Focus: Green/Sustainable Business
June/July 2010
www.hamiltoncountybusiness.com
Major Makeover for Sheridan School Plus...
Green Restaurant Design
Fishers’ new Chamber President Do you Belong in the Cloud?
Rocky Shanehsaz
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Shop online at childrensmuseum.org/shop Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2010
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June/July
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Sheridan’s Adams Elementary School Gymnasium
Features
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New Life for an Old School Trash to Treasure Cicero Partners Market “Green” Stain New Fishers Chamber President
Cover photo by Mark Lee, Great Exposures
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June • July 2010/Hamilton County Business Magazine
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Entrepreneur
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Marketing
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Technology
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Sales
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Management
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News
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Chamber
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Dining Out
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Book Mark
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Hamilton County History
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Business Resource Directory
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Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2010
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Letter from the Editor/June • July 2010 What does it mean to be green? Seems like everyone’s doing it these days. And we each have our own ways of preserving the planet. To some it’s recycling, to others its efficient transportation, or creative building design, proper waste disposal or water drainage schemes. Well, we offer our own version of sustainability in this edition, and it involves buildings. Indiana Landmarks maintains that the greenest building is the one that’s already built. That is, we’ve already spent the resources to build it: cut and milled the trees, mined the metal, spent the labor. Tearing down old buildings that are still functional is simply a waste of those resources. I confess here to a certain affection for old architecture. It’s hard to explain. I don’t know why I find old buildings so appealing. I think it has a lot do with the craftsmanship that went into them. Many were built by immigrants who brought skills with them from their home countries that had been passed down through generations, and their work is still evident even though they’re long gone. I also appreciate that our old buildings are often the only visible link to our past. The people and their belongings are gone, the cars, the food, the tools are gone and even the trees change over the years. But, the buildings are still here, sometimes as they were first built. I find that very satisfying. And, every time I see a building in its original state (or something close to it) I am reminded that this was once somebody’s dream, and is often the only remains of a once-thriving business. It’s reassuring that some things really do stand the test of time. Which is a long way of introducing this edition’s cover story. School officials in Sheridan were contemplating the future of Adams Elementary School last year as they prepared to move their students into a new school. The building has seen better days and its future was unclear until a Noblesville businessman stepped in with an idea. Rocky Shanehsaz often sees potential where others don’t and, in this case, that vision could end up saving a classic old building and giving Sheridan’s economy a boost as well. A second story features a father-son duo with a unique approach to preservation and sustainability. Their work, using old materials, is on display at a new Fishers restaurant. We also profile a Cicero company that’s put a green spin on a common product. Yes, we all have our own ways of being green and we offer up a few of them in this edition. I am delighted that green practices fit well with preservationist priorities. That will help ensure we continue to respect our past while building the businesses of the future. Mike Corbett
Editor and Publisher
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June • July 2010/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Mike Corbett/Editor and Publisher
M e ZIGN
D E S I G N Design from fun TO CORPORATE AND EVeRYTHING
business cards to billboards
IN BETWEEN
brochures ad design magazine design photography
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Entrepreneur Emmett Dulaney
Allan Dulaney and The Yorktown Package Shoppe
A cautionary tale about the importance of environmental scanning You don’t have to look very hard to find comparisons between today and the mid70’s. At that time, the economy was in trouble, unemployment was high, prospects in many areas were weak, and manufacturing was in trouble. And, while there had been occasional problems with the auto industry before, they were a huge component of this downturn and all involved in that trade were hit surprisingly hard. My father, a long-time auto worker who spent most of his career in some union rank, was caught completely off guard. Given the number of years of seniority he had accumulated, management had long ago stopped laying him off when small blips in the economic cycle popped up. This time, however, they did lay him off and they also told him that they honestly weren’t sure if the economy would ever turn around enough to be able to bring him back. To say that he was shaken is to hardly do it justice.
Rather than remain at the mercy of another employer, he decided to take matters into his own hands and be his own boss. He considered a number of business ventures before finally deciding that a package liquor store was his safest bet: if the economy got worse, people would drink, and if the economy got better, people would drink. He found such an establishment for sale in a small town halfway between the factory where he had worked and where we lived. He began doing some informal research:
steal it out from under him), they all said it was a fantastic idea and vowed that they would make the run to his store and purchase everything from him to help keep him in business.
• He discovered that liquor licenses were issued based upon the census with one license issued for every 10,000 in the area. Since this small town had fewer than 10,000 people, there was only the one package license and he was buying what was, essentially, a monopoly. There were two taverns in the town, but they were prohibited from selling alcohol for any purpose other than consumption on the premises. The town didn’t have much in it beyond that, a drug store, a grocery store, a couple of banks and gas stations. If residents – or anyone traveling down the highway that cut through town – wanted to imbibe outside of the taverns, it was a safe bet they would stop here.
Very quickly, it all began to unravel and the cause of it can be traced back to his failure to do adequate research in the area of environmental scanning. Simply put, environmental scanning is the collection of as much information as you can find about the environment (legal, political, competitive, etc.) to be able to interpret what is happening in that market. During his research, my father failed to realize:
• He struck up a conversation with some truckers that worked for a large distribution center just outside of the city limits. They told him that they currently didn’t shop there because the store closed before they got off work. If he would stay open a couple of hours later each night, he would have a lot more customers after shift change.
Allan Dulaney, circa 1977, in the Yorktown Package Shoppe.
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My father took every cent in savings he had, as well as every dollar he could borrow, and bought the establishment. He changed the hours to open earlier and close later, and he was the master of his own destiny. Life was good. For about two months…..
• The legislature had previously passed a bill, taking effect months after his purchase, permitting taverns to sell cold beer for carryout consumption. His monopoly now had two direct competitors. Not only that, but both grocery and drugstores could now sell warm beer and wine. Those businesses could afford to sell these items at a low price to bring customers in who would make other purchases, while the liquor store license did not allow him to carry anything else that he could use to make up for a loss leader.
• The company that owned the distribution center in town opened a second one in • He asked all of his friends from the factory another town that was much closer to the (those still there and those also on layoff) interstate. Rather than 100% of all goods if they thought buying this store was a for this chain going in and out of this small good idea. With only one exception (which town, now less than 50% did and that meant he dismissed as someone who wanted to the number of truck drivers, potential customers, was also halved.
June • July 2010/Hamilton County Business Magazine
• All of his friends from the factory kept their word and did come to his store … once. When he had asked them if they would come, he meant come and pay full price so he could make a living. When they heard the question, though, they thought he meant they would come and get the “friend’s discount.” As soon as they realized they had to pay just as much from him as they would anywhere else, they weren’t interested in making the journey to the middle of nowhere and went back to buying from their previous vendors.
discounts. In order to compete against this, a number of the mom-and-pops needed to form a cooperative, get some trucks, and behave in a similar manner.
the garage, join the cooperative, and truck in beer from the cheapest distributor. This gave him a chance to stay in business, but compromised what he so fervently believed in.
It just so happened, however, that the distributor for the county my father’s store was located in was one of the very few in the state that was unionized. They paid their employees (warehouse and drivers) well and passed the costs on in the beer they sold. This left my dad with two options:
There was one other decisive issue that had been overlooked and proved significant. Every major beer company had a contract with one distributor in each county that gave that distributor an exclusive license for the county. Every distributor had such an arrangement with multiple beer companies and thus it was not uncommon to have only one or two distributors in each county
1. Continue to support the union by buying from the local distributor and charging more for his product than any of his competitors. This reinforced the values he believed in throughout his years as union steward, committeeman, and so on, but pretty much assured that he would be out of business within a year.
Had he thoroughly done the environmental scanning needed before the purchase, he never would have entered this market and been put in this position. In the end, he reached a compromise he was comfortable with and focused on serving an underserved niche, but not before enduring many fitful nights of trying to find one more source from which to borrow money until becoming profitable and one more family member telling him how risky business can be.
…it all began to unravel because of his failure to do adequate research. throughout Indiana. When all the package stores were operating as monopolies, they bought from the distributor in their county at whatever price they charged to drop off the merchandise (giving them considerable market power), added on their markup, and passed the price to the consumer. While package stores were mostly momand-pops, many drug stores and grocery stores were chains. Instead of buying from the distributor in each county, a chain would find the cheapest distributor and buy for all their stores from them - using their own trucks to pick up and deliver as needed and negotiating for sizeable quantity
2. Betray his values, take down the “United We Stand, Divided We Fall” posters from
Whether you are starting a business or buying an existing one, environmental scanning is one area in business that you cannot afford to shortchange. v Emmett Dulaney teaches entrepreneurship and business at Anderson University.
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Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2010
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By Rosalyn Demaree
Noblesville entrepreneur plans convention center in Sheridan’s historic elementary school.
Photos by Mark Lee
R
ocky Shanehsaz remembers being called a “crazy dude” when he bought the Model Mill in Noblesville in 2001.
“Sometimes, the best ideas go against the flow, like the salmon in a river” theorizes Shanehsaz, 49.
“Well, I am a crazy dude so I’m going to take this a different direction,” he told Dennis Redick, then Noblesville mayor, who had suggested razing the four-story structure at Mulberry and Eighth streets for parking.
This month, landscaping begins on his newest venture: turning Sheridan’s 48,200square-foot Adams Elementary School into the Hamilton County Convention Center. Shanehsaz bought the building and nearly 7 acres for $85,000 in November. Students, who still use the school, will move to a new Instead, Shanehsaz (pronounced SHAWN- building in the fall. uh-sauce) turned an eyesore into Class “Crazy”, declare his critics. “Like a fox”, add A office space that will be topped with a banquet center. his supporters.
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June • July 2010/Hamilton County Business Magazine
community and provide jobs, even while it’s being restored.” Brenda Myers, Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director, suggested other uses might be better for the school when she spoke against Shanehsaz’ idea at a hearing in late 2009.
The Plan
Shanehsaz’ plan calls for converting the gym – once the biggest school gym among several neighboring counties– into space to accommodate 1,000 at a sit-down meal and several times more than that for standing events such as trade shows. First-floor classrooms and hallways will converge as open reception space. Secondfloor classrooms will be transformed into suites for business functions. Shaneshaz hopes to build a hotel in five years on the football field behind the school. The interior won’t resemble a school, he says, but exterior changes will be minimal, mostly adding canopies and returning the main entry to White Avenue, where it was originally located.
Sometimes the best ideas go against the flow, like the salmon in a river… -Rocky Shanehsaz
Shanehsaz expects the center to be open by year’s end, although structural work can’t begin until August, according to the purchase agreement. He is still seeking silent investors for the project.
Viable Plan?
Sheridan residents and town leaders believe Shanehsaz’ plan is good for the rural community of about 3,000.
Town Council President Connie Pearson admits that siting a convention center in her hometown surprised her at first, but thinks it will be a sound venture. The 1960 graduate of the school – her father was a ’37 grad and her grandchildren are students there now – sees the center as another step in Sheridan’s development. “The pieces and parts within the community will all work together,” like partners, to sell the community, she explains. Pearson notes the future cultural community center at Veterans Park, and completed projects that include restoring Boxley Cabin, listing Main Street on the National Register of Historic Places and opening Sheridan’s leg of the Monon Trail. The convention center “will bring business to the
Convention centers designed to accommodate thousands rarely make much money on their own, although ones built for events with fewer than 500 people can be profitable if they have easy access to travelers, the right combination of meeting rooms and adjacent lodging, she wrote in an e-mail. Traditionally, municipalities operate and subsidize or finance convention centers to drive downtown business. Cities “use related revenue to support the debt service,” Myers wrote, adding her concerns about the tough market facing Hamilton County hotels. “Hotel growth tends to go in spurts, and this one peaked in 2008. Since then, the lodging pipeline has slowed to a trickle based on an oversupply of rooms, and some analysts say it will take years to recover as a result.”
Going Green
Outside, Shaneshaz plans to green up the property by landscaping the approach to the center and adding gardens and fountains. That work should be started, he said, by the town’s sesquicentennial celebration this summer.
Descended from a Comb Maker After studying medicine for two years in the Dominican Republic, he married his college sweetheart, Gayle, and moved to Indiana in 1983 so she could purBest known locally as Rocky, sue law school at IU. She succumbed to brain cancer in 1992, leaving Shanehsaz, who had become a computer he is the great-great-greatgreat-grandson of a man who consultant, a single dad of Abrahim, now 21. made combs out of wood. That’s where he got his name; He married his second wife, Terri, in 1996, and they adopted Ava, now 6. They live in Noblesville, but in Persia, “shanehsaz” ironically don’t live in an historic home. Terri has means comb maker. extreme allergies, he explains, and must live in a nearly sterile environment. He came to the United States in 1977 from Iran, attended high school in Bowling Green, Ky., then Shanehsaz’ retired parents have visited the U.S. majored in agriculture-animal science, computer science and chemistry at Western Kentucky University. twice, but duties in his growing collection of business ventures – heading Compumed computer consultants, He took the nickname Rocky in the late 70’s when overseeing the rehabilitation of the Model Mill and the Rocky movies were popular because people had Axline and Hare houses, and now developing the trouble remembering his real name. It stuck and Hamilton County Convention Center – hasn’t allowed he’s been using it ever since. him time to return to Iran. v If history repeated itself, Hassan Shanehsaz might’ve been a comb maker.
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2010
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Ditslear credits Shanehsaz for saving two homes that stood in the path of the City Hall expansion, making the Model Mill a source of city tax dollars and helping the Southwest Quadrant evolve and improve. Yet both say the city-businessman relationship sometimes has been strained; Shanehsaz also has had differences with the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority and the state. But while each man enjoys history and appreciates preservation, neither relishes rehashing bad feelings in the cityShanehsaz chronicles. But green goes far beyond landscaping when it comes to old buildings, say Shanehsaz and Tina Connor, executive vice president, Indiana Landmarks.
The consultant, who holds a masters degree in historic preservation from Ball State, classifies the Model Mill and other Shanehsaz projects as renovation.
“We feel preservation and retrofitting buildings is the greenest solution because you’re not sending things to the landfill,” Connor commented. “We can’t build our way out of the sustainability crisis. That would just fill up landfills and Earth with more landfills.”
“Preservation or historic rehabilitation maintains a building’s character-defining features on the exterior and interior,” she explains. “Those features are unique to each building and relate to its style, history and uses.”
Shanehsaz calls green “part of the art of preservation,” a subject he speaks so passionately about, that he frowns like a child tasting spinach when saying “modernization.” The most common mistake rehabbers make, Shanehsaz explains, is when they “take out the old to put in the new and try to match everything to the new. The building loses its originality.”
Preservation vs. Renovation
There’s some disagreement, though, on what he calls preservation and how trained preservationists such as Noblesville’s Carol Ann Schweikert define it.
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Stores might have tin ceilings and display windows; schools might have chalkboards, large windows and built-in storage cabinets. “Although Mr. Shanehsaz’ efforts may save some portion(s) of the historic building, because many significant elements are lost in the renovation, the buildings often do not successfully relate their style, history and/or use(s).” she says.
Sometimes Rocky Road
Shanehsaz loves his hometown and supported John Ditslear’s first run for Noblesville mayor when he ran as an independent in 2003.
June • July 2010/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Public confrontations sparked over the Model Mill sign and parking at the Axline House, which Shanehsaz moved to save from the city’s wrecking ball. In late April, he was defending his plans for the Mill Top Banquet & Conference Center against a state-issued stop work order. “Rocky is creative as can be,” Ditslear says. He acknowledges that both sides may have contributed to disagreements and differences while reminding that the city’s sign and parking laws are in place for everyone’s benefit. The frustration is visible when Shanehsaz speaks of the permit problems and costs he’s faced -- $16,000-$17,000 for the Axline House parking lot alone. The Sheridan Town Council hasn’t discussed the project in-depth but Pearson expects conversations to start when classes dismiss for the summer. She believes the town will “try to steer him from things that might get him in trouble” and work with Shanehsaz to continue the strong support that residents showered on his plan at the public hearing. v
Turning the Page
CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES
Sheridan Schools starts the next chapter
Undated class photo in front of the school
Adams Elementary School will graduate its last class 79 years after it opened as a 12-grade building, That first year, 656 students enrolled, a then-record high for the district, reported the Noblesville Daily Ledger in July 1931. Fifty-two graduates took part in the first commencement exercises, according to Jim Pickett, Sheridan Historical Society. In “Whatever happened to the class of ’37?” a story by Jeanne Cornell that’s included in “History of Hamilton County Schools,” students marveled over the new school, which cost about $150,000 to build. It had indoor restrooms, warm classrooms, a science lab and music room, “and get this, a Dean of Girls!” she wrote.
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In 1966, 80 graduates took part in the building’s final high school commencement. Class pictures from its earliest days still hang in the halls. Sheridan Schools put the building up for auction in November. The district plans to open Sheridan Elementary School this fall at 24795 Hinesley Road. v
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G e t yo u r s e at s t o day at I n dy I n d I a n s . c o m Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2010
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Marketing Amy Zucker
Don’t Be Anti-Social
Social Media should be part of your Marketing Mix While social media is certainly a new marketing strategy, it is not unproven. Millions of consumers and professionals regularly frequent social media sites to make buying decisions. This sheer volume of eyeballs with commercial intent cannot be ignored. Social media networks offer an entirely new way to reach and influence buyers. If you’re still thinking MY clients and prospects don’t use social media sites to make buying decisions, think again. Even if you are targeting the “C-suite” (CEOs, CFOs, CIOs or CMOs), these executives commonly assign manager-level personnel to conduct research on products, services and vendors. These critical influencers absolutely use social media networks to do research, dialogue with vendors and make recommendations to their leadership decision-makers. Over the last several years, buyers have shifted from being passive recipients of pushed information (e-mail, direct mail and advertising) to active, informed participants in the vendor research and selection process. This means traditional marketing efforts alone will no longer work. Your prospects aren’t going to go to your corporate web site and believe every word they read. They are going to do an online search to see what others think about your products, services and company. The best places to garner this type of candid, unfiltered feedback are social media sites. Among social media’s many benefits is the ability to conduct a meaningful dialogue with prospects and customers – an opportunity to influence the buying decision in real time. It also enables your prospects to quickly and independently conduct due
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are they following on Twitter? What are they interested in? How can you influence them? 2. Assign a social media spokesperson With the benefits, though, come risks. Put- for your company that makes sense. One ting yourself or your company “out there” of the top benefits of social media is the on social media networks introduces a ability to personalize your company; it level of vulnerability. While you will garconnects a real name, face and person ner honest feedback from your customers, to your organization. Select a company you have to be willing to accept construc- spokesperson that will resonate with your tive criticism – and most importantly, target audience. publicly demonstrate your organization’s 3. Stick to your core brand message points. desire to take accountability and willingEven though social media networks can ness to correct mistakes. feel very casual, this is no time to abandon your brand identity. You can be conversational and “real” and still stick to your company’s key messaging. Social media is a great way to “live your brand” – demonstrate that your mission statement is more than rhetoric; it represents your company’s values. 4. Use social media to broaden the reach of already existing marketing initiatives. For instance, if you have an ad campaign airing on television, post it to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and include a link to Social media is not going to replace your a YouTube clip of the commercial. Tweet a link to your latest white paper or case overall marketing strategy; it is another layer of the communication and influstudy. Create a Facebook event page to ence process. It can facilitate more honest invite people to your next open house or dialogue and stronger loyalty among seminar. Post updates from press releases customers and prospects. Social media can and company announcements. also help you reach a new pool of qualified buyers and shorten the sales cycle. Bottom line, social media doesn’t replace your current marketing strategies. It is just As you start down the road of social another tool in the toolbox. Embrace this media, here are some factors to take into latest communications vehicle and use it to consideration: your advantage. In actuality, your custom1. Take a strategic approach and put a plan ers and buyers won’t give you much choice. in place as you would any other marketing I promise you, it’s not going anywhere. initiative. Map out your strategy, beginning with research. Who is your audience? Amy Zucker, a public relations and marketing veteran with 15 years of industry expertise, is What segment is entrenched in social media? Where are they on Facebook? Who president and founder of Synergy Marketing diligence and validate that your company, products or services are, in fact, a good fit for them.
June • July 2010/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Group. More at www.synergy-mg.com.
Technology Robert J. Alcorn
Is Cloud Computing Right for Your Company? You may have seen the television commercial that asks, “What is cloud computing?” If you own or run a business, you’ll be very interested in the answer. While terms like cloud computing, virtualization and hosted computing may seem like a vague, formless illusion, they actually produce more tangible bottom line results than any other technology approach in decades. In the past, companies had to make huge “capital investments” in technology hardware (servers, routers, firewalls and switches) in order to launch or grow. However, commercial-grade equipment is very expensive and quickly becomes obsolete, resulting in frequent and costly replacement. Ultimately technology hardware has become a major hurdle and bad investment for businesses. Cloud computing, or virtualization, as it is sometimes called, eliminates these capital investments in equipment by utilizing a secure, off-site, shared platform. This approach enables businesses to direct working capital into revenue-generating activities such as research and development, sales and marketing, or expansion initiatives, rather than network equipment that will become outdated almost as soon as it is installed. In addition to capital savings, cloud computing provides companies of any size (even small businesses) with access to Fortune 500-level network security, bandwidth, computing capacity as well as a system that is monitored and managed 24/7 by certified technology engineers.
Cloud computing also reduces costly technology support by leveraging a “shared environment” so management costs are spread over many users. Cloud computing and virtualization solutions are intrinsically designed for new or expanding companies that need to conserve or redirect capital for growth initiatives. These new services are also well suited for large corporations that require dynamic network environments that can accommodate significant fluctuations in system usage.
security critical to my business’ day-to-day operations? If you answered “yes” to some or all of these questions, cloud computing may be right for your organization. There is little doubt that cloud computing is the future in terms of IT. The next time you hear the phrase, “cloud computing,” think of a technology approach that is fluid, flowing and freeing. This new concept in network design will enable you to literally do more with less by leverag-
There is little doubt that cloud computing is the future in terms of IT. If you are considering switching your traditional network environment to a cloud computing model, ask yourself the following questions: • Can my investment in technology equipment and support be better utilized in other areas of the business? • Does my business need Fortune-500 network design best practices, commercial-grade equipment, bullet-proof security, enterprise bandwidth and expert IT management? • Does my business model require a network system that can scale up quickly to accommodate unplanned growth? • Are system performance, access and
ing a shared IT environment that includes sophisticated features only large enterprises can afford. As businesses vie for a competitive edge, cloud computing and virtualization will clearly allow companies to concentrate on “big-picture” investments and less in the costly over-head of equipment. With cloud computing, the sky’s the limit. Robert J. Alcorn is COO of n|Frame. You can follow Bob’s commentaries about changing technology trends on n|Frame’s blog at: http://www.nframe.com/blog/
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2010
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Sales Jake Doll
Satisfied Customers Will Help You Through the Recession Are you taking care of them? Who are your customers? That’s a question that most business owners cannot answer in a definite way. Aren’t customers actually stockholders in a sense? When they buy your product or service they are investing in your business. If you do what you should, they keep coming back and buying more! Does a stockholder, in the normal legal sense, do it that easily? I don’t think so. The responsibility of creating this satisfaction rests with you. As owners of businesses, we get so involved in developing new customers that we often overlook the ones we have. How many of us can segment our customer base into the categories of an Advocate, Apathetic or Assassin (example names used by J.D. Power in the book Satisfaction)? To create an Advocate or Promoter you must go beyond the expected level of service. In return, they will go out of their way to tell people about you. And, they are fiercely loyal to your brand. Advocates can easily become your Raving Fans! Apathetics or Passives are customers that feel you just meet their basic needs. They will not go out of their way to talk about you to others. They tend to be loyal, but are susceptible to competitor advances. Most customers are in this group. The opportunity for you is to turn these customers into Advocates or Raving Fans. You create Assassins or Detractors by making basic mistakes. After a bad experience or product, they will aggressively seek out a competitor and go out of their way
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to tell others of their bad experience! Remember, bad news travels to 10 – 20 more people than good news.
Walk the Talk
Most companies talk about the value of customer satisfaction, but do not invest in it. They do not train their employees to engage with the customer and create trust. Most employees are not allowed to make
or service. How do they buy, what stores do they like and why? Where do your customers live and work? What are their positions, etc.? Train your employees! Keep training! Don’t over promise and under deliver - that creates Assassins! According to McKinsey & Company, a national research firm, the current recession is changing the way people think about
You create assassins by making basic mistakes…They will aggressively seek out a competitor and go out of their way to tell others of their bad experience! decisions that actually help the customer. Has anyone ever dealt with a telephone or cable company problem? Remember, your employees represent your brand! Data has also shown that there is a direct correlation between Return on Investment (ROI) and Customer Satisfaction Initiative (CSI). Look at how Wal-Mart is doing in this recession. And a few years ago, Staples was losing their position in office supplies. They listened to their customers, made the changes in products and stores, and have recovered a top spot in office supplies. Talk and interact with your customers on a regular basis. Find out what they like or dislike about things, not just your product
June • July 2010/Hamilton County Business Magazine
buying. 90% are belt tightening at some level, with 33% doing it significantly. The majority of people are paying down debt and saving more. The Personal-Savings Rate in March, 2009 was 5.7% of disposable income. The rate one year earlier was 0%! In post WWII it was 9%. These changes in your customer’s thinking will have an affect on your business activities, especially in marketing and sales. Customer Satisfaction will become more critical in the future. Will you be ready? Jake Doll is President of Sandol & Associates and a business advisor providing value to success-oriented business owners.
Management Robby Slaughter
Every Job is a Part-time Job
The right perspective can improve your job and your life Usually, the only connection between work and our individual well being is stated in legalese. Employers may provide health insurance, short term disability, contribute to workers compensation or help us save for retirement. There’s something else that can help us to stay healthy while continuing to advance our career, but it’s not a complicated financial instrument or a miracle drug. Instead, it’s just a simple phrase: “Every job is a part-time job.” That mantra serves many functions. First, it should remind us that we cannot and should not live all of our lives at work. The body needs sleep to recharge and the mind needs rest to focus. Our emotional well-being is also influenced by those who love us unconditionally, not just those who need the client report finished by the deadline. To work effectively, we have to also spend time not working. Second, if every job is a part-time job, your colleagues are also part-time workers. They have lives too. Their friends and family, their health and their personal needs may be supported by their salary, but will and should always take precedence over their duties at the workplace. You can ask people to turn off their cellphones while serving customers, but you cannot ask them to turn off their minds and forget their own lives. You may punch a clock or arrive at work, but you do not stop being a parent, sibling or friend. The words “part-time” also imply transience, as if at any moment someone might
decide to leave the firm and focus entirely on their own needs. Of course, this is the case with everyone. Any of us might, for any number of reasons, choose to discontinue our relationship with our current employer. “Part-time” should remind us that we will eventually lose a valued team member. If we are not prepared to transition their duties the departure will always happen at the worst possible time.
ness hours, we can make job descriptions, instructional diagrams and operating procedures more robust. If we recognize that life is unpredictable and work hours often need to be flexible, we can rebuild our expectations about effort around results rather than face time. Individually, we can create checklists and projects plans with the expectation that someone else might need to finish the task without us.
Finally, the part-time nature of all work should put the act of work itself into perspective. We might spend more time at our jobs than we do with our families, but that’s not a sign that we love our jobs more. Rather, employment is a way to
Work can be a source of tremendous stress. Our physical, emotional and mental well-being is often dominated by the demands of our jobs. Remember, however, that no matter how many weekends you work and how infrequent your vacations,
Acknowledging the reality that all jobs are part-time presents the opportunity to design workflow more intelligently. use our skills and knowledge part-time to enable the lifestyle we want and need fulltime. To quote Fight Club: “You are not your job.” Your job merely enables you to be who you are. Acknowledging the reality that all jobs are part-time presents the opportunity to design workflow more intelligently. If we assume that an employee will routinely be out of the office during regular busi-
your job is still a part-time job. Design your work flow and set your expectations accordingly, so that you can enjoy your full-time life. Robby Slaughter is a principal with Slaughter Development, an Indianapolisbased business process and workflow consulting company. More information is at www.slaughterdevelopment.com
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2010
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Focus: Green/Sustainable Business
Treasure
to
Father and son “green” team use recycled materials for new construction By Martha Yoder
T
he saying “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure” describes the philosophy of father and son team Scott and Brandon Pitcher. Both have a keen eye for knowing what is reusable after a building has been demolished. They are dedicated to preserving history while being environmentally responsible. In 2007, Forbes magazine ranked the nation’s greenest states. Indiana ranked 49th, just a little higher than last place West Virginia. The Pitchers have put together a vision for improving that statistic by regenerating the environment. Scott owns Fortune Management, a property management company that uses refurbished local materials to construct new buildings. His business opened in 1985. One of his first projects was to remodel the old city hall in Kokomo, which was slated to be torn down and the land converted into a parking lot. It was their business headquarters until they moved to another renovated building downtown.
An artistic tree from Mexico accents the stone wall consisting of salvaged limestone from various high schools in central Indiana.
Pressed steel ceiling panels on the raised dining area were retrieved from a demolished Indiana building and the wood flooring was saved from the demolition of a house in Logansport.
“I bought the building for $35,000, putting down $3,500 in cash as a deposit. Today it appraises for more than $2 million,” said Scott. Brandon inherited his father’s entrepreneurial spirit, and developed his own company, 5 Kingdoms Development. They are passionate advocates of preserving our resources one piece of old stone, facade and woodwork at a time. As a teenager, Brandon was inspired by his dad’s environmentally-friendly company. By the time he was 19, he began a lifelong journey to educate people about the importance of what he describes as a “sustainable” society, one that satisfies its need without diminishing the prospects of future generations.
This Gothic arch doorway was recovered after a tragic fire at the First Baptist Church in Kokomo.
businesses as possible about how to create a sustainable company. Scott and Brandon estimate they have designed more than 200 buildings throughout Indiana using refurbished materials. One eclectic example of their dedication to preserving history and being environmentally responsible is Riviera Maya, a newly designed Mexican restaurant in Fishers.
We don’t always have a drawing or blueprint… it’s an artistic process that’s hard to replicate. -Scott Pitcher “The interior of Riviera Maya features up to 90 percent reused materials. We had the flexibility in design to be creative and the results are a work of art,” Brandon said.
“Too many people throughout the state don’t understand the importance of preserving different pieces of the interior and exterior of old buildings, such as woodwork trim and stone. They just want to tear them down, which loses an important piece of our history,” Scott explained.
His father added, “We don’t always have a drawing or blueprint. Our style goes so much more beyond what people are used to seeing … it’s an artistic process that is hard to replicate.”
One of Brandon’s company goals is to bring the resources back to Indiana and educate as many local
For his revitalization of Kokomo’s Westside, Forest Park Shopping Center, and the unique design of The Quarry, a restaurant,
This phenomenal process produces spaces for generations to enjoy while preserving entire buildings and city blocks.
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2010
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Now known as City Venture One, the Pitcher’s first project is the keystone for Kokomo’s downtown revival.
Built over 150 years ago in the Ohio River Valley, the bar is now one of the most attractive elements of the décor.
Scott received the Indiana Green Business Award in the category for sustainable use of local materials.
This oversized red door was recovered from a home in Indianapolis and now adds rich color to the dining room.
Brandon was recently awarded the prestigious Green Entrepreneur of the Year award, organized by Green Fest Expos, Inc. and sponsored by Rolls-Royce. The honor recognizes his lifelong dedication to sustainability education. “I started lecturing about sustainability (green economy and renewable energy) at Purdue University when no one else was talking about it,” Brandon said.
The fountain’s marble is from St. Mary of the Woods College in Terre Haute. The stained glass windows, from the former Masonic Temple in Warsaw, create a focal point on the south wall.
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June • July 2010/Hamilton County Business Magazine
The east façade of City Venture One, formerly the Kokomo City Hall.
He has traveled to 40 countries worldwide and presented more than 300 lectures, including addressing the prestigious Royal Academy of Sciences in Sweden and MIT. He has been recognized for his seminars about sustainable systems, zero emissions and innovative green solutions. At the age of 30, Brandon’s mission is to be a change agent in Indiana.
We are living in a world with limited resources; however, we behave like they are unlimited. -Brandon Pitcher “I’ve had the privilege to work with people all over the world, and I still choose Indiana as my home,” Brandon commented. Brandon’s sustainable systems philosophy is evidenced in his current Kokomo home. He lives in a downtown apartment behind the Kokomo Tribune building. The building was once a funeral home. “The woodwork and doors are refurbished from other buildings that were either remodeled or torn down right here in our town,” he explained.
Partnering with colleges, including Ball State University, Purdue University and Indiana University Kokomo, Brandon’s long-term goal is to integrate society with nature. Before: A former restaurant
Brandon has experienced some difficulty in changing the “old way of thinking” about the environment. “Most of my work started with the students at these institutions because the administrations and professors were still behind in their thinking,” he said. “This is changing now and at
a rapid rate as society is becoming more aware of the interconnectedness of life.” “We are living in a world with limited resources; however, we behave like they are unlimited. I want to change the thinking process of businesses to provide them with the tools, skills and ways to implement systems that mimic nature,” Brandon said. “My dream is to change the way people in Indiana handle their environment and lead the way for others.” v
After: A children’s clothing store using a design approach known as “Storybook Architecture”
The Quarry Restaurant before: The original structure was the first retail mall in Kokomo
From left: Tony Bewsey and Greg Lentz, Business Relationship Managers; Pat Berghoff, Special Assets Officer; Bill Redman, Commercial Banking Manager
The Quarry Restaurant After: Eliminating unnecessary square footage to make way for outdoor space
An Indiana Bank
Helping Indiana Customers. Committed to our Communities Committed to Lending Committed to our Stakeholders
Dairy Queen Before: Prominent corner with outdated architecture
Dairy Queen After: Mixing old with new to meet design requirements, combining sheet metal facade with reused stone work
At First Merchants, weìre committed to supporting economic recovery in our communities. Because we are a strong and stable company guided by sound financial practices, weìre living up to that commitment. We invite you to experience the First Merchants difference today.
www.firstmerchants.com | 1.800.747.6986
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2010
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Profile Cicero company offers “green” wood stain
Environmentally friendly Timber Ox Green marketed nationally By Deb Buehler un drenched back yards are a welcome invitation to the summer season even as they highlight the outdoor chore list. As homeowners around the nation seek environmentally friendly products to improve their homes, a Cicero company is offering a unique wood stain product.
Nearon joined Forth’s team, with one caveat; he would be able to design a stain product that would reflect the commitment to high quality held by EWRI. “We started in Todd’s garage mixing formulas with my drill,” Nearon said. “I started working on product development in 2004 and went full time in 2006.” The two eventually hired chemist Robert Benson to improve upon their initial forays into stain development. They charged him with making the highest quality wood stain.
Todd Forth, John Nearon and Lyn Johnson
Todd Forth launched Exterior Wood Restoration, Inc. (EWRI) in 1994, building it from a small one-man operation to a multi-million dollar company. Meanwhile, John Nearon was gaining 20 years of experience in the coatings industry. He developed, marketed and designed coatings for companies such as Ford, GM and American Woodmark.
In 2007 a client asked Timber Ox Green to remove the mineral spirits from the product to make it friendly for those with allergies. This inspired further research and led to the replacement of mineral spirits with natural citrus and castor oils. Both oils are agriculturally renewable resources.
Rounding out the team
Lyn Johnson joined the EWRI and Timber Ox, Inc. team in 2005. Forth knew Johnson through church and believed that her previous work experience could benefit the leadership team. Like Forth and Nearon, family values are a driver for Johnson. All three team members appreciate the setting Hamilton County provides for raising children and operating a business. “The business-friendly environment is clean, safe and family-oriented with a rich quality of life,” Nearon said. “It is a great place to raise a family and a beautiful place to live.” Forth, Nearon and Johnson are all raising families in Noblesville while the company headquarters moved to Cicero to add space to accommodate growth.
The greening of Timber Ox stain
Timber Ox claims several competitive advantages. Unlike other stains, where the pigments are ground into the product in their chemical form, Timber Ox pigments are ground ahead of time, then simply mixed into the stain,
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reducing the environmental impact at the time of production.
June • July 2010/Hamilton County Business Magazine
The addition of citrus oils derived from lemon and lime peels, and castor oil derived from the castor bean, makes the stain a wood-loving, natural, renewable product. Since the stains do not contain solvents, they are safe for indoor use.
We started in Todd’s garage mixing formulas with my drill,… Visit the Cicero headquarters of Timber Ox Green to see picnic tables, a gazebo and sample boards on display demonstrating the product and stain colors. Timber Ox Green is also available at ICC Paints in Castleton, Green Way Supply in downtown Indianapolis and on the west side at the Deck Store. “We have something really special that works really well,” said Shannon Crowder, director of marketing and sales. “Our product was designed by wood professionals to be robust. It has the added benefit of being green.” v
Interview Meet the new President of the Fishers Chamber of Commerce By Mike Corbett
Dan Canan has been on the job for about a month now. A lifelong resident of Muncie, Canan most recently was president of the BMH Foundation, a non-profit hospital foundation. Prior to that he was the city’s first three-consecu-
HCBM: So, give us your first impression. Dan Canan: This chamber is an extremely busy, active, engaged chamber. I feel very honored to be a part of it. The Fishers community is a welcoming, dynamic, exciting community. I feel very welcome here. HCBM: What do you bring to the job that will serve you well? Canan: We’re a member-oriented organization, we represent businesses out there. I was a small businessman for 15 years, I owned my own business so I understand that part of it…That gives me the perspective of the business owner and how important the chamber is to them, and how important it is that we provide value back to that customer. Second, I had a political career for a period of time, and one thing I think I did well in politics was brought people together of diverse backgrounds and I think that’s a lot of what a chamber does…And, the last couple of years I was working for a hospital foundation, a small non-profit, so I have a real varied background that I think will serve me well here. HCBM: I’ve read you are a proponent of developing the downtown area. Can you tell me more about that? Canan: It’s an important issue. It was important for Muncie and I think it’s important for Fishers. The reason is to
tive-term mayor and owned a pharmacy for 15 years. He graduated from Ball State with a degree in marketing. We stopped in to get his initial impressions after a few weeks on the job. Excerpts:
establish an identity for Fishers. What’s Fishers known for? Indianapolis is known for sports: the Colts, Pacers, so they have an identity out there. Fishers has lots of great awards: great place to live, great schools, cost of living, all those attributes. But, it’s kind of a branding thing: what is Fishers known for? Not to the people of Fishers but to the external world. I think a downtown can help do that.
HCBM: What are your passions? Canan: My passion is being involved to affect positive change. I did that when I was in the mayors office, the whole reason I ran was I saw it as an opportunity and it became a passion of mine to improve the place that I live. v
AdventureLand Childcare is happy to offer two fun summer camp programs for your elementary age child. The “Adventures Camp” is for elementary students ready to pack their bags and travel around the world! Their travels will begin on June 7th with a Bon-Voyage party then they’ll set off either by ship, train or by air as they visit China, Italy, Australia, Mexico, Tahiti, and our home land...USA! The adventurous travelers will enjoy a welcome back celebration upon their return on August 13th. They will collect souvenirs from each country, learning all along the way and enjoying the ethnic foods and cultures. The “Destination Camp” is designed for those in 2nd through 6th grade who have an explorers’ spirit as they explore the many themed camp opportunities. From Space Exploration, Water Works, CSI Crime Lab, Spy Week and the Mad Scientist, your camper will be engaged and enjoy destination field trips while they explore. Registration is limited to 15 campers; please refer to the schedule for the dates and camp themes. Both camps are designed for your child to have fun while learning through their experiences. Let the Journey Begin!
Registration Fee $35.00 for current students $50.00 for new enrollment
Weekly Camp Fee $135.00 - Adventures Camp $160.00 - Destination Camp*
*campers will need a sack lunch with some destination trips. All campers will receive a shirt
Please contact Niki Brown at nbrown@heartlandchurch.com for enrollment information or call 317-842-5400. Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2010
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News Carmel Recognized for Innovation Three attorneys join Church Church Hittle and Antrim Carmel was named 2010 Owner of the J. David Hollingsworth, Steven M. Lutz and Jennifer C. Hughes are joining CCHA in their Fishers office. Hollingsworth received his BA Hollingsworth from Franklin College in Education and JD from IU School of Law. He has been in private practice since 1976 and lives in Carmel with his wife Carol, a school teacher. Lutz has a BS Lutz from Purdue in Industrial Management/Industrial Engineering and a JD from IU School of Law. He lives in Fishers with his wife, Stefani. Hughes graduHughes ated from IU with a BA in Criminal Justice and Political Science and a minor in Psychology. She received her law degree from De Paul University College of Law, Chicago. She and her husband Mason live in Broad Ripple.
Year by Midwest Construction magazine, selected from nominations received from Midwest Construction readers. The magazine highlighted numerous accomplishments including rebuilding county roads into fully functional parkways, underground storm sewer systems, and roundabout intersections. It described Carmel as a progressive city in which designers and contractors understand that a high-level quality of work is expected. It also sees Carmel as a city where new and innovative devices are constantly studied and used.
Fishers Chamber awards Scholarships
Alison Thorup from Fishers High School and Nicholas Marks from Hamilton Southeastern High School will each receive a $1500 Education Through Experience scholarship from the Fishers Chamber. The chamber awards the money to seniors who were employed by a local business or participated in a community organization
Indianapolis based photographer Mark A. Lee has been capturing the best in people and events for over 20 years. He takes great pride in working with his clients to ensure the end results fit their individual needs in a creative and interesting way.
for a minimum of six months during high school. Alison works for McAlisters Deli and plans to attend IU. Nicholas started his own landscaping company called Town and County Land Works Inc. He plans to attend Purdue.
Leadership Academy Hires new Director
Jill Doyle is the new executive director of the Hamilton County Leadership Academy. Jill previously managed office operations and marketing for The Jill Doyle Faurote Group, a professional development and human capital consulting company. She has a BS from Butler University in Public & Corporate Communications and a certificate in Public Management through Indiana University. She lives in Westfield with husband Dan and two daughters. Jill replaces Kristi Williams, who served as HCLA’s executive director for seven years.
Sheridan Publishes Commemorative
The Sheridan Historical Society is offering an 88-page, limited edition Sheridan Sesquicentennial Commemorative book to coincide with the town’s 150th birthday this Summer. The book includes a photo collection featuring local society and industry as Sheridan reshaped itself from
Photography for: Magazines Newspapers Fitness Family Special Events Fundraisers Modeling and more
Great Exposures Mark A. Lee
1529 N. Park Ave. #1 Indianapolis, IN 46202 317.443.8337 www.GreatExposures.net
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June • July 2010/Hamilton County Business Magazine
the short-lived gas boom that had once triggered industrial development. “Many will discover that Sheridan was once the second largest industrial center in Hamilton County,” says Editor Brenda Bush.
Sheridan’s Sesquicentennial celebration is June 24-July 4. More info: www.Sheridan150.org and www.MySheridan.com.
Noblesville Midday Rotary Club changes venue
The Noblesville Midday Rotary Club now meets at noon Tuesdays at the Sagamore Club, 10900 Golden Bear Way, Noblesville. Those interested in helping their community and world are invited to attend the informal and jovial fellowship of professional women and men. More info: Gloria Davis, 317-877-0051.
The Wild Reopens
Mike and Debbie Marinaro plan to reopen The Wild in the same Logan St. location on Noblesville’s Courthouse Square in June. They bought the business from Jane and Ernie Mills, who owned and ran the children’s bookstore for more than five years before closing it for financial reasons. 19 year Noblesville residents, Mike is a structural engineer and Debbie worked for Noblesville Schools. v
Opening Summer 2010! Call (317) 219-3450 to schedule a tour! Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2010
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Monthly Luncheon 12 to 1:30 p.m.
Monthly Luncheon 12 to 1:30 p.m.
Connect2 with Westfield Chamber & Arrows YPG Clay Terrace 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Network Breakfast with Westfield Chamber Charlestons 7:30 to 9 a.m.
Golf Classic & Golf 101 Woodland Country Club
Arrows YPG All-Hamilton County Event
Lunch With... Bub’s Burgers & Ice Cream 12 to 1:30 p.m.
Find them in the Business Directory.
Don’t renew your current coverage before obtaining a quote on the group insurance plans offered through the Chamber.
Search for coupons.
Check out the Community Calendar.
Add your events to the Community Calendar. Submit press releases for Member News page. Advertise your business online. Post a discount coupon for the public.
Achieva, Inc. American Lung Association of Indiana Bold Core Response Boo & Gaga Building and Grounds/Pro-Cote, Inc. Computer Troubleshooters of Carmel Fat Atom Internet Marketing Great Harvest Bread Company Heartland Payment Systems Inter-Grain Specialty Products Keller Macaluso LLC Live Nation Entertainment Mohawk Management, Inc. The Momentum Group New Century Accounting & Tax Services LLC Options Internal Medicine Primrose School of Carmel Web Small Box
Chamber members with two or more employees are eligible to participate in the group plans which are offered at a discounted rate. Not a member? Become one today and take advantage of this and other valuable benefits.
(left) Harold Kaiser, Kaiser Companies and co-founder of the Chamber, & Chamber President Mo Merhoff. (bottom right) Ellyn Traub, High Performance Leadership (bottom left) Glenn Meineke & Greg Small, Equicor Companies
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June • July 2010/Hamilton County Business Magazine
new faces Photos taken by Focal Point Studios
Dan Canan Fishers Chamber of Commerce
Courtney Lloyd STAR Financial Bank
David Caray Stratosphere Quality
Charles Caesar Cardinal Fitness
new schedule Morning Motivator June 2 8 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Frederick-Talbott Inn
Monthly Luncheon June 16 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. FORUM Conference Center
Navigating the Chamber July 14 8 a.m. - 9 a.m. Fishers Train Station
Navigating the Chamber June 9 8 a.m. - 9 a.m. Fishers Train Station
Business After Hours June 23 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Hawthorns Golf & Country Club
Monthly Luncheon July 21 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. FORUM Conference Center
Wellness Day June 12 8 a.m. - noon Fishers Farmers Market
Writing a Business Plan Wkshp June 24 9 a.m. - noon Fishers Train Station
Pet Day July 24 8 a.m. - noon Fishers Farmers Market
For event details, please visit the website or call the chamber at 317.578.0700.
new businesses NEW LOCATION Scotty’s Lakehouse 10158 Brooks School Rd. 317-577-2900 http://www.scottyslakehouse.com The National Bank of Indianapolis 11701 Olio Rd. 317-849-9800 http://www.nbofi.com
FISHERS
Elizabeth Stevens Old National Insurance
Kelly Butler Source One Solutions
www.fisherschamber.com
Chad Myers Three Hats Marketing
Emily Humberd Taylor University
www.hamiltonnorthchamber.com
HAMILTON NORTH
Hamilton North Chamber 70 N. Byron Street Cicero, IN 46034 317-984-4079
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Upcoming Events!
JULY 2010
JUNE 2010
Tuesday, July 6 –HNCC July Luncheon 11:30 a.m.
Tuesday, June 1 –HNCC June Luncheon 11:30 a.m.
Hidden Bay Clubhouse, Cicero, Speaker: Wendell Seaborne, Seaborne Leadership, RSVP by Wednesday, June 30
Red Bridge Park Community Building, Cicero Speaker: Peter Dunn, RSVP by Wednesday, May 26
Tuesday, June 8 – Hamilton Heights Educational Foundation Golf Outing 12:00 registration
Friday, July 16 – Joint Networking Breakfast ~ 8:00 am
Red Bridge Park Community Building, Cicero, speed networking event with the Sheridan Chamber of Commerce, RSVP by Monday, July 12
Bear Slide Golf Club, co-sponsored by Hamilton North Chamber of Commerce, more info call 984-4079
Entries now being accepted for the 27th Annual Cicero Triathlon. www.HamiltonNorthChamber.com/Triathlon or www.getmeregistered.com.
BELL OF RECOGNITION
MARCH AND APRIL LUNCHEONS
Al Patterson, speaking at the March Chamber luncheon about the Hamilton County Parks
Don Graves, The Lodge Assisted Living, gives a presentation at the April Chamber luncheon
Dave Galt, Re/Max Ability Plus Team Galt receives the Bell of Recognition Award from Debbie Beaudin, Chair of the Ambassador Committee
NEW MEMBERS
George Kakasuleff, Kakasuleff Farms was introduced as a new member at March luncheon
Vickie Rogers, Hamilton County Chiropractic was introduced as a new member at the March luncheon
June • July 2010/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Jim Schneider and Dick Van Voorhis, Salt Free Water Systems recently joined the Chamber
Hamilton County Business Magazine/April • May 2010
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Upcoming Events! JUNE 2010
June 10 – NetWORKS! 8:00 a.m.
JULY 2010
July 8 – NetWORKS! 8:00 a.m.
Eddie’s Corner Cafe 101 N. 10th Street
Noblesville Chamber 601 Conner Street Noblesville, IN 46060 317-773-0086
Chick-fil-A 16685 Mercantile Blvd.
June 17 – Business After Hours 4:30–6:30 p.m.
July 15 – Business After Hours 4:30–6:30 p.m. Community Physicians of Noblesville
June 23 – Membership Breakfast 7:30 a.m.
Bill Benner, Director of Communications Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association Purgatory Golf Club 12160 E. 216th Street
July 28 – Membership Luncheon 11:30 a.m. Harbour Trees Golf Club 333 Regents Park Lane
Brian Brosmer, Bud & Charlotte Kistner and Taylor Meyel accepted the Most Creative Award for PIP Printing’s booth
Josh & Emily from Stone Creek Dining accepted the Bistro Award.
Winner of the Best of Show and People’s Choice Awards at the 9th Annual Taste of Business in Noblesville was First Merchants Bank - Cindy White, Lindsay & Kyle Sweet accepting.
The Noblesville Chamber’s Community Pride Award for Excellence for April was presented to Promising Futures. Accepting the award were Stephanie Lyons, Michele Whelchel, Suzanne Eller, Marli Howell and Nathan Ferreira.
NEW MEMBERS
Jim Larson Meineke Car Care Center
Seek out our new members at the next Chamber event you attend and help make them feel welcome!
Sam Foley, Scott Diehl and Greg Keller Parmasters Golf Training Center
www.noblesvillechamber.com
Taste of Business in Noblesville
NOBLESVILLE
featuring the 2nd Annual Green is Gold Cambria Suites 13500 Tegler Drive
Garrett Doan & James Stamper Indiana Mustangs Football Club, Inc. Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2010
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www.sheridanchamber.org
SHERIDAN
Sheridan Chamber 407 S. Main Street P.O. Box 202 Sheridan, IN 46069 317-758-1311
Upcoming Chamber Luncheons
New Chamber Members
June 24, 2010 Sage Hales, Hamilton County Area Neighborhood Development “HAND’s Programs & Missions” 11:30-12:30p.m.
Walnut Grove Christian Preparatory School K-12 Karen Horn 317/514-1625 6070 North 900 East Sheridan, IN 46069
The Daily Grind Coffee Shop & Bakery 415 S. Main St., Sheridan
Upcoming Events Sheridan Sesquicentennial June 25 - July 4, 2010
For a complete listing of events, go to www.sheridanchamber.org.
July 22, 2010 David Davis - Fallen Hoosiers Memorial “Remembering Our Veterans” 11:30-12:30p.m.
Sheridan Chamber of Commerce 3rd Annual Golf Outing July 28, 2010 For more information, go to www.sheridanchamber.org
Shady’s Place 401 S. Main St., Sheridan
Be sure to visit the Sheridan Chamber Website, www.sheridanchamber.org for information on all upcoming events!
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June • July 2010/Hamilton County Business Magazine
MARK YOUR CALENDARS 7th Annual Golf Outing ~ June 7th
Join us for a fantastic day of golf at The Bridgewater Club!
Call Kathy at the Chamber office at 804-3030 or email events@westfield-chamber.org for details or to reserve your spot! Registration forms are available on the Chamber web site at www.westfield-chamber.org
JUNE 2010
JULY 2010
Westfield Business Center Room Village Park Plaza, Westfield Individuals pay at the door. Mention that you are with the Westfield Chamber to receive your discount. RSVP to: 317-804-3030 or info@westfield-chamber.org
Westfield Business Center Room Village Park Plaza, Westfield Individuals pay for lunch at the door and join the committee in the back meeting room. Mention that you are with the Westfield Chamber to receive your discount. RSVP to: 317-804-3030 or info@westfield-chamber.org
Economic Development Meeting Monday, June 14th ~ 11:30 a.m
Economic Development Meeting Monday, July 12th ~ 11:30 a.m
Thursday, June 24th ~ 5:00 -7:00 p.m. Connect 2! Business After Hours
Networking Breakfast Thursday, July 22nd ~ 7:30 - 9:00 am
Carmel & Westfield Chambers of Commerce Clay Terrace No charge for this event RSVP to all events at: 804-3030 or events@westfield-chamber.org
The Palomino Ballroom 481 S 1200 E Members with reservations: $15; all others: $20 RSVP by July 9th to: 317-804-3030 or events@westfield-chamber.org
Westfield & Carmel Chambers of Commerce 14636 North Meridian ~Westfield $10 Members with reservations; $20 All others Reservations are required for this event! RSVP: 804-3030 or events@westfield-chamber.org
All Chamber event dates, timers and locations are subject to change. Please call 317-804-3030 or visit www.westfield-chamber.org or details.
Visit our new website at www.westfield-chamber.org Westfield Chamber economic development meeting
new members Martin Jay’s Butcher Shop 17647 Little Chicago Road Noblesville, IN 46062 317- 867-0088
Business Spotlight, Custom Concrete, was represented by its President Tim Carr, along with Dennis Ells, Jason Ells, and Brad Shrock.
Jeremy Miller - Westfield Parks, Zach Graham, and Chamber President Randy Graham discuss the presentation.
Melody Jones, Park Director for the City of Westfield presents the economic impact of local parks and trails.
(L-R) Rob Garrett (Ameriana Bank), John Kerr (Edward Jones), Jeff Lazar (Lazar Insurance Agency)
Penwell Insurance 30 South Peru Street Cicero, IN 46034 317- 984-3300
WESTFIELD
Monthly Membership Luncheon Thursday, June 15th ~ 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
www.westfield-chamber.org
Monthly Membership Luncheon Thursday, June 17th ~ 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. CrossRoads Church at Westfield 19201 Grassy Branch Road ~ Westfield Members with reservations: $15; all others: $20 RSVP by June 11th to: 317-804-3030 or events@westfield-chamber.org
Westfield Chamber 130 Penn Street P.O. Box 534 Westfield, IN 46074 317-804-3030
Practical Property Group, LLC. 1644 N 1000 E. Sheridan, IN 46069 317-769-8535 Peg’s Embroidery PO Box 200 Westfield, IN 46074 317-590-5202 Safety Management & Services PO Box 834 Westfield, IN 46074 317-501-6775
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2010
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Dining Out Father and Son bring New England cuisine to Hamilton County Leland’s Restaurant Story and photos by Scott Tyree Grandmother taught him cooking basics and inspired him to enter the restaurant business. The Leland’s first joint venture was the popular LA Café in Whitestown where Ben was already the head chef. 1 year ago they decided to move the restaurant, but couldn’t take the name with them. So, they decided to begin the 2nd chapter of Leland’s Restaurant about 1,000 miles from the original.
eland’s Restaurant is the culmination of two long careers in the restaurant business. Located on the Carmel-Westfield border, directly below the dueling water towers on 146th Street, Leland’s offers fresh seafood, steaks and hearty breakfasts. Owners and father-son duo Jay and Ben Leland opened the store 1 year
ago. In that time, they have managed to win “Best in Show” at Promising Futures’ Martini Party Benefit and “Best Appetizer” at the Taste of Carmel. Leland’s offers a great atmosphere for a professional lunch or a quiet romantic dinner. The dining room covers two open levels while the welcoming bar area is tucked between the dining room and kitchen below the second floor. Most interesting is the cleanliness of the kitchen which the Health Department inspectors have unofficially labeled “Hamilton Counties’ Cleanest Kitchen.” The discipline required to keep a clean kitchen and practice proper food preparation is hard to teach; it is drilled into young line cooks and bus boys by uncompromising chefs and owners while they work their way up the kitchen ladder. In the case of Jay and Ben, their teacher was Jay’s mother who owned/operated the first Leland’s restaurant in Plymouth, Massachusetts for 35 years. Jay worked nearly all jobs at the restaurant, while Ben’s
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The unique items on the breakfast menu set it apart from your average breakfast spot. It is quite possibly the only place in Hamilton County to offer Crab Cakes Benedict, Bananas Foster French Toast and New England Fish Cakes. The corned beef hash is scratch made and a must try in an area where it can be difficult to find good corned beef hash. The lunch and dinner menus offer a variety of fresh seafood (delivered daily), steaks and pastas. Jay and Ben both grew up near Cape Cod and vacationed up and down the Maine coast and were inspired by the tasty seafood shacks lining the highway. The Friday night clam fry offers fresh clams shipped in that day and mimics the taste and batter style of the classic clam shacks. Swordfish, Mahi-Mahi, Salmon, Sea Scallops, Shrimp and Lobster are everyday staples on the menu, with a variety of selections available in rotation as specials. The steaks are Creekstone Black Angus and Leland’s offers a variety of unique entrees showcasing them. The Boston Strip is a traditional strip steak, cut thicker and shorter, resembling a large tenderloin. It takes a while to cook, but results in an extremely tender cut. Homemade sides and desserts abound on the vast dinner menu with something for everyone. Save yourself the trip to Boston and stop by Leland’s for a taste of New England. v
WHAT’S HAPPENING TO THE NEWS?
Book Mark
Losing the news
The Future of the News that Feeds Democracy By Alex S. Jones Review by Mike Corbett This is a scary time for people who care about serious journalism, and Losing the News examines the critical issues that are threatening it. It’s a topic that gets me fired up every time I hear it mentioned, which is why I had to check out this book (literally…I got it from the new book shelf in the library).
of an American bargain in which public service was harnessed to voracious capitalism…” “Iron core reporting”is Jones’ term for the kind of traditional journalism that generates the bedrock of information needed to keep a community informed. It serves democracy well but doesn’t necessarily sell newspapers. Other news media rely on it
The problem is that American newspapers fill dual roles as both a business and a public service. Alex S. Jones is a respected reporter and observer of the news business, and his knowledge of the topic combined with his background (his family owns a small newspaper in Tennessee) result in a sober analysis combined with insightful anecdotes about how newspapers have evolved and where they are going.
to generate their stories but don’t dig it up themselves. Iron core news is expensive to produce because it takes time and effort by talented journalists to find and make sense of it. In America, traditional newspapers have taken on that role because they had the financial resources. If those resources go away, who will do it?
The problem with newspapers as a business is well-known: the competition for the advertising dollar and peoples’ attention has become so intense that they don’t enjoy the market share that once made them so profitable and ubiquitous. They used to be near-monopolies and they aren’t any more, so many are closing. So, why shouldn’t they meet the same fate as any other business that finds itself unable to compete in the open market?
The logical next place is the internet, with its democratic ideals and low barriers to entry. But that is a frustrating place for traditional journalists, who may find unlimited space in which to write, but no way to make a living at it. Jones goes into detail about how newspapers have embraced the web, uploading and enhancing their content electronically, while the print newspaper continues to subsidize their online editions because the advertising revenue just isn’t there. The internet isn’t evolving as a reliable source for iron core news.
Well, the problem is that American newspapers fill dual roles as both a business and a public service. As Jones puts it, “Until recently, iron core reporting…has been artificially protected and subsidized because
Ultimately Jones is optimistic about the future of news, though he doesn’t offer any solutions for the business model dilemma.
He thinks the answer lies somewhere between print and the web, and he disparages as “free riders” the likes of Google and Yahoo who use the content generated by journalists without paying for it at the same time they reap the ad revenues that used to fund the journalism. Losing the News is a concise analysis of the state of the business in the 21st Century, sprinkled with enough stories to keep it entertaining. The anecdotes about how Jones’ grandmother, a schoolteacher, ended up owning all three newspapers in their small town is pure Americana, the kind of story you want to believe can still happen. This is a fascinating book for anyone who cares about news and how to ensure we retain a vigorous and impartial press at a tough time in its history. As one publisher told Jones: “The newspaper business used to be like playing golf on a par three course where you stood on the tee and knew the distance to the hole. Now it’s like standing on the tee of a par five, shrouded in fog. You can’t even see the green, and overnight they moved all the bunkers and sand traps.” v Mike Corbett publishes and edits this magazine and is a former newspaper publisher.
Have you read a good business book lately? Share your thoughts with others and help spread good advice. Send your book review to news@hamiltoncountybusiness.com and we may run it in a future edition.
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Hamilton County History
Nothing new Under the Sun
Renewable energy ideas a part of HC history
Citizens in Hamilton County have been seeking alternative energy sources for decades. The county learned a rough lesson about non-renewable resources with the failure of the natural gas boom in the early 1900’s. This lesson was driven home during World War One, when coal became scarce because of wartime demand and was rationed by the government. So a variety of other energy solutions have been put forth – some successful, and some not. Wind power has been used for centuries and during the 1800s, most farms in Hamilton County had a windmill to pump water for the livestock. However, people were always experimenting with new designs. Around 1879, a farmer in Noblesville Township named Daniel Gascho installed a patented windmill on his farm that rotated horizontally. It was a cylinder with vanes that open and shut to adjust the speed at which it turned. It looked like a drum on a tower and the local children nicknamed it “the merry-go-round”. There were stories that youngsters would try to take rides on it, although it’s not clear Patent application for the Dexter Windmill, which rotated horizontally. where a person would have sat without being battered by machinery. It stood until 1914 near where Noblesville Middle School is today.
David Heighway
generated electricity is still a dream today. However, it was not to be. The Ohiobased company managing the project was soon accused of deceptive practices, including backroom deals for municipal power contracts. The final blow came when local farmers realized that no one intended to pay them for their soon to be flooded bottom land. After several lawsuits, the company folded in 1910. The remains of the dam and powerhouse foundations can still be seen in the White River, about 500 yards upstream of the Cumberland Road bridge. The successful hydroelectric plant was built at Clare in 1922 by Alexander Holliday, an MIT-trained engineer who was more concerned with practicality than grand scope. He reduced the number of turbines to two and installed state-of-the-art generators. In the end, it produced about the same amount of electricity as the attempted plant downstream. The community of Riverwood was created to take advantage of the lake created behind the dam. However, the increase in population created its own problems. Although there was a steam-powered electrical plant
Historic photo of the Holliday Hydroelectric Power Plant
in Noblesville, the demand for electricity quickly outgrew the plant’s capacity for power. (Part of this was caused by the company itself, which had sold inexpensive electric stoves and had given away electric irons to encourage housewives to use electric power.) A larger steam plant was built at Riverwood in 1950. This plant has been expanded and continues to be used.
Promotional image for the dam planned upstream from Cumberland Rd bridge.
Although I’ve discussed the White River hydroelectric plants in this column before, it’s interesting to note the excitement surrounding their construction. The first one was begun in 1908, just as the gas boom was failing. It was to be a huge project with four water-powered turbines to produce 900 kilowatts of electricity. The river would be flooded for five miles behind the dam. The idea that appealed to most people was that the plant would provide power to the electric Interurban that had been built in 1903. Fast, clean transportation powered by clean, renewable water-
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Fast, clean transportation powered by clean, renewable water-generated electricity is still a dream today. The original hydroelectric plant eventually became too much trouble to run and was quietly taken offline in the 1960s. At present, a local preservation group is restoring the plant with the idea of making it available for tourists. A visitor would be able to get a close look at 1920s “high-tech”. v
David Heighway is the Hamilton County historian.
BUSINESS RESOURCE DIRECTORY Commercial Lease Space River Edge Professional Center and River Edge Market Place Noblesville, IN Call John Landy at 317-289-7662 jcl@roamermaritime.com
65,000 square feet of flexible floor plans. Design and build to your specifications. Time Share space available. Retail space also available from 1,600 square feet up. Easy access and abundant parking! High speed internet. 3 minutes from Riverview Hospital.
Community Resources Hamilton County Autism Support Group 19215 Morrison Way Noblesville, IN 46060
The Hamilton County Autism Support Group provides community awareness and helps support families where lives are challenged by Autism, a disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects social interaction and communication skills. HCASG provides Support Meetings, Autism Siblings Program, Young Adults Social Group, Girls on the Spectrum and more. For more information, contact Jane Grimes at 317-403-6705 Or visit www.hcasg.org
Computer Consulting
Signs and Banners Logan Street Signs & Banners 1720 South 10th Street, Noblesville, IN 317-773-7200 Open M-F 7-5 www.loganstreetsigns.com www.noblesvilletrophies.com www.noblesville.com
Digitally printed signs and banners of any size, vehicle wraps and graphics, T-shirt printing, laser engraving. Great customer service, fast turn-around. Family Owned and Operated. Serving Noblesville and Hamilton County since 1992. Also home of Noblesville Trophies 773-7391 Open M-F 9-6 Sat. 10-2
Compumed – 802 Mulberry Street Noblesville, IN, Suite BB3 317-340-4802 Rocky@compumed-indy.com
• Business Computer Hardware and Software Installation • Custom Application Development • On-Site Support and Service
Freelance Graphic Design Mezign Design 11505 River Drive East, Carmel, IN Call Melanie at 317-306-8984 melzee@indy.rr.com Mezign Design offers graphic design services for anything from business cards to billboards, specializing in print and web advertising. Reasonable rates, modern design and fast turnaround. Give Mezign Design a try. You’ll be glad you did.
Service Club Rotary International
Next Edition:
The Noblesville Midday Rotary Club is one of 32,000 local Rotary clubs throughout the world and six in Hamilton County. Open to all persons regardless of race, color, creed or political preference, Rotary brings together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Each club meets weekly. For more information on the Noblesville Midday Rotary Club. Call Gloria Davis 317-877-0051
Education/Workforce Development Advertising Deadline: June 25
Hamilton County’s Only Locally Owned Bank 830 Logan Street • Noblesville • 773-0800 8 Convenient Hamilton County Locations cbindianaonline.com
For advertising info: 774-7747 mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com
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