Business Leader | Winter 2019

WINTER FALL 2019 2016

New breweries on tap in Menomonie

Family-run grocers in Strum

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CONTENTS 4

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FEATURE FEATURE COMMUNITY STORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

STORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PROFILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Family keeps grocery going for 120 years.

Business groups offer new health plans.

GUEST COLUMNS

Jeff West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Andrew Cooper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

BOOK REVIEW

Terri Schlichenmeyer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

BY THE NUMBERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

EDITOR’S NOTE It was a sad surprise to see the place where I got my first job on a list of store closings.

While Chippewa Valley locations of Shopko were not among those listed in the Wisconsin-based retailer’s mid-January Chapter 11 filing, the one where I got my first paycheck was.

Shopko then filed notice with the state, announcing its intent to terminate workers and close both its Madison locations in April, including my first workplace — store No. 29 on Mineral Point Road.

Memories have flooded back from my 2½ years working as a sales clerk, cashier and stockboy.

I’d survived several toy crazes — Tickle Me Elmo, Pokemon trading cards and

Two breweries open in Menomonie.

EDITOR

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Andrew Dowd andrew.dowd@ecpc.com @ADowd_LT 715-833-9204

GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT John Balgaard

MAGAZINE ADVERTISING & DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR

Edie Litzkow - edie.litzkow@ecpc.com 715-833-9239

video games, Tamagotchi digital pets, and fuzzy Furby robots.

There were the many friends made while working there — some who were just compadres during a few shifts and others I still keep in touch with through Facebook.

There was that time a bat got loose in the store on a Saturday morning, and I had to trap it in a shopping basket with help from a co-worker equipped with a small towel before a customer got freaked out by the flying critter.

And then there were all the crushes, relationships and parties that came with a bunch of teens and early 20-somethings working night and weekend shifts at a retail store.

Of course there were lessons about hard work, trying to help people, managing stress and functioning as a team. But also the things that weren’t taught in employee

training.

Sharing a shift with a co-worker who you’ve become friends with will never feel like a bad day at work.

Doing your hardest to please someone will not always be rewarded by their gratitude, so you’ll have to thank yourself for trying.

You’ll always work harder for a boss you trust and believe in versus one who just barks orders.

And after listening for months to the same playlist of cheesy background music, you’ll be able to predict and dread when a really lame song is about to play.

I haven’t been back to Shopko No. 29 in several years and doubt I will be there in time to wax nostalgic in its aisles during the closeout sales.

But I’ve still got a big bargain bin worth of memories ... and a nametag, I kept that.

Published four times per year by the Leader-Telegram advertising department. Copyright 2019 Leader-Telegram, 701 S. Farwell St., Eau Claire, WI 54701. All rights reserved. 800-236-7077. leadertelegram.com

FEATURE STORY

Generations of grocers Staff photos by Dan Reiland Robbe’s Family Market has persisted for 120 years as the grocery store in Strum. Posing in December, from left, are Skylar and Zoe Gullicksrud; their father, Brian Gullicksrud; Brian’s grandmother Joyce Schmidt; and Brian’s father, Paul Gullicksrud.

Family-owned Strum store still going after 120 years

By Eric Lindquist, Leader-Telegram staff STRUM

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t a time when U.S. Department of Labor statistics show a third of new businesses fail within two years, half are gone within five years and 80 percent exit within two decades, Robbe’s Family Market just keeps defying the odds.

The family-owned store has been providing groceries to residents of Strum and the surrounding area for 120 years.

Somehow, in a lifespan extending from the horseand-buggy days to an era when many mom-andpop stores in small towns struggle to compete with online retailers and giant supermarkets in larger cities, Robbe’s keeps plugging along.

Company president Paul Gullicksrud said in a recent interview that not only is the store holding its own, but its seemingly old-fashioned formula for success has enabled it to show modest growth.

“It’s our customer service. That’s what we stress so much,” said Paul, who co-owns the store with his son, Brian. “We know the names of almost all of

4 | BUSINESS LEADER • January 28, 2019

our customers.”

The close-knit relationship between the Trempealeau County village and its longtime grocer was on full display during a recent December afternoon, when every customer that checked out stopped to chat with employees, sometimes for several minutes, before exiting the store.

“That’s the biggest difference between us and the big boys: We know our customers,” said Brian, the company’s vice president.

Paul’s mom, Joyce Schmidt, is the oldest surviving link to store founder Henry Robbe, who launched the business in a storefront a block down the road in 1899.

Schmidt, Robbe’s great-niece, is also the longesttenured employee at the store, with 84 years of seniority. She began at age 6 by selecting candy from the candy salesmen and now, at 90, is down to working one afternoon shift per week.

“I’ve worked in every capacity in this store,” said a grinning Schmidt, who ended her run as

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bookkeeper at age 85. “When I started, you weighed out everything because it all came in bulk.”

The store’s history is chronicled in a series of old photos hanging above the meat counter, including a black-and-white shot of the original two-story location with wagons and several local residents outside. Other shots depict building changes over the years.

much larger supermarkets, for more than 45 years.

“I come just for the meatball mix because it’s so good,” Moltzau Woodford said.

Indeed, Paul said, Robbe’s sends orders of its meatball mix — a special blend of ground beef, ground pork and spices — all over the country. The store’s full-service meat counter, including specialty items such as homemade beef sticks and lutefisk, remains its biggest draw.

Destiny calls

Strum native Deb Moltzau Woodford, left, now of Eau Claire, pays Roseann Monson for a package of meatball mix in December at Robbe's Family Market in Strum.

Community support The Gullicksruds are fully aware that many Wisconsin villages the size of Strum (population: 1,097) have lost their independent grocery stores, as they have either closed up shop or been taken over by larger chains.

Brian credited hard work, great employees, strong support from the growing local Hispanic population, customer loyalty by many Strum area residents and an emphasis on keeping goods “as competitively priced as they possibly can be” for the store’s continued success, even with several much larger competitors just a 20-minute drive away in Eau Claire.

Brian’s sister, Sara Meeks of Eau Claire, who works as a part-time graphic and web designer but also created a website and manages a Facebook page for Robbe’s, said community support remains the key ingredient necessary for the business’s survival.

“Running a small business is hard. Running a small business in a small town is even harder,” Meeks said.

“Robbe’s wouldn’t still be here without the support of Strum and the surrounding communities. Strong customer service goes a long way. Great quality goes a long way. But, at the end of the day, it’s the people who shop the aisles that should be credited with keeping it going all these years.”

Longtime customer and Strum native Deb Moltzau Woodford still shops at Robbe’s on occasion even though she has lived in Eau Claire, the home of many

Paul, 66, attended UW-Eau Claire after graduating from high school and then took a job in Albert Lea, Minn., before returning to the store where he started working at age 14. He bought Robbe’s more than 40 years ago from his grandfather Marshall Robbe, who somehow guided the store through the Great Depression years when few customers had money to pay their grocery bills.

“It was inevitable that I would come back. I just like it here,” he said, gazing down the aisles of the 9,500-square-foot building where Robbe’s has been located since 1979. It is only the store’s second location in its 12 decades of existence.

The story is similar for Brian, 42, who started stocking shelves at the store at about age 10. Though he worked in the grocery department at Super Target in Eau Claire for a couple years after college, the pull of the family business was too strong to resist and he too returned to work at Robbe’s.

Robbe’s Family Market has been operating in Strum since 1899, including the last 40 years at 207 Fifth Ave. It continues to thrive despite growing competition from large supermarkets in nearby Eau Claire.

“I grew up in it. I always knew it was going to be my destiny,” said Brian, one of six boys in his family, who started working in the grocery store when there wasn’t enough work on the family’s farm to keep all of the brothers busy.

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from Page 5

Through it all, Brian insisted, “I love the grocery business. I love coming to work.”

While some folks might think operating a family business that still has four generations of family members on the payroll sounds like too much togetherness, the Gullicksruds don’t see it that way.

They may occasionally have differences of opinion, but they work it out and never get nasty with each other, Brian said.

“We’ve always gotten along,” Paul said, stressing that their cooperative spirit likely has contributed to the store’s longevity. “We take a lot of pride in that. Not many businesses in this area, with the exception of a few farms, can say they are fifth generation.”

Even Meeks, who hasn’t lived in Strum for more than 16 years, is happy to play a small role in the family business by helping it keep up with the times through social media.

“I grew up at the store alongside my dad, my grandma and my brothers. I was playing hide-and-seek in the rolls of toilet paper before school and started filling the pop machine about the same time I was learning to ride a bike,” she said. “Robbe’s has never been just a business to us. It’s part of our family. I didn’t realize how special that was until many years later.”

Still going

The latest family members to start working at Robbe’s are Brian’s two oldest daughters, Skylar, 15, and Zoe, 17, who are following the family tradition while attending Eleva-Strum High School.

With their classmates accounting for several of the store’s 18 employees, Zoe called it a “pretty great work environment.”

Skylar added that working at the store offers a great opportunity to get to know more community residents and to see her own family members in an environment outside of home.

“I like it,” Skylar said. “I would rather have my dad as a boss than anyone.”

The teens, who both work as cashiers, said at this point they don’t envision taking over the store someday, but they didn’t close the door entirely, with Skylar shrugging her shoulders and saying, “You never know.”

So how long does Brian think Robbe’s will stay in business?

“As long as we can,” he said. “I don’t plan on going anywhere.”

Contact: 715-833-9209, eric.lindquist@ecpc.com, @ealscoop on Twitter

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COMMUNITY PROFILE

Something’s brewing Staff photos by Dan Reiland Ryan Verdon, owner of Brewery Nonic, gravity tests beer to gauge its alcohol content. For several of his brews, Verdon was inspired by beer found in the United Kingdom.

Two new breweries open this winter in Menomonie

By Andrew Dowd, Leader-Telegram staff MENOMONIE

his winter the locally brewed beer scene in Menomonie tripled in size.

TLucette Brewing Co. had reigned as the city’s local

brewery since 2010, but two newcomers recently opened within about a month of each other.

But is Menomonie — population around 16,500 — big enough for three breweries?

“I think Menomonie absolutely is ready,” said Ryan Verdon, a native of the city and owner of Brewery Nonic, 621 Fourth St. W. And while it might sound like a sudden flood of competition into the local beer market, the two new brewers believe that the businesses will benefit each other by making Menomonie a destination for beer lovers.

“Generally it’s good, the more the merrier,” said Jon Christiansen, owner of Zymurgy Brewing Co., 624 Main St. E., and a former head brewer at Lucette.

Beer tours of the Chippewa Valley included Lucette as one stop, but Christiansen expects two additional breweries in Menomonie will make the city a destination where those visitors will stop and stay for a while.

“That usually gets people to hop off the freeway even more,” he said.

And while they’ll be technically business

8 | BUSINESS LEADER • January 28, 2019

competitors, the brewers don’t really see it that way and view the growing local beer industry as a community.

“The thing for us is we want each other to make the beer. That just creates more of an interest,” Verdon said.

Verdon and Christiansen have even shared advice to help troubleshoot problems as their grand openings approached.

“We have definitely helped each other out,” Verdon said.

That would often lead to sharing stories about their fledgling businesses at the end of a workday over — what else — a pint of beer.

Their own bosses

Both Christiansen and Verdon had made beer for several years in Menomonie for other businesses when they felt the urge to start up their own breweries.

When Lucette started up in 2010, Christiansen, who had previously worked at breweries in Nevada and a Milwaukee suburb, was hired as head brewer. He stayed with Lucette until leaving in spring 2016 to begin formulating his own business.

Verdon’s professional brewing résumé starts in 2009 at Rush River Brewing Co. in River Falls. About 4½ years ago, he began working for Menomonie coffee

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shop The Raw Deal when it started producing a line of beer.

For the past year and a half, Verdon also has been working toward opening his own brewery. The idea of working for himself and doing something that can help the community grow appealed to him.

“It’s just a thing I really want to do,” he said.

With their desires and plans to be their own bosses, the two brewers then sought good spots to open their breweries in Menomonie.

Renovation work

The renovation provided some significant challenges, he admits, as the project was being done to bring back the building’s historic character. The ceiling was redone in lap and plaster like they did in the old days. Most of the woodwork inside the building was restored as well.

Verdon’s father, Ron, also used his extensive handyman skills to whip the old building into shape.

As a Menomonie native, Latacia Greeley said it has been great to see the two old buildings turned into new businesses that have the ability to attract visitors to the city.

“Now that we have three different breweries, that definitely makes our community a destination,” said Greeley, who works as tourism director at the Menomonie Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center.

And for those who come to the city specifically for the breweries, she hopes their trip will turn into an overnight stay where they can check out other local businesses as well.

Many of the locals who visit Zymurgy for a beer remember the building’s longtime life as an auto service shop.

“The classic joke is ‘I’ll have a Sherlock and an oil change, please,’” Christiansen said, referring to the name of one of the brewery’s popular beers.

Zymurgy is in the former Dennis Auto Service, which Christiansen bought in August 2017 because of its downtown location with off-street parking.

Their journeys toward Converting an old auto shop opening their own breweries into a brewery has been done in have similarities, but Verdon many places, Christiansen said, Jon Christiansen, owner of Zymurgy Brewing Co., fills a and Christiansen draw different because the tall ceilings, wide glass cylinder of beer for testing. In addition to beer, inspiration for their beers. vehicle bays and other building Christiansen also makes sodas and kombucha.

“I do like to think most of the features come in handy for beers coming out of here will be brewing. Zymurgy’s brewing Belgian and French down the road,” Christiansen said. equipment is set up in the auto station’s former car wash, But he added he intends to keep a German hefeweizen which has slanted floors and drains that make cleaning on tap — a wheat beer brewed with a yeast strain that gives easier. off flavors of banana and clove.

But converting the building still took plenty of work.

Like any brewery that’s just starting out, Christiansen A floor that absorbed decades worth of motor oil and said they often produce about a half dozen beers and other lubricants had to be replaced. Bathrooms were redone. there’s a race to see which one sells best.

“The biggest challenge was efficiency for heat,” So far, two flagship beers have emerged: a hefeweizen Christiansen said.

See page 10 He’s continuing to work on reducing drafts in the cinderblock building and intends to seek a façade loan to improve SINGLE ORDER OF ORIGINAL TOPPERSTIX the building’s look.

Verdon also undertook the challenge of reusing one of Menomonie’s older vacant buildings.

Built in 1906, the building he chose had once been a depot when passenger trains stopped in the city, but it sat empty for a long time and fell into disrepair.

“Being from here, it’s just been a building that’s kind of sat around and has not been used for a long time,” Verdon said.

Locals have long talked about finding a way to reuse INVITE TOPPERS TO the piece of Menomonie history, and Verdon turned those YOUR NEXT LUNCHEON musings into his new brewery.

“We were at the right place, right time to make it happen,” he said.

Different brews

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made with Eau Claire honey that goes by the name Fluff Head and a light-colored English mild beer dubbed Sherlock.

The locally produced honey is part of Christiansen’s effort to use as many Wisconsin ingredients in his beer as possible. He’s also made a cranberry weiss with fresh cranberries grown in a bog in this state.

Though he’s not trying to be too specific with beers he plans to brew, Verdon gives a nod to beermakers in the United Kingdom as his inspiration.

“I have always loved their approach,” he said. “You can make a full-flavored really tasty beer, but it doesn’t have to be a really strong beer.”

He said the British have a knack for making brews for people who want to have a few, but not get intoxicated.

Among the first pours at the brewery were an English mild ale, a British bitter, an English brown ale, a porter, a milk stout and a pseudo-American pale ale. He’ll also be making some Belgian-inspired beers and eventually winebarrel-aged sour ales.

Verdon took a couple guesses at what could become his most popular beers — either his Scottish ale or a pale ale.

Branching out

The owners of Zymurgy and Nonic intend their taprooms to be the place to get their beers, but they are doing some sales in stores as well.

Zymurgy got some of its 25-ounce cans into Coffee Grounds in Eau Claire recently.

“We do want our beer to be in stores, but we want to do very small drops,” Christiansen said.

He expects to only have his beer available in about a half-

dozen stores in the brewery’s opening months and keep things small — to about a 50-mile radius of the taproom.

Nonic is focusing mostly on taproom sales — people having a pint of beer there, buying cans or getting their growler bottles filled.

Though some of his cans will show up at The Raw Deal, Verdon’s vision for his business is a place for people to gather for a night out.

“I like the idea of having the place be kind of a destination spot,” he said. “I just really want people to have an experience.”

Live music and trivia nights are part of his plans. The yard around the building will have a fire pit and lawn games.

Zymurgy also already has hosted a comedy night as part of Christiansen’s plans for live entertainment at his brewery as well.

He’s looking to satisfy people who want something else to drink besides beer.

Christiansen also makes ginger ale, root beer and other sodas.

On the 15-tap lineup, he hopes to always have a few options that are not beer, which can include a soda or kombucha.

“We kind of want to have at least two to three not-beer options,” Christiansen said.

That will help the place draw in families, people that don’t drink beer and students from nearby UW-Stout who come by for a place to study during the daytime, he said.

Contact: 715-833-9204, andrew.dowd@ecpc.com, @ADowd_LT on Twitter

Brewery Nonic

Zymurgy Brewing Co.

Opened: Jan. 5.

Address: 621 Fourth St. West.

Building history: Built in 1906, it had been a depot for passenger trains that stopped in Menomonie, but had long been vacant.

Name origin: Nonic is an English-style pint glass, which has a bulge near its top.

Hours: 4-10 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays; 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Fridays-Sundays; closed Mondays-Tuesdays.

Brewer/owner: Ryan Verdon.

Brewer’s experience: Rush River Brewing Co., River Falls; The Raw Deal, Menomonie.

Opened: Dec. 1.

Address: 624 Main St. East.

Building history: Formerly Dennis’ Auto Service — a service station and auto repair shop.

Name origin: Zymurgy is the branch of chemistry that deals with fermenting, which is integral to making beer.

Hours: 3-10 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays; closed Mondays-Tuesdays.

Brewer/owner: Jon Christiansen.

Brewer’s experience: Water Street Brewing Co., Delafield, Wis.; Joseph James Brewing Co., Henderson, Nev.; Lucette Brewing Co., Menomonie.

10 | BUSINESS LEADER • January 28, 2019

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CEO SPEAK

Jeff West is the owner of Bear Down (beardowninc.com), an executive and executive team coaching company based in Eau Claire. He was 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.

Thank You

Businesses have profound impacts on employees, communities

“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.” ZIG ZIGLAR, AUTHOR, SPEAKER

By Jeff West

The holiday season and beginning of the New Year is often a time people reflect on the year past and what the future may hold.

I’d like to use this article to thank each of you who are leaders of a business. It’s all too easy to lose sight of the genuine contribution you provide to our community.

Lost in the hustle and bustle, pressure and anxiety running a business often includes, are the many positive contributions you make to the lives of others.

While creating jobs isn’t the goal of a business it’s often required as your business grows. You provide a product or service that people like, demand increases and you need others to help you. You’re now providing a living for people so they can take care of their families. Many of your employees will become lifelong friends in the process.

Adults spend approximately one-third of their lives at their place of employment. The workplace often becomes a second home of sorts due to the social interaction between employees, customers, vendors and the community.

In many instances your customers become good friends that you look forward to serving. Vendors also make their livings by selling products and services to your company.

Local businesses and their owners are a large part of what’s good in their community. From sponsoring youth sports teams and community events to employees helping with local food drives, Toys for Tots and more, the world would look a lot different if not for your generosity of time and money.

I’ve been fortunate to work with dozens of businesses in western Wisconsin and Minnesota. Without exception every leader tells me it’s not his or her career they think about but the careers and livelihood of their employees.

The understanding they’re creating a greater good than just providing for their own family often gets overlooked, especially during trying times every business goes through.

As the leader of your business you have the opportunity on a daily basis to add to the quality of life of those around you. By continually training your employees, you add to their feeling of fulfillment of a job well done. By providing exceptional customer service, you show you value and respect them for more than just the dollars that exchange 12 | BUSINESS LEADER • January 28, 2019

hands. The ripples you create go farther than you’ll ever realize.

While it may not feel like it at times, leadership is a gift. Few people will ever have the opportunity to have as much effect on the lives of others as you do. That level of leadership is an extraordinary opportunity. And great leaders change the world for the better in profound ways.

While unfortunately it’s all too rare to be acknowledged for the gift you are to the others you serve, take a minute, look in the mirror, smile and tell yourself “Good Job!” Thank you for making our area a great place to work and live!

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- Guest Article -

BEWARE THE BOILERPLATE! At some point in your life (and depending on your profession, possibly quite frequently), I’m willing to bet you’ve come across the standard “boilerplate” terms and provisions in a contract.

“Boilerplate” terms are generally located on the last page(s) of a contract, are often in very small print, and are usually under some innocuous heading like “Miscellaneous” or “General Provisions”. I’m also willing to bet that, like most people — assuming you have not already fallen asleep — it is at this point in time you stop reading the contract and move on to more pressing matters.

Boilerplate terms, while seemingly unimportant, may lead to serious consequences for you or your business if ignored or not properly understood. Below are some sample Boilerplate terms, along with some commentary as to the importance of each clause.

Integration Clause:

“Entire Agreement. This instrument contains the entire agreement between parties as of this date, and the execution hereof has not been induced by either party by representations, promises, or understandings not expressed herein. There are no collateral agreements, stipulations, promises, or undertaking whatsoever upon the respective parties in any way touching the subject matter of this instrument which are not expressly contained in this instrument.”

COMMENT: This essentially means that if

something is not in the contract, the other party is not bound by it. For example: You’ve been having conference calls and e-mailing back and forth with the other side for months and have finally agreed to all material provisions via phone and e-mail, but the final contract contains vastly different terms to those agreed-upon via e-mail. With an integration clause such as the one above, you would not be able to rely on the e-mails as evidence of your “agreement” with the other side because those terms are not in the signed contract.

Modification Clause.

“Written Modifications. No modification, release, discharge, or waiver of any provisions hereof shall be of any force, effect, or value unless in writing signed by the parties or their dulyauthorized agents or attorneys.”

COMMENT: This means any contract

amendment must be in writing. For example: You’re two weeks late on your rent, and your landlord verbally tells you that you can miss payments this month and make it up the next month. You thereafter receive an eviction notice for non-payment of rent. You would be hard pressed to argue that the landlord waived the breach, as the amendment was not in writing.

Attorneys’ Fee Clause.

“Recovery of Litigation Costs. If any legal action or other proceeding is brought for the enforcement of this Agreement, or because of an alleged dispute, breach, default, or misrepresentation in connection with any of the provisions of this Agreement, the successful or prevailing party or parties shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney and accountant fees and other costs incurred in that action or proceeding, in addition to any other relief to which it or they may be entitled.”

COMMENT: This means that if there is a legal

dispute and you lose, you must not only pay your own legal fees, but you have to also pay the other side’s legal fees. This can add up very quickly, especially if the other side’s counsel is located in a place with notoriously high legal fees (e.g., New York, Chicago, Los Angeles).

Rules of Interpretation Clause.

“Rules of Interpretation. The language used in this Agreement is the result of the parties’ negotiations and shall be deemed to be the language chosen by all parties hereto to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction against any party shall apply to any term or condition thereof.”

COMMENT: There is a common law rule that if there is any ambiguity in a document, the interpretation goes against the party that drafted the document. This language gets rid of that common law rule.

Choice of Law/Venue Clause.

“Governing Law/Venue. This Agreement shall be governed by and be construed and take effect in all respects in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Wisconsin without regard to any conflict of laws provisions. Venue for any litigation concerning this transaction shall be in Eau Claire County in the State of Wisconsin.”

COMMENT: This provisions provides what

law governs when interpreting the contract, and also the venue for any dispute arising out of the contract. Be especially careful when dealing with out-of-state vendors, etc., as often their contracts will be governed by the laws of another state (meaning you would have to hire an attorney from that state to interpret the language under that state’s laws).

Just as important, take notice of the venue.

If the agreement is governed by California law and venue is in Los Angeles County, you would have to sue the other party in Los Angeles County, California should you desire to bring suit.

Notice Clause.

“Notice. Any notice to be given pursuant to this Agreement may be: (i) delivered personally to the place of business of the party to whom it is addressed; (ii) sent by prepaid registered, or certified mail, return receipt requested; or (iii) shipped via Federal Express or other nationally known and reputable overnight delivery service, and addressed as follows: …”

COMMENT: Pay special attention to this

provision, as it describes how notices must be delivered. For example: You want to renew your lease. The contract provides that notice must be via certified mail, and you e-mail your landlord that you want to renew. There is an argument you have not properly noticed your intention to renew the lease, and the landlord could have the ability to terminate your lease for failure to properly exercise your renewal rights.

Indemnity Clause.

“Indemnity. Tenant agrees to indemnify and hold Landlord harmless against and from any and all claims, damages, costs, and expenses, including reasonable attorney fees, arising from Tenant’s use and occupancy of the leased premises.”

COMMENT: This clause is taken from a lease, but could be applicable in any contract.

Indemnification means that if you cause the other side harm or cause them to incur costs and expenses based upon your actions (or inactions), you may have to make them whole for their losses. Additionally or alternatively, you may have to defend them if they get named in a lawsuit based upon the foregoing.

The intent of this article is not to scare you, but instead to simply to make you aware that it is important to read (and understand) each provision of every contract that you sign.

As a parting note, I also want to point out that contracts are two-way agreements – meaning that they are not always “take it or leave it”. If you don’t like a specific provisions of a contract, try to negotiate more favorable language with the other side…and always read the fine print.

Attorney Paul Mirr, Ruder Ware, L.L.S.C.

January 28, 2019 • BUSINESS LEADER | 13

FEATURE STORY

Jumping into a bigger pool Small businesses get bargaining power through association health plans

By Andrew Dowd, Leader-Telegram staff

With just shy of 100 employees, Charter Bank didn’t have the best results when negotiating prices for health insurance.

The Eau Claire-based bank offered solid benefits to provide for its current employees and stay competitive in a tight labor market, but like any business with a smaller workforce, it suffered a higher price for its health plans.

“We had great service with them, but had double-digit increases every year,” Paul Kohler, Charter Bank’s president and CEO, said of its prior health plan.

But a decision made in mid-2018 by the Trump administration allows business organizations to offer health insurance plans to their members. The Wisconsin Bankers Association was one of the first in the state to jump at that opportunity.

After the association released specifics in October, Charter Bank signed on and both the business and its employees have seen much lower premiums.

“We saw substantial savings by switching over,” Kohler said.

Now Charter Bank’s 98 employees are counted as part of a group of thousands of other bank workers since their new health plan took effect on Jan. 1.

The key advantage of these new plans is that many businesses can enroll their employees into a 14 | BUSINESS LEADER • January 28, 2019

much larger risk pool — a major factor insurers use to set prices for those customers.

Joining up

Business groups see the association health plans as a benefit they can provide to their members and a way to entice more companies to join their ranks.

In addition to the association representing Wisconsin’s bankers, the state’s chamber of commerce — Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce — also created a health plan last year.

“The reason we decided to launch an association health plan is one of the biggest issues our members are facing is the increasing cost of health care,” said Nick Novak, director of communications and marketing at WMC. The state chamber created plans for workplaces with two to 50 employees and businesses that are sole proprietors.

“It’s been very popular so far from what I’ve seen,” Novak said of the plans that started Jan. 1.

WMC has health plans available in most of Wisconsin, save for a swath of southeastern Wisconsin that includes Buffalo, Jackson and Trempealeau counties. And the organization is working to offer plans in that territory.

The state chamber is expecting final numbers

at the end of January from insurance provider UnitedHealthcare that will show how many businesses and people are covered by the association’s new health plan.

The Wisconsin Bankers Association is not disclosing how many of its 230 members — banks that are headquartered or at least have a brick-and-mortar presence in Wisconsin — signed up for its health plans.

But Daryll Lund, president of the WBA Employee Benefits Corp., indicated that banks of varying sizes and throughout the state are buying in and more are expected to join next year.

“We had a high level of interest from our bankers,” he said. “We anticipate a lot more interest this next fall when bankers are getting ready for their renewals for January 1 of 2020.”

This isn’t the first foray for the business groups into offering benefits to members on behalf of their employees. The bankers association has offered benefits since the 1950s through its trust, which also currently provides dental, life and disability insurance. WMC also has offered different insurance products to members since the 1950s.

Local plan

The largest business group in the Chippewa Valley is working on an association health plan for small employers in the Eau Claire area.

David Minor, president and CEO of the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, first broached the idea of offering a health plan at a September meeting and word quickly spread.

Less than a month later, he’d gotten calls from members and insurers who were eager to hear more.

“What I thought was going to be on the back burner for a while went to the front burner and on steroids,” Minor said.

Members who called were a mix of small employers who currently don’t have a health plan and see the need for one and other businesses that want to get more competitive prices from insurers, he said.

The local chamber is surveying members this month to get statistics of those interested in an association health plan. Based on dozens of phone calls he’s already gotten and the organization’s membership, Minor believes the demand is there.

“The vast majority of our 1,200 members are employers of 50 people or less,” Minor said.

And that’s the category the chamber is envisioning for its health plan — employers with two to 49 workers.

“This is really for the small businesses,” Minor said.

If the surveys do show the anticipated demand for them, the chamber is looking to make health plans available this summer.

Starting out, Minor said he’s hoping that a total of See page 16

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from Page 15

1,000 to 2,000 people become covered by the plans and that will eventually grow to about 5,000 to get some major bargaining leverage with insurers.

“We’d have a lot of negotiating power,” he said.

As this is his first foray into picking a health plan, Minor has tapped the wisdom of several local retirees who worked in the health care industry as advisers in this effort.

Minor already has had preliminary meetings with insurers that have a strong local presence, namely Group Health Cooperative, United Healthcare, Prevea 360 and Security Health Plan.

“Bottom line — this will be who can give us the best plan,” he said.

Skinny plan worry

When the Trump administration announced in June that business groups would be allowed to create these new health plans, some news coverage of them included skepticism about how they’d be allowed to skirt requirements of other insurance plans.

Association plans are exempt from providing 10 categories known as “essential health benefits” mandated by the Affordable Care Act for plans on the national insurance marketplace where individuals can sign up for coverage. Those “essentials” include inpatient and outpatient hospital care, prescription drug coverage, pregnancy and childbirth, mental health services and other categories of health care.

Though some associations have used the exemption, neither the state bankers group or WMC opted to.

WMC looked into the possibility, but opted not to take advantage of that based on feedback from those who would be using the plans.

“One of the things from our members’ perspectives is not to carve out any of the specific benefits from the ACA,” said Robert Baker, director of insurance services for WMC. In addition to members not wanting “skinny plans,” he said that, “believe it or not,” removing them would not have made a big reduction in premiums.

The bankers association, which is overseen by a board of its members, said it planned to offer a robust health plan from the start.

“It was never our intention to roll out health insurance plans that are stripped-down, skinny plans,” Lund said.

Charter Bank’s leader, who is currently vice chairman of the association, attested that switching to the cheaper association plan did not mean a step down in health benefits.

“We were able to match up almost verbatim from what we had before,” Kohler said. “We didn’t see any material change at all in the benefits.”

Charter Bank had 10 health insurance plans on its own and had its pick of 28 different ones in October through the bankers association.

The Eau Claire bank ultimately picked eight plans —

16 | BUSINESS LEADER • January 28, 2019

a range in deductibles, ability to have a health savings account and single or family plans — through its association.

The local chamber’s plan also will have multiple options, Minor said, and will be designed around benefits employers feel they must have for their employees.

“It will always be driven by our membership — what they can use,” he said.

Keeping competitive

For the business groups, association health plans are a way to provide another benefit to members.

Minor anticipates that health insurance savings would offset the price of a chamber membership — creating an enticement for more companies to join the local business organization.

Baker said WMC has already seen more businesses join the organization specifically to qualify for its association health plan.

For the last few years health care costs have been a concern based on surveys the state chamber does every six months with its members.

“Clearly the health care costs are not impacting just one industry or workplace size. It seems to be impacting everyone in Wisconsin,” spokesman Novak said.

All employers — big and small and in every sector — deal with the pressures of health care costs, bank president Kohler said. He anticipates the association plans will grow in popularity as a way to deal with that.

Medical costs are a huge expense for businesses, he said, but it is a necessary benefit to offer to be an “employer of choice” that attracts and retains good employees.

Health plans are among the top topics job applicants inquire about along with salary, schedule flexibility and workplace environment, local chamber CEO Minor said.

“That’s where small businesses are being hurt,” he said. “They don’t have everything.”

And when competing for employees who are contemplating children or already have them, health care coverage becomes even more important and can be a deal-breaker.

Members have told Minor that candidates have walked away from job opportunities at small firms because health care premiums were double, even triple what they’d paid at their previous workplace.

He hopes that providing a health plan will even the playing field a little so small businesses like “momand-pop” stores and machine shops can become more competitive with large employers.

Contact: 715-833-9204, andrew.dowd@ecpc.com, @ADowd_LT on Twitter

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BOOK REVIEW

Toiling with toys Silicon Valley’s productivity gimmicks don’t fix disengagement, author says

Title: “Lab Rats: How Silicon Valley Made Work Miserable for the Rest of Us” Author: Dan Lyons Pages: 272 Publisher: Hachette (c. 2018)

By Terri Schlichenmeyer The Bookworm

On a recent sunny and warm California morning, author Dan Lyons sat in a café, playing with Legos.

He wasn’t building a creation with the multicolored toy bricks to bond with a child – he was with a woman who runs corporate workshops. Called “Lego Serious Play,” the practice is thought to alter employees’ brains so they might work better.

But do these games and methods really work, or do they backfire? Lyons takes a hard look in his new book “Lab Rats.”

Thanks largely to Silicon Valley, Lyons says, Lego Serious Play and other such programs are embraced by major corporations in an effort to wring the last possible ounce of productivity out of their employees.

Lyons traces that goal back more than 150 years ago to businessman Frederick Taylor, who thought he found a “scientific method” of extending the efficiency of his workers. Taylor’s method didn’t work, but he still became a guru of sorts and other men who likewise thought they’d discovered the Holy Grail of Grindstone followed after him.

That was fine when we toiled with our hands. Today, though, we work with our heads.

And those heads are spinning, Lyons says.

Survey after survey shows high overall rates of employee disengagement. Workers are depressed and anxious, he says, and it isn’t just older workers. Even millennials are caught up in a “cruel” work web that Lyons traces back to “four tech-related tendencies”: paychecks that are smaller than they were two decades ago; a widespread lack of job security; constant change, whether accidental or purposeful; and the feeling of being dehumanized at work.

Those are the things that make employees feel infantilized and traumatized. Those four tendencies have hurt major corporations, sometimes badly – and yet, he says, there are solutions and there’s hope.

It starts when you “treat your employees extremely well.”

Fair warning: You may need an extra set of hands around while you’re reading “Lab Rats.” You’ll need them to help pick your jaw up off the floor. Readers who have never been through such corporate programs will be astounded at the lengths taken to wring more out of employees.

Lyons slaps tale after tale down on the pages of this book with the impact of a butcher throwing slabs of meat on marble. They will make workers cringe – especially if they’ve been-there-done-that.

But will it make CEOs notice? Hard to say.

“Lab Rats” is quite negative toward the tech industry.

It’s not generally friendly to big business, and it’s not complimentary at all toward modern corporate programs du jour. Getting this book into a C-suite may be a hard-sell … which may be the point.

Lyons says, in many ways, that chaos, brain-altering and new ways of working are not working and that it’s time to step back. Workers might agree. CEOs who’ve come around to that same conclusion may be ready to see what’s inside this book.

The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years old and never If that’s you, then let goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill “Lab Rats” set you square. in Wisconsin with two dogs and 15,000 books.

January 28, 2019 • BUSINESS LEADER | 17

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GUEST COLUMN

What to do with extra income?

Andrew Cooper is a financial adviser with Edward Jones Investments in Eau Claire. He can be reached at 715-833-3986 or andy.cooper@ edwardjones.com

Starting rainy-day fund, paying high-interest debts, boosting retirement accounts are good options

By Andrew Cooper Edward Jones Investments

It probably doesn’t happen as much as you’d like, but you may occasionally have some extra disposable income. Perhaps you have recently received a year-end bonus. Or maybe you will get a sizable tax refund in just a few months.

Wherever this money comes from, you will want to put it to good use.

Should you use the cash to pay down debts or should you invest it instead?

There’s no simple answer, and everyone’s situation is different, but here are a few suggestions for helping you make a good choice: • Evaluate your cash flow. If you already have enough cash to meet your daily living expenses, you might lean toward investing the money, but if you are just getting by, possibly due to heavy debt payments, then you might be better off using your newfound funds to reduce your debt load.

Another way of possibly reducing your debt load is to build an emergency fund containing three to six months’ worth of living expenses, with the money kept in a liquid, low-risk account. Once you have such a fund, you could use it to pay for unexpected costs, such as a new furnace or a major car repair.

• Evaluate your debts. Some of your debts are actually more “expensive” to you than others. This expense level doesn’t necessarily refer to the size of the debt, however.

You might have a large mortgage, for instance, but because your interest payments are typically tax deductible, your “after-tax” interest rate may be relatively modest. Therefore, you might consider using your excess cash for investments, rather than paying down your mortgage.

But if you have consumer loans or credit cards that carry a high interest rate and whose interest payments are not deductible, you might be better off paying down this debt.

• Evaluate your investment opportunities. You may have heard that one season or another is a “better” time to invest – but there’s really no strong evidence to support this claim. We are only a few months away from the April 17 tax filing deadline, so you may want to take advantage of at least one time-related investment opportunity.

Specifically, you could use whatever extra money you have to fully fund your IRA, if you haven’t done so already. For the 2018 tax year, you can contribute $5,500 to a traditional or Roth IRA, or $6,500 if you are 50 or older. (Depending on your income, you may not be able to contribute the full amount to a Roth IRA.) You’ve got until the April 17 deadline to fully fund your IRA, but if you have the money sooner, why wait? The quicker it’s in your account, the faster it can go to work for you. www.sparklewash.com/eauclaire One final suggestion: ngardow@sparklewash.com If you have a company match as part of your Store Fronts 401(k) or similar retirement plan at work, consider Sidewalks contributing enough to Dumpster get your employer’s full matching contribution Areas before you pay down debts Awnings – don't leave this “free Graffiti money” on the table.

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Call 715-598-2623 to schedule an appointment.

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CALENDAR

February - March

Feb. 6: Sleep wellness and work performance seminar, 8 a.m., auditorium, Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, 1400 Bellinger St. Cost: Free. Register/info: eauclairechamber.org.

Feb. 6: Up Your Marketing Game in 2019 — 50 Tips You Can Use Today!, seminar, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Arcadia Public Library, 406 E. Main St. Cost: Free. Info/register: successfulbusiness.org. This program also will be taught on Feb. 28 at the Strum Public Library, 114 Fifth Ave. Feb. 12: Start a Small Business in 8 Steps, workshop for entrepreneurs, 6-9 p.m., Western Dairyland, 418 Wisconsin St., Eau Claire. Cost: $29 regular, $10 for income-eligible individuals. Info/ register: successfulbusiness.org. This class will be repeated on March 14 at the same time and location.

Feb. 19: Dealing With Difficult People, seminar, 8-11 a.m., Classroom 117, CVTC Chippewa Falls Campus, 770 Scheidler Road.

Cost: $89. Info/register: cvtc.edu.

Feb. 20: The Extraordinary Leader, leadership skills seminar, 8:3011:30 a.m., Northwoods Room, UW-Stout Memorial Student Center, 302 10th Ave. E., Menomonie. Cost: $89. Register/info: uwstout.edu.

Feb. 21: Emotional Intelligence, leadership skills seminar, 8:30-11:30 a.m., Oakwood Room, UW-Stout Memorial Student Center, 302 10th Ave. E., Menomonie. Cost: $89. Register/info: uwstout.edu.

Feb. 21: Conflict Resolution for the Workplace, seminar, 9 a.m.noon, St. Croix Valley Business Innovation Center, 1091 Sutherland Ave., River Falls. Cost: $89. Info/register: cvtc.edu.

Feb. 26: Communication Strategies for Teams, seminar, 9 a.m.noon, St. Croix Valley Business Innovation Center, 1091 Sutherland Ave., River Falls. Cost: $89. Info/register: cvtc.edu. This seminar will be repeated at 1-4 p.m. on March 12 at CVTC’s Manufacturing Education Center, 2320 Alpine Road, Eau Claire.

Feb. 28: Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce Sales Conference, 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m., The Florian Gardens, 2340 Lorch Ave., Eau Claire.

Cost: $79 chamber members, $109 nonmembers. Register/info: eauclairechamber.org.

Feb. 28-March 1: Leading Intentional Customer Service, two-day seminar, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. each day, Holiday Inn South, 4751 Owen Ayres Court. Cost: $600, includes lunch and course materials. Info/ register: ce.uwec.edu.

March 5: Courageous Communication, workshop on creating a culture where employees feel empowered to share viewpoints, 2-4 p.m., exact location TBD, UW-Eau Claire campus, 105 Garfield Ave. Cost: $40. Register/info: ce.uwec.edu.

March 7: Leading Change, seminar, 9 a.m.-noon, RCU Conference

Room, CVTC Business Education Center, 620 W. Clairemont Ave., Eau Claire. Cost: $89. Info/register: cvtc.edu.

March 7: CVTC Manufacturing Show, 3-7 p.m., CVTC Gateway Campus, 2320 Alpine Road, Eau Claire. Info: cvtc.edu.

March 7-8: Learning to Lead, two-day seminar, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. each day, Holiday Inn South, 4751 Owen Ayres Court, Eau Claire.

Cost: $600, includes lunch and course materials. Info/register: ce.uwec.edu. This course also will be held March 21-22 at Citizens State Bank, 375 Stageline Road, Hudson.

March 7, 8, 14 & 15: UW-Stout’s Leadership Academy (Phase 1), four-day workshop for executives, managers and supervisors, 8 a.m.4:30 p.m. each day, 29 Pines, 5872 33rd Ave., rural Eau Claire. Cost: $975 for 1-2 people, $925 for 3+ people. Info/register: uwstout.edu.

March 13: Leading With Emotional Intelligence, seminar, 8 a.m.noon, St. Croix Valley Business Innovation Center, 1091 Sutherland Ave., River Falls. Cost: $139. Info/register: cvtc.edu.

March 13: 11th annual Downtown Eau Claire Awards, 5 p.m., The Halls at The Lismore, 333 Gibson St., Eau Claire. Info: downtowneauclaire.org.

March 14: The Resilient Leader — The Ability to Lead in Times of Change, Uncertainty and Crisis, seminar, 8-11 a.m., CVTC Applied Technology Center, 2322 Alpine Road, Eau Claire. Cost: $89. Info/ register: cvtc.edu.

March 14: Chippewa Chamber Women’s Luncheon, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Bye the Willow, 501 High St., Chippewa Falls.

Cost: $20 chamber members, $30 nonmembers. Info/register: chippewachamber.org.

March 14-15: Recruiting and Retaining Top Performers, two-day seminar, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. each day, UW-Eau Claire-Barron County campus, 1800 College Drive, Rice Lake. Cost: $600, includes lunch and course materials. Info/register: ce.uwec.edu.

March 26: CVTC spring open house, 3:30-7 p.m., CVTC Business Education Center, 620 W. Clairemont Ave., Eau Claire. Info: cvtc.edu.

March 26: Business Tax Chat, advice on small business tax preparation, 6-8 p.m., Western Dairyland, 418 Wisconsin St., Eau Claire. Cost: $10. Info/register: successfulbusiness.org.

March 28: Problem Solving, leadership skills seminar, 8:30-11:30 a.m., Oakwood Room, UW-Stout Memorial Student Center, 302 10th Ave. E., Menomonie. Cost: $89. Register/info: uwstout.edu.

March 28-29: HR Management for Non-HR Managers, two-day seminar, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. each day, Holiday Inn South, 4751 Owen Ayres Court, Eau Claire. Cost: $600, includes lunch and course materials. Info/register: ce.uwec.edu.

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+5.8% Increase in the median sale price for a home in Eau Claire County from 2017 to 2018. That value was $179,900 at the end of last year — up from the $170,000 from 2017, according to the Wisconsin Realtors Association.

+44,900 Change in private-sector jobs in Wisconsin at the end of last year when compared to December 2017.

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