA Gardens at its West Broadway headquarters, reborn as Shelter Gardens. Your first clue to the MFA connection starts there in the replica of Newcomer School, the one-room schoolhouse where it all started 97 years ago.

Shelter Insurance operates in 14 states and encompasses a family of 10 companies that offer insurance, financial services and a bank. It is the ninth largest employer in town.

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Whatever Happened To Jefferson Farm & Gardens?

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WhAT kiNd of dEgREE cAN i EARN AT BRYAN collEgE? as of this January, Columbia has even greater claim to the Collegetown, USa, moniker.

Bryan College began its first session of classes here Jan. 3. Offerings at this aCICSaccredited school include Business administration, Business administration and Management, Criminal Justice, Medical administrative Specialist, Medical assistant, Medical Laboratory technician and Medical Office assistant.

Students attend class just two days a week and complete much of the coursework online, an approach catering to nontraditional students. the college added evening programs in March.

Classes start every five weeks, and for the first session, the college was at capacity with 30 students.

First launched in Springfield, Mo., in 1982, Bryan College now has four campus locations: Columbia; Springfield; rogers, ark.; and topeka, Kan. Find out more at www.bryancolleges.edu/ colleges/columbia-missouri.

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Facing a funding drought, Jefferson Farm & gardens — once “expected to be one of the nation’s premier educational facilities of its type” — remains closed to the public three years after its original expected opening.

“We took a hit a couple of years ago when funding went down,” says Jerry nelson, CEO and president of the board of directors, “but we’ve restructured, and we’re coming back.” grounds development began in 2006, and a press release from that time explains the goal was to “provide a year-round learning opportunity to explore contemporary Midwest farming and gardening practices.” although the farm has yet to open to the public on a regular basis, for the last three summers it has hosted school groups and offered agriculture workshops. at winter’s end, the board was still considering its offerings for 2011 and had no projected date for a grand opening.

WhAT kiNd of food do ThEY pRodUcE AT kRAfT foodS ANd QUAkER oATS? the Columbia Kraft Foods plant is “top dog”: the Waco road plant on Columbia’s north side produces most of Kraft’s Oscar Mayer hot dogs in varieties including original, Selects, all beef, turkey, light and more. the 12th largest employer here, Kraft estimates that in the plant’s 25 years of operation, it has made more than 25 billion hot dogs, and Kraft is doggone proud to report that the Columbia plant donates an average of 70,000 pounds of hot dogs annually to the Food Bank for Central and northeast Missouri. another north-side food factory is Columbia’s Quaker Oats. the plant on paris road is the “home of Quaker rice Cakes and Quakes” and is the 25th largest employer in the area. these snack foods are all that’s produced at the Columbia plant, and production can reach a rate of 13,000 rice cakes per minute — that’s nearly 19 million rice cakes per day, or enough for every Columbian to have a daily ration of 172 cakes!

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stepping

UP

New Dean joan gabel Brings Enthusiasm And A Passion For Preparation To The College Of Business

by KATHY CASTEEl photos by l.G. PATTERSon

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C

hristmas came early for Joan Gabel last year. A bit restless after 14 years in academia, she was looking for a new challenge in her career. She found it last spring in Columbia, all tied up in a bow.

“I was a department chair and the next level was dean,” she says. “I was ready to take that next step — I thought it would probably take a few years.”

In fact, Gabel’s leap to that next step took only a few months. Contacts at a search firm referred her to a vacancy posted at the University of Missouri, in the market for a new business school dean to replace Bruce Walker who was stepping down after 20 years.

“Missouri looked very good on paper,” she says. “But you don’t marry the first person you date.”

Her reticence was no match, though, for the effusive recruiter who wrapped up a glowing list of Mizzou and Columbia attributes with a catchy little phrase that caught Gabel’s fancy.

“This place has everything you could want,” the recruiter told her, “all tied up with a bow.”

“And she was right,” Gabel says with a ready smile. “ ‘Tied up with a bow’ is a good thing.”

Gabel’s inquiry quickly put her on the fast track to upper administration. Just six months after Walker announced his plans, the university had three finalists to interview. By May 24, Gabel had been hired as dean of MU’s Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business. She moved to Columbia in late August to take over the school on Sept. 1. She is the first woman, and the first lawyer, to lead the business school.

Hers has been a nontraditional journey for the 43-year-old dean. A New York City native, Gabel grew up in Atlanta. She earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Haverford College in Philadelphia, and then returned to the South to get a law degree from the University of Georgia.

After graduation, the newly minted attorney entered practice in Atlanta where she specialized in insurance law, representing carriers and defending insureds. She joined the faculty at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business in 1996 to teach risk management, legal issues and ethics. She racked up awards for teaching, service and research, and served as editor-in-chief of the American Business Law Journal and the Journal of Legal Studies in Business. Her expertise in risk management, corporate governance and employment law issues has

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yielded articles in National Law Journal, The American Business Law Journal and The Journal of Business Ethics.

Gabel’s interest in international issues, sparked by an undergraduate year spent at Montreal’s McGill University, led her to expand her teaching repertoire to include graduate business seminars in Chile, Australia and Argentina; she also taught in Italy, France and Egypt. In 2005, she became interim director of GSU’s Institute of International Business and faculty director of the Atlanta Compliance and Ethics Roundtable.

“I reached that fork in the road in 2005,” she says. “A former professor who had become a mentor — he’s now provost at the University of Georgia — told me I was well-suited to academia.” She reports the compliment with a roll of the eyes, but it’s clear the advice of Jere Morehead stuck. Two years later, she had moved on to Florida State University to chair the Department of Risk Management, Real Estate & Legal Studies. Gabel also was director of International Relations for the FSU College of Business.

The move from Tallahassee to Columbia last summer produced another fork in the road for the Gabel family — this time it was husband Gary’s time to choose. An educator who had spent years

training teachers, Gary Gabel left his job as early field experience coordinator in FSU’s College of Education and sought a return to the schoolhouse. He is now an assistant principal at Gentry Middle School. The couple has three children: a daughter at Rock Bridge High School, a son at Gentry and another son at Mill Creek Elementary School.

“We love Columbia already,” Gabel says. “The people here are friendly and interesting, and they’ve made us feel very welcome. It’s very easy to live here.”

It has been an easy transition from department chair at Florida State University to dean at Trulaske, a rising business school reaping the rewards of Walker’s two decades of leadership.

“She definitely hit the ground running,” says Allen Bluedorn, associate dean for graduate studies and research. “The possibilities for new programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels are already being considered seriously — and we are only months into her tenure as dean. Her enthusiasm has proven infectious.”

Gabel credits her predecessor’s management skills for the stability that grants her the luxury of considering innovations.

“With a dean like Bruce Walker, this school has had 20 years of continuous upward progress,” Gabel says. “He set the stage for national and international excellence.”

A sweep of her arm takes in the expanse of her view from her fourth-floor corner office in Cornell Hall. “Under his watch, we got this beautiful building with all of its great learning space for classrooms, offices and meetings. It’s more than lovely … but you still have to fill the building, and he did that, too; he hired 80 percent of the current faculty. He attracted the support of successful alumni, whose gifts built Cornell Hall and resulted in the naming of the school. Our rankings have climbed steadily, and our School of Accountancy is a top 20 program.”

She pauses in her checklist of praise

and grins. “Best faculty, best students, best space, best business school … all tied up with a bow.”

Gabel is not one to sit on the laurels of another, though.

“What is left for me to do is take this cake that’s been baked and frosted, and plot a course for the future,” she says.

“Business education reflects changing market and demand. We are preparing students for roles five years, 10 years, 20 years out. My job is to continue to support the faculty in scholarship and in the classroom. To that end, we are exploring programming and looking at how it readies students to be leaders.”

Gabel’s emphasis on professional development and real-world preparation has brought nods of approval from local business leaders and sparked excitement among the faculty.

Readiness is a key concept for the new dean, says Joe Stephens, director of the Crosby MBA program. “ ‘Ready’ is the word Joan has used to describe what students will be when they go out into the world,” he says. “I think that makes a lot of sense in many ways. We’re growing our emphasis on professional development so students use good social judgment — “polish” — in all scenarios.

We’re expanding international immersion opportunities so students get the truest sense firsthand of how people from vastly different perspectives can work together to add value. We’re leveraging expertise across Mizzou in science, medicine and engineering to create rare collaborations that should yield amazing outcomes on multiple levels. And we’re doing great things within Cornell Hall to give students the tools they’ll need to thrive in their longterm careers. We’re teaching them how to think, why that’s important, and that it’s a perpetual process. They’ll be ready.”

With an eye toward the business school’s core strengths — accounting, marketing, management and finance — Gabel wants to tailor Trulaske’s offerings to areas where there is growth: traditional fields of banking, risk management and insurance, as well as interdisciplinary undertakings in science and technology, and preparation for entrepreneurship.

“We have to develop the next generation of new businesses,” she says.

Gabel thinks many of these new businesses will come from outside of the United States, which makes it imperative that Trulaske expand the international opportunities available to students.

“Our economy is so much more global now,” she says. “Look at Monsanto — testing new crops outside of the United States; international companies like Shasun from India and Mamtek from China are investing in this country — in mid-Missouri. Emerging businesses come from emerging economies. This calls for a spring 2011

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Paying It FOrward “i’ve never seen such alumni allegiance as i have here at the University of Missouri,” says Dean Joan gabel. “There seems to be some sort of ‘special sauce.’ One year out or 50 years, it doesn’t matter — even recent alumni just getting settled in their careers will work tirelessly to help new grads.

That cycle of engagement greases the parts. it makes our program vibrant.” successful alumni have been very generous with Mizzou’s business school. The campaign under former dean Bruce Walker raised more than $100 million for the college. Many of those key donors have been honored with their names appended to programs and facilities.

The renaming of the business school in 2007 was in recognition of the endowment from the late robert J. Trulaske sr., a 1940 Mizzou graduate who founded True Manufacturing Co. Cornell Hall was named for Leggett & platt chairman emeritus Harry M. Cornell Jr. — a 1950 graduate — and his wife, Ann, whose $7 million in gifts fueled the college’s capital campaign, funded enhancements to Cornell Hall and established a leadership program.

The building opened as the home of the business school in 2002.

The Crosby MBA program honors the late gordon E. Crosby, a 1941 alumnus and former CEO of UsLiFE Corp., one of the first life insurance-based financial services companies. Crosby’s $10 million donation to the MU MBA program is the largest gift in support of an academic program at MU. real estate developer Jeffrey E. smith founded the institute of real Estate that bears his name in 2005. A 1972 MU graduate, smith’s company, JEs Holdings LLC, is headquartered in Columbia.

The institute operates within the Department of Finance.

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willingness to take a thoughtful approach, a managed risk.”

Colleagues call Gabel a thoughtful leader and a quick study who has brought her own style to the dean’s office.

Stephens, a member of the dean’s search committee, recalls his first impression of Gabel last spring. “The first thing I noticed about Joan was her approachability,” he says. “She immediately struck me — and everyone else in the room — as different from any other candidate we had met, in the most positive of ways. She’s sophisticated with a common-sense air, unassuming yet extremely well-rounded in her knowledge base. Over the past months, and quite a few interactions later, that impression has not changed.”

Her predecessor concurs.

“Joan has moved along the learning curve rapidly, gaining an understanding of the college’s academic activities, finances and advancement activities during her first months as dean,” says Walker, the

former dean and the Lansford Professor of Leadership at Trulaske. “She is working very hard to sustain the college’s successful programs and at the same time start new programs, such as an entrepreneurship alliance.”

Gabel believes new approaches and a migration into interdisciplinary studies will open doors for Mizzou graduates and for the Columbia business community.

“Interdisciplinary work is the future of higher education,” she says. “Information sharing is evolving into the educational model. We want to be at the forefront of that model. Here, we have a strong relationship with the Journalism School; we can feed off each other’s ideas for advertising, marketing, information technology and new media. We joined with the Law School to host a corporate governance conference. We are in the conversation phase with the College of Agriculture to discuss programs in agribusiness and international agriculture.”

Innovative science is the siren song of commerce these days, and the business school is not immune to its charms.

“It’s a new direction,” Gabel says. “The

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Life Science Business Incubator is applied space. The business school should be involved with agriculture, medicine and engineering in the business of managing innovation.” Gabel serves on the board of the incubator and is a member of Centennial Investors, a private funding organization that invests in the ideas of entrepreneurs and researchers to help bring them to market.

Her willingness to interact with the business community has garnered praise from local business leaders. Chamber of Commerce President Don Laird says her “new perspective from her unique background” plays well at the chamber and other organizations.

Cornell Hall hosted the chamber’s annual Economic Outlook Conference last November. The school actively courts local businesses as partners.

“I sense a meaningful contribution for Columbia emanating from the university’s business school under Dean

Gabel’s leadership,” says Paul Land, the chamber’s chairman of the board. “Already the chamber’s Education Committee is exploring ways to match up MU students with its members in a volunteer mentoring capacity.”

Land is anxiously awaiting results from a benchmarking study the chamber requested from a team of MBA students that will compare Columbia to peer Missouri cities and selected other U.S. communities on several demographic, business and economic indicators. The report, expected later this spring, is a study of Columbia’s attractiveness to prospective businesses, says study director Gregg Martin, associate teaching professor of management.

“We hope this interaction between the chamber’s leaders and the university’s energetic researchers will provide a resourceful and empirical scorecard of Columbia’s performance,” says Land.

“Just as importantly, it can serve as a

basis for more regular communication between the school and the local business community.”

Interaction with the local business community keeps the school grounded, Gabel says, in a town/gown relationship that benefits everyone.

“The quality of our programs, and our graduates, attracts industry to Columbia,” she says. “It makes Columbia a more attractive place to locate a business.

We are a partner in the economic development of this area.”

Trulaske College of Business is rising, Gabel declares. “Tremendous things have been done, but there is still much to do,” she says. “Challenges yield opportunities.

We have to grab those opportunities, just like a good entrepreneur.”

It’s an irresistible prospect for this entrepreneurial dean, all tied up with a bow.

Call In The COnsuLtants Looking for answers to business conundrums without the fancy consultant price tag? Check out the MBA consultancy program at MU’s Trulaske College of Business, where MBA students offer cutting-edge solutions for a wide range of business struggles. And the price is right, too — it’s free.

Working under the tutelage of gregg Martin, associate teaching professor of management, every student in the Crosby MBA program must participate in two consulting projects. The projects, Martin says, provide graduate students with real-world experience in defining problems, organizing teams, scheduling, developing well-written documents, using technology to present information, evaluating peers and demonstrating commitment.

“Truly, the Trulaske College of Business is dedicated to bringing real business situations to students,” Martin says.

“We hope these abilities will transfer to increase productivity and help the students as they help their employers.” students work in teams to analyze specific situations as requested by real client organizations. The teams act as consultants and meet with clients, draft proposals and present findings in a written report and a final presentation.

As a result, Martin says, consulting teams can assist with a multitude of precise needs related to marketing, management, finance and accounting. projects often involve comparative studies of competition, production standards and organizational structure for nonprofit organizations. recent local projects have included a telecommunication system 58

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that monitors calling patterns of departments within the University Hospital system; analyzing care after departure from University Hospital; statistical procedures for Miller’s professional imaging to monitor its process quality; and a report on the demographics and housing competition in the East Campus area for Junk Architects, a firm that is considering a housing project in that location.

“Clients have been from very large Fortune 500 companies to not-yet-started companies,” Martin says. “The process always includes analysis of the client’s internal and external environment using company data when available, surveys, observations, interviews and secondary research. This results in unique outcomes for each client.”

The business school has offered consulting services for about 15 years, Martin says, logging between 400 and 500 completed projects, primarily in Columbia, st. Louis and Kansas City. There is no cost to clients, unless they opt for research conducted with a variable cost such as purchasing mailing lists for surveys or traveling for firsthand observations.

“The largest demand for team service is development of marketing strategy and related promotion,” Martin says. “We have had hundreds of clients in need of this service.” Other frequent requests are cost studies that impact production, location of facilities or human resources.

The MBA team service meets about 80 percent of requests, as demand has grown. To request a team service, e-mail gregg Martin at martingd@missouri.edu.

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dividEnds

tech talk

taBLEt, Or nOt taBLEt? a Technophobe’s Guide To e-Readers and Tablets

by sAndy sELby

If you’re confused by all those nooks and Kindles and ipads — oh my! — read on for a refreshingly simple explanation of what these devices do, what they don’t and what you should expect to pay for these most modern of conveniences. >>> aMaZOn’s KindLE wirELEss rEadinG dEviCE A book is just so 2005. Amazon transformed the way people read when they introduced the Kindle in 2007. This device uses a technology called electronic ink, which mimics the look of real paper, to pack up to 3,500 books’ worth of content into an 8.5-ounce device. The advantage of e-ink over the LCD display common in other devices is that it produces far less glare, plus it preserves battery life. A Kindle can run up to a month on a battery charge if its wireless connection is turned off. Speaking of Wi-Fi, there’s no additional charge for Wi-Fi access with the Kindle — Amazon picks up that tab for you. On the downside, the Kindle doesn’t offer a color display and while it can browse the Internet and access Web-based e-mail, the limitations of the Kindle make the Internet a colorless and frustratingly awkward place to visit. bottoM LinE: If your main objective in purchasing an e-reader device is to read books, then the Kindle, affordably priced at $139, is a great buy.

BarnEs & nOBLE’s nOOKCOLOr Barnes & Noble went head to head with Amazon when it introduced its Nook e-reader in 2009, then upped the ante again in 2010 with NOOKcolor, a full-color reader tablet that not only delivers digital books, but also magazines, newspapers and illustrated children’s books in dynamic color. The $249 NOOKcolor straddles the price point between the Kindle and fullfeatured tablet devices such as the iPad and the XOOM. The NOOKcolor uses LCD technology in its display, enabling brilliant color but creating glare if you try to use it in bright sunlight and limiting battery life to about eight hours. The NOOKcolor operates on Google’s Android platform and already offers Internet browsing plus support for audio and video files.

Other Android apps should be available soon from Barnes & Noble. bottoM LinE: If you want to read magazines and do some light Internet browsing on your device, the nOOKcolor is up to the task for about half what you’d pay for the ipad or xOOM. But if you want to use your device for gaming, movie viewing or as a stand-in for your computer, you’ll need to step up to the next level.

aPPLE’s iPad No company is better at building buzz for a product than Apple, so when the iPad debuted in early 2010, it became the must-have gadget for more than 15 million consumers. Now that original iPad is yesterday’s news since the iPad 2 hit the market. Thinner and faster than its predecessor, it boasts a 10-hour battery life, two built-in cameras, and a cover that protects the screen. It comes with a built-in Web browser, iTunes, and new photo and video features. Plus, there are an additional 350,000 apps available through the Apple Store. The downside? Well, the price may make you think twice. The 16GB version starts at $499, with incremental increases in price and power up to the 64GB model that lists for a cool $829. The LCD screen gives you beautiful color but you may have to contend with glare. And while the iPad can do almost everything your laptop computer can do, a touch-screen can’t replace a keyboard for heavy computer users. bottoM LinE: the ipad is more than just a status symbol — it’s a highly functional, highly portable device that is as practical as it is fun. the ipad can connect to an existing wireless network, but if you want the option of connecting to a 3g network that’s accessible wherever you happen to be, similar to how your smart phone connects, you’ll need to purchase a data plan.

MOtOrOLa’s XOOM The Motorola XOOM recently won a CNET Best of Show award at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show for being “the most potentially disruptive technology,” and guess who they’re trying to disrupt? Apple would be naïve to rest on its laurels because Motorola is ready to compete. Like the iPad, the XOOM is a fully functional tablet device that has two built-in cameras (one rear-facing, one front-facing) and a vivid color display. The XOOM is built around Google’s popular Android operating system, which will open up a massive and ever-growing library of apps to XOOM users. The XOOM starts at $599.99 with a two-year customer agreement with Verizon for data service, or $799.99 without a contract. bottoM LinE: the android operating system has won a lot of fans and everyone who has become an android devotee for their smartphone will love having it on their tablet device. spring 2011

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Renaissance Awards Inside Columbia’s CEO magazine teamed up with the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau to present the Renaissance Awards at a reception at Orr Street Studios on Feb. 10. The awards honor businesses who have demonstrated outstanding corporate suport of the local arts community. This year’s Renaissance Award recipients were Boone County National Bank, Boone Hospital Center, Landmark Bank and Williams-Keepers LLC. (Photos by Wally Pfeffer, mizzouwally@compuserve.com) 1. Cindy and Steve Sheltmire 2. Anna and David Lawrence 3. Mary Wilkerson and Lynda Baumgartner 4. Lorah Steiner and Darwin Hindman 5. Stan and Leslie Clay 6. Diane Haas and Bob Doroghazi 7. Mary and Larry Colgin 8. Laura Erdel, Tootie Burns and Bea Smith 9. Jan Beckett and Bob McDavid

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ADVERTISING INDEX Alzheimer’s Association........................... 9 American Family Insurance...................25 Best of Columbia 2011.............................37 Boone County National Bank.................. 3 Bright City Lights......................................32 Cancer Research Center........................ 64 Central Trust..............................................23 City of Columbia Water & Light...........35 Coil Construction.................................... 30 Columbia Regional Airport.................... 41 Columbia Turf............................................43 CORE............................................................17 Creative Surroundings............................ 30 D&M Sound.................................................4 Ford, Parshall & Baker..............................27 Gary B. Robinson Jewelers.................... 60 GFI Digital..................................................29 Glen Ehrhardt.............................................51 Hawthorn Bank........................................ 68 Handyman Solutions............................... 41 Image Technologies................................... 2 Kliethermes Homes.................................29 Landmark Bank..........................................13 Les Bourgeois............................................23 Line-X..........................................................27 Lon Brockmeier- Raymond James Financial Services.....................59 Mail & More.............................................. 20 Manor Metal Roofing...............................15 MayeCreate...............................................33 Moresource................................................39 MU Health Care........................................67 Sandler Training........................................25 Schuster, BettyPrinciple Financial Group....................33 Shelter Office Plaza.................................... 5 Simon Oswald Associates.....................43 Smart Business Products........................32 Smith & Moore..........................................57 Southside Liquors.....................................34 Starr Properties.........................................37 Stephens College....................................... 11 Steve Twitchell Productions...................62 Stifel Nicholas.......................................... 64 Suit Yourself...............................................62 Swan Lake.................................................. 60 The District................................................ 41 Tiger Court Reporting..............................57 UMB Bank.................................................... 6 United Country.........................................35 University Club..........................................27 VA Mortgage Center..........................18-19 Vicky Shy Realty...................................... 20 Waddell & Reed....................................... 20 Wilkerson & Reynolds............................ 60 William Woods University......................15 Williams Keepers.....................................37 Wine & Food Festival 2011..................... 41 64

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Business Community Has Much At Stake In Council Elections

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n Tuesday, April 5, Columbia voters will go the polls to elect new City Council members in the First and Fifth Wards.

For Columbia’s business community, the outcome of these elections is critical to our continued recovery from the toughest economic times our city has faced.

Business-friendly voters should scrutinize closely all of the candidates before going to the polls, particularly in Columbia’s Fifth Ward.

as a regional shopping draw for our community and as one of the largest contributors of sales tax revenue from a local business. Only Anthony can defend her position on why she felt this large commercial tract at the heavily traveled intersection of Highway 763 and U.S. 63 was not appropriate for development.

Ehrhardt doesn’t have Anthony’s record of service on the Planning and Zoning Commission, but neither did mayors Bob McDavid and Darwin Hindman or current Fifth Ward council Fifth Ward representative Laura City Council Nauser. Serving in this Glen Ehrhardt and capacity is obviously not a Helen Anthony are both prerequisite for service on attorneys, both are 50 years the council, nor should it be. old and both are active in Ehrhardt, after decades a number of worthwhile of working as an attorney in causes. The similarities this community, possesses seem to stop there. The a strong understanding most notable difference of how things get done between these candidates The No. 1 issue in Columbia. He is smart may be found in Anthony’s facing residents of and has a record of asking voting record in her muchour central city is public officials the right touted role as a planning a lack of economic questions and challenging and zoning commissioner. opportunity. the lack of transparency in Anthony has a clear local government and our record of voting against – Fred Parry public schools system. He significant development will no doubt play a key role projects that have had the in moving Columbia forward. potential of creating hundreds of new jobs Glen Ehrhardt deserves your support in this community. If her vote against the on Tuesday, April 5. zoning request by Landmark Hospital had carried forth, Columbia would have been denied more than 150 jobs created by First Ward City Council this center and the economic impact of a My delight that there are four rather large construction project. candidates contending for the seat being Anthony also stood opposed to the vacated by Paul Sturtz is tempered by Cross Creek Development that eventually disappointment at the lack of depth each will become home to a Joe Machens of these candidates has in their individual automotive dealership and several other platforms. At least two of the four retail stores. The economic impact of candidates are running with such narrow the Joe Machens dealerships alone in agendas they appear to have little regard this community is staggering, both for what might happen beyond their issue

or outside their ward. The citizens of the First Ward have never needed a stronger representative than they do today.

The No. 1 issue facing residents of our central city is a lack of economic opportunity. Outside of the downtown retail district, there is very little enterprise in the neighborhoods bordered

by Providence Road, West Broadway, West Boulevard and Business Loop 70.

This predicament is of great concern because of the lack of reliable public transportation outside conventional workday hours. If the jobs aren’t in the central city, these residents must find affordable transportation to get to and from these jobs.

Even if transportation were readily available, there are still other concerns that are not being addressed. Frankly, it will be difficult to overcome the circumstances that haunt our central city.

The First Ward needs a representative who can do more than pay lip service to the problems. We need a candidate who can mobilize lethargic neighborhoods and come up with viable solutions.

Why Your Vote Counts If Columbia is to move forward, we cannot afford to have a city council that feels compelled to jeopardize job creation by slowing down projects such as IBM or the extension of Maguire Boulevard. We don’t need city council representatives who are slow to defend our city against the overzealous governmental bureaucracies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in its stance on Hinkson Creek.

We need a city council willing to make tough choices that will turn this train around as quickly as possible.

The world is run by people who simply show up. Encourage your employees, colleagues, customers and neighbors to show up at the polls on Tuesday, April 5.

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CLOSING QUOTES

What Columbia’s Business People And Community Leaders Are Saying “Whoever it is doesn’t like me, doesn’t like Mitch [Richards], doesn’t like Fred [Schmidt] and doesn’t like Darrell [Foster], so I don’t know what you’ve got.”

— City Council Candidate Pam Forbes during the Muleskinners Candidate Form on the Columbia Chamber of Commerce’s decision not to endorse any of the First Ward candidates for Columbia City Council

“People need to get off their backsides and get a job. Maybe they’ll have to get two jobs or three jobs to make ends meet, but they need to quit stealing from their neighbors.”

— State Sen. Jim Lembke of St. Louis County during a filibuster against proposed legislation to extend unemployment aid in Missouri to 99 weeks

“I have several moving parts.”

— Trulaske College of Business Dean Joan Gabel on her multiple roles in leading the business school

“As time goes by, I’m sure there will be some people that want to be at the new parking garage.”

— Columbia Public Work’s Jill Stedem to the Columbia Missourian on lackluster sales of parking permits in the new downtown parking garage

“Columbia has successfully set itself up to be a center of excellence for established and emerging businesses. I think all new entrepreneurs, both in America and beyond, should Google Columbia when considering their future home.”

— Tariq Shah, commercial director of PetScreen Inc.

“It is definitely the right time for entrepreneurs to start companies in Columbia!”

— Adroit Motion co-founder & CEO Xandra M. Sifuentes

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Inside Columbia’s ceo OutFront Communications, LLC 301 W. Broadway Columbia, MO 65203

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