April/May 2009
Arcadia Cushman
Small town business, national market
Plus… Hamilton County’s Only Car Manufacturer How to Find Fraud “ Sake-to-me” and other student entrepreneurial ideas
KEEP A LEVEL HEAD IN AN UP-AND-DOWN MARKET Amid recent market volatility, we’ve seen substantial
upswings and downturns. But when the market reacts one way, it doesn’t mean you should, too. The actions you take today can significantly impact your financial future. So before you alter your investment strategy, schedule a financial review. We can help you stay focused despite the market's recent disappointments and find opportunities for the long term. Call today to schedule your financial review. To find an Edward Jones Financial Advisor near you, Call 1-800-ED-JONES
www.edwardjones.com
Member SIPC
April/May
’09
7 Features
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Arcadia Cushman finds a national niche
Students offer their best business ideas
Warner Bodies: Noblesville Chamber’s Business of the year
On the cover: Steve Lorenz, Arcadia Cushman Photo by William Fouts
April • May 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
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Entrepreneur
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Management
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Education
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Dining Out
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Guest Column
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News
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Family Business
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Chamber
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Calendar
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History
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Bookmark
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Business Resource Directory
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
Creative Director Melanie Malone malinsky58@sbcglobal.net Correspondents William Fouts wfouts@mac.com Shari Held sharih@comcast.net Mike Magan mike@penpointonline.com Martha Yoder klmyoder@sbcglobal.net Photo Credits Bobbie Sutton, William Fouts, Cathy Langlois
Contributors Laina Molaski MBA PhD lmolaski@candsconsulting.biz David Heighway heighwayd@earthlink.net Emmett Dulaney MBA eadulaney@anderson.edu Troy Renbarger troy@consultwithprostar.com Scott Eckart seckart@westpointfinancialgroup.com Jason Patch, CPA jpatch@ksmcpa.com
Please send news items and photos to news@hamiltoncountybusiness.com Submission does not guarantee publication For advertising information contact Mike Corbett at mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com
Copyright 2009 Hamilton County Media Group. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission.
Hamilton County Business Magazine/April • May 09
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Letter from the Editor/April May 2009 So, how are you holding up in this economy? That’s the question I get most often these days as I talk to Hamilton County businesspeople. Challenging conditions are changing the landscape and opening new opportunities. Many of us are forced to get creative as we adjust to a tougher marketplace. I’d like to hear your stories or those of people you know, and share some of them with our readers. Please let me know about creative solutions in this challenging environment: mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com. I didn’t have to think twice when Chad Myers suggested a review of Blue Ocean Strategy for this edition’s book review. I read the book a couple of years ago at the suggestion of the CEO of the company who owned the Noblesville Daily Times, which I was publishing at the time. Newspapers are a classic red ocean industry in need of a blue ocean strategy, and they are aggressively seeking change. For the sake of those of us who cherish the role of newspapers in American life, I hope they find it in time. I hope you will read Chad’s review of this inspiring book. One of the main points of that strategy is to carve out your own niche market and dominate it. The subject of our cover story this month has done just that. His market is very specific: fans of the Cushman motor scooter, which has been out of production for 40 years. Steve Lorenz has built a national reputation by serving that market out of his garage in Arcadia. Reporter Bill Fouts joins us this month and gives us a profile of Steve’s unique operation. Our young people are often a source of entrepreneurial inspiration. It’s refreshing to see new business ideas emerging out of our schools. We offer the winners of the Hamilton County Alliance’s recent Business Plan Competition in this edition. Here’s a sample: a future sushi restaurant called Sake-to-me. All this in addition to our regular columnists, a couple of guests and good variety of features and photos from your local chambers of commerce. You’re sure to find somebody you know in here. And, here’s a quick pitch. If you like what you see, please consider using these pages to help market your business. This magazine is mailed to every member of all six Hamilton County chambers, a very valuable market. It is 100% advertiser supported. We appreciate those who are marketing their businesses through us now and we’d like to have you join us. Finally, check out the website this month: www.hamiltoncountybusiness.com. Laina Molaski and Troy Renbarger are blogging there and they would love to hear from you. Mike Corbett
Editor and Publisher
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Mike Corbett/Editor and Publisher
Arcadia Cushman Scooter business serves a national market from a garage on Washington St.
A
By William Fouts
sk anyone to name a classic American motorcycle and Harley Davidson probably jumps to mind. Ask to name a classic American motor scooter and some might be hard pressed to come up with Cushman.
was hooked. So much so, he was prepared to walk away from a promising career with Public Service Indiana and turn his new-found passion into his profession. He opened Arcadia Cushman in 1997.
After all, it has been more than 40 years since the last Cushman Eagle rolled off the assembly line. The name didn’t register with Steve Lorenz, 45, of Arcadia when his father brought one home from a trip to Michigan 15 years ago.
Lorenz’s shop complements his easygoing and affable personality. Virtually every square-inch of wall space is covered with memorabilia from Cushman’s golden age. Parts and accessories are neatly stored in bins or stacked on display shelves. Yet he has virtually no walk-in business. It is nearly all mail order from which he ships scooter parts to more than 3,000 customers in all 50 states, Canada, Puerto Rico and even Europe.
“He said hey I want you to restore this,” Lorenz recalls. “I said what is it?” A natural-born motorhead, Lorenz restored his father’s Cushman scooter and another for a friend. After that he
Lorenz also builds a handful of custom scooters for select customers. Gilded in gleaming chrome and pearlescent paint, Lorenz’s creations can fetch upwards of $20,000- nearly 40 times the sticker price of later Cushman models. While far from the pulse pounding power and performance of a Harley hog, souped up motors can propel these pint-sized piglets to a respectable 80 miles-per-hour. Altogether, Arcadia Cushman rings up approximately $500,000 in annual sales. While an unqualified success, Lorenz found few who shared his vision in the beginning. In his search for parts for his father’s restoration project, Lorenz befriended
Hamilton County Business Magazine/April • May 09
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inventory and the tiny red brick garage on Washington Street a half block south of Main.
Roots in the Great Depression
Richard Huckstep helps restore a Cushman “Minute Miser” electric cart. Ray Gabbard, a Cushman parts retailer in Portland, Ind. and negotiated with Gabbard to buy his business upon retirement. All he needed was the financing, but Lorenz found it hard to turn bankers into believers. “Everybody laughed at me, banks, lending institutions, family members the list goes on and on,” Lorenz said. “They just thought it was joke. There’s no possible way you can sell scooter parts and make a living and borrow the kind of money you want to borrow.” Help came from his wife’s aunt who ponied up the $250,000 to buy Gabbard’s
Cushman may be more familiar to legions of golfers who rely on the company’s electric and gas-powered golf carts to ferry them along the links. Letter carriers in threewheeled Cushman “Mailsters” were a common site in the 50s and 60s. The company also produced a variety of small delivery and utility vehicles.
With the post war economic boom and the growing popularity of motorcycles, Cushman set out to reinvent their scooters and introduced the Eagle in 1950.
Founded in 1901 in Lincoln Neb. Cushman began as a motor manufacturer for farm and industrial machinery. But at the height of the Great Depression, company brass saw a market for an inexpensive fuel-efficient transportation alternative for quick trips around town. “They wanted to find a use for their motors,” Lorenz said. “None of the other scooter makers at the time would buy their motor. So, they thought if they won’t buy our motors, we’ll build our own scooters.” The Cushman “Auto-Glide” began rolling out of Lincoln in 1937. The classic step-thru design could muster a top speed of 25 miles-per-hour and boasted a whopping 120 miles-per-gallon.
The 1937 Cushman Auto-Glide was the company’s first production motor scooter.
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During World War II, Cushman produced a scooter for the military called the “Military Airborne”. While it was built to withstand the rigors of off-road use, they were more commonly used as on-base runabouts. In order to extend the life of aircraft tires, the military contract specified the scooter must be able to use the most common aircraft tire size.
April • May 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Steve Lorenz, owner of Arcadia Cushman, has built a successful business selling parts for and customizing antique Cushman motor scooters. “The Eagle was kind of a major turning point,” Lorenz said. “It looked like a small motorcycle. I’m certain that they were probably trying to copy or emulate a Harley Davidson in a small version.”
Competition Arrives
Cushman produced the Eagle until 1965 when Honda arrived in the U.S. with its “Honda 50” scooter. At around $250, it was half the price of an Eagle. Its 50 cubic-centimeter, four-stroke engine could deliver better than 200 miles-per-gallon. The 50’s sleek and sexy design also made the Eagle look dated and clunky by comparison. “Honda just really hurt ‘em. They had a better scooter at half the price that was more reliable,” Lorenz said. “How can you compete with that?”
lections, Lorenz added. Four of his customers have collections of 100 or more. A cottage industry of parts and accessory manufacturers also sprang up to keep their beloved Lorenz also boasts a vast collection of Cushman memorabilia bikes on the road. Some manufacturers have even acquired original Cushman factory machine tools to produce “Even with advertising, they tend to see their parts. you more than the ads,” Lorenz said. “So, the public appearances we feel are Many, like Gary Smith, a 75-year-old aca great part of what we do.” countant from Kernersville, N.C., manufacture parts in home-based shops. During spring and summer, Lorenz He is one of the many suppliers Lorenz his wife Lisa and son Ian hook up their relies on to keep his shelves stocked. The showroom trailer and hit the road, two have formed both a close business traveling to meets and shows across relationship and friendship. the country like “Cushman carnies” as Lorenz puts it. Smith says the close relationships Lorenz forms with his customers and “It’s a hobby, it’s a job and a love,” suppliers is a key factor in his success. Lorenz said. v “He is a big part of what keeps this small group of people interested and growing,” Smith said.
With customers and suppliShop assistant Joyce Herron fills one of the ers flung far and dozens of orders that come into Arcadia wide, networking Cushman each day. is essential. While his web site can While Honda may have spelled the end reach customfor Cushman scooters, their appeal continued for aficionados and collectors ers worldwide, who grew up with them. Cushman clubs Lorenz says there is no substitute formed throughout the U.S. for face-to-face According to Lorenz, the Cushman Club marketing, parof America, the umbrella group for local ticularly in such a and regional clubs, boasts approximately specialized market 12,000 members. CCOA members have with a highly knowledgeable an average of five scooters in their colcustomer base. A customized 1953 Cushman Eagle sports a chrome gas tank with sculpted eagle gas cap and 8-ball shifter. Hamilton County Business Magazine/April • May 09
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Entrepreneur Business Plan 101:
Emmett Dulaney
The Importance of the Executive Summary Imagine finding yourself in the enviable position of having nothing to do on a Thursday night. To relax, you plop down in your favorite chair and flip on the television. A show you’ve never seen before begins and the characters are talking about something you’ve never heard of. To make it worse, the dialog is short and the edits so choppy that it is apparent this isn’t how you want to spend your time. After a few seconds, you change the channel and look for something else to watch. Why? Because there are over 100 other channels to choose from and with so many possibilities out there, you see no need to waste your time on something you’d have to struggle to enjoy. Now replace the television show with a business plan and you’ll understand the importance of the executive summary. While it is hard to find consensus on all
until you have all the other parts finished. When the rest of the plan is done, you simply pull key sentences from each section, slap them in the front of the document, and presto - the executive summary is done. Outside of the business plan world, this is the model often employed in writing the summary that appears at the end of each chapter in a textbook, and it elucidates the problem with this approach: when is the last time you personally read a textbook chapter summary that you found compelling? Writing a summary this way with textbooks works because the reader will often skip the summary altogether or read only it so they can later pretend that they read the whole chapter. In the business plan environment, this approach is a surefire way to let the reader know up front that your plan is as exciting and dynamic as the latest edition of Multivariate Data Analysis.
The second method of writing the executive summary I will label the “Kawasaki approach” after Guy Kawasaki, who is one of the most well-known and prolific of its proponents. With this method, you first write a pitch before you ever start on the business plan. This pitch should never consist of more than a few slides and you can revise it over and over again until you have something attention-getting. When you reach There are two schools of thought as to when the point where the slides are generating the buzz you covet, you have your executhis part of the plan should be written and tive summary. The most important things I believe they make all the difference. The you are trying to convey with the slides first school – what I’ll label “traditional” - holds that you should write this as the last become the 4+ paragraphs of the executive summary. After the executive summary element of the plan. Since it is a summary, the reasoning goes, you can’t really write it is written, you then flesh out each of the the elements that should be in the “perfect” business plan, no one will disagree that the executive summary must be there and readily distinguishable from the rest of the plan. What so many fail to appreciate, however, is the sheer importance of it. Without a compelling executive summary, the rest of the plan may never be read and all those pages can easily become meaningless.
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sections and write the entire plan based upon that summary. Not only does this approach reverse the order of operations in the business plan writing process, but it also transforms the role of the all-important executive summary from a recap into a teaser. While the word compelling can be hard to define, it is a trait that you recognize when you see it. Quite often, the approach you take in writing can make all the difference in determining whether that trait is there or sorely lacking.
Worth Reading:
One of the classic books on entrepreneurship is Guy Kawasaki’s The Art of the Start from 2004. He combined the best content from it with information from some of his other writings into last year’s Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging, and Outmarketing Your Competition (ISBN: 978-1-591284-223-1) and this sizable tome is the best overall guide for starting a business out today. A more traditional book to couple it with is Bruce R. Barringer’s Preparing Effective Business Plans: An Entrepreneurial Approach (ISBN: 978-0-13231832-7). This book is the best in the Prentice Hall Entrepreneurship Series which is focused on taking large topics and segmenting them into manageable portions. Emmett Dulaney teaches entrepreneurship and business at Anderson University.
Management Laina Molaski You might be thinking that you became a business owner so you didn’t have to bow to “the man”. Well, guess what! You still have an “Uncle” whose rules you have to follow. One agency that enforces those rules is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). As a business owner you need to know what those specific rules are and how they pertain to you.
Why You Have to Follow the Rules Although your business may not have fifteen employees, do not take that as a liberty to discriminate. You still have an obligation to treat your employees in a non-discriminatory manner and to do the right thing as an employer. In the last ten years, discrimination cases based on race, national origin, religion and age have increased while sex discrimination cases have stayed constant and discrimination cases based on disability and equal pay have declined. What this shows is that there is always a risk of your actions as a business owner being viewed as discriminatory by another party regardless of what you intended.
When making decisions as a business owner you should weigh the aspects that are job related only. Look at the candidate’s skills and experience. Their gender, race or sexual orientation should not come into play while working as those factors do not impact their ability to do the work performed. Please see my new blog on the Hamilton County Business Magazine website, www.hamiltoncountybusiness.com, where you can get answers if you have any questions about these regulations or any other employment related matters. Laina Molaski is the president of C&S Consulting LLC in Fishers
One of the most important pieces of employment law you need to know is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (which most of us studied in school). This act prohibits discrimination for many protected classes. What are some types of discrimination that the EEOC regulates? ➢ Age Discrimination ➢ Disability ➢ Equal Pay ➢ National Origin ➢ Pregnancy ➢ Race-Based ➢ Religious ➢ Sex-Based ➢ Sexual Harassment …just to name a few. Businesses with fifteen or more employees are bound by these regulations. All employees including full-time, part-time, and temporary are included in this count but not independent contractors (which can be another regulation nightmare). Hamilton County Business Magazine/April • May 09
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Management By Troy Renbarger
How Much Detail do you Need in your Income Statement? Businesses are judged every day by their bankers, investors, business brokers and CPA’s as to whether their financial statements are telling a valid story. The numbers presented can tell many things about the performance of one’s business, yet few present them in a way that is easily understood. Here are a few tips for making these numbers easy to read. Let’s start with the income portion of the Income Statement. Income is the money coming into your business, and in most businesses there are multiple services or products that a business sells/provides to earn revenue. Many businesses make the mistake of lumping all sales that a business earns and gather into an account called “Revenue.” By combining the revenue earned, an overall understanding of the amount of activity a business conducts is gained. Unfortunately, this understanding comes with a lack of detail. Introducing classifications is one way to avoid the uncertainty of a general income statement. As the old saying goes, “Success is in the details.” The same is true for classifying the income that a business is generating. These classifications need to be general, but specific to an overall segment of the business. For example, a service business in the Heating and Air Conditioning field would want to break out their revenue as the seasons change. This simple yet effective classification allows this business to make better business decisions during the course of the year. For example, by breaking out revenue, the business is able to staff service technicians during busy months and know when the service demand slows so they can market product sales and special offers in the slow months. The essence of gaining financial attractiveness is being able to show trends. By effectively breaking down the income stream, trends
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will emerge as the storytellers of a business. A business that loses money can often times tell a positive story despite being in the red. Through effective income breakdowns and trend analysis, a break even point can be clearly seen as a reality, instead of a goal. The more positive reality portrayed in a financial statement, the better chance of showing achievable success to whomever reads it. Most importantly, the business owner is empowered. Accounting is not simply providing accurate numbers for a statement, it’s a systematic approach that leads to better understanding and better decisions.
The same technique applies to the expense side of the Income Statement. Group expenses in similar classifications and make sure that all expenses are properly classified. An expense that is coded “Miscellaneous” will always “raise an eyebrow” and require an explanation. Let the numbers tell the story and leave no room for speculation or confusion. Remember, break down the numbers within reason; being too specific can be just as harmful as too vague. Find a happy medium of reporting that suits your business and enjoy gaining valuable knowledge that allows you to navigate your business through the ups and downs of the business cycle. Troy Renbarger is the founder of ProStar Consulting Inc. in Cicero
Management By: Scott W. Eckart
Want to Build Business Value In A Recession?
Think: Acquisition In an economy when many of us are tempted to bury our heads until the scrambling is over, smart business owners are realizing that this may be the perfect time to acquire smaller, less adaptable, less capitalized or less well-managed competitors.
downturn. These businesses were much smaller and undercapitalized. Less profitable in the good times they quickly became unprofitable when business declined. Their owners had two options: liquidate and receive very little (if any money) or sell to All-City.
As the sellers of goods or services, owners sometimes forget that they, too, can be buyers. And in this buyer’s market, you can expect to find not only lower purchase prices, but also much more attractive seller-based financing and earn-outs.
Bob contacted the owners of several smaller print shops whom he thought would consider selling. Within 12 months he acquired three such businesses, or,
Consider for a moment that many of your smaller competitors are experiencing a fall in revenue that portends the end of their company’s viability. While their overhead is not large by your standards, it represents such a substantial percentage of their revenue that, as revenue sinks, they simply cannot correspondingly reduce overhead. The hypothetical business owner, Bob Eustice’s company, All-City Printing, is a good example. For a good many years, All-City enjoyed a solid business based upon servicing many of the area’s top companies. When this economic downturn began, Bob prudently pruned expenses and actually increased the company’s gross margins. But he didn’t stop there. Bob began acquiring less fortunate competitors who were unable to weather the
more accurately, parts of three businesses. Here’s how he structured the purchases: • All-City acquired only those assets it could immediately use, such as equipment directly used in printing operations. Usually this simply meant assuming existing equipment leases. If Bob purchased other equipment, he paid cash. • All-City bought the customer lists. As All-City received payment from customers, it paid the sellers for their lists. For two years, All-City paid each seller 10 percent of the future gross revenues received by All-City from that seller’s customers. Payment in this form of “earn-out” was likely more money than
the sellers would have received from those customers had they not sold. With its greater efficiencies and economies of scale, All-City was easily able to generate enough cash flow from these new customers to make the payments. The net result for All-City was a very low risk acquisition financed by future cash flows of that acquisition with the promise of increased future revenues.
All-City’s acquisition methods are far from unusual in times like ours. In many situations, owners are able to acquire businesses — or the parts of businesses they want — with little up-front cash and no bank financing. While you would not sell your company on these terms, they may be the best — and only terms — offered to a less well-positioned competitor. This is just one acquisition technique you can use to build the value of your company during a recession. Scott Eckart is the Director of Financial Planning for Westpoint Financial Group.
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Education ICE CREAM BARS TO “SHARING CARS”... Hamilton County students compete for the best business plans Here are the winners of the Hamilton County Alliance’s Young Entrepreneurs Business Plan competition held in January. Students from Hamilton County high schools develop business plans and present them to panels of business leaders. I served on a panel for Noblesville High School in this competition and I highly recommend it. It is refreshing to see these students’ creativity at work and watch them present their ambitious plans. If you are interested in serving on a future panel, contact Cathy Langlois at the Hamilton County Alliance: clanglois@hcalliance.com
-Mike Corbett, Editor
1st Place Individual
2nd Place Individual Sarah Chang Hamilton Southeastern High School
Eric Murphy Carmel High School
Island Ice Cream
Eric’s plan takes an old idea and updates it: ice cream sales on a tricycle. He proposes selling ice cream to five Carmel neighborhoods, chosen based on their proximity to both swimming pools and his home, where he will keep his inventory. He figures there are nearly 1000 homes and five pools in his market area, with residents who have plenty of disposable income. Initially he will be the sole employee and he forecasts a profit by the end of his first summer in business. He actually plans to launch this business this summer in Carmel so keep your eyes open for the Island Ice Cream tricycle.
Language Links
Sarah proposes a language interpreting service based in the United States but with satellite offices all over the world in the most popular destination cities for US travelers. Sarah analyzed the tourism market and discovered that France is the #1 destination for international tourists so she would open her first office there. She would employ students as part-time guides at €10/hour (her figures are in euros) and sell their services for €25/hour, a very competitive price for that kind of service, she asserts. Operating as an LLC, Sarah projects a profit of €77,000 her first year.
3rd Place Individual Emily S. Kearns Noblesville High School
Little Paws
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Emily proposes to match her interest in animals with her entrepreneurial spirit and open a pet sitting/boarding service near the entrance to Indianapolis’s new airport. Travelers could drop off their pets on the way to the airport and pick them up when they return. Emily has allocated $1.5 million for land and building costs as location is important for this venture. She estimates she has more than a hundred competitors in the Indianapolis market but will compete on service, location and price. Overnight boarding starts at $25/night and Day Care is $20/day. She will also offer grooming and training. Emily projects a $48,000 profit the first year and a growth rate 3%-5% each year after that.
Education 1st Place Team
John Curia (left) and Andrew Campbell Hamilton Southeastern High School
Sake-to-me Sushi
Andrew and John want to start a sushi restaurant in Juneau, Alaska. The team chose Juneau because of its proximity to the fishing industry, and its market is both tourists (1.7 million annually in Juneau) and local residents. The duo will compete on the strength of its local commitment, and evidence of that is apparent throughout the proposal. In addition to buying exclusively from local fishermen, local residents will receive a standing 10% discount. “Its combination of gourmet food and a benevolent atmosphere will greatly contribute to the restaurant’s success.”
2nd Place Team
Brian Bates (left) and Logan Rosenberg Carmel High School
Stop N Slurp
Logan and Brian anticipate cornering the slushie market by focusing exclusively on slushies and catering to the high school crowd. They want to open a small slushie operation “on the corner of Main St. and Range Line Road” in the heart of Carmel’s Arts and Design District. They anticipate selling 185-355 slushies a day in a variety of flavors, including one that offers the caffeine equivalent of ten cups of coffee. It would a be a 24-hour a day operation with Logan and Brian pulling night shift because they will be living in an apartment above the store. They claim they are not in it for the money but “for the good drinks and good times.”
3rd Place Team
Nicholas Smith (left), Pavel Dubinski and Bradley Minnick Carmel High School
QuickCar Share
Bradley, Pavel and Nicholas want to shake up the car rental business with a unique approach: instead of renting by the day you would rent your car by the hour, so you are only paying for time that you are actually using the car. They like to think of their business not as car renting but as car sharing. A customer’s QuickCard keeps track of the time and other incidental expenses. Major car lots will be located near hotels, convention centers and business parks but parking spots will be available throughout the market so a car will always be readily available. The hourly charge is about $7. This team projects a first year loss of nearly $1 million, but performance improves as the years progress. Hamilton County Business Magazine/April • May 09
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Career Dynamics offered at Westfield High School Pilot program aims to help students identify the right career
By Martha Yoder The statistics are alarming: The U.S. has a national public high school drop out rate of 25 percent. Indiana’s public high schools drop out rate is 26 percent. And, though Hamilton County’s is less than half of that (see chart next page), an 11.5% dropout rate means several hundred eligible students in our communities didn’t graduate last year.
MacFarlane, a gifted blind athlete and motivational speaker who has passionately shared his goal to help students find their life’s purpose. “I tell kids that everyone has a flame inside of them. They need to find the torch, rekindle the flame and reflect it on the outside with smiles on their faces and a purpose in their lives,” MacFarlane expressed.
Career Dynamics begins with freshman
To help keep students in school, and help them develop a career path that matches their interests, Career Dynamics is being introduced this year as a pilot program in Westfield High School. It is designed to give students a unique opportunity to recognize their career talents. Career Dynamics is a program of the 20/20 Inner Vision Foundation. The foundation was founded by Craig
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In partnership with local business sponsors, 20/20 Inner Vision founded the Stick to School initiative. The program is working to increase high school graduation rates by introducing the Career Dynamics curriculum as a three-hour workshop for high school freshman. Locally, Westfield High School and Lebanon High School are participating.
to make a connection as to why their education is important.” The next step in Career Dynamics includes connecting students with a mentor in the business community. Once students are matched with mentors, they can access local resources to find summer jobs, internships and careers that may interest them. Inventories indicate career paths The Career Dynamics curriculum is designed with several steps to help students identify their passions. Students use online inventories to determine a career
Lebanon High School principal Kevin O’Rourke explained that 280 freshman attended workshops there. The sessions helped them identify and pursue several career areas based on their personal behaviors and attitudes. “The class gives them a road map to help lead them to where they’re going careerwise,” O’Rourke said. “We want students
April • May 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Consulting Director, Mark Harris with student Billy Bernard
plan after high school. By taking these online assessments, they identify different attitudes and behaviors that mirror certain careers. Once the inventory is completed, students receive a detailed printout that breaks down different occupations. Students are then encouraged to carve out a curriculum for the next four years that includes classes that align with their goals. By taking the inventory, Mason Schaller, a Lebanon High School freshman, narrowed down some career ideas.
Students in teacher Alex Gable’s English class complete their inventories
“I tested high in the medical field and engineering,” Schaller said.
Local businesses sponsor Career Dynamics
The inventories are helpful whether a teenager is college-bound or planning to work after high school. “Because 54 percent of students nationwide never go to college,” Harris said, “the program helps them investigate college, alternative education, trade school and apprenticeship opportunities.”
Career Dynamics was developed by Mark Harris in alignment with MacFarlane’s goal. After sponsoring workshops for nearly 20,000 students in Canada, MacFarlane recruited Harris to come to Indiana to implement the program in the United States. “We talked to principals of Indiana schools and introduced the concept. They came up with idea to begin with freshman,” said Harris. Raising money for the Career Dynamics program involves 20/20 Inner Vision Foundation working together with local communities. The cost to implement the program at one school is about $45 per student.
Stacy McGuire, Westfield High School principal, is excited to introduce the pilot program as a way to help students identify classes they may not otherwise have taken. “Our goal is to catch the kids early enough in their high school careers to help them develop their unique talents and strengths,” McGuire said. “We want our kids to have the confidence to pursue their dreams by taking electives that match their career interests.”
“Schools can’t absorb all the costs, so we are asking businesses and the local Chambers to sponsor our program,” Harris said.
“We’d like to prevent the ‘brain drain’ of students going to college and leaving Indiana because they can not find the career opportunities they are looking for,” Harris continued. To find out more about Career Dynamics visit www.sticktoschool.com. v
Graduation rates for Hamilton County public school corporations District Graduation rate Carmel 90.5% Hamilton Heights 84.1% Hamilton Southeastern 87.1% Noblesville 88.8% Sheridan 72.7% Westfield 92.9% Hamilton County 88.5% source: IN Dept of Education
Database of jobs for students
Another goal of the Career Dynamics program’s partnership with business is to build a database of jobs available for students. The database could potentially also offer apprenticeships and scholarships to make students more aware of jobs available in their own community. MacFarlane and Harris have an ambitious goal to reach all students in Indiana and the entire U.S. with Career Dynamics. Hamilton County Business Magazine/April • May 09
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Warner Bodies grows with the times by Shari Held
Back in 1939 when Warner Bodies was founded, it manufactured specialized van bodies for the sales and service industry. In fact, its first truck was shaped like a shoe and used by a traveling shoe salesman to advertise his wares. Over the years, the company grew and re-invented itself. When Warner Bodies was purchased by William Boice in 1985, the company continued to build specialized truck bodies, but with a difference. Delivery of a quality, competitively priced product was promised within five weeks. In 1997 The Select line marked the company’s entrance into the standard body market. Boice’s son Mark was bitten by the entrepreneurial spirit at a young age. “I started welding when I was 10-years-old and I worked my way up slowly,” he said. “I’ve worked in every facet of the business.”
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of the Year award from the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce.
Business of the Year In 1998, after graduating from Indiana University, Mark Boice became the company’s vice president of sales. In 2002 he became owner and president of Warner Bodies. Other top management personnel include Controller Carl Rugenstein and Plant Manager Mike Henderson. Today Warner Bodies employs 70 people and produces utility bodies and truck equipment, fire and rescue trucks and trailer-towing haulers, plus it fabricates products on a contractual basis. Last October, it completed a $2 million expansion of its Noblesville facility so it could bring onboard former employees of Indianapolis-based Metro Products, which Warner Bodies purchased in January 2008. Last year it also won the Business
April • May 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
“Warner Bodies has contributed to local organizations, showing a great deal of community spirit,” said Noblesville Chamber President, Sharon McMahon. “They are a very good example of a manufacturing facility that has upgraded their facility, keeping in step with the times. In general, the company has provided a very positive impact on the community.”
Family-oriented culture
According to Boice, two things have contributed to the company’s growth and success: the quality of its products and the company’s family-orientation. “We stay in contact with all our customers as much as possible,” he said. “When our customers call us, they don’t just want to call in and
with our customers that have continued to grow and thrive, resulting in more sales throughout the years.” Warner Bodies’ customers are mainly distributorships or truck equipment warehouses. The company works with 110 of them nationwide, as well as sales representatives, such as Terry Fuller, owner of Terry Fuller & Associates based in Coopersville, MI. “Warner Bodies is a very good company to represent,” Fuller said. “They make a very good quality service body and they stand behind their work and honor their warranties. They are always researching ways to upgrade their products. In the service body industry, they have one of the better products out there, and that’s because of the hard work they’ve done in their research.”
Levi Rhea grinds a hinge pin while Burt Lambert supervises.
get an answer, they actually want to feel that people care about them. And that’s one of the things that Warner does well. That has allowed us to have great relationships
Product diversification, a growth strategy implemented by Boice in 2002, has also played a large part in the company’s success, especially in this economy. “We are making it through this current economic crisis better than most because of all the hard work that the employees have done in trying to diversify our product line,” Boice said. ”We’ve got great people. Keeping those people motivated and moving forward is the easy part of the job.”
Caring for the Community The company has a long history of responsibility to the community that Boice continues to uphold.
“Both Mark and his father before him have been very active in the community,” McMahon said. “His father served on the Board of Directors for the Noblesville Chamber several years ago and Mark also served on the Board of Directors and was Chairman of the Board of the Noblesville Chamber.”
Besides the Noblesville Chamber, Boice served on the board of the National Truck Equipment Association and is a current member of the Noblesville Common Council, Lion’s Club and member of the Noblesville Adult Swim Team. Dedication to community is a way of life that Boice encourages among his employees. v
Warner Bodies Highlights 1939 – Warner Bodies is founded and begins manufacturing specialized van bodies for the sales and service industry. 1985 – The company is purchased by William Boice and a new stage of radical growth begins, focusing on quality, utility bodies built to customer’s specs within a five-week maximum. 1997 – The Select, a standard line of service bodies that established the company as a builder of standard products, is launched. 2001 – The Select Pro line, an affordable, heavy-duty, streamlined truck body, is launched. 2002 – Mark Boice becomes president and owner of Warner Bodies. The company adopts diversification as a growth strategy, promoting its trailer-towing and fire and rescue industries products.
Hamilton County Business Magazine/April • May 09
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Dining Out A Tale of Loyalty in the Heart of Carmel
Woodys Library Restaurant owner credits residents with making eclectic restaurant an institution
By Mike Magan Hoosier and Carmel City Council member. “The people who come here are family, so each night feels like we are entertaining or having friends over for dinner.” Rider established the Woodys in the spring of 1998; he wanted to put his years in the restaurant business to work as an entrepreneur. Today it’s easy to see the wisdom in his decision now that a retail and arts district -- and more restaurants -- have transformed the heart of Carmel. Thousands of Carnegie Libraries sprouted across the American countryside in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. The buildings served as a repository of mankind’s collective knowledge, as well as a time capsule for the communities that embraced Andrew Carnegie’s charity. Carmel erected its own Carnegie Library at 40 E. Main St. in 1913, but today a sprawling, multi-million dollar library complex brings the world to the city’s doorstep. The brick building emblazoned with a philanthropic namesake still serves its community as a cultural anchor - in the form of Woodys Library Restaurant The sturdy, century-old bookcases still rise from floor to ceiling; the retouched floor still creeks in the same spots, and generations of Carmelites recall storytellers weaving a tale in the same room, with many of the same books on the shelves. “I wouldn’t want it any other way,” said Woodys owner Kevin “Woody” Rider, a
“We benefit now from the Carmel downtown becoming a destination,” Rider said. “More people come to a destination, than those who come for just one place. Having more restaurants is a good thing.” Rider recalls the anxiety of his first years, “we were on our own out here.” While confident the temporary headaches of construction would pave the way to more opportunity, Rider praised Carmel residents for staying close to home and skipping Broad Ripple or Mass Ave. “They sidestepped the construction and brought friends in here with them.” Rider’s wife Richelle, who helped establish the Bloomington and Indianapolis locations of Scholars Inn, joined her husband in business as Woodys executive chef in 2005. Richelle developed a menu that enhances a gathering of two or 20. The menu ranges from pub favorites like the hand-cut pork tenderloin sandwich, creamy tomato bisque, apricot brie chicken wrap and multiple
Richelle & Kevin “Woody” Rider
Angus burger selections. Richelle then invents new entrees each month “that are truly upscale,” such as a seasonal salad, a classic comfort dish, fish, wild game & pasta selections. Richelle’s involvement in the kitchen freed Kevin up to organize a new venture. He will be opening a restaurant in a portion of the 230,000 square feet of retail space in the Carmel City Center. An ever-changing display of works by local artists hang in the space between the familiar shelving. Rider typically sells a handful each month and gives 100 percent of the proceeds back to the artist. Broad Ripple-style people watching becomes a popular activity in the summer as patrons camp out on the wrap-around deck that overlooks Main Street. Woodys wine list was recently recognized with “Indy’s Top 10 Wine List” award and is a great value for glass pours and bottle selections. The Sunday brunch menu features a wide variety of plated options including crêpes and Eggs Benedict.
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The downstairs is a smoke-free neighborhood pub featuring a 225- gallon saltwater fish tank overlooking a casual dining area. Woodys is open seven days a week serving lunch and dinner, as well as a brunch on Sunday. April • May 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Guest Columnist By Jason Patch, CPA
Preventing Profits from Walking Out the Door Fraud is seldom discussed in many small to medium-sized businesses because we tend to trust the colleagues with whom we have built relationships. Unfortunately, the risk is significantly greater at a small to medium-sized business than at a larger company because many small business owners believe they will not become the victims of fraud, so they don’t take precautions.
Temptation or personal financial pressures can push even the hardest working, most trusted employee to commit fraud. The incentives are in the headlines daily: unemployment is on the rise and the economy is in a recession. The goal should not be to suspect every employee of being a thief but to remove or minimize the temptation and opportunity to commit fraud. Most employees have good intentions, but even the best intentions can be overcome by basic human needs. The first step is to inform employees that the company is looking for discrepancies. Perception can be a strong ally in minimizing the risk. And, while some of these ideas may seem like common sense, many are lacking in daily management.
Identify areas of weakness in operations that may be providing the opportunity for fraud. Look inside and outside the company to design processes that minimize those opportunities, strengthen controls and determine which risks are acceptable. The opportunities may not be eliminated, but they can be minimized. Educate owners and employees regarding the risks and implications of fraud, both to the individual and the company. Explain why fraud occurs, how to recognize it and what to do if an individual suspects fraud. Employees are management’s eyes and ears and will often report concerns if they’re asked. Conduct surprise audits throughout the year. Surprise makes it difficult to conceal a fraud. Short of an actual audit, an internal control review will identify areas of weakness and operational inefficiencies that may currently be going unnoticed by management. There is not one specific strategy to identify fraud. Warning signs may vary and may not even exist, depending on
the situation. Consider these factors in assessing your current risk: • Do internal accountants have direct supervision? • Are they responsible for all aspects of the accounting process with limited segregation? • Do they often work after hours or at home and continually misplace files and other documentation? • Are there any sudden changes in behavior (i.e. standard car traded in for a luxury car)? • Is there a reluctance to take extended vacations? While some of these traits indicate a hard working, trusted employee, they are factors to consider in assessing fraud risks in business environments. Fraud is a cost of business that typically goes unnoticed until it is too late. The key is to be proactive. Identifying weaknesses and taking action before the fraud occurs will help you manage the risks. Jason Patch is a manager in the Audit and Assurance Services Group at Katz, Sapper & Miller, LLP.
The 2009 Edition of the Welcome to Hamilton County Visitors Guide is available for distribution at no charge. Show your visitors and guests all that Hamilton County has to offer by displaying in your waiting room, lobby or store.
email your request to mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com
Published in association with the Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Hamilton County Business Magazine/April • May 09
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News Hamilton County Reaches United Way County Campaign Goal
Carmel Chamber names officers and new board members
Jeff Salsbery has been elected 2009 Board Chair of the Carmel Chamber of Commerce. Jeff Salsbery
For the first time in seven years, Hamilton County achieved its United Way of Central Indiana Campaign fund-raising goal, which was $2.78 million for 2008. Joan Isaac, Hamilton County’s United Way area director attributes the results to three main factors: • More than three dozen companies exceeded their original goals. • Several companies conducted new United Way workplace campaigns. • For the first time ever, community leaders from individual communities throughout the county unified to show their support by helping kick off the campaign and LIVE UNITED competition. Sallie Mae employees were, once again, the number one contributor in the county. Conseco was the second largest.
New officers also include: • Randy Sorrell, Surroundings by NatureWorks+, Chair-elect • William Redman, First Merchants Bank, Treasurer • Gary Everling, St. Vincent Carmel Hospital, Secretary • E. Davis Coots, Coots, Henke & Wheeler, Past chair New Board Members include: • Terri Nix, owner of Gifts to Go by Basket Case • Gil Gomez, of Hogan Mayflower.
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For the 20th consecutive year, Fishers Clerk-Treasurer Linda Gaye Cordell received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting (CAFR) award given Gaye Cordell by the Government Finance Officers Association for her comprehensive annual financial report. An impartial panel judges the reports to ensure reports meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR.
Hamilton Healthcare Campus Construction Advancing
Interior Designers Launch New Business
Heather MacInnis and Rebekah Witherite, interior designers with MacInnis Construction and Design in Noblesville, have launched Designed to Assist, which offers personal assistant services such as house and pet sitting, errand running, commercial courier services and light home cleaning. Find more at www.designedtoassist.com.
Cicero Seeking Directional Signs on Major Highways
United Way adds to its County Board The Town of Cicero will be attempting to The Hamilton County Advisory Board of United Way of Central Indiana has elected six new board members. They include: • Marc Drizin, founder, Employee Hold’ em • David George, Fishers town council member • John Winenger, St. Vincent Health Systems Regional Network Consultant, • Mike Holland, civic volunteer • Rod Watson, Noblesville Middle School assistant principal • Tim Timmons, The Times publisher
Gaye Cordell Receives 20th Consecutive Award
get directional signage pointing to the town from U.S. 31 (8 miles west of town) and SR 37 (4 miles east). There are currently no signs on either highway directing traffic to Cicero. The town has solicited letters of support from local businesses and will be sending them to INDOT.
April • May 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Construction of the largest office building in Noblesville is progressing rapidly. Despite the area’s snowy, cold winter, the first building of the Hamilton Healthcare Campus, a three-story, 122,000-square-foot healthcare facility located at 146th Street and Cumberland Road, is well underway.
Construction of tenant interiors and suite finishes are scheduled to begin April 1. The building should be ready for occupancy by October. Community Health Network is the anchor tenant committed to occupy
News study from Ball State University. A survey of human resources executives at 229 firms across Indiana found that about two thirds were willing to pay a higher salary of 1 to 4 percent while one fourth would to pay 5 to 8 percent more for such new hires. Emerging media technologies were defined as e-mail, mobile computing, podcasts, digital Sheridan Gets New Cellphone Site audio/media players, mobile communication devices, instant messaging, interactive Web Verizon Wireless has activated a new cell pages and blogs. site in Sheridan, enabling more customers to use their wireless phones at the same time. The new cell site, which is equipped Furniture Store Opens in Noblesville with a permanent backup generator for emergencies, improves voice and data coverage in Sheridan; along State Road 47 east of U.S. 421; and along State Road 38 east of the Hamilton County line toward U.S. 31. the facility, which is expected to include primary care services, urgent care, imaging services, a laboratory, and a community conference center for tenant and neighborhood use. For more information on the Hamilton Healthcare Campus, call Jackson Commercial Real Estate at 317-706-6724
Emerging Media Skills Pay Off for employees
Human resources managers are willing to pay a premium to attract new employees with emerging media skills, says a new
Kilpatrick Traditions will be celebrating its Grand Opening on Friday, April 17 with an Open House from 3-6 and a ribbon cutting at 4. Kilpatrick Traditions specializes in custom cabinetry and furniture made in Ohio by
Mennonite and Amish craftsmen. The showroom is located at 159 N. 9th St. in Noblesville. More info at www.kilpatricktraditions.com.
Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard spent an evening with a group of businesspeople interested in learning more about his ideas for developing downtown Carmel. The first Hamilton County Business Discussion Group, sponsored by the Hamilton County Business Magazine, was held in mid-February.
Martin Deafenbaugh, MD Orthopedic Surgery Specializing in Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine and General Orthopedics & Medical Director of
3 Convenient Locations: 1160 S. Peru St., SR 19, Cicero, IN | Tipton Hospital, 1000 S. Main St., Tipton, IN | 514 E. SR 32, Westfield, IN
Call toll free: (877) 366-BONE (2663)
Hamilton County’s Only Locally Owned Bank 830 Logan Street • Noblesville • 773-0800 5 Convenient Hamilton County Locations cbindianaonline.com Hamilton County Business Magazine/April • May 09
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News Commission Sets Goals for the Future of Indiana Higher Education Indiana Commission for Higher Education has adopted twelve core progress indicators. Known as “Indiana’s State-Level Higher Education Dashboard,” the annual report of key indicators will provide information on statewide progress. With the overarching benchmark of producing the equivalent of 10,000 additional Hoosier bachelor’s degrees each year through 2025, the Commission set additional goals to be reached by 2015. Here are some examples: By 2015, rank in the top ten states for: • High School Completion (currently 30th) • College entry (currently 23rd) • College persistence (currently 19th) • On-time college completion (currently 17th)
• College completion within six years (currently 15th) • Adult college enrollment (currently 25th) The commission also wants to • Increase the number of degrees earned and students transferred at Ivy Tech and Vincennes University by 50% • Improve the percentage of high school graduates earning Core 40 with honors diploma (better preparation for college) from 32% to 50% • Rank as the most affordable public institutions among peer states by 2015 (currently sixth of ten) The Commission for Higher Education is the state’s coordinating agency for higher education. For additional information and additional benchmarks, go to www.che.in.gov.
Ameriana Opens New Branch
Jill Followell, West Carmel Banking Center Manager, and Jerome Gassen, Ameriana Bancorp President and CEO.
Ameriana Bank opened its third Hamilton County location at 3975 West 106th Street at Michigan Road in Carmel. It also has a commercial lending center in Carmel and a branch on Olio Road in Fishers.
� Business Computer Hardware
and Software Installation � Custom Application Development � On-Site Support and Service 802 Mulberry Street, Noblesville, IN 46060, Suite BB3
317.340.4802
Rocky@compumed-indy.com
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April • May 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Family Business
Mr. G’s Liquor By Martha Yoder Myron Glover worked in the information technology department at Indiana National Bank for 28 years. For most of that time he owned a portion of Mr. G’s Liquor with two other partners but kept his job at the bank. Then, on the advice of his father and family, Myron pursued his dream of owning a business, and he bought the store outright in 1998. Last year his nephew Bryan came on board as his partner.
bute their success to a loyal customer base and a commitment to offering an extensive selection of wines, beers and other alcoholic beverages. “We’re not your typical corner liquor store,” Myron said. “We’ve designed our new facility to give customers whatever they need, and we take special orders very seriously. We also offer a specialty cigar department.”
Store front today
Myron’s nephew Bryan Glover returned to Noblesville a year ago to help Myron and support the family-owned business. He had already built a successful career in the entertainment industry on the west coast.
Bryan (left) and Myron Glover
“The idea of being closer to family and wanting to be part-owner in a business came together to bring me back to Indiana,” said Bryan.
Keeping a small staff of seven employees, the Glover family maintains a profitable business despite the tough economy and competition from local chains. They attri-
Most popular wines: Kendall Jackson Most popular beer: Craft Beer: Bell’s Two Heart; Imported Beer: Corona; Most popular Liquor: Crown Royal and
Jagermeister
Specialties: Cigar department Service: Free delivery within Hamilton County with a $100 purchase Kristin Taylor from AMG Promotions offers Erica Benavides a sample of Jack Daniels at a recent tasting.
As co-owner and wine department manager at Mr. G’s Liquor, Bryan likes the challenge of providing customers with personalized attention, especially when it comes to special orders.
Multigenerational family-owned business thrives
Mr. G’s Liquor at a Glance Chardonnay, Oliver Soft Red, San Giulio Malvasia
Mr. G’s Liquor has been offering wine and spirits to Noblesville and surrounding communities for 32 years now. It’s known for excellent customer service and a family-owned atmosphere. Mr. G’s Liquor is located in a 4,500 square foot facility, which was built in 2007 next to the business’ original location on Conner Street. “We wanted to establish something as a legacy for our children and grandchildren,” Myron said.
Store front in the 80’s
“We chuckle when a customer requests a ‘wine in the blue bottle’ with the delicious taste that they had at a restaurant. It’s fun to figure out what wine that is,” said Bryan. The goal at Mr. G’s Liquor is to continue a new tradition of combining wine tasting with a talented local chef ’s rendition of a
Samples: Customers are welcome to sample a variety of liquors and wines during normal business hours, six days a week favorite dish. The Glovers have already held several successful events at local venues to mix fine dining with wine tasting. “This is one successful way we are being proactive in promoting our business to potential customers,” Byron continued. Myron sees himself owning Mr. G’s Liquor for the rest of his career. “I love the freedom of working for myself, doing the right thing for customers and not having to deal with the bureaucracy of a large company,” Myron ended.
Hamilton County Business Magazine/ April • May 09
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April • May 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Hamilton County Business Magazine/ April • May 09
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www.hamiltonnorthchamber.com
HAMILTON NORTH
Hamilton North Chamber 70 N. Byron Street Cicero, IN 46034 317-984-4079
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Upcoming Events! APRIL 2009
MAY 2009
Thursday, April 9, 8:00 am,
Thursday, May 7, 6:00 pm,
Tuesday, April 14, 11:30 am,
Bell of Recognition 1st Quarter
Joint Networking Breakfast with Noblesville Chamber at Wolfie’s Waterfront Grill April Luncheon, Harbour Trees Golf Club, Speaker: Indiana Conservation Officer John Gano, “Morse Reservoir Boating Safety”, Join us for 9 or 18 holes of golf after the luncheon! RSVP by Wednesday, April 8
May Annual Dinner/Casino Night Hidden Bay Clubhouse, Cicero
Monday, April 20, 7:30 am, Legislative Breakfast, The Mansion at Oak Hill, RSVP by Friday, April 17
Alive After Five and Ribbon Cutting at Day’s Healthy Living Pharmacy: Dennis Schrumpf, President of Cicero Town Council, Steve Day and Vicki Privett, owners of Day’s Healthy Living Pharmacy, Jane Hunter, Executive Director, HNCC, Debbie Beaudin and Cindy White, HNCC board members celebrate the Grand Opening with a ribbon cutting
April • May 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Mike Corbett, Hamilton County Business Magazine, joined the Chamber in January
Paul Huss, Huss Computer Services, was welcomed at the January luncheon Amy Rice, Center for Pain Management, demonstrates good posture and lifting methods on John Buzzard, KeyBank at a recent Chamber luncheon.
Jane Hunter presents the 1st Quarter Bell of Recognition to Troy Renbarger, ProStar Consulting. Troy & Stacia Renbarger were nominated by fellow chamber members for their active community service.
Upcoming Events! APRIL 2009
MAY 2009
April 9 – NetWORKS! at Wolfie’s Waterfront Grill
May 14 – NetWORKS! – The Hamilton Restaurant (933 Conner Street) – 8:00 a.m.
(20999 Hague Road) - co-hosted by the Noblesville and Hamilton North Chambers – 8:00 a.m.
April 16 – Business After Hours
Anthony J. Padgett Gallery (940 Logan Street) 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
April 20 – Hamilton County Chamber Coalition Legislative Breakfast – The Mansion at Oak Hill April 22 – Noblesville Chamber Membership Luncheon – Hamilton County Commissioner Steve
Dillinger’s State of the County Address - The Mansion at Oak Hill (5801 E. 116th Street) – 11:30 a.m.
RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONIES!
Community Pride Award for Excellence recipient for January was Golden Corral (L-R in back) Charles Eady, Co-owner, Scott Van Kirk, Owner and (l-r front) Rickey Rosas, Manager & Jayne Moore, Marketing Director. Ginger’s Café, 1804 E. Conner Street, celebrated their grand opening with a ribbon-cutting recently. Joining Mayor Ditslear were friends & staff of Ginger’s as well as Chamber Ambassadors. We’re told the home-cooking style meals are wonderful. Go to www.gingerscafe.net for a menu!
May 27 – Noblesville Chamber Membership Luncheon – Purgatory Golf Club (12160 E. 216th Street) 11:30 a.m.
COMMUNITY PRIDE AWARD The Noblesville Chamber’s Community Pride Award for Excellence for February was awarded to On-Ramp Indiana located at 859 Conner Street in recognition of the completion of the remodeling of the building facade. Work on the interior is on-going. Accepting the award was (on the left) Mike LePere, building owner. Joining him were Kari Kirk and Rick Dewaelsche, both tenants in the building. Congratulations!
The recipient for December was Michael Delk, Faux Flower. Congratulations to all!
The Noblesville Chamber of Commerce presents the Chamber University curriculum for Chamber members. This series will enable small business owners to clarify goals, receive expert training on practical matters of running a business, and receive recognition for graduation from the program.
www.noblesvillechamber.com
Day’s Healthy Living Pharmacy celebrated their grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on February 19 held jointly with the Noblesville and Hamilton North Chambers. Pictured Left to Right: Rachel Weber, Vicki Privett, Steve Day, Blain Crawford, Kristina Kakasuleff, Jennifer Cox. The pharmacy is located at 1110 Peru Street in Cicero.
May 19 – Business After Hours – Logan Street Signs & Banners (1720 S. 10th Street) – 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
NOBLESVILLE
(5801 E. 116th Street) – 7:30 a.m.
Noblesville Chamber 601 Conner Street Noblesville, IN 46060 317-773-0086
Chamber University Schedule • April 1 - Financial ($$$ and Sense) • June 3 - Marketing & Sales Promotion • August 12 - Customer Service • October 7 - IT Marketing • December 9 - Work-Life Balance
Call the chamber for an application or more details. Hamilton County Business Magazine/ April • May 09
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New Openings
www.sheridanchamber.org
SHERIDAN
The Daily Grind Coffee Shop & Bakery, LLC 415 S. Main St., Sheridan Twin Kiss Drive-In 700 S. White Ave., Sheridan Tomarsha’s 305 S. Main St., Sheridan
Brian Bragg, Gunta Beard, Robert Young, Marsha and Tom Deshon, Parvin Gillim, Greg Morgan
The new Sheridan Elementary School is taking shpae!
Upcoming Chamber Luncheons April 23, 2009 Andy Cook, Mayor of Westfield Casey’s Bar & Grill
The Sheridan Chamber would like to welcome the addition of a new staff member to the Chamber office. Acacia Scott, a senior at Sheridan High School, will work in the chamber office 10 hours a week, answering the phone and helping Robert run the office. Stop in and say hello or give her a call!
Chamber Events
Sheridan Chamber 407 S. Main Street P.O. Box 202 Sheridan, IN 46069 317-758-1311
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May 28, 2009 Kristi Williams, Hamilton County Leadership Academy Midwest Grill
April • May 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Chamber Golf Outing Friday, July 24, 2009 Wood Wind Golf Club 2302 W. 161st Street Westfield Foursomes, Sponsors, Volunteers, and Door Prizes needed! Contact the Chamber office at 317/758-1311!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS APRIL 2009 Joint Networking Breakfast
Westfield & Carmel Chambers of Commerce Thursday, April 2nd ~ 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Economic Development Meeting
Monday, April 13th ~ 11:30 a.m – 1:00 p.m.
Membership Luncheon
Thursday, April 16th ~ 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Legislative Breakfast
Monday, May 4th ~ 11:30 a.m
L.I.N.K. (Learn. Inform. Network. Knowledge.) Thursday, May 7th ~ 7:30 a.m.
Monthly Membership Luncheon
Mr. Ray Hilbert Author of the best seller: The Janitor Thursday, May 21st ~ 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
New Date...June 1, 2009
Please join us at The Bridgewater Club for the 6th annual Westfield Chamber golf outing! Registration is now open for the 6th annual Westfield Chamber golf outing. Sponsorhips are limited and foursomes are available on a first come first served basis. • Registration begins at 11:00 a.m. • Lunch will start at 11:30 a.m. • Shotgun start at noon • Dinner and awards begin at 5:30 p.m.
Contact Kathy at the Chamber office at 804-3030 or events@westfield-chamber.org for details or to reserve your foursome!
Little Clinic Ribbon Cutting
City Hall ~ 130 Penn Street, Westfield New home of the Westfield Chamber
This issue highlights the following board members:
Matthew Skelton Michelle Martin Baker & Daniels. First Merchants LLP Bank
Kevin Buchheit Krieg DeVault, LLP
Helping Mayor Cook cut the ribbon are Kroger store Manager John Henne, Chamber President Randy Graham along with other Little Clinic, Chamber and Kroger representatives. The Little Clinic is a healthcare services company that treats common family illnesses via walk-in clinics by Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners. The Little Clinic is open 7 days a week, including evenings.
Bob Robey Duane Lutz Century 21 Realty Hoosier Glass Group McCoun
www.westfield-chamber.org
Perfect Pilates Opens in Downtown Westfield Connie Chesney and Chamber president Randy Graham join owners Lindsey & Mitch Berry and their staff to cut the ribbon!
Economic Development Committee Meeting
WESTFIELD
Monday, April 20th ~ 7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
MAY 2009
Westfield Chamber 130 Penn Street P.O. Box 534 Westfield, IN 46074 317-804-3030
John Kerr Edward Jones
Hamilton County Business Magazine/ April • May 09
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Calendar This information is accurate as of press time. Please check chamber websites for updates.
APRIL Wednesday, 1st 8am
Noblesville Chamber University Chamber office
Wednesday, 22th 4:30-6:30 Fishers Business After Hours Community Health Pavilion Saxony
Wednesday, 20th 7:30-9am
Thursday, 23th 11:30 Sheridan Luncheon Casey’s Bar and Grill
Wednesday, 20th 10-7 Fishers Annual Golf Outing Ironwood Golf Club
Wednesday, 29th 4:30-6:30
Thursday, 21st 11-1
MAY
Wednesday, 27th 11:30
Thursday, 2nd 7:30-9am
Carmel/Westfield Joint Networking Breakfast Charleston’s, Westfield
Thursday, 9th 8am
Noblesville and Hamilton North NetWORKS Wolfie’s
Monday, 13th 11:30
Fishers Business After Hours Fishers Town Hall
Monday, 4nd 11:30
Westfield Economic Development Committee Old Country Buffet, Westfield
Westfield Economic Development Committee Old Country Buffet, Westfield
Tuesday, 14th 11:30-1
Wednesday, 6th, 8-9:30am
Hamilton North Luncheon Harbor Trees Golf Club (Golf after the luncheon!)
Wednesday, 15th 11:30-1 Fishers Luncheon Forum Conference Center
Thursday, 16th 11-1
Westfield Luncheon Indianapolis Executive Airport
Thursday, 16th 4:30-6:30
Noblesville Business After Hours Anthony Padgett Gallery
Monday, 20th 7:30-9am Legislative Breakfast Mansion at Oak Hill
Tuesday, 21st Noon-1:30
Carmel Luncheon The Monon Center at Central Park
Wednesday, 22th 11:30 Noblesville Luncheon State of the County Mansion at Oak Hill
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Fishers Morning Motivator Frederick Talbott Inn
Thursday, 7th 7:30am Westfield LINK Comfort Suites
Thursday, 7th 6pm
Hamilton North Annual Dinner Hidden Bay Clubhouse, Cicero
Wednesday, 13th Noon-1:30 Carmel Luncheon The Bridgewater Club
Thursday, 14th 8am Noblesville NetWORKS Hamilton Restaurant
Thursday, 14th 6pm
Fishers Young Professionals Group Social Sahm’s Restaurant
Tuesday, 19th 4:30-6:30
Noblesville Business After Hours Logan St. Signs and Banners
April • May 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Carmel Business Over Bagels Baker and Daniels
Westfield Luncheon Crossroads Church
Noblesville Luncheon Purgatory Golf Club
Wednesday, 27th 4:30-6:30
Fishers Business After Hours National City Bank, Brooks School Road
Thursday, 28th 11:30-1 Sheridan Luncheon Midwest Grill
For more information on these events please contact the chambers at these numbers:
Carmel Chamber of Commerce 846-1049 www.carmelchamber.com Fishers Chamber of Commerce 578-0700 www.fisherschamber.com Hamilton North Chamber of Commerce 984-4079 www.hamiltonnorthchamber.com Noblesville Chamber of Commerce 773-0086 www.noblesvillechamber.com Sheridan Chamber of Commerce 758-1311 www.sheridanchamber.org Westfield Chamber of Commerce 804-3030 www.westfield-chamber.org
Hamilton County History David Heighway
Hamilton County’s Only Car Company
Fodrea-Malott and their “Beetle Flyer” The Fodrea-Malott Mfg. co in Noblesville in the early 1900’s
Headlines about automobile companies and the passing of some older Noblesville auto-related businesses brings to mind how, a century ago, two young men tried to establish a company to manufacture automobiles here in the county. Although not a lot of details are known, (suggested dates for the venture range from 1899 to 1910), we have enough information to get a sense of what a start-up business had to go through at the turn of the twentieth century.
The company was established in Noblesville and the most likely date is 19081909. It was the brainchild of two men – William L. Fodrea (born 1872) and Charles K. Malott (born 1889). Both were from families with some standing in the community. Malott’s father was a livestock buyer. Charles himself made his living as a chauffer, which at that time, since many car owners weren’t mechanically knowledgeable, meant anyone who was hired out to drive an automobile. Charles knew enough about engines that he was able to patent a new kind of sparkplug in 1920. However, knowing about machines and knowing about business are two different things. In June of 1909, a pretty chorus girl hired Charles to drive her from Noblesville to Chicago. When they arrived, she paid him with a check – which turned out to be one of many which she had forged. Although she was later arrested, it’s not known if Charles ever got his money or not. His partner, William Fodrea, was very mechanically oriented. He received at least six patents between 1906 and 1927. His father was County Recorder and his sister was one of the most popular teachers in Noblesville. However, William probably kept to the background in the business dealings of the company. He had been arrested for murder in January of 1901 when an alleged romantic rival had been found shot in the head with a shotgun. The trial attracted a great deal of attention, particularly since the main witness against
him was one of the town’s most notorious prostitutes. Her lack of credibility worked to his advantage, and, in June of 1902, the jury found him not guilty. At one point in the trial, in order to support his respectable reputation, it was mentioned that he had tinkered with engines since he had been a small child. The impetus for the car company may have been Fodrea’s 1906 patent application for a new kind of vehicle transmission. The first and only vehicle for the company was christened the “Beetle Flyer”. Local stories say that the factory was set up in the carriage shed of the Malott family home at 15th and Grant Streets in Noblesville. The stories also say that you had to push the vehicle to start it. There is a possibility that there were as many as eight employees. These people are listed in the 1908 city directory as working for an automobile maker. Of course, this was happening before Henry Ford developed the concept of the assembly line, so the cars would have been built by hand and one at a time. A descendent of the Malotts said that while the car got good gas mileage, it was top heavy and had terrible vibration problems. What may have caused the company to fold was a mishap by Charles Malott. The practice at the time was to purchase parts for the vehicles from other manufacturers and bring them to Noblesville to be put together. In early December of 1909, Malott was driving an automobile loaded with tires and supplies on Kentucky Avenue in Indianapolis when, suddenly, the car caught on fire. Charles was uninjured but the vehicle was destroyed and most of the supplies were burnt. Most sources agree that the company disappeared soon after this. William Fodrea later moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, and continued to work on mechanical devices. Charles Malott eventually moved to California. While their automobile enterprise was unsuccessful, they showed spirit and drive in putting it together. They also showed a willingness to try new technologies. Today, Hamilton County is again encouraging the growth of alternative technology. Perhaps in the future, the county will become the home of some new and successful version of the “Beetle Flyer”. David Heighway is the Hamilton County historian. Hamilton County Business Magazine/ April • May 09
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Book Mark Creating vs competing: find smoother sailing through innovation Blue Ocean Strategy How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne Review by Chad J. Myers
Blue Ocean Strategy provides a systematic approach to using value innovation to move into an entirely different, less competitive market place. The concept presented by Kim and Mauborgne is that businesses will attain greater success by not following the traditional business model of battling competitors (“Red Oceans”), but rather by creating new, uncontested market space (“Blue Oceans”) where competition is irrelevant. Red Oceans represent all the industries in existence today; the known market space. The boundaries in such industries are well-defined and the competitive rules of the game are wellknown. Companies in Red Ocean industries try to outperform their rivals to increase their share of existing demand. Advances in technology and globalization have accelerated the commoditization of products and services. This commoditization means that purchase decisions are primarily based on price, leading to price wars and, in turn, shrinking profit margins. According to Kim and Mauborgne, every industry is, or will eventually become, a Red Ocean. Companies operating in this model continually invest significant resources into competing for the inevitable losing battle of price wars. Blue Oceans represent all the industries that do not exist today, or the unknown market space. Past examples of Blue Oceans include: Ford’s Model-T, CNN’s real time news and Cirque du Soleil’s reinvention of the circus. The primary characteristic needed to create a Blue Ocean is value innovation. Instead of focusing on beating the competition, focus on making the competition irrelevant by creating a leap in value for buyers. Value innovation contradicts the commonly accepted competition-based strategy concept of a “value-cost trade-off ” which says that there must be a compromise between product differentiation (added value) and low cost. By creating a Blue Ocean, companies are able to achieve differentiation and lower cost simultaneously.
Red Ocean versus Blue Ocean Red Ocean
Blue Ocean
Compete in existing market space
Create uncontested market space
Beat the competition
Make the competition irrelevant
Exploit existing demand
Create and capture new demand
Make the value-cost trade-off
Break the value-cost trade-off
Align the whole system of a firm’s activities with the strategic choice of differentiation or low cost
Align the whole system of a firm’s activities in pursuit of differentiation and low cost
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April • May 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
The book explains 6 guiding principles for formulating and executing Blue Oceans that allow companies to break from the traditional competitive model to creating uncontested market space. 1. Reconstruct market boundaries 2. Focus on the big picture, not the numbers 3. Reach beyond existing demand 4. Get the strategic sequence right 5. Overcome key organizational hurdles 6. Build execution into strategy Then the authors lay out tools and framework to pursue Blue Oceans. The final section goes into detail about how to execute a Blue Ocean strategy. Blue Ocean Strategies presents concepts that are a paradigm shift from the traditional business models. The book provides numerous examples of companies that have created Blue Oceans and found new success. In addition, the book presents a strong balance of entrepreneurial spirit required to explore Blue Oceans with the strategic analysis needed to evaluate and execute the vision. Overall, it’s a great read for businesses young and mature seeking to break from the competitive boundaries and provide a greater value to customers.
Chad J Myers is a partner in Three Hats Marketing
Have you read a good business book lately? Share your thoughts with others and help spread good advice. Send your book review to news@hamiltoncountybusiness.com and we may run it in a future edition.
BUSINESS RESOURCE DIRECTORY Commercial Lease Space
Signs and Banners
Accounting & Bookkeeping Services
River Edge Professional Center and River Edge Market Place Noblesville, IN Call John Landy at 317-289-7662 jcl@roamermaritime.com
Logan Street Signs & Banners 1720 South 10th Street, Noblesville, IN 317-773-7200 Open M-F 7-5 www.loganstreetsigns.com www.noblesvilletrophies.com www.noblesville.com
ProStar Consulting, Inc. 130 W. Jackson Street, Cicero, IN 317-984-4141 www.consultwithprostar.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.
Space for Lease Model Mill Building 802 Mulberry St. Noblesville, IN 317-340-4802
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
ProStar Consulting, Inc. offers all of the services that you would expect from a Bookkeeper or Controller/ CFO of an organization. We provide cost-effective, outsourced accounting and financial consulting services that profitably satisfy your daily accounting demands while aligning with the specific goals and missions of your business. Our passion is accounting. Our services are your financial gain.
Create your own Economic Stimulus The experts agree that now is the time to grow your market share to position yourself for the next economic expansion.
Come experience modern conveniences and décor in a historic, loft-style atmosphere. All suites remodeled, wired for high speed internet, and ready for occupancy. Close to downtown Noblesville. Single rooms and suites up to 15,000 sq. ft.
You can reach thousands of influential decision-makers right here in Hamilton County with one affordable ad.
Freelance Graphic Design Mezign Design 11505 River Drive East Carmel, IN Call Melanie at 317-846-5379 malinsky58@sbcglobal.net Mezign Design offers graphic design services for anything from business cards to billboards, specializing in print and web advertising. Reasonable rates, modern design and fast turnaround. 14 years creative experience and I can dial up the creativity to match your needs. Photographer available. Give Mezign Design a try. You’ll be glad you did.
Is mailed to every Chamber of Commerce member in Hamilton County. The June/July issue will be mailed the week of May 25 Advertising Deadline is Friday, April 24. Call Mike Corbett, 774-7747 or e-mail mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com to reserve your space. Hamilton County Business Magazine/April • May 09
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