FALL FALL 2019 2016
Rolling on Family-run Durand company marks 75th anniversary
Also
• Hotel industry grows in area
• Housing crunch
affects workforce
• Honor Roll of Business SPONSORED BY
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2 | BUSINESS LEADER • September 23, 2019
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EDITOR’S NOTE
Bauer Built marks 75 years in Durand.
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Eau Claire area hotel industry grows as demand rises.
12
Area housing shortage has impacts on workforce.
18
Veterinarian leads animal feed suppliment business in Stanley.
GUEST COLUMNS
Steve Latham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Justin Vajko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BOOK REVIEW
11 16 20
19 BUSINESS HONOR ROLL . . . . . 22 CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 BY THE NUMBERS . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Terri Schlichenmeyer . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CONTENTS
4
If Eau Claire area businesses are worried about a future recession, they didn’t show it in a July survey. When the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce did its twice annual poll this summer, its members generally replied that the economy is strong and they plan to maintain or slightly increase their workforces. Of the businesses who took the survey, 84% felt the national economy is strong to some degree — a slight improvement on January’s survey, but a little lower than how they felt in 2018. Those trends held for opinions on the local economy as well, with 88% feeling the area is doing somewhere between well to great. Even more encouraging is that no respondents felt the local economy is getting worse, but 12% believe we’re staying the same. Local firms also are very optimistic how well they will do for the last half of this year. A full 58% feel their sales will rise — higher than the prior dozen surveys. Only 1% expect their sales to go down and the remaining 41% foresee them to stay about the same. At least one business did note the possibility of a recession on the horizon in their survey response. And about a month after the survey, a phenomenon seen as a reliable indicator to a recession did emerge. During August, news spread of an inverted yield curve, seen as a sign investors are getting jittery about the economy because demand is shrinking for short-term Treasury notes and rising for long-term ones. An Aug. 27 U.S. News & World Report noted the reversal in demand between three-month and 10-year Treasuries has preceded every recession in the last 50 years. Financial markets were shook up when the curve went askew, but some pundits were skeptical and hopeful it won’t be the same reliable precursor to recession that it had been historically. Those naysayers/optimists pointed to the increasing tendency of the federal government to intervene in the economy, trying to stimulate it into avoiding a downturn. To me that stirred memories of reading about John Maynard Keynes and government intervention during economics class in college. That same class also taught the historic cycles of prosperity, recession and recovery. But knowing exactly when each of those phases will hit seems impossible until they actually arrive. So unless you’ve got clairvoyance into the economy’s future, there’s not much harm in being optimistic.
Fall 2019
EDITOR - Andrew Dowd andrew.dowd@ecpc.com @ADowd_LT • 715-833-9204
GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT - John Balgaard MAGAZINE ADVERTISING & COORDINATOR - Alicia Rodgers alicia.rodgers@ecpc.com • 715-833-9237
Cover photo by Dan Reiland Published four times per year by the Leader-Telegram. Copyright 2019 Leader-Telegram, 701 S. Farwell St., Eau Claire, WI 54701. All rights reserved. 800-236-7077. leadertelegram.com
COVER STORY
Rolling on
Staff photos by Dan Reiland Jerry Bauer became president in 1977 of the business his father started in Durand. He still is Bauer Built’s CEO and chairman of the board, but passed along the presidency to his son, Tad, in 2013.
Family-run Bauer Built marks 75 years of growing the business from Durand By Ryan Patterson, Leader-Telegram staff
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riving into Durand from the east end of town, athletic fields greet visitors. The modern sports venues were constructed about two years ago and host Durand High School football, soccer, baseball, and track and field competitions. On the scoreboards and back of bleachers are inscribed four words: “Bauer Built Sports Complex.” Bauer Built welcomes people to Durand, and the tire retread company is one of the longest-lasting community cornerstones. Founded in 1944 as Bauer Oil Company, Bauer Built celebrated its 75th anniversary this year. The company has always made its headquarters in Durand, a burg of just under 2,000 people. Bauer Built has evolved over the years, withstood challenges and grown to have locations in 10 states, all while managing the dynamics that accompany a family business. 4 | BUSINESS LEADER • September 23, 2019
Leading the company
Jerry Bauer has led the company for more than half of its lifetime. He became president of Bauer Built on Jan. 1, 1977 and now is CEO and chairman of the board. The son of founder Sam Bauer, Jerry Bauer was the sixth of eight children and the first boy. Growing up, he figured he would be involved in the family business. “I think it was probably in my blood really early on that I’m going to be working in the family-owned business,” Jerry Bauer said. He took over as president at the age of 24, staying in that role until 2013, when his son Tad Bauer took over the position. Jerry Bauer said he learned everything about running a business from his father. He figured out how to give firm leadership with care and guidance and determined the
balance between work, life and leisure. “There’s not a lot that bothers me,” Jerry Bauer said.
Changing with the trends
The company only had two tire centers when Jerry Bauer became president about 42 years ago, but it now has around 40 centers throughout the Midwest. Bauer Built continues to grow, as evidenced by its April purchase of the commercial tire division of Allied Oil & Tire Company, which has locations in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota. It all began with a bulk oil business Sam Bauer started in Durand, which later grew with a retail gas station and tire business. In 1954, Bauer Built started retreading tires and has shifted its focus to helping commercial trucking companies. According to Jerry Bauer, the retread industry was generally growing until it plateaued a few years ago. To make up for that, the company has focused on commercial trucking parts and light mechanical services associated with tires, including brakes, alignments and tractor trailer lights.
tire,” Jerry Bauer said. “Finding people who are willing to do that is tough.” Moreover, drawing executives to a small town isn’t always easy. “Although I can’t imagine living anywhere else, there’s a lot of people that can’t imagine living here,” Jerry Bauer said. After a 1967 fire destroyed a retread plant in Durand, the company considered offers to relocate some of its business elsewhere, but Sam Bauer decided to rebuild and stay in Durand. A year later, a new shop opened, and Jerry Bauer said no serious discussions have ever occurred about relocating the company. “This is the home of Bauer Built,” Jerry Bauer said. “It’s our home.”
Community connections
In recent years, Jerry Bauer has taken on more of a facilitating role in shepherding his children and the other executives who are becoming increasingly involved in the daily operations of Bauer Built. Jerry Bauer is also chairman of the board at Security Financial Bank, the institution where Paul Rudersdorf has spent the last four years as president and CEO. Rudersdorf said Bauer has served as a tremendous mentor to him, calling him an honest, brilliant businessman who excels at solving problems. Rudersdorf said it is hard to quantify the impact the company has had on Durand and the nearby communities.
r . Contributed photo Bauer Built began as Bauer Oil Company in 1944, delivering petroleum products to farmers and residential customers. Though the company has grown through its commercial tire services, bulk oil remains part of Bauer Built.
Finding good help
In his four-plus decades at the company, Jerry Bauer has overseen business growth that exceeded his imagination. He credited the expansion to the company’s excellent employees. Of Bauer Built’s nearly 600 workers, more than 100 are employed in Durand, many with lengthy histories at the company. While Bauer Built has many dedicated employees, Jerry Bauer said great workers do not come easily considering some of the rigors involved in the business. “When it’s 25 degrees below zero and you got a semi truck on an interstate in Indianapolis or Chicago or Minneapolis and traffic’s going by at 65 miles per hour, it takes a unique individual that will be out there in that kind of weather and that kind of conditions and service a truck who’s got a flat
Kirk Poeschel puts a new tread onto a commercial tire at the Bauer Built plant in Durand.
See page 6 September 23, 2019 • BUSINESS LEADER | 5
from Page 5
“It’s unbelievable,” Rudersdorf said. “… Jerry’s not the type that is going to broadcast everything they do or every donation that they make. I would characterize him as humbly generous.” Durand Mayor Patrick Miligren knows many people who previously worked or currently work at the company. He attributed its longevity to Bauer Built’s emphasis on being a family-run, hometown business. Apart from the financial commitments, Miligren said ownership and employees take an active role in volunteering and spending time on community activities. Bauer Built is “a great community partner, and there’s no other way of looking at it,” Miligren said.
True to their roots
Greg Doverspike, superintendent of the Durand-Arkansaw School District, concurred. When Doverspike accepted the superintendent job eight years ago, Jerry Bauer led him on a tour of Bauer Built. Walking around the different facilities, Doverspike was struck by Bauer’s knowledge and personal interaction with employees. The pride Bauer had in the business and its legacy was evident, and memories of that tour have stayed with Doverspike. “It’s amazing to me how they’ve stuck to their roots considering a business of their size,” Doverspike said. “… It’s a testament to the family values they have.” Doverspike called Bauer Built a community staple and
Bauer Built has made its home in Durand for 75 years, currently employing more than 100 in the Pepin County city.
generous supporter and partner of the school district. In addition to funding the sports complex, the company has helped with Junior Achievement, given tours to school employees and hosted celebrations for students after high school graduation. “I don’t know where we’d be without them,” Doverspike said. From meager beginnings three quarters of a century ago, Bauer Built has expanded into a sustainable company, all while holding onto its family-run, small-town roots. Contact: 715-830-5838, ryan.patterson@ecpc.com
Milestones 1944 – Sam Bauer founds Bauer Oil Company in Durand, delivering petroleum products to farms and residential customers 1948 – The company opens a retail gas station in Durand, which also has tire sales and service 1954 – The company gets into the tire retreading business 1956 – Bauer Oil reaches $1 million in sales 1959 – Bauer Oil changes its name to Bauer Built Incorporated 1963 – Sales exceed $2 million 1967 – A retread shop in Durand is completely destroyed in a fire but a new building is eventually rebuilt 1975 – Bauer Built’s sales exceed $10 million as the company has grown to run two tire centers, a retread manufacturing facility, wholesale distribution center, auto parts store and convenience store in addition to still selling bulk oil 1976 – Sam Bauer sells majority of his interest in company to his sons and sons-in-law 1977 – Jerry Bauer becomes president of the company 1980 – Founder Sam Bauer retires from full-time duty 2013 – Tad Bauer takes over as Bauer Built president
6 | BUSINESS LEADER • September 23, 2019
- Guest Article -
OPPORTUNITY
(ZONES) KNOCK
By Attorneys Paul Mirr and Andrew Raymonds
Wisconsin investors have started to take advantage of a relatively new federal program that could drive new development into areas of Wisconsin that need it most. Qualified Opportunity Zones, enacted as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of December 2017, could become one of the more impactful federal incentives for equity capital investment in low-income and distressed communities.
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THE OPPORTUNITY FOR INVESTORS.
The Opportunity Zone program targets a massive untapped resource – the roughly $6 trillion in unrealized capital gains currently sitting dormant. It enables private and institutional investors to reduce taxes on current capital gains and avoid taxes on future capital gains—if they invest in selected low-income and rural communities. Under the Opportunity Zone program, individual and corporate taxpayers are eligible for an array of tax incentives on gains from the sale of stocks or assets by investing the proceeds into a Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF). The QOF, in turn, must invest at least 90% of its assets, directly or indirectly, in businesses or property located in certain low-income communities designated as Qualified Opportunity Zones.
TAX BENEFIT TRIFECTA.
The path to tax benefits is relatively straightforward. First, an investor realizes capital gains by selling stocks or assets. If the investor reinvests those capital gains into a QOF within 180 days, the investor can earn three key benefits: 1. Tax deferral: Investors can defer payment of taxes on the capital gain until the earlier of the disposition of the interest in the QOF or December 31, 2026. 2. Tax reduction: For capital gains reinvested in a QOF, the basis is increased by 10% if the investment in the QOF is held for at least five years. The basis is increased by an additional 5% if the investment is held for at least seven years, thereby excluding up to 15% of the original gain from taxation. 3. Permanent tax exclusion: An investor can permanently exclude from taxable income capital gain from the sale or exchange of an investment in a QOF, if the
investment is held for at least ten years. While this is certainly a lucrative incentive, it is important to note that this exclusion only applies to the gains accrued from an investment in a QOF, and not the original gains invested into the QOF. Wisconsin lawmakers incorporated the federal opportunity zone tax provisions into state law last session, applying the tax benefits to state income taxes. While the value that this program brings to investors is clear, the value and impact it can have on underserved communities is equally as apparent.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES.
The goal of the Opportunity Zone program is to drive long-term investment into economically distressed areas. These areas are designated census tracts that have been deemed “low income communities”. Each tract has a poverty rate of 20% and/or an average family income falling below 80% of the area’s median income. Each state’s governor nominated up to 25% of statewide low-income census tracts to be certified as opportunity zones by the U.S. Department of Treasury. Wisconsin currently has 120 designated opportunity zones spanning across 40 counties.
• creating detailed investor proposals that showcase sound, investment-ready projects. • monitoring and tracking QOF investments. • promoting vetted projects to local investors.
LOOKING AHEAD
Recently, a bipartisan group of Wisconsin lawmakers circulated legislation for cosponsorship to expand the tax exclusion for investors in opportunity zones throughout the state. The bill would double the tax exclusion for those who invest in opportunity zones. In the meantime, community leaders and economic developers should use this unique opportunity to get creative to draw the best mix of projects and investment to rejuvenate their previously distressed communities.
Attorney Paul Mirr, Ruder Ware, L.L.S.C.
HOW COMMUNITIES CAN SPUR INVESTMENT.
Investment is not guaranteed simply because an area has been designated as an opportunity zone. Community leaders and economic developers can play a major role in capitalizing on this new opportunity by: • educating investors on the availability and benefits of opportunity zone incentives.
Attorney Andrew Raymonds, Ruder Ware, L.L.S.C.
September 23, 2019 • BUSINESS LEADER | 7
FEATURE STORY
Boom in beds
Staff photos by Dan Reiland Construction of a Residence Inn by Fairfield began this summer on Eau Claire’s northeast side. The new hotel will be next to a Fairfield Inn and Suites that opened in 2016.
Eau Claire hotel industry grows as demand climbs By Andrew Dowd, Leader-Telegram staff
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fter somewhat cautiously emerging from the Great Recession, the Eau Claire area lodging industry has experienced a boom in construction while the city is seeing more visitors. Six hotels opened within the last six years — a mix of new properties and revived older ones — and demand for places to stay climbed as well. “Over the last five to 10 years, we have been seeing growing interest in Eau Claire as a destination,” said Linda John, executive director of Visit Eau Claire. Measured by rooms booked during a year versus the total available, Eau Claire has seen 45% demand growth in the past 10 years, according to the local convention and visitors bureau’s statistics. Even with the increased inventory, hotels were fuller in 2018 than any year in recent history. The Eau Claire area’s average occupancy rate last year — including everything from slow weekdays to busy weekends — had reached 58%, the highest mark in Visit Eau Claire statistics going back to 2007. John did temper enthusiasm with the fact that the
8 | BUSINESS LEADER • September 23, 2019
area’s hotel occupancy has not been on the rise every year and has seen dips and plateaus. “It is important to note these things fluctuate,” John said. Figures for the first half of 2019 have been down 1.1% in terms of demand when compared to 2018, she said. With summer months a consistently high part of the year for tourism, it is hard to grow there but she is hopeful that a good autumn can help hotels stay as busy as they were last year. “When you have some strong years of growth, inevitably you’re going to experience some plateaus,” John said. But the general trend for the area has been growth since the last recession ended in 2009. ••• A good economy is commonly associated with leisure and travel spending as people feel confident they have disposable income to spend, but John believes local hotel growth also has been aided by factors unique to the area.
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“I do feel part of it is the economy and part of it is something special going on in Eau Claire,” she said. Two large summer events — Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival and Blue Ox Music Festival — both started here in 2015 and bring in visitors needing a place to stay. “That was a huge driver of room nights,” John said. The number of smaller cultural and arts events have also grown, she noted, and downtown’s revitalization also is aiding tourism to Eau Claire. “There’s a lot more event activity taking place,” she said. A 2017 spike in occupancy — booking 12.4% more overnight stays than the prior year — came as Eau Claire had gotten national media attention for its growing arts scene, John said. Wisconsin as a whole is seeing growth in lodging — accounting for $3.58 billion brought into the state last year, up 4.1% from 2017, according to Tourism Economics. And Eau Claire isn’t the only area where hoteliers see rising demand and are building new accommodations for visitors. Kirsten Lee Villegas, president and CEO of the Brookfield-based Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association, sees the strong economy as the primary driver for recent growth in the state’s lodging industry. There is high confidence in the economy among innkeepers, she said in an email, prompting them to move forward with expansion plans they came up with during the prolonged recovery after the Great Recession. “After years of economic stagnation, there was a pent up desire for hotel developers to expand and grow,” Villegas said. “Expansion plans were put on hold. You are now seeing those plans coming to fruition.” Another factor is the addition of major destination projects in the state that draw business and leisure travel. “Projects such as the new Bucks arena and Brookfield Conference Center and other major developments in the state spur the need for expanded hotel room capacity,” Villegas wrote in the email.
Staybridge Suites opened in 2016 in Altoona’s River Prairie development. It is among several hotels built in recent years as demand for rooms has been on the rise in the Eau Claire area.
••• Overall growth in Eau Claire’s hotel numbers does belie the loss of an important piece of the local industry that was demolished to make way for a new hospital. Four hotels came online in 2016 — two new ones and two that underwent massive renovations — but the loss of the Plaza Hotel & Suites left a hole in the local market. Closing in fall 2016, the Plaza not only had 233 guest rooms, but also convention space unmatched in size by other area hotels. As a result, several conventions went to other communities, John said. She attributes the loss of the Plaza as a factor in the 4.3% dip in room demand during 2016. There are still hotels that accommodate large groups in the 50 to 500 people range, John said, but Eau Claire is still unable to meet demand for space to fit 800 to 1,200. The city does have large meeting spaces including UWEau Claire’s Davies Center, the Chippewa Valley Expo Center at Menards corporate headquarters and the Eau Claire Indoor Sports Center, but John noted those don’t have the advantage of being attached to a hotel. While See page 10
Hotel Occupancy Rate 70% 60%
Room Tax Collections $2,500,000 $2,000,000
50% 40% 30%
$1,500,000 $1,000,000
20% 10% 0%
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
$500,000 $0
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
September 23, 2019 • BUSINESS LEADER | 9
from Page 9
those venues have attracted large events, John said many organizers consider it a dealbreaker if they can’t have convention space and lodging in the same spot as transportation, booking multiple places and other logistics can add costs. But 2016 also brought in a renaissance to two older hotels, thoroughly changing them inside and out from downtrodden properties to trendy landmarks. Downtown Eau Claire’s former Ramada Inn, which had lost the authority to use that branding and went through foreclosure, was bought by a group of young local investors who thoroughly remodeled it and turned it into The Lismore Hotel. On a slightly smaller scale, the Green Tree Inn & Suites, another downtown hotel that had fallen on hard times, was also revamped into a boutique hotel now known as The Oxbow. Staybridge Suites also opened in 2016 in Altoona’s River Prairie development — the same year the Fairfield Inn and Suites began receiving guests about a mile away on Eau Claire’s northeast corner. The infusion of new, high-end hotels has also been apparent in the growth in room taxes collected in Eau Claire. The 8% charged on hotel stays, which goes toward funding attractions and events that help boost tourism,
climbed past the $2 million mark in 2017. While part of that growth is due to occupancy rates, John said much of it is due to newer hotels entering the market with higher prices. “A lot of our growth has been driven by rate,” she said. She views both contributing factors as good because they show more people coming to Eau Claire and hotel companies investing in new, quality buildings here. “There is something to be said in newer product versus older product,” she said. ••• The spate of new hotels began in fall 2013 with a Holiday Inn opening and continued through last autumn with Candlewood Suites, both of them owned by Larson Companies on Eau Claire’s southeast side. But there are even more lodging options planned or already in progress. Construction of a Home2 by Hilton is well under way on Eau Claire’s south side close to Oakwood Mall. A Residence Inn by Fairfield is already under construction on the city’s northeast corner, next to a Fairfield Inn and Suites that opened in 2016. A former Clarion hotel used for the past two years as a UW-Eau Claire dormitory was razed this summer to make way for two new hotels at the site on Craig Road. Contact: 715-833-9204, andrew.dowd@ecpc.com, @ADowd_LT on Twitter
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10 | BUSINESS LEADER • September 23, 2019
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Dealing with volatility near retirement
GUEST COLUMN Steve Latham is a chartered financial analyst with a master’s degree in investment management and financial analysis from Creighton University and more than 12 years of experience in the finance industry. He is an independent financial adviser, CIO and a managing partner at River Prairie Wealth Partners, 2423 Rivers Edge Drive, Altoona. He can be reached at 715832-7715. River Prairie Wealth Partners is a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
Set date, diversify, keep nest egg growing By Steve Latham River Prairie Wealth Partners
Retirement is an important milestone that often comes after years (or decades) of careful planning. For those who’ve saved diligently and are nearing the end of their careers, the mere thought of market volatility can send shivers down their spines. Will a sudden drop in the value of their portfolios impact their ability to retire? Will they really have enough money to live off of for the rest of their lives? Should they put their retirement plans on hold so they can maintain a steady paycheck? If you are in this situation, now is a good time to assess whether you have the right plan in place to help you transition confidently into retirement, no matter what happens in the broader market. Here are some tips to keep in mind.
Pick your retirement date
If you haven’t already, take time now to decide the year and month when you (and potentially your spouse or partner) want to retire. You may find it is closer than you think, just a few years away. Or you may decide you want to extend your time in the workforce – whether it’s continuing your current career or moving into a new full or part-time role. Either way, your answer can have a big impact on your investment decisions from this point forward.
Ensure you are diversified
Various parts of the market react to headlines and economic drivers differently. For those nearing retirement, the recent spike in volatility is a reminder of how having a broadly diversified portfolio can help reduce your investing risk. The goal of diversification is that if some of your investments lose value, those losses could be offset by gains with other investments. How do you know if you’re properly diversified? The simplest answer is to check to see that your portfolio contains a mix of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, short-term cash investments, savings and other investing vehicles that take into account your goals and comfort level with risk. Going a step further, ensure you understand how each asset or investment in your portfolio is helping you reach your financial goals. If you’re unsure or want a second
opinion, consider consulting a financial adviser for guidance.
Balance protection with growth
Protecting your portfolio from current or future market downturns becomes more important as you approach the day when you start living off your savings. Consider investing the money you plan to use for income in the first few years of retirement more conservatively in liquid vehicles that are easy to access. This can help give you peace of mind that you are prepared to handle upcoming expenses should the markets swing. It’s also important to remember that your retirement could last 20, 30 or even 40 years. Balance your need for protection with continuing to grow your nest egg. Assets you won’t need for some time could be more aggressively positioned. To recreate your paycheck in retirement, consider an income-focused portfolio that balances income generation with risk mitigation. At a minimum, ensure your assets can keep on pace with rising inflation. When the market moves, it is an opportunity to compare your investment strategy to your goals. Are you on track? No matter the answer, there are steps you can take to feel more confident about your ability to retire when and how you want to. For additional help talk to a financial adviser who is willing to discuss your 1506 South Hastings Way, personal circumstances and Eau Claire provide guidance on how 715-832-3502 to manage your money for www.muldoons.com today’s market.
OUR SUITS ARE HOT HERE!!!
September 23, 2019 • BUSINESS LEADER | 11
COMMUNITY PROFILE
A tight market Staff photo by Dan Reiland Altoona bought and is converting the former senior housing complex at 1511 Devney Drive into apartments to help address an affordable housing crunch in the area.
Chippewa Valley housing shortage impacting workforce By Sarah Seifert, Leader-Telegram staff
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hippewa Valley residents need homes. Affordable rental apartments, singlefamily starter homes, senior housing: They’re all in need, Chippewa Valley economic and housing officials say. As of late August, the Eau Claire-Altoona area had 169 active properties for sale under $500,000, said Stacey McKinney, president of the Realtors Association of Northwestern Wisconsin’s board of directors and co-owner of McKinney Realty. At the same time, Eau Claire and Altoona had 136 closings on residential properties scheduled for the next 30-day period. The area has little over a month’s supply of housing stock: “That’s a shortage,” McKinney said. Fewer housing options impact community members from almost every demographic. Millennials stay in rental apartments longer if they can’t find starter homes, and seniors do the same in their larger homes if they can’t find affordable residences to downsize into, said McKinney and Scott Rogers, governmental affairs and workforce director for the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce. But a housing shortage isn’t only impacting would-be residents of Eau Claire, Chippewa and Dunn counties. It’s stifling employers in the area,
12 | BUSINESS LEADER • September 23, 2019
Chippewa Valley officials say. With Wisconsin’s unemployment rate hitting a record low of 2.8% in April and hovering around 2.9% through the first eight months of 2019, jobseekers have had more options than ever in the Chippewa Valley. But some local employers say after they’ve found candidates, the workers couldn’t find places to live or couldn’t afford housing — and ended up going elsewhere, said Joshua Clements, Altoona city planner. “This is not a unique situation in Eau Claire. This is an issue in pretty much any area of the country where jobs are growing,” Clements said. “(It’s) even more acute in our rural areas, because there’s less flexibility in the housing market within a rural community.” With fewer houses available and local companies seeking employees, some communities are facing the problem head-on. The city of Menomonie, partnering with over 20 companies, began offering a home loan assistance program in January to would-be workers. City leaders said in August the program is meeting with success and is set to invest $210,000 in loans for residents. Housing is on public officials’ minds too. Stakeholders and leaders from Eau Claire,
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Altoona and Chippewa Falls in spring 2018 formed the Chippewa Valley Housing Task Force, aiming to find policies that would stem the housing shortage and local affordability woes. “While housing is the urgency we’re all talking about, it’s our lens,” Clements said. “It touches labor, international trade, trends in 10 years and longer of construction. It touches public policy and it touches how housing is financed at the state and federal level.”
Low on housing stock
Most in demand in the Eau Claire and Altoona areas: Homes for first-time buyers with middle-level incomes, McKinney said. Buyers aren’t bargaining as much, either. Of the 136 Eau Claire-area home closings in August, the average home sold for 99.73% of its list price, according to RANWW numbers. “Typically I’ve seen it more like 95% to 94% from the list to sales price, but you can see there’s not a lot of negotiating of price right now,” McKinney said. “That really is a telling statistic, in my opinion. It’s a sign we have a low inventory. It’s a seller’s market.” While housing price points for the middle-income range sat between $150,000 and $250,000 ten years ago, Chippewa Valley homes in that range now typically start around $175,000, she said. (A middle-income household earns between 80% and 150% of area median income — $50,538 in Eau Claire County in 2018. According to the housing task force’s 42-page report released in July, these households are “generally the largest segment of the housing market.”) Of the 136 local closings in late summer, the average home price was $207,000, McKinney said. Large real estate brokers also point to a shortage of rentals, she said: “People are staying in their apartments longer, because they’re (not) moving from their apartment to their first home.” The Chippewa Valley has “insufficient supply” of housing for middle-income people, but other demographics were at risk as well. The area has a “critical lack” of housing for very low-income and homeless people, and fewer higher-end housing options make recruiting high-income professionals a challenge, the task force report noted.
Isolating the cause
A root of the shortage is the Chippewa Valley’s healthy economy, the task force found. But in a boomerang effect, the shortage could eventually result
Staff photo by Sarah Seifert Menomonie Middle School health education teacher Shelly Misco, right, and her fiancé Tyler Duex stand in front of Misco's home in Menomonie. Misco was the first approved candidate for the city's Home Sweet Menomonie program, which offers zero-interest loans to area homebuyers who are employees of over 20 participating companies.
in backlash and slow economic expansion: “Housing is a significant impediment to current and long-term economic development in the region.” “We have the blessing of having a strong and growing economy and growing population here, and that means our housing inventory has been strained,” Rogers said. A slowing of new construction after the recession of the late 2000s is also contributing to the shortage, Clements said. “In the depth of the recession, probably from 2009 to 2011, there wasn’t much getting built, period,” Clements said. “There’s this backlog of demand, because the population didn’t stop growing during that time. Since then, construction hasn’t met historic levels.” Natural disasters in recent years — a deadly year for California wildfires in 2018, and three of the five costliest-ever hurricanes hitting the U.S. in 2017 — have spiked construction costs, Clements said. See page 14 September 23, 2019 • BUSINESS LEADER | 13
from Page 13
“You might not think it really impacts us in that region,” Clements said. “But that drives up the cost of construction nationally. Building materials cost about the same in Minneapolis as they do in Fall Creek.” Fewer homes for workers isn’t isolated to the Chippewa Valley. A Wisconsin Realtors Association study released Sept. 3 found a “severe” workforce housing shortage throughout the state, pointing to declining homeownership and rising rents. “Without an adequate supply of workforce housing to meet the growing need, Wisconsin will not be able to attract the workers necessary to help our economy prosper and will find itself at a competitive disadvantage,” said Tom Larson, WRA senior vice president of legal and public affairs, in a statement about the study. The report, written by UW-Madison professor of urban and regional planning Kurt Paulson, found three causes of the shortage: Not enough newly-built homes, construction costs rising faster than inflation and outdated land use regulations. Local leaders aren’t expecting the demand for local housing to go away. Population projections from the housing task force report suggest Eau Claire County will need 2,690 new housing units in the next 12 years. Chippewa County is projected to need an extra 2,100 units. The numbers are based on state growth projections, the task force says, translating into an average of 224 new units needed per year in Eau Claire County.
Affordability a problem
Nearly half of Eau Claire County renters pay more than 30% of their income on rent, the traditional target percentage for financially healthy living costs, Clements said.
That doesn’t include utilities or transportation costs, but just the cost of rent. Looking at homeowners, closer to 25% are putting more than 30% of their income toward living costs, Clements said. “There are needs across the board, at every price point, but according to the data, households feeling the most constraint are those who are renters,” Clements said. Even if local workers are able to rent or own homes, high rent prices or mortgage payments can pinch them — and their employers. “They may be coming to work with increased fiscal stress because of their housing conditions, or how long their commute might be because of where they can find housing,” Clements said. The Menomonie area has “a great influx” of workers who live outside the county, said Eric Turner, Dunn County Economic Development Corporation executive director. “We have a number of people living in Eau Claire, Chippewa and the southern part of Barron County coming down to businesses in the north half of Menomonie,” he said. “Some people can do that, but at the same time, it would be so much easier to be a four-minute drive from your home to where you work.” It’s hard for a community to precisely measure how a housing shortage is impacting local workers, since data on the matter isn’t usually reported, Clements said. And companies often have no way of knowing why someone didn’t apply to an open job. Companies trying to expand in communities of 2,000 to 3,000 people, including in Barron County, are often running into problems because of low housing stock, Clements said. “Their employers are trying to expand, but their vacancy rate is next to zero,” he said. “There’s literally no place to bring in more labor.”
EAU CLAIRE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES Available Land and Building Listings online at:
www.eauclairedevelopment.com or call us at (715) 839-4914
Business, Life. Balance. 14 | BUSINESS LEADER • September 23, 2019
,
to be closer,” Misco said. The city is pleased with the program’s progress this year, said Menomonie mayor Randy Knaack in a statement. “We want to be proactive, not reactive when it comes to dealing with workforce attraction and retention issues we’ve seen in the past couple of years,” he said.
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Finding solutions Staff photo by Sarah Seifert A for sale sign hangs on an empty lot next to Hayden Avenue in Altoona. In a 30-day period in August, the Altoona and Eau Claire area had just over a month's worth of housing stock, said Stacey McKinney, president of the Realtors Association of Northwestern Wisconsin’s board of directors.
Attracting and retaining
The city of Menomonie and local businesses are offering a program they hope will attract workers to the area permanently: a home loan program dubbed Home Sweet Menomonie. Employees of over 20 local businesses, including the Menomonie school district, Mayo Clinic Health System-Red Cedar in Menomonie and the city itself, can apply for a loan of up to $10,000 in down payment assistance if they’re in the process of buying a house. Workers can pay off the zero-interest loan over several years, and the program may forgive the last year’s payment if the homeowner makes certain improvements. The program rolled out in January. The city has processed 21 loan applications since then, investing $210,000, it said in an Aug. 20 news release. Ten of those workers had closed on homes as of August, and 11 were still searching for houses. The program hopes to attract workers for Dunn County — but also retain them, Turner said: "As far as really increasing your tax base, increasing schools and benefiting downtown and businesses, you need people to set their roots down in the community.” The program's first recipient, Menomonie Middle School health education teacher Shelly Misco, closed on a north Menomonie home in January. She had been commuting to the city from Bloomer since August 2018, after moving to the Chippewa Valley from southern Wisconsin. Home Sweet Menomonie was the turning point in her home search, Misco said. Without the loan, she would likely have waited about a year to begin looking. “I knew I wanted to get much closer to Menomonie. I knew I wanted to stay in that district, knew I wanted
Chippewa Valley counties and cities are chasing affordable housing solutions. Eau Claire is pursuing a small affordable housing development on the west side near Jeffers Road, and Altoona has purchased a senior living complex on Devney Drive destined to become affordable apartments, the Leader-Telegram reported in August. But the housing task force is recommending several other policies to make houses more affordable and encourage new development. Relax zoning requirements to allow more housing in certain areas, allow less vehicle parking to reduce construction costs, encourage smaller unit sizes and collaborate with other communities, the task force’s report suggested. For people hunting for homes, local buyers will have to be flexible, McKinney said: “In this market you have to be prepared, approved and look at everything.” The task force also suggested communities create and expand loan programs for home repairs and improvements, and direct tax increment financing district dollars to encourage new affordable developments. Similar to Home Sweet Menomonie, the local task force is studying employer-assisted housing programs in Wausau and La Crosse, Clements said. “Eau Claire and Altoona have been closely collaborating on this. Chippewa Falls and Menomonie officials are involved also,” Clements said. “I think if we are able to successfully launch a program, it’ll look different than the other two or three, but exactly how that will work, we don’t know yet.” Contact: 715-833-9206, sarah.seifert@ecpc.com, @sxseifert on Twitter
Joshua Clements
Scott Rogers
Randy Knaack
September 23, 2019 • BUSINESS LEADER | 15
CEO SPEAK
Arguing with reality
Clinging to a belief brings downfall if facts, trends point the other way “You’re free to argue with reality. Just know you’ll only lose 100% of the time.”
Jeff West is the owner of Bear Down (www.beardowninc.com), an executive and executive team coaching company based in Eau Claire. Jeff was formerly a founder and CEO of Silicon Logic Engineering. He also chairs Business Partners peer groups in northwestern Wisconsin. West can be reached at 715-559-2195 or jeffatbeardown@gmail.com.
CY WAKEMAN, AUTHOR, BUSINESS COACH
By Jeff West
Question 1: Have you ever been in a situation like one or more of the following? • A customer you feel you’ve gone the extra mile for, maybe multiple times, switches to a competitor? • A formerly great product or service you’re emotionally tied to has shrinking sales for years? •U ngrateful employees who seem to complain more than they produce? • A competitor with a new and improved twist on a product or service that’s giving you fits? •R egulations you see as unfair or just plain dumb? • An economy that just won’t give you a break? • A product or service idea that isn’t clicking like you were sure it would? • A merger or acquisition not working out as planned? Question 2: What do you do when you run headlong into situations like this? The examples above and many more are instances where you can end up arguing with reality. The problem as so eloquently stated by Ms. Wakeman above is that you’ll only lose 100% of the time. For many of us it’s normal to want to resist. It’s our will, our ego, up against that nebulous “something” that thwarts our best efforts at every turn. That “something” often turns out to be reality. ••• Reality is the immovable object. We fight it at our peril. Companies, nations, even empires have fought it to the bitter end convincing themselves all along their beliefs were right. One doesn’t have to look far for examples of companies who either ignored or intentionally fought the reality of their situation. Kodak invented the first digital camera in 1977. They saw where the world was heading but couldn’t convince themselves to develop it at the expense of their film business. With roughly 70% market share and making margins approaching 70% it was their film business they tried to protect to the very end. Companies like TWA, American Motors, Hostess, Lionel, Pan Am, Montgomery Ward to name just a few at one time controlled resources and assets most of us can only imagine. Yet today they’re used as examples of companies that either fought or ignored reality to their ultimate detriment. At last count there are only 57 of the original Fortune 500 companies still in the top 500. The span of 64 years since it was first created seems like a long time. However when you think about the assets a company has to be one of the top 500 in the world, it’s amazing that less than 12% of them are still 16 | BUSINESS LEADER • September 23, 2019
in the group. Many not only fell off the list, but cease to exist at all anymore. ••• So how do you, as the head of your business make sure you’re reading reality’s tea leaves correctly? The first thing to realize is it’s a very complex world out there with a lot of moving parts. I know that sounds like a simplistic statement, but it’s amazing how often we think we have a handle on what’s going on only to get blindsided. The world is way too complex for any one person or even group of people to completely get their arms around. Here are a few points that may help your thinking on this: Linear thinking: When we think in a linear fashion, looking for cause and effect, we narrow our thinking to a small set of variables. While we may have knowledge of some of the causes, often we miss others. Looking at the world from a systems perspective can help. Knowing that we don’t know it all can be tough to admit. Acknowledging that there might be things going on we don’t fully understand is a step in the right direction. Open to insights: Finding others who have a different perspective or experiences can give us insights to a problem we may not have seen before. There’s never a guarantee though that their visibility into the reality of a situation is any better. Your job as the leader is to get as many perspectives as you need then separate the wheat from the chaff. Competent people: When asking for others’ thoughts, know that you’re just getting their opinion on how they see a situation. Making sure your people are as competent as they can be in their respective jobs will give you more confidence in the opinions you’re receiving. ••• Ultimately you’ll never know all the variables at play. All it takes is for one person or one company to challenge traditional thinking and whole industries can change. Walmart figured out that distribution was key. Amazon makes ease-of-use their biggest competitive advantage. What you want is to get as clear of picture of the “reality” of any situation as you can knowing you’ll never know it all. Then make a decision and move forward. If it looks like your decision isn’t working, have the courage to learn from what reality is telling you, then kill it quick. When you know reality wins 100% of the time, why challenge it? Let your competitors argue with it and use it as your competitive advantage.
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Member FDIC
September 23, 2019 • BUSINESS LEADER | 17
Veterinarian Vijay Sasi stands next to equipment used to make feed supplements for a variety of animals. Sasi bought ABECS Global LLC less than two years ago and says the company is growing with sales across the U.S.
Staff photos by Chris Vetter
COMMUNITY PROFILE
Supplements in Stanley
After achieving veterinary dream, man shifts to animal nutrition business By Chris Vetter, Leader-Telegram staff STANLEY
Dr. Vijay Sasi smiles as he proudly claims, “I’m living the American Dream.” Sasi, 56, was born in India. He said as a child, he dreamed of becoming a veterinarian and living in the United States. He has accomplished those goals. Sasi owns ABECS Global LLC, where he creates highquality feed supplements for animals. He personally makes each batch and they are carefully packaged and shipped across the country. “We don’t make feed; we make feed supplements,” he explained. “We started with gels and pastes and liquids, then we went into powders.” Sasi shows off a large vat where the supplements are made, but he doesn’t want to elaborate on the process, calling it a trade secret. He developed most of the formulas himself. “It makes the animals healthier, and better performance,” he said of his products. The supplements are usually packed into small tubes, and farmers would pour the powders directly into an animal’s mouth, to make sure they ingest it, he said. “When you give a supplement to an animal, you see the benefits they are getting,” he said. “It makes you feel so good.” ABECS Global LLC was named the Chippewa County “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation in an annual award ceremony in May. “The doctor has a great entrepreneurship spirit,” said CCEDC executive director Charlie Walker. “He’s been bootstrapping his product for a couple of years. Stanley was a perfect fit (for him) because of the dairy out there.” ABECS is an acronym for avian and aquatics, bovine, equine and exotics, canine and cats, swine and sheep. “ABECS Global is designed to be the home for all your innovative animal health and nutritional solutions,” the company website states. While Sasi didn’t want to detail his sales figures or state how much of the supplements he is producing, he boasts he had double-digit growth in 2019 from a year ago. “We do quite a bit of business in Minnesota and Wisconsin, but also Texas, Kentucky, Vermont, North Carolina and in Canada,” he said. Some of the products assist the development and performance of race horses, he added.
18 | BUSINESS LEADER • September 23, 2019
Sasi graduated from Madras Veterinary College in India, then attended Utah State University, where he earned a master’s degree in dairy sciences. He moved to Wisconsin in 1998, and he worked at a veterinary practice in Durand. He then decided he wanted to own his own business. “I was looking at a lot of places, and this opportunity came up,” he said. “I’d never been in Stanley.”
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p b c w M 8 b ABECS was honored with an award during spring from the Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation for Sasi's entrepreneurship and the small business' growth.
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Sasi purchased ABECS Global in January 2018. The business is located at 318 Development Drive in the southwest corner of the city — Stanley Correctional Institution is directly across Highway 29 from ABECS' headquarters. Sasi wound up buying the 10,000-squarefoot multi-tenant building that ABECS has been in, which includes plenty of storage space, last November. The building has clean rooms, with workers required to wear hair nets in those areas. Garrett Mesang is one of four employees working for Sasi. “I like seeing all the different things we make, seeing what animals can have and can’t have,” Mesang said. Sasi lives with his wife, Vasumathy. Their son graduated from North High School in Eau Claire and now attends college in Chicago. Sasi thanked the Stanley Business Association and the community for supporting his company.
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Contact: chris.vetter@ecpc.com
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BOOK REVIEW
Bossy book Trendy writing style can be annoying; advice for failing ventures omitted
Title: “Boss Up!” Author: Lindsay Teague Moreno Pages: 256 Publisher: Thomas Nelson (c. 2019)
By Terri Schlichenmeyer The Bookworm
There’s more to life than this. Kids, job, bills, repeat as necessary. Didn’t you have dreams once? If being an entrepreneur was one of them, read “Boss Up” by Lindsay Teague Moreno. Says Moreno, this book is for women – mothers in particular – who want to own their own businesses but lack the oomph, the stick-to-itiveness or the selfconfidence for it. It’s for women like her own mother, who was an awesome mom and a real estate agent. Moreno recalled her mother didn’t blink when her 8-year-old daughter said that she wanted to own a business when she grew up. “Boss Up” is for women who know they need to put their energy into working for themselves in some way, but haven’t the first clue how to do that. To be an entrepreneur start by knowing the difference between a hobby and a business. Reconnect with things you love and are good at doing, identify your greatest strengths and weaknesses, and understand how you can work them. Then, read Moreno’s 10 “Success Philosophy” chapters she presents for entrepreneurs to read and absorb. Think long term and know how to differentiate your business from others who offer the same kind of product. There may be several hundred knitters on Etsy, so what makes yours different? Be authentic and stop apologizing. You have a story to tell, so use it to connect with customers – but tell it consistently by staying on track. Business might wane now and then, but hold onto positivity both inwardly and outwardly. Be teachable and willing to embrace innovation. Never lose sight of “your why” and never forget that your business
is a business. And finally, “be S.M.A.R.T.” (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely) when you set goals, accept when mistakes are made and don’t give yourself the option to fail. Refuse failure. Simply refuse it. Which is what readers may do with this book. There’s no doubt that “Boss Up” may offer some women a certain business boost, but others may be overwhelmed by the step-by-step process that looks more like a polka than a path. Moreno offers great advice that’s easy to grasp, but it seems to be all over the place, rather than basics first. Also missing: Some sort of option for a business that’s just not working, an omission that could hurt or discourage first-time entrepreneurs. The verbiage here is hip and trendy and perfect for its audience of young mothers, but it can also be annoying. “Mom” is used as a verb and mild profanity used in the book might bother the Christian audience this book seems to court. Readers should likewise beware that Moreno tells a rather lengthy story about her husband and intestinal problems in a public place. Though it’s presented as hilarious, it’s very much not. Readers who still want to tackle this book, should. It has advice that’s usable, but be aware The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. of what you’re Terri has been reading. reading since she was 3 years old and Also know that never goes anywhere when it comes to without a book. She lives on a hill in “Boss Up,” there’s Wisconsin with two more to business dogs and 15,000 books. than this. September 23, 2019 • BUSINESS LEADER | 19
GUEST COLUMN
Recession-proof your marketing
Justin Vajko owns Dialog Design Co., an Eau Claire-based marketing, branding and website firm. Contact him via email at justin@dialogwith.us or visit the firm's website at www.dialogwith.us.
Three ways you can avoid sales drying up during economic downturns By Justin Vajko Dialog Design Co.
I’ve been following a couple of financial news sources that are predicting when the next recession will happen. Some say it will still start this year. Others say within a couple of years. While trying to predict an exact date is fruitless, the point that I’m understanding is that it’s going to be soon. Sooner than most business leaders would like. But when I hear news of an impending recession, I’m not one bit worried about my own business income drying up. Why? Because I have a reliable way to find leads and cultivate them using a marketing strategy that works predictably. Unfortunately, I’m in the minority of business owners who feel confident about their marketing. That’s because most businesses don’t have a predictable marketing system they can rely on when times get dry. Here are three ways I am recession-proofing my business’s income:
Stop throwing spaghetti
Facebook! Direct mail! Radio ads! There sure are a lot of ways to put your marketing message out there. But that doesn’t mean each one is right for your small business. You can’t afford to keep throwing spaghetti against the wall, hoping something sticks. When the time comes and you want to sit down and eat dinner, you’ll find that there isn’t anything to eat. Just because an opportunity to advertise is in front of you doesn’t mean it’s meant for you. Do this instead: Create an ideal customer persona. What’s your customer’s name, age, family size? What problems are you solving in their life? What does your product or service buy them (peace of mind, status, time to do other things, etc.)? When you’re talking to one person instead of a bunch of people with varying backgrounds, it helps your marketing message be more compelling and helps you to determine where to find more people like them.
From first connection until the sale, you need to have a plan to get them there. Without this sales funnel in place, you’re going to let ideal customers slip through the cracks and lose money. Create a clear “next step” for every interaction you have with potential customers. Your website is a great place to do this. When someone lands on your homepage, for example, give them a way to sign up for emails that make their life easier or more fun. If you have a salsa company, for example, you could send out recipes or fun party ideas. If you sell maintenance contracts, give facility managers a list of the top five facility pitfalls that they can avoid with regular check-ups. Whether it’s through email, direct mail or social media, stay in touch throughout the entire sales cycle in a way that demonstrates your authority and provides value to your potential customers so that they choose you when they’re ready to buy.
Find and cultivate champions
I used to work for a nonprofit organization that helps homeless people. One of the biggest indicators for someone becoming homeless wasn’t necessarily the money they were making, the place they lived or their education. It was how strong their network of people was. Network-poor people were much more likely to hit rock bottom than those who had family, friends or trusted coworkers to lean on. I’ve found this to be the same with businesses. Without a trusted network of business connections, your business will be alone in times of trouble. While this is more a sales tip than a marketing tip, the result is still the same. Do this: Find people in your niche that can give you insights into who you should be talking to. Get to know their story and develop a relationship with them. Communicate with them regularly and show them what you’re up to and how you’re helping people through Have a watertight sales funnel your business. Once you’ve created a customer persona and start Find a mentor, mastermind group and connections in mingling with more of your ideal customers, they need your industry that complement what you do well. to have a clear next step for how to engage with your When things hit the fan, you’ll be thankful that you company. have a collection of smart people to lean on. 20 | BUSINESS LEADER • September 23, 2019
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Honoring Businesses in the Chippewa Valley for over 130 years.
Welcome to the
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onor Roll of Business The businesses listed on the following pages are proud of the history they’ve formed with the Chippewa Valley and they want to share it with you. They know first hand how difficult it is to open and operate a successful business year after year. We salute these businesses for their years of service to the Chippewa Valley. Some have been here a very long time and others are just beginning. Years in business are provided by the businesses represented.
Want to include your successful business next year? Call Alicia at 715-833-9239 to find out how!
Congratulations to them all! 22 | BUSINESS LEADER • September 23, 2019
Honor Roll
of Business
161 years 160
Connell’s Family Orchard Est. 1858
HONEYCRISP - Apples, Pumpkins & Squash, Apple Donuts & Bakery, Jams, Jellies and Pure Local Honey. Live, working observation bee hive. Raspberries, pick your own. WEEKEND
WAGON RIDES
715-723-5889 9 Open Daily 99-6 -6 6 19372 Cty Hwy wyy O OO, Chippewa wa F Falls Fa
146 147 YEARS years
139 140 YEARS years
(1872-2013) (1872-2018) U.S. Bank 65 area locations 715.839.6318 usbank.com Member FDIC
208657_09-24-18
207634 • 9-24-18
132 YEARS
131 YEARS
128 years
112 Railway St. • Augusta, WI 54722
Local & Family Owned Since 1891
Bus: 715-286-2271
Uniforms. Floor Mats. Towels. Mops. Restroom Supplies. 715.835.3101 www.huebsch-services.com 3605 White Ave. | Eau Claire
www.LampertLumber.com
121 years 120
109 years 108
117 years
Established 1910
715-723-4649 208656 • 09-24-18
www.pedersonvolker.com
207615 • 09-24-18
HVAC, Plumbing, Temp Controls
715-835-3169
www.bartingalemechanical.com
208654_09-24-18
September 23, 2019 • BUSINESS LEADER 840121 | 23
Honor Roll 103 YEARS 104 years A rdFamily Tradition in 3 diamonds Generation fine since 1915
Since 1915
3 Generation Downtown Menomonie 715-235-2220 rd
Downtown Menomonie 715-235-2220 208653 • 09-24-18
85 YEARS Serving Eau Claire Since 1934 Conveniently located in Putnam Heights.
LIQUOR MART 301 E. Clairemont
715-835-8737 208650 • 09-24-18
73 years
96 97 YEARS AUTO TOP SHOP LLC
of Business
83 84 YEARS years
“Serving the Eau Claire area since 1922”
Automobile Upholstery, Automobile Carpeting, Truck Cushions Rebuilt, Truck Accessories, Zippers-Sales, Repairs, Burn Damage Repairs, Convertible Tops, Boat Covers, Canvas Repairs
Leather Interiors Seat Heaters
24-HOUR SERVICE
Eau Claire
www.kurthheatingandcooling.com
715-835-3388
715-723-2211
208652 • 09-24-18
77 years
208649 • 09-24-18
75 YEARS
FURNITURE
Since 1942 16051 County Hwy J Chippewa Falls WI 54729 www.economyfurniture.us 715-723-1444
Cars - Trucks - Farm Tires Car - Truck Repairs
Durand Eau Claire
300 W Prospect St
(715) 672-8300 3014 Mall Dr
(715) 834-4106
207618 • 09-24-18
71 years
69 years Big, Tall, Short or Small... WE FIT THEM ALL Thank you Western Wisconsin for making our 69 years so successful.
Thank you for trusting us with your real estate needs for 71 years! WWW.MARTEN.COM 209085 • 09-24-18
24 | BUSINESS LEADER • September 23, 2019
715-836-8080 DonnellanOnline.com
www.muldoons.com 1506 S. Hastings Way, Eau Claire
715-832-3502 1-800-942-0783
Quality Clothing Since 1950 208647 • 09-24-18
of Business
62 YEARS
61 YEARS There’s no home like the one you own
PUB
2812 London Road
Wilbert Statz Home Builder LLC
715.831.1300
Custom Builder • Remodeling
More than pizza. We serve traditions.
715-834-3362
208662 9-24-18
55 YEARS
2625 Morningside Drive Eau Claire
715.832.5085 www.brotoloc.com 207633 • 09-24-18
51 YEARS Julson’s Auto Service
Since 1958 1913 Skeels Avenue Eau Claire, WI 54701 208661_09-24-18
55 YEARS 54 1225 Truax Blvd Eau Claire, WI 54703
www.ervsmith.com • 715.836.8360 • 1.800.472.8838 “Because we care, our customers become our friends” 207610 09-24-18
50 YEARS 49
60 61 YEARS We have been doing commercial painting and wall covering for the past 60 years. We appreciate your continued support.
HAGEN
DECORATORS, INC. Pleasant St. 715-835-4321 www.hagendecorators.com
208642 9-24-18
51 YEARS Ruth E. Harris M.S., Director CHILDREN • ADOLESCENTS • ADULTS One-on-One Educational Services for Reading, Learning Disabilities & Attention Deficit Disorders
715-834-2754
or call 1-800-773-2605 2600 Stein Blvd., Eau Claire, WI northwestreadingcliniclimited.com
208641 9-24-18
Honor Roll
47 48 YEARS
L.L.C.
Jim & Steve Julson
Complete Auto and LT. Truck Service 1505 Western Ave. Eau Claire, WI 54703
715-834-5832
208659_09-24-18
An Experience That Will Leave You Smiling
715.834.6603 Hillsidedental.com
William Hutchinson, DDS Lonnette Breneman, DDS Christopher Johnson, DDS
301 N. Farwell St. Eau Claire 715-834-7707 207629 • 09-24-18
SINCE 1968
Chippewa Valley’s Leader In Collision Repair www.superiorautobodyinc.com
September 23, 2019 • BUSINESS LEADER | 25
Honor Roll 43 years 42
Building Lasting Relationships, One Customer at a Time
Full Service Tire & Mechanic Facility. Tires, Brakes, Oil Changes Alignments & Wheel Polishing Commercial & Consumer Vehicles
VISIT OUR SHOWROOM! 2309 W Cameron St , Eau Claire
888.GoAsher www.GoAsher.com 208660_09-24-18
41 years • Septic System Maintenance • Holding Tanks • Commercial Service Tom Jakubowicz Owner/Operator
715.828.2588 countrysideseptic.com
35 years 34
1102 Menomonie Street Eau Claire, WI 54703
715-835-7555
208658_09-24-18
36 37 years INSURANCE ASSOCIATES
HEALTH & LIFE INSURANCE
“Your trusted independent agency helping individuals in the Chippewa Valley with their health and life insurance needs since 1982.”
715-832-1772
3413 Golf Road, Eau Claire, WI 54701 contactus@insassoc.net • www.insassoc.net 208664 9-24-18
35 YEARS
Commercial, Industrial & Residential, electrical work, and control work. 24 Hour Service • Landscape Management • Design & Installation • Irrigation Services
www.ever-greenservices.com Locally Owned and Operated Since 1984 208766 9-24-18
26 | BUSINESS LEADER • September 23, 2019
www.bandbelectric.com 1303 Western Avenue Eau Claire, WI
715-832-1676
43 YEARS
1018 E. Prospect St. Durand, WI 54736 715-672-5659 Open April - mid September 207621 09-24-18
36 years BRENIZER, REALTORS® Thanks to all of OUR Customers, Clients & Family for making us West Central Wisconsin’s
#1 Homeseller Coldwell Banker Brenizer, Realtors 715-835-4344 715-723-5521 715-235-8443
207628 09-24-18
44 years 45 YEARS
of Business
77 years FURNITURE
Since 1942 16051 County Hwy J Chippewa Falls WI 54729 www.economyfurniture.us 715-723-1444 207618 • 09-24-18
Honor Roll
of Business
32 YEARS
John’s Sewing Center John L. Webber Janome-Elna
22 YEARS
18 YEARS
Transforming Business with Technology echnology
Certified Dealer
419 E. Madison St. Eau Claire
715-834-5252 888-834-5252
207626 09-24-18
15 16 YEARS
Information Security
715-829-0875
Enterprise IT
wintechnology.com Address 4955 Bullis Farm Road Eau Claire, WI 54701
Phone
Sales: (877)946-6300 IT Support: (855)294-6044 Network Support: (866)206-2027
Email sales@ wintechnology.com support@ wintechnology.com
207623 • 09-24-18
15 YEARS
General Contracting • Commercial • Industrial
208644_09-24-18
Service & Parts - All Makes
GENERAL CONTRACTOR • BUILDER Network
715-514-4172
www.rhomconstruction.com 209316 09-24-18
Congratulations on your success.
September 23, 2019 • BUSINESS LEADER | 27
“Guest Article”
BEST KEPT SECRET ON I-94 For four generations starting in 1927, Nels Gunderson Chevrolet has been helping businesses with customizing their transportation needs. Our location on the corner of I-94 and Highway 10 in Osseo, WI allows us to serve multiple states. We offer a service center, expedited parts, heavy duty recovery/towing and we are proud to be the only authorized Chevrolet medium duty dealer in West Central Wisconsin. We stock HD trucks such as 2500HD and 3500HD and also offer the all new Medium Duty lineup consisting of 4500, 5500 and 6500. The Medium Duties are offered in 4WD or 2WD with gross combined weight ratings up to 37,000 pounds. Several different wheel bases and cab configurations are available for immediate delivery. Another important model that Nels Gunderson Chevrolet offers for business needs is the all new fully customizable, very driver friendly and superior maneuverability Chevrolet Low Cab Forward that is available in 4500-6500 models in either gasoline or diesel engines. We also need to mention the most versatile and most cost effective perennial favorite Chevrolet Express Cargo van that is also available in a 3500 or 4500 Cutaway model and these have virtually endless customizable possibilities. We have an extensive relationship with numerous upfitters including Monroe Truck Equipment, Knapheide, Supreme, BayBridge, Morgan Bodies and American Cargo. Let’s not forget, Nels Gunderson Chevrolet is also an upfitter and we are fully capable of transferring your current customized upfit to a new updated chassis in our service center. Don’t forget that Nels Gunderson Chevrolet stocks a complete portfolio of fuel efficient cars and SUV’s, light duty trucks and even have access to electric vehicles.
Steve Schacht
Jon Solie
28 | BUSINESS LEADER • September 23, 2019
We all know one of the most important keys to assisting you with your transportation needs is keeping your vehicle on the road, which brings us to our highly recommended award winning service department. From diagnosing and completing repairs in the most cost effective and timely manner we can get you back on the road in no time. We know with your business and our business the most important assets are the people that work there. When you come to Nels Gunderon Chevrolet and need assistance with your transportation needs you will be surrounded with hundreds of years of experience. We are able to answer questions in regards to efficiency, safety, state regulations, DOT inspections and creative ways to show you how you can afford the product that you need. Everyone has heard the statement, soup to nuts, once you make the decision on the vehicle the next decision is how to own it. We have a full suite of financing and leasing options as well as answering questions about bonus depreciation. Every day we strive to uphold our mission statement that we are a dedicated knowledgeable family, committed to delivering mobility to our customers and community through lasting relationships built on trust and values. After reading this article isn’t it hard to believe that we still talk to customers on a daily basis that say these words to us, “we had no idea of the resources that we had available to us at Nels Gunderson Chevrolet in regards to our business transportation needs.” Hard to believe that this is the best kept secret on the corner of I-94 and Highway 10 in Osseo, Wisconsin, we are Nels Gunderson Chevrolet.
O n I O 8 $ O n $ O h C u O S w O 7 R O R m O 8 r O
CALENDAR
October - December Oct. 2: Compensation Trends & Forecast for 2020 presentation, noon-2 p.m., Main Street Cafe, 1418 Main St., Bloomer. Cost: $15. Info/register: chippewa-wi.com. Oct. 3-4: Orientation, Time Management and Delegation seminar, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Holiday Inn South, 4751 Owen Ayres Court. Cost $600. Info/register: ce.uwec.edu. Oct. 3: Conflict Resolution in the Workplace workshop, 9 a.m.noon, CVTC Chippewa Falls Campus, 770 Scheidler Road. Cost: $89. Info/register: cvtc.edu. Oct. 8: Manufacturing Advantage Series: Smart Automation, hands-on workshop, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., UW-Stout Memorial Student Center, 302 10th Ave. E., Menomonie. Cost: $169. Info/register: uwstout.edu. Oct. 17: Hatch business pitch competition, 6-8 p.m., Cowboy Jack’s Saloon, 1432 Front Porch Place, Altoona. Info/register: chippewawi.com. Oct. 18: Safety Day conference for safety and health professionals, 7:15 a.m.-3 p.m., CVTC Energy Education Center, 400 Campus Road. Cost: $99. Info/register: cvtc.edu. Oct. 18-20: Startup48 business idea competition, Jamf, 215 Riverfront Terrace. Cost: $75, general ticket, $45, students or military. Info/register: startup48.co. Oct. 22: Start a Small Business in Eight Steps workshop, 5:308:30 p.m., Western Dairyland, 418 Wisconsin St. Cost: $29. Info/ register: SuccessfulBusiness.org. Oct. 24-25: Business Writing seminar, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Holiday Inn
SBA 504 Loans
Are you currently leasing space and ready to start building equity in a building for your business? Is there machinery or large equipment that can help you be more efficient or productive? In partnership with the US Small Business Administration using the 504 Loan Program, we are able to offer business members up to a 25 year low fixed rate with as little as 10% cash down.
504 LOANS MAY BE USED FOR: Purchase owner-occupied commercial real estate and/or machinery/equipment Refinance owner-occupied commercial real estate Renovate or construct owner-occupied commercial real estate
South, 4751 Owen Ayres Court. Cost $600. Info/register: ce.uwec.edu. Nov. 13: Workforce Solutions Summit, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Pablo Center at the Confluence, 128 Graham Ave. Info: EauClaireChamber.org. Nov. 13: Generations in the Workforce course, 9 a.m.-noon, CVTC Manufacturing Education Center, 2320 Alpine Road. Cost: $89. Info/register: cvtc.edu. Nov. 14: Train the Trainer course, 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m., CVTC Chippewa Falls Campus, 770 Scheidler Road. Cost: $225. Info/ register: cvtc.edu. Nov. 15: Success for Breakfast: Navigating Generations in the Workplace presentation, 9-10 a.m., Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, 1 N. Bridge St. Cost: $15. Info/register: ChippewaChamber.org. Nov. 20: Business Plan Basics, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Western Dairyland, 418 Wisconsin St. Cost: $29. Info/register: SuccessfulBusiness.org. Nov. 21: Strengths-Based Leadership class, 8 a.m.-noon, CVTC Business Education Center, 620 W. Clairemont Ave. Cost: $149. Info/register: cvtc.edu. Nov. 21-22: Employee Evaluation and Performance Management seminar, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Holiday Inn South, 4751 Owen Ayres Court. Cost: $600. Info/register: ce.uwec.edu. Dec. 5-6: Process Mapping and Workflow Improvement seminar, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Citizens State Bank, 375 Stageline Road, Hudson. Cost: $600. Info/register: ce.uwec.edu.
occupational health Caring for the health of your employees: Employer Health Solutions
Providing affordable healthcare and testing services for individuals and companies mobile and throughout the U.S. Whether you have 10 employees or 10,000, Provisions Health can help keep your workers safe and healthy on the job.
Projects in size from $350,000 to $20,000,000 WESTconsin Credit Union’s experienced Business Loan Officers are here to help you take advantage of this great loan program available to small businesses. Call (800) 924-0022 or visit your local WESTconsin office. *The terms and conditions are subject to final approval and may change at any time. Physical Exams
Tests & Screenings
Occupational Medicine
Clinics: 2522 Golf Road, Suite 2, Eau Claire, WI 54701 420 Fifth Avenue South, Suite C, La Crosse, WI 54601 Phone: (715) 797-0971
September 23, 2019 • BUSINESS LEADER | 29
Legacy gacy StoneS Ston est.
2017
Order online at
Receive an american Flag and a commemorative pin at the dedication ceremony as a special thank you for ordering a Legacy Stone.
www.ecveteransfoundation.com
Custom-engraved stones are a $500, taxdeductible donation to the Eau Claire County Veterans Tribute Foundation. The proceeds go directly to the construction of the Veterans Tribute Park and the mission to educate the public about the cost of freedom. Legacy Stones are solid gray granite, 12”x 12” square x 2”thick. Please make checks payable to Eau Claire County Veterans Tribute Foundation and mail to PO Box 1422 Eau Claire, WI 54702
You can also choose from these five branch emblems at no extra cost. Please X out one line of choice above for emblem. ArmY
NAVY
mArINES
AIr FOrCE
COAST GuArD
mErChANT mArINES
Enclosed is my tax-deductible donation of $500 for a 12” x 12” square x 2” Legacy Stone inscribed with the following letters. (No punctuation may be used.) maximum 5 lines with 16 characters per line.
SuppoRt
Name_____________________________________________________________________Phone_________________________Date____________ Address______________________________________________________City___________________________State____________Zip___________
Our HistOry. Our COmmunity. Our Veterans.
30 | BUSINESS LEADER • September 23, 2019
BY THE NUMBERS
$20 million
Value of new Huffcutt Concrete headquarters facility in Lake Hallie that opened in early September. Featuring an automated production process for making concrete wall panels, the building is expected to add 150 new jobs to the area over the next five years.
local.
Local Bank for Your Local Business.
22%
Of more than 11,500 U.S. employers surveyed by ManpowerGroup plan to increase their workforces in the fourth quarter. The majority — 72% — intend to maintain current staffing while 5% expect to downsize and just 1% were unsure of their hiring plans.
96,000
Square footage of Hy-Vee grocery store planned to replace a defunct Kmart on East Clairemont Avenue in Eau Claire. The Kmart was in business from 1963 until early 2015.
3.3%
Unemployment rate in Eau Claire metropolitan area as of July. While slightly down from the month before, the jobless figure is 0.4% higher than it was a year before.
130,000
Jobs added to the U.S. economy in August, which is below the 158,000 per month average established this year through July, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Cody Filipczak
- C&M Home Builders
“Charter Bank has all of our business accounts and has done hundreds of loans for us over the years. Everyone we have worked with at the bank is very qualified and always great to work with. I especially like the different financing options they have for both short- and long-term loans. We will be working with Charter for many years to come.”
Locally Connected. Personally Invested.
local
See all these great stories and many more! Visit Charter Bank online at:
charterbank.
bank/testimonials
800-471-4510
charterbank.bank/business September 23, 2019 • BUSINESS LEADER | 31
2 season tickets. tick 3 children. childr
Around here this is a more common problem than you’d think. Our Trust & Estates team deals with this type of thing and many other family matters like “who gets the summer cabin up north.” These aren’t easy decisions to make and they’re not ones you should be making alone. We’ve been around since 1920 and have learned a thing or two, so contact us today and we’ll help you make the right decisions for you and your loved ones.
eau claire | wausau | green bay ruderware.com visit our blogs at blueinklaw.com
207120 9-24-18