Hamilton County Business Magazine August/September 2019

AUGUST • SEPTEMBER 2019

Running on Hydrogen New process creates fuel on demand

PLUS…

• Busting Leadership Myths • Ethical Nepotism • HC’s Historic Bridge Builder Kurt Koehler Founder and President, Al-Gal-Co

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August • September 2019 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

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August / September 2019

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

Fuel cells and energy nugget for Al-Gal-Co auto fuel system

EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Mike Corbett

Features

12

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Bridget Gurtowsky

bridget@gurtowskygraphics.com

Al-Gal-Co

14 Roundabout 16 Interview: Michael Petrie

mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com

CEO, Merchants Bank

17 Chamber Pages

Columns 6

Management Dr. Charles Waldo

8

Ethics Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow

10

Technology J. David Shinn

22

History David Heighway

CORRESPONDENTS Chris Bavender crbavender@gmail.com Ann Craig-Cinnamon jandacinnamon@aol.com John Cinnamon jlcinnamon@aol.com Susan Hoskins Miller skhmiller@gmail.com Stephanie Miller sccwriter-@gmail.com Samantha Hyde samantharhyde@gmail.com Patricia Pickett pickettwrites@gmail.com CONTRIBUTORS David Heighway heighwayd@earthlink.net J. David Shinn david@shinntechnology.com Robby Slaughter rslaughter@accelawork.com Dr. Charles Waldo cnwaldo@comcast.net Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow cfwester@iupui.edu

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

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Cover and photo above by John Cinnamon 4

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August • September 2019 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

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3/25/19 4:42 PM

Management Charles Waldo

Busting Leadership Myths And the role of luck in long-term success I was roaming the stacks of my local library, looking for HCBM article ideas. A name on the covers of a couple of books on display got my attention…Jim Collins.

I’ll bet you’ve at least heard of him.

A prolific leadership and management researcher, author, consultant, and teacher, Collins has written seven books over the span of twenty years, each trying to shed more light on the leadership principles that have brought organizations above average success. GOOD TO GREAT sold over six million copies. I had enjoyed reading several of his books but had not read one that caught my eye: GREAT BY CHOICE: UNCERTAINTY, CHAOS, AND LUCK. WHY SOME THRIVE DESPITE THEM ALL. I was especially drawn by the word “Luck” in the title.

what they found, with special emphasis (mine) on the “Luck Factor.”

short piece like this. It is fully explained in the book.

Teasing out the 10Xrs

Some myths exploded

The research team analyzed the 1972 - 2002 financial data for thousands of large and mid-cap U.S. corporations, looking for those relatively few they labeled “10Xrs”: firms that had consistently surpassed the financial performances of their key rivals during the 30 year study period and did so consistently by at least a factor of ten. In fact, the study found that, at the end of the study period, 10Xrs, on average, beat their competitors by a factor of 35X!

As they sifted through the data and tried to determine what separated the 10Xrs from their less successful competitors, they found to their surprise many “myths” of leadership and strategy that simply were not valid. Here are a few samples.

After combing through the financials the research team eventually found seven firms which met the study criteria

10Xrs are not more creative; their leaders are not more charismatic; they are not more ambitious… they are not more risk taking…

It took Collins and his research team over nine years to dig out the data, analyze them, draw conclusions, make recommendations for action, and write the book. Here is how they did it and 6

Contrary finding — The best leaders studied did not have a visionary ability to predict the future. They observed what actually worked, figured out why it worked, and built upon proven foundations. They were not more risk-taking but were more disciplined, more empirical, and more “paranoid.”

Myth 2—Innovation distinguishes 10X companies in a fast moving, uncertain and chaotic world.

are not more visionary;

I skimmed the book, liked it, checked it out, and spent many hours going through it, with this article the result. I hope it will give you some useful ideas for handling Luck (good and bad) when they arrive at your business or job.

Myth 1—Successful leaders in a turbulent world are bold, risk-taking visionaries.

AND had several direct competitors during the study period from which to make comparisons. The seven 10X firms investigated were: Intel, Amgen, Microsoft, Biomet (now part of Zimmer Holdings), Stryker, Southwest Airlines, and Progressive Insurance. Each is still very much in business.

The research methodology was extensive and rigorous but too complex for a

Contrary finding—Yes, the 10X companies innovated…a lot. But they were NOT any more innovative than their less successful competitors. In some cases they were less innovative. Innovation by itself is not the key; more important is the ability to scale innovation, to blend creativity with discipline.

Myth 3—Radical change on the outside requires radical change on the inside.

Contrary finding—The 10Xrs changed less in reaction to their changing world than their competitors.

Myth 4—Great companies with 10X success have a lot more luck.

Contrary finding—Not true. Both types of companies had similar amounts of

August • September 2019 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

luck—both good and bad. It was how the 10Xrs handled their luck—good or bad— that made the difference.

They NEVER take good luck for granted or assume it will be repeated.

Summary—Compared to their competitors, 10Xrs are not more creative; are not more visionary; their leaders are not more charismatic; they are not more ambitious; they are not blessed with more good luck or less bad luck; they are not more risk taking; and are not more prone to take big, bold moves. Get the book to get “inside” the 10Xrs.

F) 10Xrs never relax, even when Good Luck lights on their shoulders. The pressure to take advantage of Good Fortune is always there.

Good Luck! HCBM

G) In the end, it’s great leaders and great people—or lack thereof—who make the difference in how Luck is handled. Good Luck seems to more often visit people who are fanatics about what they do and how

Charles Waldo, Ph.D., is Professor of Marketing (ret.) in Anderson University’s Falls School of Business. He can be reached at cnwaldo@comcast.net.

they do it. People who are creative and are willing to take calculated risks. People who are energetic and purposeful, with high performance drive. People who you would go into battle with.

All organizations have bad luck from time to time…

10Xrs were NOT luckier than their competitors.

“Luck” and the 10Xrs

7497 DealMakers_V3_4.96x7.45

Collins defined a “luck event” as one that (1) some significant aspect of the event occurs largely or entirely independent of the actions of the key actors in the enterprise, (2) the event has a potentially significant consequence (good or bad), and (3) the event has some element of unpredictability.

A) All organizations have Bad Luck from time to time. Both the 10Xrs and their competitors had about the same number and magnitude of significant good and bad luck events.

10Xrs were NOT luckier than their competitors.

B) A good luck event, even a major one, does not assure success over the long run.

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E) Resilience is the key to handling a bad luck event and gratitude should be extended for good luck events.

August • September 2019 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

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D) But a significant bad luck event coupled with very bad handling, could severely cripple or sink the company.

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C) One bad luck event usually did not sink a company, if handled correctly.

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7

Ethics Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow

Ethical Nepotism is not an Oxymoron Ten Best Practices for Hiring Relatives What do Wal-Mart, Comcast, and Ford Motor Company have in common? They all started as family-owned businesses.

And they are not alone.

Family businesses are the workhorses of the U.S. economy. According to the most recent U.S. census, 90 percent of all business enterprises are family owned. They make up 64 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, generate 62 percent of the country’s employment, and account for 78 percent of all new job creation.

According to a study by OnStartups, 48 percent of entrepreneurs say they grew up in a family business.

There’s even more good news.

Women play a pivotal role in family businesses. A 2016 Business Survey conducted by PWC revealed nearly 60 percent of all family businesses have women in top management team positions. And the number of women-owned family businesses is growing, increasing 37 percent between 2010 and 2015.

Moreover, women-owned family businesses are thriving. The Center for Women’s Leadership at Babson College found that woman-owned family firms experienced greater family loyalty to the business, agreement with its goals, and overall pride in the business, with a 40 percent lower rate of family member attrition.

A “family-owned” brand engenders “warm and fuzzy” factors of tradition, craftmanship, and most importantly, trust. If the consumer had a say, 60% would prefer to buy from family businesses, according to Family Business Magazine. The 2017 Edleman Trust Barometer showed that family businesses are trusted more than non-family businesses by a 16-point margin globally.

Emotional Bonds But one aspect of family businesses can pose a challenge. Nepotism, in the form 8

of blatant favoritism or preferential treatment of family members, can turn a well-regarded family business into a proverbial “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” especially when a business owner gives a job or promotion to an unqualified family member. These types of hiring and promotion practices typically hinder the viability and success of the business.

It is perfectly legitimate for a business owner to conscientiously prepare family members to work in and even, eventually, take over the reins of a business.

Business owners often find working with

nepotism can be just as problematic as actual nepotism, and once the thought of employee preference is there, it can be challenging to get rid of.

Within the context of a family business, nepotism can often become a fertile ground for conflict. Strong disagreements are inevitable in all families and within all work environments. Ongoing disagreement and bickering between relatives in a family business can be a real nightmare for everyone, including unattached employees. A “family wrong” can quickly escalate and become much

...blatant favoritism or preferential treatment of family members can turn a well-regarded family business into a proverbial “wolf in sheep’s clothing”… a family member to be highly rewarding and beneficial. From the start, the business owner knows and has a feel for a family member’s personality, skills, and experience. Better yet, typically, training time is faster since a family member is often more comfortable teaching someone they know. As a result, emotional bonds between family members can have a positive effect on performance and enhance a company’s bottom line.

Yet, even in cases where the business owner avoids showing a preference when hiring or promoting a relative, it may still be perceived by other employees as favoritism or even worse, cronyism. A recent Inc.com poll revealed that nearly half of those polled (48 percent) believed that being the boss’s son or daughter is the secret to getting ahead, while only a quarter agreed that success comes from doing good work. Perceived

worse than a “business wrong.” The worst conflicts may even lead to lawsuits that permanently damage relationships between siblings, parents, children, and relatives. Steve Salley, a partner and attorney with Banyan Family Business Advisors, summed it up this way: “Family litigation is the ugliest form of warfare: civil war. Hostages and casualties vastly outnumber apparent winners, and the scars are permanent. Any victories end up being tragically unsatisfying.”

Best Practices At this point, you may be asking if nepotism is unethical, and thus should be avoided at all costs.

Actually, ethical nepotism can be, and often is, beneficial. Ethical nepotism operates the same as ethical (and legal) treatment of employees of all kinds. According to Wayne Rivers, president of the

August • September 2019 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

Family Business Institute, Inc., there are ten best practices when hiring relatives: 1)

2) 3)

4)

5)

6) 7)

8) Never allow one family member to supervise another one.

the firm that matches their background.”

Of these qualifications, the authors stress that “outside work experience is the most 9) Never force a non-family company Put human-resource policies in important for both the family business manager to hire a relative. The writing for all employees and family manager should have a free hand to and the family member.” They advocate members to read and understand. recruit, interview, hire, and promote that following these steps “gives future Drafting (or purchasing) an employee managers a wider experience base that whoever is best qualified. handbook, including a nepotism makes them better equipped to deal policy, is crucial.

10) Be as willing to fire a family member with challenges, lets them learn and for incompetence as you would a make mistakes before coming under the Enforce all policies fairly and evenly non-family member. It won’t be easy, watchful eye of the family, makes them among related and non-related staff. but it will pay enormous dividends realize what other options exist and thus Do not grant special entitlements to in terms of your image as an objecappreciate the family firm, and provides any employee just because the pertive and fair company leader. them with an idea of their market value.” son is related. This is especially true No matter the size of the family busiIn sum, family members can have a poswhen it comes to getting hired in the ness, a sage hiring ethical practice is to itive influence on the success of a family first place. provide all hires (including family mem- business. This success is bolstered when bers) with a written and up-to-date job Encourage all employees to have the family business utilizes advance their family members apply for jobs description that is clear, concise and acplanning and careful application of ethicurately defines the role. Craig Aronoff, at the company. This will create a cal nepotism, including sound hiring and John Ward, and Stephan McClure reclevel playing field and result in a promotion practices to avoid potential ommend in “Family Business Succession: conflicts of interest. HCBM family-oriented company.

The Final Test of Greatness” that busiNever pay a family member more ness owners have family members meet for the same work than a non-family three qualifications in order to join the Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow teaches employee would receive. family business on a permanent basis: management and business law at IU’s “an appropriate educational background; Kelley School of Business and is President Always promote a family member three to five years outside work experiof ChangePro LLC, a leadership developon merit. ence; and an open, existing position in ment consultancy.

The same holds true for giving raises.

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August • September 2019 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

9

Technology

J. David Shinn

Tech Talk: Windows 10 Security & Privacy How to keep control of your data Windows 10 Profiles When you purchase a new computer, you have a choice on the initial setup to configure a Microsoft account profile or a local offline profile. NOTE: Some businesses that have an onsite Microsoft server will login to a domain rather than a local workgroup. Our practice is to setup a local offline profile and it comes down to user security and privacy.

local account. From there you will enter a username and password for your new profile. Follow the prompts to complete the profile setup. Microsoft is tricky in trying to get you to use a Microsoft account… just keep looking for the options of offline and local.

Windows 10 Data Collection and your Privacy

Diagnostic data section Change the setting from Full to BASIC (there is no way to turn off all reporting to Microsoft) Tailored experiences section Turn this setting OFF View diagnostic data You can set this option to ON and install the Diagnostic Data Viewer from the App Store. It will show you what information has been sent to Microsoft. It’s kind of cryptic, but you can see general info.

Microsoft has been criticized by the Microsoft implemented the Microsoft ac- industry for its data collection process count profile back in Windows 8. It was and techniques. This section will give meant, by giving Microsoft certain rights you privacy information and settings Delete diagnostic data to your environment, to help provide a that need to be updated on all Windows better environment and You can click the Delete button to user experience. It is also a remove all reporting data collected way to catalog and organize When using a local offline profile, on your computer and the copies all of your Microsoft lithat have been sent to Microsoft. I censes to include MS Office you are minimizing the data do this weekly on my personal comand other MS App Store to make sure minimal collection process and keeping all puter—just purchases. By using a Miinformation is being sent. crosoft account profile, you your apps and software local to the We don’t believe that reporting data are giving Microsoft rights to Microsoft is all bad. Some of the to monitor your application computer you are working on. data collected from the masses has usage and other data colhelped create better updates and lection it deems needed to patches for Windows 10 as well as 10 computers. Microsoft, by default has “enhance” your user experience. better conduits to the wide varieties of diagnostic data settings set to FULL. When using a local offline profile, you are application software being used today— That means the following information minimizing the data collection process but they certainly don’t need to monitor “could” be gathered and reported back and keeping all your apps and software my internet usage and be able to see me to Microsoft: hardware configuration, local to the computer you are working on my webcam while I’m working. hardware components, system error on. For us it comes down to minimizing NOTE: There are many ways for hackers messages, user usage logs to include “Big Brother” looking in on your comapplication use, songs listened to, movies to gain access to your webcam through puting environment. You can still use malware and viruses. If you are conwatched, games played, web browsing a Microsoft account to inventory your history and local file searches. Microsoft cerned about your webcam, put a piece software licenses, but it doesn’t have to be declares that “typing input could be used of black electrical tape over it when you linked to your active computing profile. are not actively using it. HCBM to reconstruct the original content or See below for more privacy information. associate the input to the user” (could tie your activity to your real name).

When you first turn on a new computer you will be asked to enter an email Here are the settings to change for address or create a new Microsoft acbetter privacy: J. David Shinn is President of Shinn count. In small print at the bottom of the Click on the white Windows icon Technology Services Corp specializing in page will be “create an offline account.” in the bottom left of your screen technology consulting and support for You will again be prompted to login to small business. Shinn is also an author Type view your diagnostic data a Microsoft account…. again, in small and technical editor. and press the Enter key print at the bottom of the page, choose 10

August • September 2019 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

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11

Cover Story

Local Entrepreneur Develops Clean Alternative to Oil

By Ann Craig-Cinnamon Photos by John Cinnamon hat began as an accident in a lab at Purdue University in 2005, could be fueling municipal vehicles all over the country in the near future. At least that is one of the goals of Kurt Koehler, a serial entrepreneur, who is the founder and president of AlGalCo (Aluminum Gallium Company).

from aluminum and in the process made hydrogen. That experiment also caused a spark and flame that blew up part of his lab. For those of us without a science background, in essence what he discovered was how to create hydrogen on demand. But he didn’t realize the potential applications such a discovery might have.

Koehler says a Purdue scientist was experimenting with unleashing energy

Koehler, who has a degree from IU in business, not science, saw the potential

12

and has spent more than a decade perfecting the hydrogen on demand model and delivery method in order to fuel engines with hydrogen.

“The problem with hydrogen has always been its seed stock; where it comes from.

Hydrogen is everywhere. It’s the most abundant element in the universe, but it’s usually attached to something else.

We solved that problem because we used water and aluminum to get the hydrogen

August • September 2019 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

out of the water,” says Koehler, explaining that the aluminum splits the water molecule H2O, thus making hydrogen.

Clean Burning His first application was to direct the hydrogen into pick-up truck engines which meant he needed to develop a way of harnessing the newly created fuel. Koehler is now on his fifth prototype of a delivery system for the hydrogen, with each getting smaller and simpler.

The system sits on the back of the truck with 150 grams of aluminum alloy inside in a container. Another container holds water. When the vehicle is started the water drips on the aluminum alloy Fuel unit container which makes hydrogen on demand. The hydrogen is then sent directly into the cycling requires electricity but Koehler intake manifold through a hose. says you can use wind power for that “So when you get the hydrogen molecule and he points out that there are 1200 you feed it into the engine right into the windmills between Purdue and Chicago air intake manifold. It powers any vehithat are using only a small percentage cle; any internal combustion engine, and of their capacity. when it does you get no emissions from the burning of the hydrogen and it goes Testing in Carmel back out as water again,” he says adding that the hydrogen can be used to fuel an So the next step was getting a partner that would put his new fuel to work and engine in part or in whole without any allow him to test and improve his delivengine modification required. ery system. Koehler says the city of Car“It’s like a propane exchange tank. So mel stepped up when no one else wanted once the alloy is all used, which is every to be first. The Carmel Street Department 250 miles, you take the old spent conhas been using the hydrogen model in tainer out and put the new one in. It one of its trucks for the past seven years, takes about 45 seconds,” says Koehler of after Koehler approached Mayor James his 5.0 system.

Brainard, who personally approved the Hydrogen is about as “green” as it gets beta testing. too. Koehler says it is 100% clean beCarmel Street Commissioner Dave Huffcause there are no emissions created by man says it seemed logical that with burning hydrogen. The alloy being used their large fleet of trucks they would is 90% common aluminum, like is used have one that would fit Koehler’s needs. in a beverage can, and can be recycled “It’s been exciting watching the changes an indefinite number of times. The rein the system over the years as it gets smaller and smaller with each new system that he makes. It’s on demand so it’s not like we drive around with a tank full of hydrogen. It only makes it when the engine calls for it. And there’s no power drop off. We are able to plow snow. You really don’t know the difference when you’re running it and you’re not running it,” says Huffman who adds that the city has experimented with other alternative fuels and this by far is the easiest.

Chemical reaction

Huffman also says that the system is as simple as you can get and he could see using only hydrogen sometime in the

August • September 2019 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

future with the green initiative catching on as it has. The city of Carmel has ordered five new systems from Koehler and plans to equip four additional trucks in the near future.

Future Plans Koehler says his latest model, 5.0, is just about ready to go to market. His plans are to expand his presence in Hamilton County first, with the City of Fishers next on his list. He has had discussions with UPS and FedEx in Hamilton County as well. He is also working on a diesel version with Purdue University in Indianapolis and over-the-road trucks are on his radar for the future too.

Don’t be looking for an AlGalCo station to fill up your car though. During a meeting a few years ago in Silicon Valley with representatives of a major oil company, he says he was actually warned to stay out of the consumer market. “They wanted me to understand my place in the entrepreneurial ecosystem,” jokes Koehler, who adds that once his system starts making money a major oil company could get involved.

Koehler is excited about the future. “I don’t have to build a new infrastructure, I don’t have to build recharging stations, I don’t need any of that. All of the infrastructure is already there, already in place and it’s underused. That’s why we are so excited about this. I don’t need millions of dollars, I just need a little money to keep going and then purchase orders and money to scale it up.” HCBM

13

Roundabout

A Summary of Recent Retail Activity

By Samantha Hyde

location at Clay Terrace. Java House coffee shop is also open in Clay Terrace.

The former Jimmy Stix Pizzeria at 720 Adams St. will be the new home of Willowbrook Pharmacy. Pantanjali Yoga 21 opened this summer at 20 Executive Dr. The Steak n Shake at 635 E. Carmel Dr. has closed.

GT Carts

NORTHERN HAMILTON COUNTY Monticello-based GT Carts has opened a new golf cart retail center in Cicero at 49 E. Jackson St. Tabby Tree Weavers is relocating this summer from 269 W. Jackson St. in Cicero to 9832 North by Northeast Blvd. in Fishers.

Family practice Vine Healthcare is adding another 2,000 SF to its office at 40 N. Range Line Rd. Savor Restaurant is coming to 211 W. Main St., South Bend Chocolate Company has plans to open a café at 43-45 W. Main St. and Juniper on Main plans to open on E. Main St. and 1st Ave.

CARMEL The planned Weston Pointe development east of Michigan Rd. and Weston Pointe Dr. will include a 14,000 SF retail building and 5,000 SF restaurant. Platinum Recruiting is opening an office in the Village of West Clay at 12760 Horseferry Rd.

Juniper on Main

Martin Marietta is building a new 4,000 SF office at 4700 E. 96th St. Chicago-based Napleton Automotive Group is planning to build a new 24,000 SF Kia dealership northeast of 96th St. and Randall Dr.

ST Ventures is constructing a new 7,300 SF office at 1119 Keystone Way. The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles is opening a new branch in Carmel at 271 Merchants Square Dr. Sol Hot Yoga Studio recently opened at 7245 E. 146th St.

Oxford, England-based Sophos Group has acquired cyber security firm Rook Security LLC, but will continue operating it out of 11350 N. Meridian St. Law firm Cross Pennamped Woolsey & Glazier is renovating new space at 11595 N. Meridian St. A new 99-room Avid Hotel with first floor retail space is slated for construction on 3.4 acres at 13300 N. Illinois St.

The Cake Bake Shop, a café and dessert shop, is open in Carmel City Center.

FISHERS New Jersey-based Honor Yoga is coming to Central Indiana with plans to open a Fishers location later this year and studios in Westfield, Noblesville, and Carmel in 2021.

Found Search Marketing is opening an office at 8475 Nightfall Ln. Geotill, Inc. is expanding its footprint at 7732 Loma Ct.

Blush Salon Boutique recently moved into a new space downtown at 8880 North St. Indoor cycling center Cyclebar is opening a new location at 11545 IKEA Way and a Tropical Smoothie Café is planned for 11400 IKEA Way. Ohio-based 101 Beer Kitchen is coming to Indiana with a new location opening in October at 9708 District North Dr. in The Yard.

Massage Heights is planning to open nearby at 9705 Fishers District Dr. A new Aldi is slated to move into the former Fresh Market location at 9774 E. 116th St. Learning RX is opening a new center at 12242 E. 116th St. Among the recent Tuchman Cleaners store closures were two in Fishers at 9787 E. 116th St. and at 12672 E. 116th St. Belle Tire is building a new shop at 13365 Britton Park Rd. In November, Northwest Radiology Network and Urology of Indiana will begin accepting patients at new locations with the Fishers MedTech Park at 14300 E. 138th St. A Prime Car Wash facility is under construction at 13801 Olivia Way.

NOBLESVILLE A Family Express convenience store will be part of a new gas station planned for 210 S. Harbour Dr. Roush Insurance Services is opening an office at 18077 River Rd. Downtown Indy engineering and design firm HNTB Corp. is expanding into Hamilton County with new office space at 350 Westfield Rd. The Bombshell Salon has plans to open up shop at 14350 Mundy Dr. A new 18,000 SF multi-tenant retail space dubbed The Patio at Saxony Marketplace is under construction at 14165 Cabela Pkwy. Optometry office and eyeglass retailer Noble Eyes is moving into 13398 Tegler Dr. The new Books and Brews location in Hamilton Town Center is now open.

Java House

Indoor golf center X-Golf is opening soon at 14511 Clay Terrace Blvd. Veteran-owned retailer Launching Station has opened its second Hamilton County

14

Blush Salon Boutique

Books & Brews Noblesville

August • September 2019 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

Dressbarn locations across the U.S. are shuttering, including the shop at Hamilton Town Center. Primanti Bros. has also closed at 13871 Cabela Pkwy. Wayne Township is getting a new 16,600 SF fire station at 18441 Durbin Rd. Seafood restaurant Slapfish is open inside Broccoli Bills grocery store on Gray Road just north of 146th St.

WESTFIELD A new 10,600 SF Kiddie Academy is under construction on 191st St. west of Chatham Commons Blvd. NinjaZone has moved out of the Grand Park Events Center and is planning to build a new stand-alone facility near Grand Park that will open in 2020.

Indy-based 1205 Distillery is opening a Westfield location at 120 Camilla Ct. A 12,200 SF shopping center dubbed Monon Crossing is slated for construction at 829 E. SR 32. Moe’s Southwest Grill is opening a new location at 3300 E. SR 32.

The former Payless shoe store at 2009 E. Greyhound Pass is being converted into a space for the Little Green Apple Hallmark store. Phenix Salon Suites is moving into former retail space at 2508 E. 146th St.

The new 9,800 SF Westfield Playhouse is being built downtown at 220 N. Union St. Collective Beauty Salon and Spa is opening in August at 136 E. Main St. Birdies

Future 1205 Distillery

A new miniature golf course is open just west of Oak Ridge Rd. on SR32. Birdies is part of a $4 Million complex that will eventually include a restaurant, set to open this fall. HCBM

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August • September 2019 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

15

Interview

Local apartment financer focuses on affordable market

By Mike Corbett A new arrival to Carmel’s fast-growing Midtown District is Merchants Bank, which is moving north from 116th and Meridian to three floors of a new $25 million, five story building on Monon Blvd. The bank moved to Carmel from Indianapolis 15 years ago and is the only bank headquartered in Carmel. It grew from a mortgage company founded some 30 years ago by CEO Michael Petrie and partner Randall Rogers. Today it’s a $4 Billion bank, and includes Merchants Capital, which is the tenth largest lender for affordable apartments in the country. This conversation has been edited for space.

Hamilton County Business Magazine: Why did you decide to focus on affordable housing?

Michael Petrie: In 1987 when Congress passed the Tax Reform Act and created the low income housing tax credit, when we were at Merchants, we did the first low income housing tax credit project in Indiana with Pedcor Investments, also located in Carmel, and we’ve pretty much financed every deal they’ve done since. We finance that today all around the country, and because of that we have an expertise that a lot of other lenders don’t have…In addition to that we have another company called Merchants Affordable Housing Corp, which isn’t affiliated with the bank other than by name, but it is a 501c3 that owns 2500 units of affordable housing and the people that are in there also provide consulting services for our clients so if we have a client that’s never done 16

an affordable housing project, we can bring in people from Merchants Affordable to consult with these people, provide them with the expertise to do the applications and get them up and going and we’ve done that with a number of our customers. We taught them how to Rendering of the New Merchants Bank building on Monon Blvd. use these programs, like Chase, Wells and Bank of America. and then we provide the financing that But by not having branches you can pay backs up the program. a higher rate to the consumer so the consumer actually benefits. Now we’ll still HCBM: Tell me about changes in banking over the years, and how you have some branches but it depends on your business model…Not everybody can are meeting those changes? be the community bank.

Petrie: I think the key to banking today HCBM: So do you consider yourself for us is that we have to be a little more a local bank? entrepreneurial. You have to find your niche in the marketplace for what you do and when you do that you have to execute well. People aren’t going to just walk in the door anymore and say they want to do business with you. You’ve got to go out and get customers and so you’ve got to have a niche and an expertise that will bring people to you.

Petrie: I provide a service for a lot of local customers. When we finance customers they’re mainly local, so that’s why we consider ourselves to be a local bank because we’ve been doing business for 40 years here. Like Pedcor, we’ve been doing business with them since 1987.

Like Buckingham, Barrett and Stokely, they’re local businesses…If you look at HCBM: Considering that a lot of the apartment projects in Carmel, we’ve banking is done on the web these financed City Center, Main Street, Old days, has it changed the concept of Town on Main Street, Providence on what a local bank is?

Old Meridian, so we’ve financed a lot of Petrie: I guess the way I look at that is, the apartment projects in Carmel, and the internet provides a funding source throughout the state, so we are local that you can get to fund your deposits that from that respect but our funding could you might not otherwise have through come from a national basis, so we’re establishing branches. I think it’s very dif- providing sources of funding that on a ficult for smaller companies to maintain local basis they might not be able to get, branches because they’re expensive and but through our expertise, our clients it just dries up your overhead. We can’t benefit from our ability to generate these compete on a cost basis with the big guys funding sources. HCBM August • September 2019 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

THANK YOU TO OUR LEGACY SPONSORS:

UPCOMING EVENTS

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Queso’s Mexican Bar & Grill 14741 Hazel Dell Crossing Noblesville, IN 46062 (317) 798-2191 facebook.com/quesosmexican

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

Young Professionals Coffee Roasters @ State Farm Insurance Wednesday, August 7

Young Professionals Coffee Roasters @ Books and Brews Wednesday, August 7

WIN After Hours: Network Marketing and Sales & How Direct Sales Tips Can Benefit Everyone Wednesday, August 21

WIN Coffee & Connect Wednesday, September 11

8:00 - 9:30 a.m.

5540 Pebble Village Ln #400, Noblesville

Sagamore Golf Club 10900 Golden Bear Way, Noblesville

August Chamber Luncheon: Topic TBA Wednesday, August 28 Purgatory Golf Club 12160 E. 216th Street, Noblesville

Williams Comfort Air 1077 3rd Ave SW Carmel, IN 46032 (317) 660-6992 williamscomfortair.com

8:00 - 9:30 a.m.

13230 Harrell Pkwy #100, Noblesville

8:00 - 9:30 a.m.

Smith House 444 Lafayette Rd, Noblesville

Birdies & Brews IV: Let’s Have Another Round Thursday, September 12 10:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Purgatory Golf Club 12160 E. 216th Street, Noblesville

September Member Luncheon Honoring Mayor Ditslear Wednesday, September 25 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Embassy Suites South, 13700 Conference Center Drive, Noblesville

HealthMarkets Insurance Agency 1232 W 86th St Indianapolis, IN 46260 (317) 797-4174 healthmarkets.com Indiana Parks and Recreation Association 175 Logan St Noblesville, IN 46060 (317) 219-5272 inpra.org Anytime Fitness 158 Logan St Noblesville, IN 46060 (317) 316-3888 anytimefitness.com Sycamore Reserve Independent Living 9850 E 30th St Indianapolis, IN 46229 (317) 871-1021 sycamorereserve.com Medi-Weightloss 5108 Puffin Place Carmel, IN 46033 (317) 921-0909 mediweightlossclinics.com

RIBBON CUTTINGS & GRAND OPENINGS

Pure Barre Noblesville

Class UFC Gym

Vape and Wellness

Books and Brews

Teachers Credit Union

Noblesville Chamber of Commerce | P.O. Box 2015 | Noblesville, IN 46061 | 317.774.0086 | noblesvillechamber.com

Connect. Collaborate. Join. Learn.

OneZone Events August

September

August Luncheon

September Luncheon

11:30am - 1pm FORUM Conference Center

11:30am - 1pm 502 East Event Centre

Wednesday, August 14th

Wednesday, September 11th

Chamber 101

Chamber101

8am - 9am & 3pm - 4pm OneZone Office

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Thursday, August 15th

Thursday, September 19th

YP Leadership Luncheon YP Meet-Up Wednesday, August 21st 11:30am - 1:30pm Eddie Merlot's

Business After Hours

Wednesday, August 21st 4:30pm - 6:30pm Bar Louie - Carmel

Thursday, September 19th 5pm to 7pm Daniel's Vineyard

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& Food FORUM19th Thursday, September 5pm to 7pm Wednesday, September 25th Daniel's Vineyard

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The Instagram Takeover Takeover our Instagram for a couple days and tell us more about the great things you and your team are doing.

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Leadership Investors

Welcome all of our New Members!

AERIFY.io All Pro Heating & Air Destination Health Eat the Frog Fitness - Carmel Eats by Chef Mel ES2 Inc. Etica Group Fishers Arts Council Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine - Carmel Home Helpers Home Care Indiana Parkinson Foundation IOIPay Open Door Health Care State of Bliss Mindfullness Meditation Studio Sycamore Reserve Independent Living Synthesis Incorporated The Growth Coach To the Rescue, LLC Worrell Corporation Adams Remco All Pest Exterminating - Carmel & Indianapolis

Clearwater Design Group Culver Leadership & Development F.C. Tucker - Jaime Reagan Hensley Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar KAR Auction Servces Ken Kingshill Farmers Insurance Agency Landmark Recovery LivRite Fitness Modern Rejuvenation Center Neptune Society ReNu You Med Spa Shamrock Self Storage - Carmel Drive State Farm - Mike Kleine Agency Superior Van and Mobility- Fishers Superior Van Mobility - Fort Wayne & Indianapolis TBC ActionCoach - Business Coaching Young Living - Mig Willhite - Gallian Barry Miller and Associates Launching Station Hoosier Roof Saver LLC Oak Street Health - Glendale America's Role Models Inc.

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Wessler Engineering

Java House

Sol Hot Yoga Studio

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Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine

Community First Bank

Carmel Clay Parks

Launching Station

NORTHERN HAMILTON COUNTY 20

EVENTS & HAPPENINGS 2019 Serving Northern Hamilton Counties ATLANTA • ARCADIA • CICERO • SHERIDAN — JULY LUNCHEON ROUNDUP —

— 2019 MONTHLY LUNCHEONS — Please check out the Chamber website www.northernhamiltoncountychamber.com

SECOND THURSDAY OF THE MONTH

August 8 Duke Energy Noblesville - Power Plant/With Tour

A big thank you Todd Burtron, Founder of Conrad Advisory Group, for being our featured speaker at the Chamber’s luncheon on July 11, 2019.

The meeting took place from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Taylor Center of Natural History/ Strawtown Koteewi Park.

— 2019 NEW MEMBERS — Riverwalk Village (317) 773-3760 Noblesville

GT Carts (317) 606-8679 Cicero & Monticello, IN

Mercantile 37 (765) 734-1683 Atlanta

Senator Todd Young

September 12 October 10 November 14 December 12

— 2019 CHAMPION MEMBER —

Purkey’s Barber Shop (317) 984-4319 Cicero Visit the complete Member Directory at www.northernhamiltoncountychamber.com/list

— 2019 ADVOCATE MEMBERS —

70 Byron Street Cicero, IN 46034 (317) 984-4079

August • September 2019 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

UPCOMING EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

August TBD Westfield Young Professionals Time: TBD Colts Training Camp August 13 Coffee with the Chamber 8:00-9:00am Westfield Historical Society August 15 Westfield/Zionsville Luncheon 11:00-1:00pm First Wing Jet Center August 29 Business After Hours 5:00-7:00pm SpringHill Suites

SEPTEMBER EVENTS September 5 Westfield Young Professionals 5:30-7:30pm Woodwind Golf Course

Woolpert, Inc. 333 N. Alabama St., Suite 200 Indianapolis, IN 46062

Wandering Peacock 227 Jersey St. Westfield, IN 46074

Summit Construction 1107 Burdsal Pkwy.

Indianapolis, IN 46208

Your CBD Store Westfield 17435 Carey Rd. Westfield, IN 46074

Anytime Fitness 3249 East St. Rd. 32 Westfield, IN 46074

Trey Schulte 1430 Fairfax Manor Dr. Carmel, IN 46032

Coots, Henke & Wheeler 255 E. Carmel Dr. Carmel, IN 46032

Williams Comfort Air 1077 3rd Ave. SW Carmel, IN 46032

NewPro Corp.

16460 Southpark Dr. Westfield, IN 46074

Crew Carwash 777 East St. Rd. 32 Westfield, IN 46074

Paris Insurance Group 108 East Main St. Westfield, IN 46074

Ken Kingshill Farmers Insurance Group 1980 E. 116th St., Suite 240 Carmel, IN 46032

VITREON Group P.O. Box 402 Westfield, IN 46074

Patch Development, LLC 400 Alpha Dr. Westfield, IN 46074

September 10 Coffee with the Chamber 8:00-9:00am Cambria Hotels & Suites September 19 September Luncheon 11:00-1:00pm Chatham Hills September 20 Lantern Awards 6:30-9:30pm The Palomino Ballroom September 26 Business After Hours 5:00-7:00pm Sobczak Construction

For details and online registration, please visit: www.westfield-chamber.org or call 317.804.3030

August • September 2019 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

WESTFIELD

AUGUST EVENTS

Profile by Sanford 11503 Spring Mill Rd., Suite 650 Carmel, IN 46032

www.westfield-chamber.org

NEW MEMBERS

Options Charter Schools 9945 Cumberland Pointe Blvd.

Noblesville, IN 46060

Want to add your name to this list?

To learn more, contact info@westfield-chamber.org

Follow Us:

Westfield Chamber of Commerce 116 E. Main St. Westfield, IN 46074 317.804.3030

21

Hamilton County History David Heighway

Josiah Durfee

Hamilton County’s Bridge Builder

He was born in New York in 1835 to Daniel and Lucy Durfee. Daniel was a farmer who moved the family to Ohio sometime before 1840. Josiah came to Hamilton County in 1860, and lived in Noblesville with a family member named Elijah, possibly an older brother. He was listed as a “laborer” in the 1860 census.

Courtesy Hamilton East Public Libary

There isn’t much information about his first few years in Hamilton County. In July of 1863, he joined the 109th Infantry, a regiment hastily created to confront Morgan’s Raiders. He was listed as Corporal, but mustered out after a week and did no other service. In June of 1864, he returned to Ohio to marry Sarah Frary. The couple had four children – Harvey, Lula, Katie, and Electra (who died at age two).

Stony Creek Bridge

Reputation for Quality Josiah is first heard of doing construction work in 1865 when he received a contract to build part of the bridge over the White River at Noblesville at the site of the present Logan Street bridge. He is listed on the 1866 map of Hamilton County as “Carpenter & Bridge Builder.”

That year, as part of the company Wil22

liams, Durfee, Stoops, and Giger, he received a contract to build a bridge over Stoney Creek on Greenfield Pike (presently Greenfield Avenue or 238).

He had another contract to repair the Logan Street Bridge in 1867. Then, in 1868, he and his partner Enoch Vanwy were contracted to build a new bridge.

Courtesy Hamilton East Public Libary

There is a lot of talk now about access to the White River and developing it as a destination. It’s probably a good time to look at the person who built the first major bridges over the river – Josiah Durfee.

Logan Street Covered Bridge

Also that year, he built bridges at Strawtown and at Prairie Creek on the Tipton County line. In 1869, Durfee and Vanwy built the Eller-Heady Bridge at what today is the 116th Street river crossing.

Durfee started a new partnership with Isaac Williams and Aaron Giger in 1870.

The first thing they did was to build a planing mill on Polk Street across from the depot. The building is still there, but was remodeled into the back section of the mill building in the 1890’s. By this time, Durfee had a regional reputation for quality work. He was contracted by the city of Indianapolis to replace the Westfield Pike bridge over the canal (in present-day Broad Ripple).

The 1870’s were the time of most of his major work. His company did the woodwork in 1870 for the new “Seminary” being built that replaced the 1850’s building. This structure was soon called the high school, and later 2nd Ward school, and is now Seminary Park. In April of 1871, the County Commissioners accepted the structure that Durfee

is most known for – the bridge across White River at Potter’s Ford.

After a few slow business years, which coincided with the national depression that began in 1873, the company started getting important jobs again. They built the Sheriff’s Residence and Jail in 1875 (now the Hamilton County Historical Society Museum), as well as a new bridge over Stoney Creek after the old one had been destroyed by a flood. In 1876, Durfee went back to Marion County to build a bridge over Fishback Creek near Trader’s Point.

Durfee got the contract to build railroad bridges for the Anderson, Lebanon & St. Louis Railroad to Noblesville. Two years later, he got the contract for the bridges west from Noblesville. The railroad was later known as the Central Indiana or Midland. (I did a history of the line for HCBM Jun/Jul 2011.) Durfee would be on the board of directors for the railroad between 1879 and 1885.

The company built the Leonard Wild home at Pleasant and 5th in 1877. They also submitted a bid for the construction of the new courthouse, but didn’t get the contract. In 1878, the company built an addition to county home on Cumberland Road (at the site of present high school), a bookcase for the sheriff’s office, a residence for Lewis Chew, and

The High School

August • September 2019 • Hamilton County Business Magazine

voice. She helped to support the family by becoming a sales agent for Burdett organs. The family lived in a home on South Tenth Street that Josiah had built.

His life seemed to be going strong when he contracted “lung fever” (pneumonia) in December of 1889 and died on the 16th at the age of 54.

did the woodwork in local stores. They built a new bridge over Cicero Creek near Arcadia in 1879.

The company of Williams, Giger & Durfee failed in 1880. The reasons aren’t known, but it may have had something to do with a burglary in 1876 where the company safe was blown up. When it was repaired in 1877, they told the newspaper to let the burglars know that it was just used to store account books and was never locked.

Many of Josiah’s buildings still stand today—the planing mill, the Sheriff’s residence, the Leonard Wild home, and others. The only bridges left are Potters Bridge, which is now a park, and Fishback Creek Bridge, which was moved onto private property near Trader’s Point when Interstate 65 was constructed.

The Wild House

Still standing Durfee continued to work during the 1880’s doing upkeep on his bridges, and doing specialty work on things like the flagpole for Frederick Douglass’ visit in 1880 and repair of the structure around the Medicinal Spring in 1882. In 1883, he built the bridge over Cicero Creek at Cicero that was later known as Red Bridge. He also built bridges at Williams Creek, Little Cicero Creek, and Fall Creek, as well as school houses for Noblesville Township and White River township.

In his time away from work, he did much hunting and fishing with friends

The Wild House today

and served in local politics, running for sheriff in 1878 and 1882. His wife sang with local choirs and was known for her

Josiah Durfee had a large impact on the built environment in central Indiana.

He was highly regarded both as a contractor and as a person. When he died, the newspaper said, “…he made a reputation for honesty and integrity that is unquestionable.” It’s appropriate that the Noblesville Preservation Alliance has named its most distinguished award after him. HCBM

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