Hamilton County Business Magazine August September 2015

FOCUS: EDUCATION/WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

AUGUST • SEPTEMBER 2015

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August / September 2015

www.hamiltoncountybusiness.com Published six times per year by the Hamilton County Media Group PO Box 502, Noblesville, IN 46061 317-774-7747 EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Mike Corbett

mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com

Ocean Course on Kiawah Island, South Carolina designed by Pete Dye.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Bridget Gurtowsky

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Features

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CORRESPONDENTS Christine Bavender crbavender@gmail.com

Deb Buehler deb@thesweetestwords.com Stephanie Carlson Curtis steph@stephcurtis.com

Pete Dye

Jeff Curts jcurts@att.net Rosalyn Demaree ros_demaree@hotmail.com

18 Excel Center 20 The Idea Farm 22

Retail Roundabout

24 Pitch In 26 Dining Out The Ville

28 Chamber Pages

Karen Kennedy Karen@karenkennedywriter.com

Columns 8

10 12 34

Management Dr. Charles Waldo Marketing Erik Deckers Technology Chris Reed History David Heighway

Patricia Griffin Mangan manganpatricia69@gmail.com Shari Held sharih@comcast.net Samantha Hyde samantharhyde@gmail.com CONTRIBUTORS David Heighway heighwayd@earthlink.net

Erik Deckers erik@problogservice.com Chris Reed chris@castabigger.net Dr. Charles Waldo cnwaldo@comcast.net

Please send news items and photos to news@hamiltoncountybusiness.com Submission does not guarantee publication

Subscription $20/year To subscribe or advertise, contact Mike Corbett at

mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com

Cover photo by Mark Lee, Great Exposures

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Copyright 2015 Hamilton County Media Group.

All rights reserved.

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

Celebrating 100 Years of Service.

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August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

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Letter from the Editor August • September 2015 I had the opportunity to spend a few days in Boston recently. We decided to rely solely on public transportation to get around. It was more affordable than renting a car but I also wanted to see how convenient it was to take the bus and train instead of having a car at our disposal at all times.

I thought it would serve as good personal market research in light of the ongoing discussions here in the county about whether we ought to invest in mass transit. I realize there is a world of difference between Boston and Hamilton County, but I was looking more for the experience….what’s it like to live without a car. I have never experienced that in my adult life.

You can’t beat the price: a weeklong pass for unlimited rides on the MTA is $19. The cash price for each ride is $2.10 so just nine rides within a week justifies the week-long pass. We only stayed four days and easily rode more than 9 times. We rented a house about a ten minute walk from two stations, one subway and one bus. It was an easy and welcome walk first thing in the morning…not so easy after a long day of sightseeing.

Mike Corbett Editor and Publisher

It takes a few days to learn the ropes, the ins and outs of where to get on and where to get off, which stations allow transfers to other trains and busses, and how to find the same train going the opposite way. In some cases you literally have to walk upstairs, cross the street and go back down to take the subway the opposite way.

As you navigate the streets and subterranean tunnels, it seems like everyone else knows what they’re doing and has the train schedule memorized. But we found that even locals don’t always know the whole system. While riding the green line we asked another rider for directions to a place on the red line and she apologized that she wasn’t a “red line rider” and hadn’t clue where it went.

The trains were crowded and we often had to stand but other riders were unfailingly polite. Signs alert riders that the law requires seats be given up to seniors and the physically handicapped, and men frequently offered their seats to my mother. Opportunities for social interaction abound in that environment. It’s a great place to be if you like people watching.

But does it mean anything to me as research? As we discuss the pros and cons of mass transit in Hamilton County, I often ask myself if I would use it. For instance, I attend chamber luncheons often. Could I take a bus to the Bridgewater, or Oak Hill Mansion, or the Ritz? Would busses even serve those facilities?

My life currently is built around having a car. I can’t imagine a scenario where I could switch totally to public transportation, at least not as we’ve built our infrastructure to accommodate the car.

But, long term, if we start designing our cities so that public transportation serves the places I need to go when I need to go there, I would not hesitate to use it regularly. It may not be quite as convenient as a car, but it has its own unique advantages and would be a welcome option for many in the county. It may even help solve the parking problem on Noblesville’s courthouse square.

See you around the county,

Editor and Publisher mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com 317-774-7747 6

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

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Management

By Dr. Charles Waldo, Ph.D.

“Abe Martin” on People and Business Has anything changed in the last 75+ years?

Long before Nashville and Brown County, Ind. were the tourist hotspots they are now, homespun cracker barrel philosopher, clown, and humorist Abe Martin and assorted friends made daily comments and observations in the early 1900’s in the old Indianapolis News about life in small, rural towns and villages. Some of Abe’s barbs which zeroed in on business and business persons are as on target today as they were almost a century ago, and apply to city folks as well as rurals.

“Th hardest thing is t’ take less when y’ kin git more.”

Try these on for size:

“Th’ feller that says “I may be wrong, but….’ Does not believe ther kin be any such possibility.”

“Experience is a dear teacher but he delivers th’ goods.”

“It’s a pretty safe bet that big business donates t’ a political party for th’ same lofty reason that a saloon keeper donates t’ a Fourth of July celebration.”

“Nobuddy kin talk so interestin’ as th’ feller that’s not hampered by facts or information.”

“Money talks an’ that’s th’ reason so many o’ us git drowned out o’ th’ conversation.”

“Th’ safest way t’ double your money is t’ fold it over once an’ put it back in your pocket.”

“Th’ hardest kind o’ prosperity t’ stand is a neighbor’s.”

“It’s what we learn after we think we learned it all that counts.”

“Flattery won’t hurt ya if ya don’ t swallow it.”

“Hardly anybody would work for what ther’ actually worth.”

Nobuddy kin talk so interestin’ as th’ feller that’s not hampered by facts or information.

“I’ll say this much for adversity, people seem to be able to stand it an’ that’s more’n I kin say fer prosperity.”

“One reason why y’ can’t allus git a businessman interested in reform is that th’ better people are, ‘th less they spend.”

“Never count on anythin’ turnin’ up but your toes.”

“A widow and her money are soon spotted.”

“If ‘th Gover’ment wuz as afraid o’ disturbin’ th’ consumer as it is o’ disturbin’ business, this would be some democracy.”

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“Some folks are like a sky rocket. They make a noisy git away, burst an’ are never heard of agin.”

“It takes adversity t’ produce a first class human being.”

“Jealousy is as hard t’ hide as a bass drum.”

“Abe Martin” and many other Brown County characters “Abe Martin” as conceived by Kin Hubbard were originated by caricaturist and humorist Kin Hubbard. Originally from Logan County, Ohio, (a rural county not unlike Brown County) Hubbard came to Indiana in 1901 to take a job as a political cartoonist with the old Indianapolis News. In 1903 his first Abe Martin contribution appeared in the News and continued six days a week for twentyseven years until his death in 1930. Within a few years his Abe Martin drawings and sayings were syndicated across the country. Later Hubbard added a once-a-week, short essay titled “Short Furrows” which was “written” by no one other than Abe Martin.

The above quotes and the illustration are drawn from The Best of Kin Hubbard, by IU Professor David S. Hawes, published by the IU Press in 1984. In the early part of the 20th century Brown County was much more rural and isolated than today, having a population only in the 7,000-8,000 range, although even today at around 15,000 it is still rather sparse. Have you ever stayed in the Abe Martin Lodge at Brown County State Park? Now you know the origins of the name. HCBM Charles Waldo, Ph.D. is Professor of Marketing (ret.) at Anderson University’s Falls School of Business. He can be reached at cnwaldo@comcast.net.

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

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Marketing

By Erik Deckers

Selling without Yelling Content marketing sells for you without being obnoxious In 1998, when I worked for my father-in-law in Syracuse, Ind., we sold reflective insulation to the agricultural industry. It was so unusual, no one outside the industry had ever heard of it.

When it dropped to less than 5% of our total sales, we nearly dropped it from our product line. Instead, I created a website geared toward home owners that showed the insulation’s different benefits and uses.

Content marketing waits for customers to come to it. It pulls. It pulls in people with questions, people who are curious, people who just want information. They ask one little question, and discover a whole library of information provided by the company they’ll eventually buy from.

Content marketing is very simple. It’s any content you can create that’s educational, informative, or entertaining, and doesn’t sell or shout.

It’s recipes, instructional videos, money saving tips, special reports—the kinds of things people like to share. No one shares commercials.

(Keep in mind that in 1998, most businesses were still unfamiliar with the Internet. We were trend setters in our industry in that we’d already had a website for three years.)

I wrote about how the product could be used, answered frequently asked questions, and dabbled in search engine optimization. People started calling to ask questions and place orders.

So I published more information, answered more questions, and created several instructional reports available for download. But I never put up sales calls-to-action or “BUY NOW!” buttons.

The calls got shorter, the questions were fewer, and sales kept growing.

By 2002, the insulation was more than 50% of our total sales.

What was so special about what we were doing? We weren’t the only reflective insulation company out there. In fact, we charged a lot more than our competitors, but customers chose to buy from us. What made us the better choice than our lower priced competition?

Before there was even a term for it, we were doing content marketing—educating customers about how they can solve their problems with your product or service. We were providing a value, when all our competitors could provide was a price.

What’s the Difference?

Regular marketing is JUST A BUNCH OF SHOUTING! It’s pushy.

It interrupts. It interrupts our TV shows, radio stations, highway scenery, and Internet browsing. It’s constantly shouting at us, and we do nearly anything to avoid it.

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While most content marketing is done through blogging, it’s also done through white papers, ebooks, and special reports.

You can use photos, videos, or even regular podcasts. It’s words, images, and sounds.

Content Marketing in Action Weber Grill not only showcases grills on their website, Weber Nation is a huge section for fans and owners devoted to helping you use your Weber better. There are recipes, how-to tips (zesting a lemon or mincing garlic), tips on identifying different cuts of meat, and the Will It Grill? challenge (watermelon salsa anyone?). There’s even a photo section where citizens of Weber Nation can submit photos of their grill setup.

Why go to all this work for people who already own a Weber?

Why do we need to convince them? There’s a myriad of reasons; here are a few of the big ones: • Weber also sells accessories. If you find a great recipe about cooking baby back ribs, but you don’t have a rotisserie, you’ll head to your favorite Weber dealer to pick one up.

•

You’ll upgrade. Like most backyard barbecuers, your first grill was probably a small charcoal number. But you realize that real firepower comes from gas. Or a bigger charcoal grill.

Or a meat smoker. So you need something bigger. (Warning: You’ll always need something bigger.)

• It’s a system. You don’t just cook on a Weber grill. You have to clean it with their special brushes and spray enamel August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

cleaner. You have to protect it with their grill covers. And hang your Weber tools on your Weber tool holder.

•

It’s an affinity/lifestyle product. Grilling isn’t just a cooking method, it’s a way of life. Their Grill Centers are 6-door feats of engineering that puts almost an entire kitchen outdoors. It’s their pinnacle product for those who have both gas and money to burn. Real grillers don’t just want any old grill, they want a Weber.

Weber Nation is really a content marketing campaign. Weber and their fans are creating all kinds of content you can browse at your leisure. When you find something that strikes your fancy, whether it’s smoking your own ribs, cooking salmon on a cedar plank, or using a small portable at your next tailgate, Weber is right there with the product or accessory to help you make that happen.

And they did it all without interrupting us. Instead, they educated us at our pace, on our terms. They let us figure out the products we wanted, and showed us how to make them work.

How we can use their products to create our own little slice of Backyard Heaven. Best of all, they did it at a fraction of the cost of regular marketing and advertising.

Content marketing is one of the most cost effective methods of reaching potential customers. Businesses that use content marketing can target only those people who are interested in their product, without “wasting” ad dollars on people who aren’t interested at all.

By targeting only interested prospects, content marketers can keep their total marketing budget down while finding stronger leads and improving their close rates.

Content marketing waits for customers to come to it…

It pulls in people.

The result is that we sold ourselves on the products. Rather than listen to a salesperson talk about BTUs, porcelain burners, and rotisserie motors, we learn about the Weber experience.

Even a simple weekly blog with a few how-to videos can work wonders for your company’s marketing efforts, helping you rank higher in the search engines, and being viewed as an industry or community leader. Ultimately, that makes you someone people want to buy from. HCBM

Erik Deckers is the president of Pro Blog Service, a content marketing agency in Indiana. He’s the author of Branding Yourself, No Bullsh*t Social Media, and The Owned Media Doctrine. He’s also a newspaper humor columnist and professional speaker.

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August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

11

Technology

By Chris Reed

Facebook Friends are Prospects Don’t be too choosy about who you connect with I’m guessing most everyone from 30-60 years of age is on Facebook. If you aren’t and you are reading this I ask you, “why not?”

If you are answering me while reading this, well I can’t hear you.

I could hear you if you were on Facebook. This is in print you see. There is no two-way dialog in a print publication.

Sure you can write a letter to the editor about me and in a week I am sure Mike will call me up to talk with me about your letter. Why? Because Mike Corbett is a great guy. If you want to dialog straight with me, well find me on Facebook.

This is why so many people are on Facebook. Even grandparents are on Facebook so they can see pictures posted by their kids of their grandkids. Those hip grandparents are getting on Instagram to see the photos their grandkids are posting.

I bet some grandparents are wishing they never got on Instagram (you can’t unsee things you know).

The fact is that people do business with the people they like, know and trust. When all else fails and they have three vendors to choose from and all three candidates turn out to be firms they can’t establish “Like Know & Trust” with, they will find someone they can establish all three with.

When you slow, stop or alienate people from connecting with you through Facebook and especially when you go so far as to make a statement like “I only connect with…,” you run the risk of needing something or someone and having no one available. Also you completely stop all potential for positive brand impressions.

Don’t Hesitate to Connect

Let’s say you are a small business banker, and you connect with a guy named Dave at a networking event. He happens to own a small business. Dave tells you Like, Know and Trust when you meet him that he already has a bank and it comes with a banker. But you All joking aside, have you ever asked a networkgo ahead and connect with him regardless on ing contact you are connected with on LinkedIn why LinkedIn AND Facebook. For the next 3-6 months Dave you aren’t connected on Facebook, only to receive the following response. “Well I only connect with close friends, church friends sees your posts on Facebook. Posts about your family gatherings, about your date nights with your spouse, about your volunteer and classmates from high school on Facebook.” UGH GASP passions. Then suddenly Dave CHOKE (Shot to the heart). When you gets a notice from his bank read that did you feel the pain of not that all rates are increasmaking the grade? If you have heard We are not meant to do this life that please know I feel your pain. ing across the board. That’s The rest of this column is speaking to when you post something alone. If you are judging that you those who say statements like that. If about loving your career will never need this person due to that is you then please listen carefully. at the bank because you get the opportunity to help today’s perception of lifetime need, STOP THAT! Seriously. There was so people achieve their financial much judgment in that statement that well then you are going to dreams through great prodyou must not be in sales and marketucts and cheerful customer be sorry one day. ing to think for a second you can get service. Dave calls you up away with that. Let me try another and says, “Hey I would like to way of saying it. Everyone needs talk with you about my busisomebody sometime. We are not ness banking needs. ” Bazinga!

A new client appears from social meant to do this life alone. If you are judging that you will never networking. need this person due to today’s perception of lifetime need, well then you are going to be sorry one day.

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When you drop a stone into a lake it sends out ripples. There is no way you can anticipate how and exactly where the ripples will August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

intersect as they go out across the lake.

So, please, small business banker, get out of your own way and just connect with people. Treat everyone as your friend because you just might be surprised that they become your friend and then your best customer. Doing business the other way around is much harder. It takes far more time, energy and money to do business with a stranger and then make them your friend. This advice goes for everyone. No matter if you are a business professional, a mechanic or a soccer mom, we all need everyone at different times in our lives. Don’t judge if you will include people in your life based on today’s need. Tomorrow’s need might just go unfulfilled. Besides, you can always unfriend them (see my last column in the HCBM). Growth comes from new connections and building relationships with them. Go forth and make as many as you can. HCBM Chris Reed is an internet marketing expert, owner of Cast A Bigger Net and founder of Sparks, a TED-type networking event. Reach him at chris@castabigger.net

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Photo by Mark Lee

Profile

Golf course architect Pete Dye with his wife Alice at their home near Crooked Stick Golf Course.

A Driving Force on the Course Carmel resident Pete Dye is one of golf’s great course designers

By Shari Held

ven non-golfers recognize the name of legendary golf course architect Pete Dye, one of the top golf course architects in the world. His name is on many local courses, including Crooked Stick Golf Club, Sahm Golf Course, Plum Creek Golf Club, Bridgewater Golf Club and Chatham Hills. But what even the players on these courses may not realize is that Dye, while not a native Hoosier, has lived in Indianapolis and Carmel for years.

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August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

Dye will be 90 years old this December.

While most of his contemporaries have been leading a life of leisure for decades, Dye has 13 jobs booked and others in the works. Here’s a look at how he got started, his thoughts on building courses and where the game is headed today.

Developing a Unique Style and Flair Drawing plans for a golf course, then turning over the building of it to someone else isn’t how Dye rolls. “I’ve never drawn plans,” he says. “If you draw it on a piece of paper, then you can’t change it. I just go out and build it.” He’ll visit the sites up to 90 times during the two years it takes to complete a typical course, making changes on the fly.

He’ll often get on his hands and knees, sensing the lay of the land, to give each hole a unique look and feel. “A lot of courses built by Nicklaus, Palmer and Fazio have the same look all the way around,” he says. “I try to make my holes all different.”

“I’ve never drawn plans…

I just go out and build it.” ~ Pete Dye Besides taking advantage of the natural environment, he’s adamant about building courses specifically for the players who’ll be using them. He considers their age range, level of play, whether the course will be surrounded by homes and if championship competitions will be played there. “It makes a difference—a real difference,” he says. “They all need to be built differently.”

Second Career Dye had a head start when it came to golf course design. His father designed and built a nine-hole course on the family farm in Urbana, Ohio. “I started working there when I was seven or eight years of age and I worked there until the start of the war, (World War II)” he says. He trained for the parachute infantry, but ended up as a greenskeeper at the Fort Bragg course. After his stint in the service,

Above: Casa De Campo Resort and Golf Course, Dominican Republic.

Below: Teeth of the Dog, Casa De Campo.

he met avid golfer Alice Holliday O’Neal in college. They married after graduation and moved to Indianapolis, Alice’s home town, in 1950. Pete became a star insurance salesman and they both enjoyed competing in, and winning, amateur golf championships.

It wasn’t until the early ‘60s that Pete got back to his roots and took classes at

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

Purdue University in golf maintenance.

Ultimately he found golf course design was more his bailiwick and asked Alice to be his business partner in the venture. (Pete puts in 90 percent of the work and Alice contributes 10 percent according to her estimate.) They had no mentor, just a lot of enthusiasm, championship experience and Pete’s 15

Ocean Course on Kiawah Island, South Carolina

maintenance training. “We just plunged into it,” Alice says.

They did, however, seek advice from Bill Diddle, golf architect of the Woodland Country Club. “He said we’d go broke,” Pete says. “But it didn’t happen that way.”

The nine-hole El Dorado (now Dye’s Walk Country Club) in Greenwood was the couple’s debut project, followed by the 18-hole Heather Hills course (now Maple Creek Golf & Country Club) on Indianapolis’ east side. A trip in 1963 to view the famed Scottish golf courses, heavily influenced Pete’s designs from that point on. He incorporated many Scottish course features, including railroad ties, into their next project—Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, built in 1964. “They used to say Pete built courses that could burn down,” Alice recalls.

Crooked Stick put Dye on the map and they are forever intertwined. So it’s only fitting that in 1993, even though they’d moved to Florida in 1970, he and Alice built a home at Crooked Stick on the 18th hole. “We love it here,” Alice says. “Indianapolis is where I was born and where we raised our children.” For five months 16

out of every year, that’s where you’ll find them—when they aren’t off designing a new course!

Creating Courses to Dye for The Dyes have built more than 100 courses. Pete won’t name a favorite, though. “That’s kind of like asking a parent to pick which one of their children they like the best,” Alice says.

But resort courses such as “Ocean Course” on Kiawah Island, South Carolina., “River Course” at Kingsmill Resort in Virginia and the courses at Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run in Wisconsin are at the top of his list. With resort courses he doesn’t have to factor in surrounding houses and he can amp up the difficulty quotient since resort courses attract the better

Ocean Course on Kiawah Island, South Carolina

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

players who come from all over to play for lists sponsored by various organizations, which has earned Pete the nickname a few days at a time.

“Marquis de Sod.” In reality, it’s Alice who He has no qualms naming the course he’s often deserves the moniker. She added the most proud of, however. “Teeth of the Dog, hazards at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin the first course I built in the Dominican that made the pros mark double bogeys on Republic,” he says. “It has a very different their scorecards! She also takes credit for feel to it.” And that’s saying something the signature 17th hole at TCP Sawgrass considering Dye takes great pains and in Florida, known as the “world’s most terpride to make each of his courses look and rifying tee shot.” play differently. It took him and Alice— “When somebody hires you to build a golf and about 300 workers sporting sledgecourse they tell you what they want, and hammers, pickaxes and chisels—two years to carve Teeth of the Dog out of the that’s what you’ve got to come up with,” she says. And while Alice adds the diabolicoral. Its seven holes along the coastline cal little features, in all fairness, she’s also are incredibly challenging. an advocate for ensuring their golf courses Dye courses are known for their are playable for women. breathtaking natural beauty. Many Dye courses consistently show up on “Top Staying Abreast of the Trends 10 Best Courses” lists and the 2015 Golf The game of golf is always evolving, but Digest “Top 100” list features 12 Pete Dye says the last 10 to 15 years have seen Dye courses. a “major change”—especially on championship play courses. “The balls and the clubs have changed,” Dye courses frequently are listed Pete says. “You have to change with on the “Top 10 Most Difficult them or you’re dead.” Courses today need more acreage as landing areas Courses” lists, earning Pete the are now 320 yards instead of 250 yards. And more tees are necesnickname “Marquis de Sod.” sary to accommodate the increasing spread of strength between the strongest players and the weakest players.

But some descriptions such as “diaboli-

Meanwhile Dye will continue to do what he’s done for the past 55 years—make excellent golf courses—and loving every minute of it.

“It never gets old,” he says. “It’s always exciting.” HCBM

One trend Dye doesn’t give any credence to is the reported waning popularity of golf. “They say that, but it’s not so!” he says adamantly. “The popularity of golf hasn’t waned, it’s just that there’s an oversupply

Image courtesy of TPC® Sawgrass

cal,” “punishing,” “deadly” and “exquisite torture” aren’t as flattering—and those words are coming from the mouths of the pros! Dye courses frequently are listed on the “Top 10 Most Difficult Courses”

of golf courses.” Time will take care of that.

The ill-thought-out courses that shouldn’t have been built in the first place will get modified or go under.

Left: TPC (Tournament Players Club) at Sawgrass Course, Hole 11, Ponte Verde Beach, Fl. Right: Teeth of the Dog Casa De Campo 3, La Romana, Dominican Republic Right Top: Dye during construction of the Ocean Course on Kiawah Island, South Carolina

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

17

Education/Workforce Development

Everyone Deserves a

Second Chance The Excel Center

Story and Photos By Karen Kennedy

ere’s a quiz for you.

Visualize a pin dropped squarely in the middle of the city of Fishers, with a ten-mile radius around it. Now try to guess how many citizens aged 18-24 in that tenmile radius don’t have a high school diploma.

Did you guess 1,000? 5,000? 10,000?

Would you be shocked to learn that the number is actually 21,000?

A small group of local educators, backed by funding from the state and supplemented by a division of Goodwill Industries called Goodwill Education Initiatives, Inc. (GEI), is working to change that, with a progressive charter school called the Excel Center.

In August, the Excel Center in Noblesville welcomes its first class of students. It is housed at 300 N. 17th Street, with Ivy Tech, in the old Noblesville High School

building. It will be the eleventh Excel Center in the country, offering students a completely free opportunity to earn not just a GED but an actual Core 40 high school diploma, enabling them to qualify for entry into college.

Dr. Steve Dillon, the school’s director, is no stranger to high school curriculum, having served the Carmel-Clay school system for more than thirty-three years as a teacher, assistant principal and director of student services. The lead teacher, Todd Strong, has many years of experience as a high school educator in Lawrence Township, and is in his third year with the Excel Centers.

Recent Excel Center graduate, Katie Reigelsperger.

“Goodwill Industries recognized a need to serve students who weren’t succeeding in the public school system, and through GEI created a charter school called Indianapolis Metropolitan High School in 2004,” said Strong. “The Excel Centers are the outgrowth of that project.

There are all kinds of reasons why students don’t succeed in a traditional high school, and the Excel Centers hope to help them overcome those barriers, whatever they are.”

The Story of Katie

Dr. Steve Dillon in an Excel Center classroom.

18

Ask Katie Reigelsperger where she grew up and you’d better have a pen handy to take notes.

Before she reached middle

school she had lived in Wabash, Marion, Indianapolis and Cicero. Why? Because her parents were addicted to drugs and alcohol, and their last priority was settling Katie into a school and home environment in which she could flourish.

In and out of foster homes and left to her own devices, she finished eighth grade six months pregnant. After the baby was born, her parents refused to allow her to return to school and instead registered her as a home-schooled student.

As time went on, she held various minimum wage jobs and eventually had another child, but always yearned for more education. As her sons entered middle school themselves, she felt a strong need to set an example for them on the importance of education. She learned about the Excel Center in Anderson.

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

“There was absolutely no excuse anymore,” said Reigelsperger. “It’s completely free, even the school supplies. They have free child care, they give you bus vouchers to get there, and they totally work around your life and your schedule. The people who work there really want to be there.

I’ve never met teachers so dedicated. They never gave up on me.”

“An education for one family member could change the path of that family for generations to come…” ~ Todd Strong, lead teacher With her sons Joshua, 11, and Daniel, 8, smiling proudly at her from the front row, Reigelsperger graduated last October at the age of 26 with a 3.8 GPA and two certifications; one in early childhood development and one as a pharmacy technician.

Just months after graduation, she landed a job as an in-patient pharmacy technician at Riverview Hospital.

with their largest offices in Noblesville and over 1500 employees company-wide.

“We keep thinking of new ways we can partner with the Excel Center,” said Gaylor Electric vice president Rob Griffith.

“As we understand it, they plan to tailor their training to industry-specific needs in Hamilton County.

Lead teacher, Todd Strong (left) and Dr. Dillon.

We’ve never had anything like this before. ness community will help prospective We plan to hire their students find their way to the school, and graduates and help spread the that local business leaders will want to word any way we can.” become involved by sitting on a commu“We have reached out to all the nity advisory board, offering internships local chambers and we’re interand mentoring students. acting with as many employers as we can,” said Dr. Dillon. “Our most “We have an opportunity here to break a cycle,” said Strong. “An education for one important job is to listen. What kinds of family member could maybe change the employees do the local businesses need? path of that family for generations to come Is it IT? Is it trade? We will look to fill and help them out of poverty and crime.” those voids.”

Dillon and Strong hope to have a constant enrollment of 250 students, with a target graduation rate of at least 40 per year. They’re hoping that the busi-

The Excel Center’s curriculum includes Core 40 courses along with dual credit courses in biology, math and English.

Certifications currently available include: pharmacy technician, CNA, hospitality management, customer service specialist, Microsoft Office specialist, early childhood development and more. In fact, of the 17 jobs at the center, the two positions in the on-site daycare center have been filled by Excel Center child-care certified graduates.

“If we think about it, we all probably know of at least one person who doesn’t have a high school diploma,” said Dillon. “And everyone deserves a second chance.” HCBM

™

2015/2016 SEASON

Through distance learning, Hamilton County students will have access to any class that’s taught in any Excel Center across the country, and they will also benefit from the close proximity of Ivy Tech; as they will share a student lounge and have the ability to consult with Ivy Tech career counselors. ESL classes will be offered if the need exists.

® 2012 ARD TONY AW

NER! WINT SC ORE

©Disney

PHY BES OREOGRA BEST CH

A Boon to Employers With more and more employers choosing Hamilton County as their home base, the need for qualified workers continues to grow. Indianapolis-based Gaylor Electric, Inc. is one of the first companies to partner with the new Excel Center. Gaylor Electric is locally owned, August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

800.793.7469

broadwayinindianapolis.com 19

Education/Workforce Development

The Idea Farm

Westfield librarian is building a makerspace at WHS

By Mike Corbett

f you want to encourage people to be creative, surround them with tools and other creative people. That’s the idea behind makerspaces, a concept that’s been around for some ten years now.

It originated with Make Magazine and is now gaining traction among schools and libraries.

of dozens of collaborators and you start reaching a critical mass that could lead to real innovation.

Joel Bruns has been building a makerspace named The Idea Farm at Westfield High for the past year. As the school’s librarian, he’s always looking for ways to make the library more useful and attractive to students.

“We really want this to be wide open to whatever ideas students can come up with, so we are stocking the makerspace with tools for woodworking, electronics, computing, sewing and fabric design, robotics, 3-D printer, and some plastics,” he says. “In addition, we have a small library that includes manuals on woodworking, writing computer code specific to Raspberry Pi and Arduino, fashion/upholstery design & manufacturing, as well as books on architecture, design, art, and general creativity.”

Creativity through Collaboration Bruns’s goals are more modest, at least early on. He’s developing a space to encourage his students to explore their ideas by giving them a judgment-free environment to dream and create.

Technology Connection

had only existed previously on paper, in computers and in imaginations.

Early machines cost tens of thousands of dollars, affordable only for industries that could justify the investment by charging designers and engineers for precious time on the printer. Though prices have come down in the past decade, quality printers still command thousands of dollars, out of reach for the average do-it yourselfer.

If there’s a single inspiring factor behind makerspaces, it’s probably the 3D printer.

That technology gave form to ideas that

But share those costs among a cadre of like-minded creatives and the economics start making sense. Add in the ideas

“When I was hired at the high school one of the first things I purchased for the library was a 3-D printer, says Bruns. “I had been reading about them and was fascinated by the process and knew that I wanted to make this resource available to students as a way to support and encourage engineering, design, & technology education in the school.”

20

All projects are encouraged to be “open source,’ so everyone collaborates and projects become a team effort.

“The focus of the Idea Farm is creativity through collaboration, so anything that we can do to maximize that is for the better,” says Bruns.

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

These companies helped Children’s Bureau preserve 21,000 families and protect 46,853 kids in 2014!

3D printer

It’s a hands-on complement to the book learning students are already getting in school. Though the space is new, the word is out among students and demand is high. “We are bombarded with students with ideas and plans that they would like to work on,” he says.

Things should be in full swing by the Fall semester. Students will gain access to the space by joining an extra-curricular club. Bruns plans after school and week-end hours in addition to regular hours during the school day. HCBM

Learn more at www.childrensbureau.org/corp-partners.

Your Local Community Bank I’m Karen Miller, President and CEO of The Farmers Bank.

Whether you are starting a new business or growing an existing business, our experienced business lenders are here to help businesses of all sizes. I am pleased to introduce two who recently joined our Hamilton County team in our Fishers office.

Alan Oyler Alan has over 30 years of commercial banking experience, working with both large and small banks. He is a longtime resident of Noblesville, where he currently resides with his wife Debbie.

Brian Carroll Brian has over 30 years of banking experience, starting at a small bank in Jeffersonville. Brian spent the last 19 plus years managing a commercial lending group in Indianapolis.

Local people making local decisions for local businesses. We know the value of quick decisions and a quick turnaround.

Three Hamilton County Locations: Fishers

7126 East 116th Street (317) 841-5960

Noblesville

16940 Clover Road (317) 773-3100

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

Sheridan

987 S. White Avenue (317) 758-9620 21

Roundabout

A Summary of Recent Retail Activity

By Samantha Hyde NORTHERN HAMILTON COUNTY In July, Hunt Club Distillery opened at 3774 W. SR 47 in Sheridan, offering tours, antique shopping and a gift store. La Posh Salon & Day Spa recently expanded with the addition of clothing store Country Chic Boutique at its 508 E. 6th Street storefront in Sheridan.

Koteewi Archery Center

Indiana’s largest facility devoted to archery, the Koteewi Range Sport and Target Archery Center, opened to the public at Strawtown Koteewi Park in Cicero.

still offering sessions through local parks departments, schools and private parties.

Electronics repair chain uBreakiFix is remodeling the storefront for its newest Indiana location.

Half of the former Mangia Italian Restaurant space at 751 Hanover Place is being renovated to accommodate new clothing retail shop Beauty and Grace. Plans are being made for a cottage-style assisted living center, Green House Cottages of Carmel, on the 4½ acres east of Carmel UMC on 126th Street at Range Line Road. Graeter’s Ice Cream continues to expand its Indiana presence with a new storefront in The Nash building at 836 S. Range Line Road.

CARMEL A new Hoosier Market Convenience Store is being built at 9802 N. Michigan Road. Crown Liquors is opening a new store at 1420 W. Main Street.

The Bridges Development at 116th Street and Spring Mill Road continues to grow, with an additional four buildings slated for construction. Zotec Partners is opening an office on the 5th floor of Fidelity Plaza II at 11350 N. Meridian Street.

Brookdale

Clare Bridge of Carmel, an assisted living facility, has been rebranded as Brookdale Carmel. TrialReach, the world’s largest provider of clinical trial information, opened in the Indiana Design Center.

Based in London, it matches patients with clinical trials.

The Quirky Feather, a combination bakery/coffee shop/candy store, is opening this summer at 890 E. 116th Street.

The Creative Escape closed its walk-in studio at 1366 Range Line Road, but is 22

The Nash

Dr. Dean Wiggers welcomed Fall Creek Chiropractic clients at his new location at 11650 Olio Road.

Greg and Cami O’Herren, owners of Shamrock Builders, purchased the Fishers Conference Center at 9775 North by Northeast Boulevard and rebranded it as “The Wellington Fishers Banquet and Conference Center.”

Citizens Energy Group is developing an 88-acre quarry on Olio Road to create a 2.7 billion gallon water reservoir. Fall Creek Veterinary Medical Center is growing with a new location at 9667 Geist Crossing Drive. Rita’s Backyard Tea Room and Garden Center on 116th Street west of Brook School Road closed in May after the owners’ retirement.

The Uniform House has moved from 11711 N. Pennsylvania Street to 441 S. Range Line Road. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Salon has moved from 96th and Meridian to partner with Do-tique in Sophia Square at 110 W. Main Street.

Mechanical contractor Leach and Russell is building a new warehouse and office at 9151 Ford Circle near 126th Street and SR 37. The owner of Laser Flash, in Carmel, is planning to construct a new facility at 126th Street and Promise Road.

Carmel Clay Fire Department is constructing a new station at 5032 E. Main Street and putting an addition on the existing station at 3242 E. 106th Street.

St. Elizabeth Seton Church at 10655 Haverstick Road is expanding with a 21,000 SF addition for a church meeting area and social hall.

Which Wich, Arby’s and Classic Cleaners are slated to occupy a new building in Deer Creek Shoppes near I-69’s Exit 210. Pendleton based freight company HeLP Logistics is remodeling office space in Saxony’s Bonn Building at 13578 E. 131st Street. Saxony Beach will have a new recreation building soon with the construction of Saxony Hall at 13360 Pennington Road. A 245,000 SF fieldhouse, dubbed Fishers Sports Pavilion, is planned for construction near 136th Street and Olio Road.

FISHERS The first of three planned central Indiana Smoothie Kings opened this summer at 8270 E. 96th Street. This spring, the QuadMed clinic for City of Fishers employees reopened at its new home in the new Meyer Najem building downtown.

Implant Dentistry & Children’s Dental Center is expanding at 9885 E. 116th Street. Geist Landing of Fishers, located at 116th Street and Olio Road, is welcoming two new fitness enterprises: Orangetheory Fitness and Kid Fit Inc. In July,

Fishers Sports Pavilion rendering

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

NOBLESVILLE Krenolies Donuts recently opened at 14300 Mundy Drive. Tom Wood Volkswagen at the Crossing, a new auto sales and service center, is slated for construction northeast of the intersection of SR 37 and 146th Street. A Giant Eagle GetGo convenience store and gas station is also planned for this corner.

Georgia Direct Carpet has opened at 15887 Cumberland Road. The Walmart on SR 37 at Town and Country Boulevard is undergoing a remodel. Noblesville Martial Arts Studio is moving into 17160 Dragonfly Drive south of the intersection of SR 37 and Pleasant Street.

Barley Island Brewery is branching off with a new venture, Deer Creek Brewery, at 17661 Cumberland Road.

Several new businesses are calling downtown Noblesville home, including Shine Yoga & Wellness at 833 Conner Street.

Yeager Office Suites at 23 S. 8th Street is now the home of NuStart Health’s fifth Indiana location.

In June, a new Dairy Queen Grill & Chill opened at 5625 Pebble Village Lane. Just down the street, Prather Eye Care is now open at its new location at 5540 Pebble Village Lane.

WESTFIELD Fresh Thyme opens the first week of August at the corner of Carey Road and 146th Street.

Fresh Thyme

Downtown is welcoming a new restaurant, Italian House on Park, at 219 Park Street. In May, Sobczak Construction

Future Deer Creek Brewery

Services moved to its new home, the former Energy Outfitter building at 125 W. Main Street. First Merchants Bank is building a new branch at 3300 E SR 32.

Wood Wind Golf Club, on 161st Street east of Towne Road, has opened a new Foot Golf course, which combines the games of soccer and golf. The former Radioshack at 2650 E. 146th Street is being converted into a restaurant space for Indiana’s first Smashburger. Gandolfo’s New York Delicatessen is moving into Cool Creek Village at 2795 E. 146th Street. HCBM

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August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

23

Pitch-In

Notes from all over the county The Duke Energy Foundation awarded $40,000 to the Hamilton County Economic Development Corporation to help support efforts to attract jobs and businesses to the area.

Holder Mattress Co., Carmel, added two new hand-crafted, local furniture lines with unique local features to its showroom. Purposeful Design seeks out the unemployed from organizations such as Wheeler Mission and provides job opportunities in furniture building using local lumber. Vine & Branch, known primarily for its tree and plant healthcare business, has created a line of home furniture using wood from its tree projects in Hamilton County.

Lauer, City of Westfield; Nathan Lichti, Hamilton County Area Neighborhood Development; Michelle Moen, Prevail, Inc.; Michelle Payne, Elements Financial; Kyle Riddle, Brown & Brown of Indiana; Daniel Sheposh, City of Noblesville; Alison Strawmyer, St. Luke’s Early Childhood Program, Pete Swords, Construction Logistics Group LLC; Amy Tobias, UN Communications Group Inc.; Ashley Ulbricht, City of Carmel; Christy Walker, Carmel Clay Public Library; Joe Wright, Fishers Police Department.

Alan A. Oyler

The Fishers branch of The Farmers Bank hired Alan A. Oyler as Vice President/Commercial Lender and Brian Carroll as Vice President/Commercial Lender. Theda Theda Anderson Anderson was promoted to Loan Administration Manager in Sheridan.

Westfield broke ground for Jonathan Byrd’s Fieldhouse at Grand Park, an indoor basketball and volleyball facility designed to make Grand Park a year round sports destination.

Christy Campoll Noblesville quilt shop Always in Stitches, is one of ten featured shops across North America in the Fall/Winter 2015 issue of Quilt Sampler® magazine.

Nearly 3,000 quilt shops are eligible to apply for the honor in the twice-yearly magazine, which circulates to 300,000 quilters worldwide.

The Hamilton County Leadership Academy graduated its 24th class, bringing total alumni to more than 600.

The 2015 class includes: Brandon Bogan, CSO Architects; Cortney Bowen, Chaucie’s Place; Adam Campagna, Meyer Najem; Karin Cook, The National Bank of Indianapolis; Marnie Cooke, Noblesville Schools; Rachael Coverdale, WDM Creative; Melissa Cunnyngham, Church, Church, Hittle & Antrim; Dan Faust, House Reynolds & Faust; Jim Garrod, JBS United; Andrew Habel, Compass Commercial Construction Group; Leslie Hoggatt, The Center for the Performing Arts; Chad Huff, CSI Signs; Craig Hurley, Beck’s Superior Hybrids; Chris Jensen, CHA Consulting; Karen Keinsley, Slattery & Holman; Kevin Klausing, Campbell Kyle Proffitt; Ann Kuzee, Riverview Hospital; Jennifer Lasch, Cripe; Jeffrey 24

Christy Campoll was named Director of Transportation for Janus Developmental Services, operator of Hamilton County Express.

Jeremy Schutz joined UN Communications Group Inc. as Senior Vice President of Sales.

TownePost Network, Inc. launched two new sports magazines for Carmel and Hamilton Southeastern High Schools called Mascot Monthly. It will be mailed to homes in each district. The first issue is scheduled for August.

Fairbanks named hospital executive Kent L. Brown, FACHE as President and CEO.

Brian Carroll

Jeremy Schutz

Michelle Cox joined First Farmers Bank & Trust as Vice President, Commercial/Agricultural Lender.

Jason Halcomb was hired as Mortgage Loan Officer at Centier Banking Center in Carmel.

Jason Halcomb

Michelle Cox

Noblesville High School teacher Bill Kenley launched his debut novel, “High School Runner (Freshman).”

Local tech entrepreneur Scott Jones announced his companies Eleven Fifty Academy and Eleven Fifty Consulting will invest nearly a million dollars to expand, creating a combined 92 new jobs in the coming years.

Conner Prairie President and CEO Ellen M. Rosenthal announced that she will retire from her position at the end of the year.

Bill Salin, II is retiring from Salin Bank & Trust Company but will remain a director for Salin Bank and Salin Bancshares, Inc.

As an incentive to keep students in school, Ivy Tech Community College plans to freeze tuition for students who remain enrolled from term to term starting with the Fall 2015 semester and also for those students who enroll in 30+ credit hours

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

combined for the Fall 2015 and Spring 2016 terms.

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January 16 & 17, 2016 Hamilton County 4h Fairgrounds Janus received a grant from the Central Indiana Bicycling Association (CIBA) to purchase and install bike racks on two Hamilton County Express buses.

To reserve your space or request info

Call Mike Corbett, 774-7747

Or Email homeshow@hamiltoncountybusiness.com

Or Visit www.hchomeshow.com

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August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

cfbindiana.com 25

Dining Out

A Taste of New Orleans Just Off The Courthouse Square

The Ville

By Chris Bavender • Photos By Mark Lee f you’re craving a bit of New Orleans style cooking without having to take a road trip, look no further than The Ville. From Crab Cakes to Jambalaya to Shrimp and Grits to Chilean Sea Bass - all the flavors of the Big Easy can be found in downtown Noblesville.

“We wanted to remain a part of the community we live in,” said Raquel Brooks, co-owner of The Ville with husband, Keith Brooks - who is the chef behind the creative dishes. “The downtown area is home to several other successful locally owned restaurants and the area enjoys entrepreneurial synergy.”

The Ville officially opened in September 2014. But the tastes served up by Chef Brooks were already familiar to many through his home-based Special Occasions catering business run out of a gourmet kitchen in the basement of their home. A restaurant just seemed like a natural next step, Raquel said.

“A restaurant allowed us to reach more people,” she said. “Our catering customers

asked us when we would open a location so that they could get Keith’s food.”

Food influenced his upbringing. The Gary native’s family roots are deep in New Orleans - his paternal grandmother was Creole and from the Crescent City, his father grew up there.

“I love to eat food. My love of food led me to become a chef,” Keith said. “The love of creating new dishes - tasting, creating. Cooking allows me to create using my hands similar to an artist drawing a painting.”

National Exposure Keith earned a culinary arts degree from Kendall College in Evanston, IL, and then went to work for Emeril Lagasse at New Orleans’ famed Commander’s Palace restaurant. But opening his own restaurant wasn’t easy.

“The journey to open The Ville Restaurant was long and filled with challenges,” Keith said. “It took a year to find a location. It took a year to secure financing as well.”

Keith Brooks tosses a salad tableside.

26

That journey was chronicled by The Food Network Pilot Series “Buy This Restaurant” which aired in March 2014. It paired the couple with Keith Simpson, a trained chef and commercial real estate expert who specializes in restaurant businesses and properties. He traveled to August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

Indianapolis to help the couple search for the perfect location - ultimately narrowing it to a final three.

Challenges included the build out of the 100-year-old building that is home to The Ville. But customers don’t know about the blood, sweat and tears that went into creating it. Instead, they only see the end result - the inviting, warm, and elegant atmosphere. From the tin copper ceilings to the refurbished hardwood floors, the eatery offers a historical feel to complement the dishes served there.

“Cooking allows me to create using my hands similar to an artist drawing a painting.”

Raquel Brooks hosts guests at the Ville.

But what she’s most proud of and what she considers the reason customers keep coming back to The Ville - “the amazing food, friendly service, and unique decor.”

“A taste of New Orleans in Indiana,” she said. “You may not be able to make it to New Orleans every month but you can make it to the Ville.” HCBM

The Ville 101 N. 10th St. Noblesville, IN 46060 317.774.5301 www.dineattheville.com

~ Keith Brooks Arts Connection A partnership with Nickel Plate Arts brings the artwork of local artists to The Ville every few months, adding to the ambiance.

“Many people are happy to see the space redone and enjoy the New Orlean’s style cuisine,” Raquel said. “We still have a lot of people who didn’t know we are open and have come in for the first time. Many people don’t know we have meeting space for rent and rent the restaurant for private events as well.”

And, while it may have been a long and difficult journey to get to where they are today, Raquel said it’s all been worth it.

“I am proud that my husband, that he had the guts and drive to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams,” she said. “He designed the menu, restaurant, and did much of the remodeling finishes himself. Also proud to create culinary jobs.”

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

27

A stronger voice.

A significant presence.

A new business advocate in an ever-changing marketplace.

The Carmel and Fishers Chambers have joined to become OneZone.

With OneZone, businesses get an organization that reaches across municipal boundaries - just the way business does to deliver more impact and more opportunities more efficiently.

OneZone offers the advantages of two organizations - in terms of expanded member benefits, events, impact, access and more - for the cost of one membership.

As a member of OneZone, you get: The networking, collaboration, exposure and business growth opportunities that come from being part of a 1,200-member organization.

The advocacy and business-promotion power that comes from a single, larger organization.

Business connections across a broader geographic area.

Access to more than 50 business events, including monthly luncheons, business after hours, business expos, golf outings, legislative breakfasts and more.

A vibrant young professionals’ group.

•

• • •

•

Upcoming Events - August & September AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

Friday, August 7: Women in Business Luncheon [all-county] 12 to 1:30 p.m. | FORUM Conference Center

Thursday, September 10: Network Breakfast [all-county] 7:30 to 9 a.m. | Houlihan’s - Hamilton Town Center

Wednesday, August 19: August Luncheon 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | FORUM Conference Center

Wednesday, September 16: September Luncheon 11:30 a.m. to 1p.m. | The Mansion at Oak Hill

Wednesday, August 26: Business After Hours 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. | Prairie View Golf Club

Wednesday, September 16: Young Professionals After Hours 5 to 7 p.m. | Prairie View Golf Club

Wednesday, August 26: Young Professionals Lunch & Learn 12 to 1:30 p.m. | Eddie Merlot’s

Wednesday, September 23: Business After Hours 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. | tba

Thursday, August 27: Young Professionals After Hours 5 to 7 p.m. | Indiana Gun Club

Reservations are required for all events.

Information is subject to change. Visit our website for details.

Friday, August 28: Golf Outing 11 a.m. | Ironwood Golf Club

OneZoneCommerce.com

Contact us:

Resources:

OneZone 10305 Allisonville Rd., Ste. B Fishers, IN 46038 PH 317.436.4653 info@onezonecommerce.com

Visit OneZoneCommerce.com

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Make reservations for Chamber Events.

Find members in the expanded Business Directory.

• Keep up on Business Issues in Carmel and Fishers.

• Post job openings, events, coupons and news at the Member Center.

• •

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

Ribbon Cuttings

New Members Platinum Member

Alphagraphics of Carmel

Jarden Home Brands

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Salon

Weekends Only Furniture

Silver Members Forman Investment Services, Inc. Weidmayer Wealth Solutions

Bronze Members Boger Cabinetry & Design Expedite Healthcare Edwards Electrical & Mechanical Inc. Expedite Healthcare, LLC Fresh Thyme Farmers Market Fishers & Carmel Milliner & Associates, LLC Palate Press LLC The Plaid Agency Roeing Corporation Weber Grill - Indianapolis Sun King Fishers Tap Room The Wellington Fishers Banquet and Conference Center

Brookdale Carmel

Collision Cure Body Werks

Bailey & Wood Financial Group

EmBroid Me

Chamber Members ADP - Kelly Cathcart American Mattress B Spot Burgers, Brats and Beer Opening Soon Broccoli Bills Cardno Carmel Auto Cleaning Shoppe CHROMATICS STUDIO Cintas College Choice 529 Curves Emerge Technologies LLC Family Care Chiropractic Four Day Ray Brewing LLC Fundamentals Med Spa Godby Hearth & Home Holiday Inn Express & Suites Carmel/North Indianapolis J.D. Byrider Luminocity Lushin, Inc. Morse Moving & Storage Mosquitoes Be Gone Mother of Pearl Public Relations Pop-A-Lock Indy, LLC Punch Burger Rake Development Smoothie King Fishers #1305 Strategic Solutions, LLC Sun Towels Sylvan Learning Center - Fishers Interested in belonging to OneZone, a 1,200-member business organization?

Call 436.4653 or visit OneZoneCommerce.com.

Want to celebrate your new or renovated business with a ribbon cutting? Let’s talk.

Contact us at info@onezonecommerce.com.

Annual Golf Outing Friday, August 28 | Ironwood Golf Club Play golf.

Be a sponsor.

Donate a raffle prize.

End your summer on the course having fun and making valuable connections at the same time.

For details and registration, call 436.4653 or visit OneZoneCommerce.com.

OneZone 10305 Allisonville Rd., Ste. B

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

Fishers, IN 46038

317.436.4653 29

NORTHERN HAMILTON COUNTY 30

UPCOMING EVENTS & HAPPENINGS JUNE LUNCHEON Dan Clark, President of Ivy Tech Community College Noblesville Campus, tells chamber members about programs available at Ivy Tech.

NEW MEMBERS

Peoplocity Courtney Turner Law LLC Waitt Equipment Sales, Inc.

NON-PROFIT SHOWCASE

UPCOMING EVENTS AUGUST 2015 Saturday-Sunday, August 1- 2 8:00 am RIVERVIEW HEALTH CICERO TRIATHLON WEEKEND Rescheduled Friday, August 7 11:00 am HAMILTON COUNTY CHAMBERS WOMEN IN BUSINESS LUNCHEON The Forum Thursday, August 27 11:30 am CHAMBER LUNCHEON Waitt Grain/Sheridan

Janus Development Services

HAND

SEPTEMBER 2015 Thursday, September 10 7:30 am ALL COUNTY NETWORKING BREAKFAST Houlihan’s Thursday, September 24 11:30 am CHAMBER LUNCHEON

Cicero Farm Market and Adventist Book Center

EVENTS: GOLF OUTING

TASTE ON THE LAKE

Golfers prepare for tee-off at the Hamilton Heights Educational Foundation golf outing.

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

And Then There Were Four Sheridan and Hamilton North merge Chambers of Commerce Just months after the Carmel and Fishers chambers merger, the Sheridan and Hamilton North chambers announced they are combining forces as well. The announcement was made

by State Representative Tony Cook at a joint membership luncheon in July in Cicero. Unlike the OneZone merger, which combined the Fishers and Carmel chambers into one office, the Northern Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce will maintain offices in both Sheridan and Cicero.

Jane Hunter, Executive Director of the Hamilton North Chamber, will become Executive Director of the new chamber and Catharine Heller will remain the office manager in Sheridan. Jim Hogle, Hamilton North President, will become President of the HNCCC. Erin Merrill-Macy, President of the Sheridan Chamber, planned to retire from the board soon as she is expecting her first child, so she will step down. Parvin Gillim, Vice-President of the Sheridan Chamber, becomes Vice President of the Northern Hamilton County Chamber.

Both boards will combine to run the new chamber through the end of the year and elections for the new board will be held in November.

Jim Hogle said merger talks began early this year. “We mutually came to the conclusion that now was the time to join together for the benefit of the businesses in Sheridan, Cicero, Arcadia and Atlanta,” he said. “Together we will have a stronger voice than each of us has separately.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know the businesses in Sheridan as well as I do the businesses in the Hamilton North communities,” Hunter said. “We already have a schedule of events planned including monthly luncheons and special events. We will alternately meet in Sheridan and in Cicero.

Erin Merrill-Macy said the merger will benefit members of both chambers.

“The communities of Northern Hamilton County are each unique in their character but common in their challenges. Our new Chamber will have a combined strength to overcome the challenges and a greater influence on growing the commerce of Northern Hamilton County.

“Existing special events like the golf outing, Taste on the Lake, Taste of the Holidays, Cicero Triathlon and Annual Recognition Dinner/Casino Night will be placed on our calendar in 2016. The remainder of 2015 will “hit or miss” as some events are already scheduled but we will have a coordinated schedule by January 2016.”

“One does not have to think very hard to rationalize the benefits of this merger,” she went on to say, “Obviously, members now play in a much larger sand box with greater networking opportunities. Our member directory is expanded and more diverse. The pool of personal contacts and referrals deepens for all members.”

Executive Director Jane Hunter will split her time between the two offices, with Catharine Heller assisting.

The team unveiled a new logo (above) and a new mission statement: The mission of the Northern Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce is to promote and improve the business environment and to stimulate vibrant local economies through a cooperative effort to enhance the overall quality of life in Northern Hamilton County.

The merger doubles the membership for both chambers. Legal filings have been completed with the state and final approval is expected shortly.

JULY MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON Cicero 70 N. Byron St. Cicero, IN 46034 317-984-4079 August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

Sheridan 101 E. Second St. PO Box 202 Sheridan, IN 46069 317-758-1311 31

www.noblesvillechamber.com

NOBLESVILLE

UPCOMING EVENTS & HAPPENINGS Interested in joining one of our working groups or committees? Contact info@noblesvillechamber.com

AUGUST 2015

August 7/11:00 am-1:00 pm

ALL COUNTY WOMEN IN BUSINESS LUNCHEON

The Forum Featuring Sarah Fisher Presented by Alerding CPA Group

August 24/3:30pm

AMBASSADORS MEETING

The Chamber Offices August 26/11:30am-1:00pm

MEMBER LUNCHEON

NEW MEMBERS

BUSINESS ADVOCACY COMMITTEE

The Chamber Offices August 27/28 – Time TBD

THE ART OF BUSINESS—THE BUSINESS OF ART

For details email info@noblesvillechamber.com

SEPTEMBER 2015

September 8/8:30am

TECH TUESDAY WORKSHOPS

The Chamber Offices September 10/ 7:30am-9:00am

ALL COUNTY NETWORKING BREAKFAST

Houlihan’s Restaurant September 22/ 8:30am

TECH TUESDAY WORKSHOPS

The Chamber Offices September 22/ 3:30pm

AMBASSADORS MEETING

The Chamber Offices September 23/ 11:30am

MEMBER LUNCHEON

Noblesville Chamber 601 E. Conner St. Noblesville, IN 46060 317-773-0086 Follow us at:

BUSINESS ADVOCACY COMMITTEE

The Chamber Offices

OCTOBER 2015

October 2/Evening

80TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Purgatory Golf Club

AUGUST MEMBER BUSINESS LUNCHEON A TRUE COMMUNITY COLLEGE w/ Dr. Dan Clark President Ivy Tech – Noblesville Campus Wednesday, August 26th 11:30am/Britton Hall The Ivy Tech Noblesville Campus will celebrate its first year in August. Join us as President Dan Clark shares updates on campus construction, new partnerships, and academic programming. He will speak on what it takes to educate a world-class workforce with details on global competitiveness, workforce demographics, and education system performance.

He will share his thoughts on integrated secondary postsecondary education and training.

SEPTEMBER MEMBER BUSINESS LUNCHEON STATE OF THE CITY w/ Mayor John Ditslear Wednesday, September 23rd 11:30am Harbour Trees Golf Club As the Mayor completes his third term in office, he will report on the progress and promise of Noblesville.

Britton Hall Featuring Dr. Dan Clark President Ivy Tech Noblesville Campus August 27/7:30am

Harbour Trees State of the City with Mayor John Ditslear September 24/ 7:30am

Due to the community interest in our topics for August and September, we invite members, their guests, and the general public to join us for lunch.

RSVP online @ www.noblesvillechamber.com or call 317-773-0086

Beazer Homes 9202 N. Meridian St., Suite 300 Indianapolis, IN 46260 317-569-3531 www.beazer.com Pop-A-Lock Indy Dave Carrington 7342 Sedgewick Way Indianapolis, IN 46256 317-635-LOCK Popalock.com Weber Grill Megan Mattingly 10 N. Illinois St. Indianapolis, IN 46204 317-636-7608 www.webergrillrestaurant.com NuStart Bryce Lindsay Yaeger Building 23 S. 8th St. Noblesville 260-274-0311 www.nustarthealth.com Star Media Jamie Miles 130 S. Meridian St. Indianapolis, IN 46225 www.indystarmedia.com Norwood Economics Chris Norwood 1686 James Blvd.

Greenfield, IN 46140 317-590-9095 The Rustic Spa Gwendolyn Niec 16095 Prosperity Dr. Noblesville, IN 46060 317-800-6999 www.myrusticspa.com

DQ Grill & Chill Chris Clegg 5625 Pebble Village Ln. Noblesville, IN 46062 317-804-5218 Noblesville Resale Shops Carolyn Deines 2350 Conner St. Noblesville, IN 46060 317-773-7655 www.carolynsconsingments.com Tim Jungblut Trucking Pam Cline P.O. Box 279 Noblesville, IN 46060 317-873-9728 Center for Diagnostic Imaging Amy Allen 11900 N Pennsylvania St. Suite 100 Carmel, IN 46032 317-846-0717 www.indycdi.com Magnify247.com Sean McCormick 125 W. Jefferson St. Tipton, IN 46072 317-656-7094 www.magnify247.com

WE’RE TURNING 80! (1935-2015) and what better way to celebrate than a 1980’s themed party!

Legacy Partners

You remember the post-disco era of big hair, Miami Vice, wine coolers, Atari and Pac Man Relive it with us on October 2nd.

TABLE HOSTS, PARTNERSHIPS AND SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE Contact mary@noblesvillechamber.com or call 317-773-0086 32

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

Women in Business Luncheon

Speaker: Sarah Fisher

August 7th – Friday/11:00am-1:00pm Presenting Sponsor Supporting Sponsors

This all-county chamber event is presented through the collaborative efforts of the Noblesville, Northern Hamilton County, OneZone and Westifled Hamilton County Chambers of Commerce.

AUGUST 2015 ALL-COUNTY WOMEN IN BUSINESS LUNCHEON 7th–Friday/11:00am-1:00pm FEATURING INDY CAR TEAM OWNER SARAH FISHER

CHAMBER LUNCHEON 20th–Thursday/11:00am-1:00pm Annual State of the Schools with Dr. Mark Keen

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BREAKFAST #4 28th–Friday/7:30am-9:00am Marketing in Today’s World

NEW MEMBERS Adam Elsner, D.D.S. Elsner Family Dentistry 16411 Southpark Dr., Suite A Westfield 46074 317.896.1986 www.elsnerfamilydentistry.com Robby Phillips, Owner One Stop Marketing 7002 N. Graham Rd. Indianapolis, IN 46220 317.863.2151 www.1stopmktg.com Joel Houghton Comcast Business 5330 E. 65th St. Indianapolis 46220 317.430.4927 www.business.comcast.com Jon Howard Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance 3337 St. Rd. 32 E. Westfield 46074 317.804.7201 www.infarmbureau.com Tiffany Hess Metronet 414 North Earl Ave. Lafayette, IN 47904 317.763.1234 www.metronetinc.com

WESTFIELD

Annual Hamilton County Chambers

www.westfield-chamber.org

UPCOMING EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

Robert Stokes HexxData 14917 Riverdale Dr. S., Suite #4 Carmel, IN 46033 317.900.9090 www.hexxdata.com Jack Russell Continental, Inc. 1524 Jackson St. Anderson, IN 46016 765.778.9999 www.continentalinc.com

PREMIUM MEMBERS

SEPTEMBER 2015

ALL-COUNTY NETWORKING BREAKFAST 10th–Thursday/7:30am-9:00am Westfield Young Professionals Meet Up

MONTHLY LUNCHEON 17th–Thursday/11:00am-1:00pm Chamber Luncheon

Transit

LANTERN AWARDS 18th–Friday/6:00pm

Lantern Awards Presenting Sponsor

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM #5 25th–Friday/7:30am-9:00am

Congratulations!

Westfield 2015 Business of the Year Lantern Award Recipient:

My Father’s Garden

Westfield Chamber of Commerce 130 Penn St. Westfield, IN 46074 317-804-3030

For details and online registration, please visit: www.westfield-chamber.org or call 317-804-3030 August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

33

Hamilton County History

By David Heighway

The Missing Bridegroom Clickbait, circa 1911 lthough we may think of viral stories as a recent phenomenon, the notion of an odd story picked up and spread around existed long before anyone wrote “And You’ll Never Believe What Happened Next!” Hamilton County is no stranger to this. An intriguing example involves a man named Eugene Woodmansee from Urbana, Illinois who came here in 1867. Somehow he met and fell in love with Susan Vert, the daughter of the Castleton postmaster. Eugene proposed marriage twice, and the second time, she accepted. Her father bought them a farm on Little Chicago Road and the wedding was set for August 15.

Woodmansee arrived in town on August 14th aboard the Peru and Indianapolis Railroad. It had been a long trip—the only route from Urbana went across Illinois and Indiana to Peru, where you had to change trains and go south. There were only four trains a day through Noblesville at this time. Eugene stayed at a local hotel that night, and was supposedly carrying a large amount of cash. The wedding was set for 8pm. Around 7pm, the minister ran into Woodmansee on the courthouse square. They had a pleasant conversation in which the minister offered to loan the couple a

buggy, and Woodmansee laughingly said that he had already hired one.

Then, when the conversation ended, Woodmansee walked away, turned the corner of a building, and disappeared.

Without a Trace The house at the farm was all set up for the wedding. Candles were lit and guests were there. The time came and went—first 8:00, then 9:00 and beyond—no groom. The bride started to become frantic and was consoled by family and friends. Most guests eventually drifted off, assuming he had stood her up. However, after searches were begun, it became obvious that he was completely gone.

Bert Cloud was digging on his property adjacent to Riverside Cemetery when he began to turn up human bone.

His family in Illinois was contacted, and they hired a Chicago detective. There were no signs and no evidence of anything, so eventually they gave up. As time passed, the memory of the event faded.

Eleven years later, Sarah Vert married another man, Daniel Jones, and she died ten years after that. She was buried in the Vert family plot in Crownland Cemetery under the name Sarah Vert Jones. When Daniel died, he was buried in a different place—in Westfield next to his first wife.

44 years later, in January of 1911, a Noblesville deliveryman named Bert Cloud was digging around an old shed on his property on 5th Street,

34

adjacent to Riverside Cemetery. Suddenly he began to turn up human bone. Since he was north of the cemetery property line, it shouldn’t have been a misplaced burial. He called some neighbors to witness and continued to dig. A few feet down, he struck a metal trunk. After clearing some space around the trunk, he broke the lock with his shovel, opened it, and found a corpse covered in lime which had decayed to a partial skeleton.

He contacted the authorities and the coroner took over the case. There were clues at first, then some elderly residents began remembering the Woodmansee incident. This would have been meaningless, except an ornately carved signet ring was discovered on the skeleton.

Using this single clue, the coroner tried to contact the Woodmansee family in Illinois. However, there were no living relatives who remembered Eugene.

Finally, after more searching, they found the widow of his brother near Cincinnati, Ohio. They sent her the ring, which she recognized immediately, saying both of her brothers had one.

August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

National Exposure The leading theory about his death was that he had stopped at a notorious roadhouse that had been at that site and had been murdered for his money. However, the sister-in-law said that the family had gotten a message from him about trouble with the wedding and a possible rival. Until the ring proved his identity, the minister had thought that Woodmansee had simply skipped out in revenge for Sarah’s initial refusal. In the end, the crime was unresolved but was a good story.

It went viral when many different newspapers picked it up.

Ironically, the Noblesville newspapers for 1867 and 1911 have all been lost. However, the Indianapolis Star did a full page story with illustrations and papers around the country soon followed.

The Indianapolis News and Urbana Daily Courier stories are useful for research since they were able to interview people directly connected to the event. However, the other papers just cut it down to a few paragraphs and an eye-catching headline.

They would occasionally mangle the information to throw more emphasis on the romance, gore, and mystery of the story—a winning combination.

Throughout 1911, one can see the story spread geographically in papers from across the nation— from Fort Wayne, Ind., to Sheboygan, Wis., to Troy, NY, to Crittenden, KY., to New London, Conn., to the Washington Post (!), to the San Francisco Call, and even showing up in the Pittsburgh Press as late as 1914. These are just the known papers to have carried it. There were probably more.

So, while the case will probably never be solved, Mr. Woodmansee’s posthumous fame spread far beyond the bounds of where he lived. Thanks to human interest, we can even study it today. HCBM David Heighway is the Hamilton County Historian.

Commercial Residential

www.ductznoblesville.com • 317.773.9831 August • September 2015 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

BUSINESS RESOURCE DIRECTORY SIGNS AND BANNERS Logan Street Signs & Banners 1720 South 10th St. Noblesville, IN 317-773-7200 Open M-F 7-5 www.loganstreetsigns.com www.noblesvilletrophies.com www.noblesville.com www.HamiltonCountyTV.com www.HamiltonCountyCalendars.com www.HamiltonCountyRadio.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

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY Sharp Business Systems of Indiana 7330 East 86th St. Indianapolis, IN 46256 317-844-0033 www.sbsindiana.com

We are serious about improving our clients businesses by updating office technology, managing office printing and streamlining critical business processes. Sharp Business Systems of Indiana, a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, can increase your company’s bottom line.

COMMERCIAL LEASE SPACE River Edge Professional Center and River Edge Market Place Noblesville, IN Call John Landy at 317-289-7662 landyfortune@gmail.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.

SERVICE CLUB

Rotary International

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, contact President Paul Roberts 317-509-6729

Promotional Products • Embroidery Workwear & Uniforms • Team Apparel Screen Printing • Corporate Apparel 317-845-5002 www.embroidme-fishers.com 35