Focus: Green/Agriculture
June • July 2012
Heartland Growers Blooming in Westfield
Plus... The Downside of Social Media Gordon MarketingA Dream Come True When Baseball Challenged the Blue Laws
Jim Gapinski Owner and President Heartland Growers
Your LOCAL health plan solution!
ADVANTAGE Health Solutions, Inc. SM is a provider-owned health plan offering comprehensive health benefits, disease management and wellness programs to employer groups of all sizes. It is our mission to improve health outcomes, keep cost affordable, and enhance the health and well being of the communities we serve. Our Services: UÊ Õ ÞÊ Õ `i`Ê> `Ê-i v ÃÕÀi`Ê i iv ÌÊ* > Ã UÊ i` V>ÀiÊ `Û> Ì>}iÊ* > Ã UÊ7i iÃÃÊ*À }À> Ã UÊ* «Õ >Ì Ê i> Ì Ê > >}i i Ì UÊ" Ã ÌiÊ VÃ
* i>ÃiÊV> Êv ÀÊ ÀiÊ v À >Ì Ê£°nÇÇ° 䣰ÓÓÎÇ 9045 River Road, Suite 200 Indianapolis, IN 46240
advantageplan.com
“What we like about First Farmers Bank is that they understand agriculture. They understand the seasonality of our business…they understand inventory, they understand the flow of agriculture, and so they've been a real help to us.”
-Jim Gapinski
Congratulations! First Farmers Bank and Trust congratulates Jim Gapinski and Heartland Growers for their recognition as one of Hamilton County's most successful businesses. First Farmers is proud to be Heartland Growers' bank and we appreciate Jim's confidence in us and our services. We've been cultivating business growth in Central Indiana since 1885. Our local team provides a level of business experience and expertise no one else can match. A proven ability to provide customized programs to meet just about any financing need, and a solid commitment to our region's long-term economic vitality.
Take advantage of our deep roots in Indiana.
Call us today. www.FFBT.com Member FDIC Institution #478756
(800)371-3316 toll-free
June/July
’12
Features
12
4
16 19
8
Heartland Growers Managing Social Media
Entrepreneur
10 Ethics 15 Marketing 18 Legal 20 Management 22 The Pitch-In
Gordon Marketing
24 Off the Clock 26 Chamber Pages 32 Hamilton County History 34 Dining Out
Cover photo by Mark Lee June • July 2012/Hamilton County Business Magazine
35 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 ~ melzee@indy.rr.com Correspondents Robert Annis ~ noeraser@yahoo.com Deb Buehler ~ deb@thesweetestwords.com Jeff Curts ~ jcurts@att.net Rosalyn Demaree ~ ros_demaree@hotmail.com Shari Held ~ sharih@comcast.net Chris Owens ~ zetus77@gmail.com Contributors Seth Daniels ~ seth@weekscomm.com Emmett Dulaney DBA ~ eadulaney@anderson.edu Chris Gilmer ~ cgilmer@oedadvisors.com David Heighway ~ heighwayd@earthlink.net Andrew Thompson ~ andrew@businesslawindiana.com Dr. Charles Waldo ~ cnwaldo@comcast.net William J. Wilhelm PhD ~ wwilhelm@indstate.edu
Please send news items and photos to news@hamiltoncountybusiness.com Submission does not guarantee publication
Subscription $20/year To subscribe or advertise, contact Mike Corbett at mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com Copyright 2012 Hamilton County Media Group. All rights reserved.
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2012
5
Letter from the Editor/June/July 2012 I started this magazine because I like reading and writing about people’s passions. Our businesses are often an expression of our passions. The genesis of many businesses is a thought process that goes something like this: “Hmmmm, I really enjoy (fill in the blank); maybe I can make a living at it.” Considering you are going spend thousands of hours working at it, you’d better REALLY enjoy it. That’s why business stories are interesting: people’s businesses are often the single most consuming aspect of their lives, what they spend most of their time doing, and often their greatest challenge. That opens the door to all kinds of good stories.
Mike Corbett Editor and Publisher
But what I’ve found over the years is that there’s another big trove of stories in what people do AFTER work. Yes, people love their businesses and often love their jobs if they work for others. But many have found passions beyond their vocation, interests that may not provide them with a livelihood but give them satisfaction beyond what they do for a living. Take Jim Gapinski, the focus of this edition’s cover story. He is passionate about his business but within a few minutes of any conversation about Heartland Growers, he will start talking about how he can use his agricultural and business skills to feed the hungry, which is a passion of his. So we’re starting a new feature in this edition called “Off the Clock,” which will focus on interesting things people do after work. The idea came about last year as I had lunch with the focus of our first story in the series. I met Matt Snively at a Leadership Academy luncheon. He mentioned that he spends his week-ends working as a cop, a volunteer sheriff ’s deputy. I had no idea there was such a thing. The idea evolved into “Off the Clock.” Since then I’ve come across half a dozen other ideas and I keep hearing about new ones. This is truly a treasure trove of stories and I’m looking forward to telling them.
Thank you
A quick note of thanks to all who participated in, and attended, the first Hamilton County Home Show (first of the modern era, that is. I’ve been told there was a version of the Home Show back in the sixties). Hundreds showed up to learn more about how to improve their homes through the services of 45 local exhibitors. We reached our exhibitor and attendance goals and look forward to a bigger and better show next year. See you around the county!
Editor and Publisher
6
June • July 2012/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Entrepreneur No Risk, No Reward
Emmett Dulaney
Five Strategies to Help You Handle Risk What used to be called “chicken” now goes by the title “risk-averse”. The May 2012 cover story for the Harvard Business Review, for example, is Innovation for the Risk-Averse, while a Google search for the phrase on the their site (hbr.org) returned 2,730 matches. Small business owners often think that risk either exists or it does not (a binary relationship), while the very definition of entrepreneurship necessitates the presence of risk. Given that, you can assume that risk will exist in most ventures and you should become familiar with the five most common strategies for dealing with it. The most commonly recognized strategies are: acceptance, avoidance, deterrence, mitigation, and transference.
…the very definition of entrepreneurship necessitates the presence of risk.
Risk Acceptance
This is nothing more than acknowledging that the risk exists and that you could be affected by it, then choosing to do nothing further. It does not mean that you will be affected by the risk, but only that you realize you could. Quite often, you make this choice when the cost of implementing any of the other choices exceeds the value of any harm that could occur if the risk is realized. To truly qualify as acceptance, it cannot be a risk that is not known to exist. You must be fully aware of it, understand the potential cost/damage, and make the informed decision to accept it. Every entrepreneur has a different level of risk tolerance (sometimes called a risk appetite) that they are willing to contend with.
8
Risk Avoidance
As opposed to acceptance, risk avoidance involves identifying a risk and making the decision to no longer engage in actions associated with that risk (you become riskaverse). For example, a company could decide that many risks are associated with staying open after ten o’clock at night, and simply choose to close right at ten. Avoidance should be based on an informed decision that the best course of action is to deviate from what would/could lead to exposure to the risk. When practicing avoidance, the company takes steps to remove the risk, chooses to engage in some other activity, or puts a stop to its exposure. One of the biggest problems with risk avoidance is that you are steering clear of activities that may benefit you.
Risk Deterrence
The easiest way to think of risk deterrence is to think of a “you-hit-me-and-I’ll-hityou-back-harder” mentality. Deterrence involves understanding something about the enemy and letting them know the harm that can befall them if they cause harm to you. This can be as simple as posting prosecution policies regarding bad checks on your cash registers or placing cameras on every aisle of your store. You want to convince anyone who may think of doing you harm that you have steps in place to identify them and reciprocate.
Risk Mitigation
When you take steps to reduce the risk, you engage in risk mitigation (occasionally referred to as risk reduction). The harm can still occur, but you’ve reduced the impact it will have. Common steps include focusing training time and money on new employees and current staff members
June • July 2012/Hamilton County Business Magazine
who may need their awareness raised on key issues.
Risk Transference
When you offload some of the risk to another party, you engage in risk transference. This does not mean that you are no longer exposed to risk, but that you have divested some of it (sharing the burden, so to speak) to the other party. A common “other party” is an insurance company which insures you for a cash amount if all steps were in place to reduce risk and your business was still harmed. Because the harm is being distributed, risk transference is sometimes referred to as risk sharing. Some current transference possibilities include moving IT services to the cloud and having them hosted by a third-party provider (counting on that third-party provider for uptime, performance, and security measures), as well as employing external consultants for assistance in areas where you’re weak and requiring them to guarantee/warrant their work. All businesses can benefit from the ability to identify risk and judiciously deal with it, and it is of paramount importance for entrepreneurs. The five strategies discussed here should cover all scenarios. Emmett Dulaney teaches entrepreneurship and business at Anderson University.
To further interest in entrepreneurship, Anderson University is hosting its fourth camp for high school juniors and seniors from June 18th-21st. There is no cost to attend, but space is limited. More information can be found at: http://www. EntrepreneurshipCamp.com.
What is just as important as the quality of professional services you utilize for your business?
Indianapolis based photographer Mark A. Lee has been capturing the best in people and events for over 20 years. He takes great pride in working with his clients to ensure the end results fit their individual needs in a creative and interesting way.
How they work together. Don’t compartmentalize your professional business services. Coordinate them. Because to thrive, you must have an integrated approach so all areas of your enterprise are working towards your ultimate goal. Whitinger & Company has helped organizations do so for more than 80 years and we can help yours do the same.
Photography for:
Magazines Newspapers Funerals Family
Special Events Fundraisers Head Shots and more
• Accounting Services
• Small Business Services
• Assurance Services • Benefit Plan Audits
• Business Valuation • Not-for-Profit Services
• Management Advisory
• Estate Planning
• Forensic Accounting • Strategic Planning
• Real Estate HUD/LIHTC/RD • Investment Management
• Corporate Tax
• Retirement Planning
8411 Fishers Centre Drive | Fishers, IN 46038 | 317-436-7488 | whitinger.com
Great Exposures Mark A. Lee
1529 N. Park Ave. #1 Indianapolis, IN 46202 317.443.8337 www.GreatExposures.net
M e m b e r
Call for more information or stop by your local Community Bank branch to sign up for E-Statements.
317.773.0800 cbindianaonline.com
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2012
9
Ethics Bill Wilhelm
“Whatever It Takes!”
Setting Up Subordinates For Unethical Behavior
New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton has been suspended for one year as a result of his complicity and cover up of the recent bounty scandal that rewarded players for injuring targeted opposing players. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis was suspended for eight games. Neither Payton nor Loomis were the primary perpetrator of the payments-for-injury policy. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who was suspended indefinitely from the league, was; but Payton’s “whatever-it-takes” leadership style – whether implied or explicit, was the cause of the policy’s implementation since the 2009 season when the Saints won the Super Bowl. (It should be noted that team owner Tim Benton ordered the bounty policy to be shut down when he became aware of it, only to be disobeyed by Payton and Loomis.)
and Anne Tenbrunsel in their remarkably perceptive recent book on organizational behavior, Blind Spots, human intuition “does not sufficiently hold people and organizations accountable for such indirect unethical behavior (my italics).” Managers that promote the ideal of doing “whatever it takes” in order to accomplish profit and/or production objectives are in effect delegating unethical behavior. The decision-making heuristic obedience to authority coupled with loyalty to one’s employer becomes a strong motivator for subordinates to take actions that exceed the limits of legality and ethicality.
Ends Justify Means
The “whatever-it-takes” directive transfers the employee’s attention to the “ends” or
Profits at the cost of an ethical reputation will not endure; that has been proven time and again. In this case NFL commissioner Roger Goodell got it right by disciplining the senior leadership of the team rather than just the instigator, Williams. Goodell’s harsh discipline throughout the organization properly addressed the nefarious behaviors that resulted from indirect unethical actions on the part of the head coach and general manager. All too often people in organizations who are not directly involved in unethical or illegal activity are not held accountable for a transgression. According to Max Bazerman
10
potential rewards of an action, while at the same time diminishing the ethical imperative to treat all human beings with the dignity and respect that they deserve. In effect, the directive places maximum decision weight about the rightness or wrongness of any act solely on the outcomes of that act and not the potential effects on the rights of other stakeholders. Even if an employee who receives the “whatever-it-takes” directive does consider multiple goals (outcomes and rights), the emphasis placed on the outcomes tends to overshadow the goals less rewarded.
June • July 2012/Hamilton County Business Magazine
The dangers to a business that focuses employee attention on a results-only reward system cannot be over stated. Besides the loss of reputation in the court of public opinion that can result from delegating unethical behavior to subordinates, major fines and worse can result in courts of law. Sarbanes-Oxley and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Organizations clearly specify that senior management can be held liable for negligence of proper oversight. Witness the behaviors of CEO Ken Lay’s accomplices in the Enron scandal: Jeffrey Skilling and Andrew Fastow. All three were found guilty of fraudulent behavior, but the tone was set at the top. Collateral damage occurred at their auditing firm Arthur Andersen as well. Both companies collapsed as a result of both direct and indirect unethical actions. More recently has been the News of the World telephone hacking and bribery scandal in Great Britain. Rupert Murdoch, the News Corp chairman and chief executive, has long had a reputation as someone who will do whatever he has to do to get the next deal done. Even as the dust settles in this investigation and specific individuals have not yet been found culpable, it is not too hard to conceive that a media mogul who exemplifies “do whatever it takes” can lead subordinates to commit unethical and even illegal acts, even if they were not directed to do so. Changing employee focus is not a matter of choosing between being ethical and being successful. It is a matter of treating customers, consumers, suppliers, and others with the respect and dignity that they deserve
– that we all deserve – when engaged in business transactions.
Designing Ethical Reward Systems
First, clearly identify acceptable and non-acceptable reward systems in your organization’s code of professional behavior. When setting goals for proper professional behavior, take into account the perspective of those whose behaviors you are trying to influence. Think through their likely responses and anticipate potential adverse behavior that the reward systems might encourage. You may need to establish alternatives. For example, sales commissions may be the primary motivator for a sales staff; but rewards for honesty and transparency may also have to be integrated into a performance compensation package. Second, ensure that the tone for a culture of fairness is set at the top. Demonstrate through behavior at the senior management level that, while profitability is certainly important to the business, it is not the exclusive measure of business success. Profits at the cost of an ethical reputation will not endure; that has been proven time and again. Finally, actively train all employees in your organization’s code of professional behavior (versus letting them read a pamphlet) with emphasis on the acceptable and non-acceptable reward systems. Not only will it help prevent damaging and potentially illegal behavior, it will also help mitigate punitive action in a court of law under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Organizations if a violation should occur.
GRADUATION IS NO TIME TO LEARN
YOU HAVEN’T SAVED
ENOUGH FOR COLLEGE. Whether your child is in first grade or 12th, high school graduation is just around the corner. Fortunately, Edward Jones can help you put together a strategy to save and pay for college. Using our education funding tool, we can estimate future expenses at over 3,000 schools, and then recommend a financial strategy based on your unique needs. Remember, the longer you put off preparing for college, the harder it’ll be to pay for it.
For a free, personalized college cost report, call or visit today. To find an Edward Jones financial advisor near you, call 1-800-ED-JONES.
BASEBALL UP CLOSE
www.edwardjones.com
Member SIPC
INDYINDIANS.COM
YOUR TEAM TO JOIN OURS.
Don’t set subordinates up for unethical behavior that can jeopardize your business. Take the “whatever-it-takes” focus out of your organization’s vernacular. Establish a balanced approach to measure business success. Focus on profitability and respect for others. The returns are very much worth it. Dr. William J. Wilhelm teaches business ethics and social responsibility management courses at the Scott College of Business at Indiana State University, Reach him at wwilhelm@indstate.edu.
The Indianapolis Indians have as many ticket packages and hospitality options as there are innings, so there are more ways than ever for you to enjoy Baseball Up Close with colleagues and associates at Victory Field. G E T YO U R S E AT S T O D AY AT I N DY I N D I A N S . C O M
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2012
11
Cultivating Community One Bloom at a Time
Heartland Growers exerts global impact from green Westfield facility
Aerial photo courtesy Heartland Growers
Cover Story
Heartland Growers’ 25 acres of greenhouses has expanded from just 7 acres 30 years ago. Jim Gapinski raised his family and still lives on the site in the house tucked into the corner in the upper left. In fact, you can see how expansion of the main greenhouse was adjusted at the insistence of his wife, Rose, to preserve the front yard. One of his nine children now lives in the home in the center of the photo. By Deb Buehler ~ Photos by Mark Lee
W
hat started as a part-time college job quickly grew into a lifelong passion for Jim Gapinski, owner of Heartland Growers in Westfield. Attending Illinois Valley Community College, the young Gapinski discovered a lifetime career– growing flowers.
of growing space under one roof. The entire facility is temperature controlled with 35 different heating zones. Whether planting or caring for new growth, filling orders or shipping, the efficiency comes from being able to move about with ease inside the facilities.
Gapinski’s experience led to the purchase in 1984 of Heartland Growers. Today, Heartland is the largest wholesale greenhouse operation in Indiana and 71st in the nation. What makes this operation intriguing is its 25 acres
A greener green
“We were green before green was in,” Gapinski explained. “We recycle all the water we use; collecting and treating rainwater we are able to recycle it, too. We recycle cardboard and plastics including those from Lowe’s Garden Centers.” Gapinski described the newest green venture – an expansion of facilities to include 220,000 square feet on the south side of Indianapolis at Crossroads Greenhouse. This division of Heartland Growers is heated from the methane gas of a nearby landfill.
12
“We are the growers of color.” Gapinski said. “It’s been spring inside for a long time. You still get the smells; we get used to all the aromas of the different plants. That alone makes it a pleasure and we make a living doing it.”
We were green before green was in. -Jim Gapinski
Heartland Growers remains a family business with three of Gapinski’s nine children joining the company workforce. Gapinski, his wife Rose and family live on the property and feel very much a part of the Westfield community. “I’ve been doing this for about 35 years,” Gapinski said. “I’m blessed that I get to see God’s creation in everything we do – seeds, cuttings, growing, flower shapes and color and smells.” According to Gapinski, Heartland’s biggest asset is its people. The company
Bank’s founder David Kieser in Bloomington, Illinois. They had hoped to engage Kieser in finding a way to get food to Liberia. Kieser challenged the group to open a food bank in Indianapolis.
employs 80 full-time staff and seasonally has 189 on board at all three locations. Gardening is still “in” – even with the down economy. And for Gapinski, it is a lifestyle. At the end of a business day he still comes home and works in his gardens. “It all ties into our faith,” he explained. “There is a purpose and reason behind it all; sustaining life.”
“If you aren’t giving you aren’t living”
While the main focus of Heartland is growing plants and being green, behind the scenes the company is actively engaged in supporting projects that help people. As a member of College Park Church, Gapinski heard Leaid Zeyoe, the Liberarian Representative of Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) speak about the challenges people face in Liberia, West Africa. That talk inspired a group from the church to meet with Midwest Food
On the van ride home, someone offered warehouse space to found the Midwest Food Bank Indianapolis facilities. That was five years ago. This year the Indianapolis facility will distribute $11 million of food to the needy at no cost. “For every dollar given, we can provide $30 of food to a needy individual,” explained director of operations John Whitaker. The Indianapolis facility has one full time employee and three parttime employees. Over 2,600 volunteers provide over 26,000 hours to help with daily operations and distribution of food to 350 faith-based organizations in the state, feeding 50,000 to 60,000 people. As for Liberia, well Gapinski, Pastor Dale Shaw and members of College Park Church found a way to help food make its way there. “All of a sudden we got free freight to Baltimore,” Shaw shared. “Then someone we knew in Baltimore knew someone at the Firestone Company which goes to Liberia regularly for rubber.
Before we knew it, they were shipping the food to Liberia for us. The food cut the budget in half for children attending the boarding school supported by CEF. Eventually Gapinski, Shaw and two others visited the school in Liberia. During that visit Gapinski identified land that could be used to grow rubber trees. Through the Firestone connection several thousand baby rubber trees were purchased and Liberians were hired to plant them. That was 6 years ago – next year those rubber trees will be ready to produce rubber which Firestone will buy, making the operation of the school nearly self-sustainable with income for the next 25 years. “Jim brought the knowledge and skills as a business man and through Heartland Growers we were able to turn the land into farmland,” Shaw stated. “All the work has been done by Liberians – we’ve just come alongside getting the school generators, equipment and building relationships with companies like Cummins who helped ship the generators.”
Citizen of the Year On September 24, 2011, Jim Gapinski received the Westfield Chamber of Commerce Beacon Award for Citizen of the Year. The event, held in the Palomino Ballroom in Westfield recognizes individuals who “serve the community with diligence and integrity while exhibiting to the highest degree the values of the organization.” “We have been active in the Westfield Community,” Gapinski said. “It’s really home if you raise nine kids so we’ve always been involved. It is a real honor and I’m very thankful. We try to give as much as we can. If you aren’t giving you aren’t living.”
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2012
13
Heartland’s 175 different varieties of plants are delivered to Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan
Heartland Growers has also been a part of projects in other developing countries. “We have put up greenhouses and helped people grow flowers and
Jim oversees a seed sowing line where the trays are filled with soil, seed is automatically placed in the trays, covered and watered in a continuous motion. Automation is the key to being able to control production costs
vegetables,” Gapinski said of projects in places like Haiti. Locally, they support the Garden of Hope at the Midwest Food Bank in Indianapolis where about 15,000 pounds of fresh produce is raised and given away.
Whitaker explained that the local garden is cared for by Burmese refugees who have received assistance in the past from the food bank. They help maintain the gardens which include growing flowers. Cut flowers are distributed to nursing homes by The entire greenhouse operation is climate controlled year round 5 local youth groups from the south side of Indianapolis as part of the efforts of the Indianapolis-Midwest Food Bank.
Battery powered electric vehicles eliminate any pollution from gas fired vehicles. Transportation efficiency within the facility is crucial to quality and customer service
“The person holding the hose determines the quality.” Most of the watering is automatic but still the skill is in the hands of Heartlands growing staff
14
Jim Gapinski serves on the board of Indianapolis’s Midwest Food Bank and is an advisor to the overall Midwest Food Bank organization. The organization also has locations in Bloomington, Illinois, Peach Tree City, Georgia and Peoria, Illinois. Together they provide food locally and internationally in countries including Liberia and Kenya, Haiti and the Philippines. They are committed to disaster relief for the Salvation Army and at any given time can mobilize food within 24 hours of a national disaster, most recently providing food for the tornado victims in southern Indiana.
June • July 2012/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Hybrid Zinnia seed is checked for quality and placement as it is automatically and precisely placed in each individual sowing tray cell
About half of the production is propagated from seed, and the other half is propagated from cuttings that are imported from Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, and Kenya
Pastor Shaw says that Jim Gapinski is full of good works anonymously, behind the scenes helping people and hiring people. He suggests that a great summary of Jim would say “preach the gospel at all times and if necessary use words.” Whitaker adds that Jim has a gracious spirit of compassion – his role in the founding of the food bank was to encourage the provision of not just food but hope. “He’s a great example to many of a servant leader. He’s an encourager who is also full of grace and very forgiving. He runs his business with Godly principals. I think that’s why he’s successful; he is a man of his word you can trust.” v
Marketing Seth Daniels
Customer Relationships in the 21st Century Marketers are using amazing new tools to reach their audiences Take a minute and think about the interactions you have with people on a daily basis. How do you talk to them, ask questions, invite them to meet with you, and how do you stay in touch with people in your life? There are a few people that you live with, work with, and see everyday, so your way of communicating with them is probably different than most. In general though, let’s face it: technology has completely changed the game when it comes to communication. Even within the last five to ten years the industry has been revolutionized by iPhone, Twitter, Skype, Google Hangout, cloud-based communications and many other interactive communication platforms. All this change in technology has changed the way we do business. Marketers have to think up new and creative ideas to reach across social media because that’s where their target markets are. For example, take a look at the marketing approach Chevy employed for this year’s Super Bowl. The Super Bowl has long been crowned the
commercials and other questions that gave them specific information about the customers they were reaching. Instead of only using the traditional medium of commercials; the social media app allowed Chevy to learn valuable information about their customers and to create exposure of their marketing material with fans eager to view their next commercial. This was a “win-win” for Chevy and the result was a tremendously popular campaign. Chevy realized they needed a new approach now that you can fast-forward through commercials and you’re “killing the environment” if you print all your marketing material. This realization led them and other companies to digital marketing as the new medium of choice. This is true across many platforms of business.
Connecting with Customers.
Sales and marketing departments now have the option to show off their products with applications such as screen-sharing programs like Join.me (haven’t seen it, check it out!). They email their clients
The downside of social media: next page King of commercials with companies willing to throw millions of dollars into producing wildly popular and often hilarious advertisements. This year, sensing the change in communication, Chevy decided to create the Chevy Game Time App for android and iPhones in order to interact with their customers on a higher level. The App gave away thousands of prizes for answering trivia questions about their
documents and information, send e-vites to meetings, create mass-marketing emails for promotions, and create videos with the hope (or the dream) of going “viral.” A great example of this is the new video the Invisible Children Foundation released a few weeks ago called KONY 2012. This video is possibly the most viral video of all time, and within a week of its release the video had already received 70 million
views! Outside of marketing, offices use software specifically developed to help streamline production, tracking employees’ tasks and processes and making sure that they are being efficient and “lean.” All of this is done with one goal in mind: building better relationships with clients. That is the end goal for every company that is trying to grow and sustain their client base. You do this by connecting with your clients and being able to communicate with them. It is important for companies to realize this and take advantage of the tools that are available for this purpose. Communication is personal, whether you are meeting face to face with a client or they are calling you out of the blue. They expect for you to know them, know their needs, and to be able to help solve a problem for them. With the technology available today we can know things about clients that we never could have dreamed of a few short years ago. We have the ability to follow them on social media networks, keep track of our email conversation and call history, have all of their files stored in the cloud for accessibility and share this information with all the departments of our organization to provide a truly personal experience for our clients. Times are changing and we must adapt to keep up. Technology has provided tools to redefine the way we build customer relationships. Now all we need to do is pick up the hammer and chisel and start sculpting something amazing. Seth Daniels is Marketing Coordinator for Weeks Communications
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2012
15
Marketing
Managing your Online Reputation The downside of social media By Robert Annis
Social media has been a boon for most businesses, allowing them to engage and interact with customers in ways unthinkable before the Internet. But there are hazards. A couple of months ago, my wife and I had a horrible experience at a local restaurant – the waitress was rude and inattentive and an hour after being seated, our food order hadn’t even been put in yet. After I asked to speak to a manager, I was left waiting for several more minutes before I decided to cut my losses. Within five minutes of sitting down at a neighboring eatery, accounts of our visit had been posted to Yelp, Facebook, Twitter and other sites. The restaurant owner reached out to me later that week, apologizing for the horrible service and offering us free meals. I appreciated the attempt, but declined the second trip to the restaurant. I can understand mistakes happening- after all, we’re all just human – but being a former waiter myself, I won’t abide rude service.
...resist the temptation to delete the post. But it got me thinking: how much of an impact does negative feedback on most social media sites have on your brick-and-mortar business? Oddly enough, some experts, such as Raquel Richardson of Carmel marketing firm Silver Square, believe the negative publicity can actually be a good thing for your business … if you respond appropriately.
16 16
“It could be something you should look at and figure out how to deal with it (before it becomes a bigger problem),” Richardson said. How worried should you be? If you offer a product to a nationwide customer base, you probably don’t have to worry much about a local blog post complaining about a rude employee. But if you are a locally based service business, it could be trouble. Joel Blair handles most of the social media for Nebo Ridge Bicycles in Carmel. The bike shop does no traditional media advertising, instead relying on word of mouth. “If we do something wrong and it hits the Internet, it’s definitely going to impact our business,” Blair said. “Luckily most of our customers prefer to call or send us an e-mail directly (rather than posting a negative review).” How can you avoid negative Internet feedback from damaging your business? Here are some tips:
Respond right away
The first 24 to 48 hours after a comment is posted is crucial, Richardson said. People have learned the quickest way to get help from a company is by going online. “You can get faster – and better – customer service through Twitter than by calling some 800-number and being put on hold,” Richardson said. Being avid cyclists themselves, Nebo employees are no strangers to the local message boards. If someone has written something bad about the store, shop manager Jonathan Juillerat will typically contact the person directly to try to resolve the situation. Set up a Google alert notifying you whenever your business name is mentioned online. If a comment was posted a week ago and not brought up again, just let it go – there’s no
June • July 2012/Hamilton County Business Magazine June • July 2011/Hamilton County Business Magazine
reason to stir something up that’s already settled at the bottom of the Internet.
Make sure they’re right
Before responding, check out the accusation being made -- the customer isn’t always right, said Maverick Public Relations head Sharon Smith. “One of my clients had an issue with a person complaining a massage they received was overpriced,” Smith said. “But the client didn’t offer massages. Either they were wrong or they had some kind of vendetta. So we linked to the services section of the client’s website, and said, ‘Sorry you had a bad experience, but you didn’t have a bad experience with us.’ We didn’t hear anything else about it.”
Mirror the tone
When responding to a post, echo the commenter’s language and passion as much as possible; as upset as he or she is, let them know you’re even more upset that they had a bad experience with your business. The major exception is if the commenter is acting like a jerk. It might be tempting to unload on a rude customer, but don’t. Getting into an argument will escalate the situation and make you both look bad. Observers will definitely notice if you take the high road. If the customer continues to escalate matters, ask to hash things out via e-mail or in person. But even then, remember to remain professional; e-mail conversations have been known to go viral on sites such as Reddit or BuzzFeed. Late last year, a frustrated customer sent an e-mail to Paul Christoforo of Ocean Marketing regarding a pair of video-game controllers he’d ordered but not yet received. Christoforo’s snide and unprofessional responses to the customer’s e-mails were sent to popular website Penny Arcade for all to read. The story spread like wildfire, which Christoforo couldn’t put out. Christoforo ‘s credibility was instantly ruined, as outraged webizens overwhelmed his Twitter feed
and the manufacturer of the game controller fired him. Had Christoforo responded with empathy and with the correct information, chances are he wouldn’t have ended up an Internet meme.
Keep the complaint
Unless the negative feedback is libelous, vulgar, or otherwise offensive, resist the temptation to delete the post (assuming you have that authority).
Phone: 317-545-4747 Fax: 317-545-4883 recycle@escrapinc.com 2107 N Adams St Indianapolis, IN 46218 Monday– Friday 10:00—5:00
If you have a fervent customer base, chances are they’ll respond to any online attacks without being prodded. If not, Richardson suggests asking a couple of loyal clients to take a look at the posts, and if they so choose, offer a rebuttal. Don’t script their response, however; Richardson warns that may come off as inauthentic.
wide assortment of gently used, reconditioned computers, printers, laptops and other electronic equipment
Re-Use: Highly qualified technical staff reconditioning and repairing equipment to keep it out of our landfills. We can also repair your PC, laptop or printer.
“Bad experiences happen,” Smith said. “Everyone has bad days. … By keeping those posts up -- along with your attempts to make things right for that customer – will show how much you care and increase customer loyalty.”
Have others respond on your behalf
Re-Sell: Your first source for a
Recycle: Professional and Certified data destruction Insured and bonded Registered as an eWaste facility in Indiana
friendly staff trained in removal and conscientious end of life for your broken and outdated electronics
www.escrapinc.com • www.usedprinters.com
Give them what they want … to a point
Most people who post negative things online are looking for something, typically a refund or a coupon. “If they’re offering a valid concern or feedback, by all means reward them,” Richardson said. “But don’t give them something just to shut them up.” But don’t respond just to negative feedback. Reward positive interactions with your customers as much as possible. Someone tweet about a nice meal at your restaurant? Here’s a coupon for 20 percent off your next visit. Customer posts a positive story about one of your employees? Offer them a free tour of your facility.
Be proactive
As you get positive customer testimonials, post them on your website. You might even consider starting a blog to get a dialog going with your customers. But make sure your message is constant and consistent, Richardson said. Post new items on a routine schedule. v Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2012
17
Legal Lifeline for Small Business
Andrew Thompson
Federal legislation opens the door to new sources of capital In April, President Barack Obama signed the “JOBS” (Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act). Among other things, the legislation is designed to give small businesses better access to capital. The most important provision extends the exemption for small businesses that raise funds from local investors (all residents of the same state). It creates a new exemption for companies raising $1 million or less in any twelve month period, from “nonaccredited” investors, (generally investors with a net worth of less than $2 million). This kind of fundraising is often referred to as “crowdfunding,” and it is governed by the SEC.
Hamilton County is home to a wealthy population, many of whom love to support local business Overlay the Act against Indiana law and the local economic environment and a promising picture emerges, particularly for Hamilton County. Our community presents an exceptional environment for small businesses in general, including those with the need to raise capital from multiple investors. Hamilton County is home to a wealthy population, many of whom love to support local business. Given that the recession hit our community less dramatically than the rest of the nation, had the crowdfunding provisions of the JOBS act been available three to four years earlier, we might have averted a recession at the local level entirely. To illustrate how a local company can benefit, consider this hypothetical: A local, successful retailer (or restaurant) is earning a profit and is ready to expand to
18
additional locations. A variety of factors have prevented the owner(s) from obtaining traditional debt financing – the number of years in business, the type of business they run, past credit issues, etc. Without additional capital, they will have to delay the opening of their new locations, which will delay the hiring of additional employees and the advantages of additional service and/or goods to the local community. Crowdfunding may provide the exact remedy for their dilemma.
How it works
Traditionally, moderately endowed individual investors have been stuck investing solely in stocks, mutual funds, and the like – approved securities of publicly traded companies, with remote owners, detached boards of directors, and little or no connection to their own community. The theory has been that these limitations protect these investors from incurring losses they are not financially prepared to swallow. With crowdfunding, these same investors can actually invest in a local company in an offering exempted from federal securities law. Thus, instead of putting $5,000 each into stock in Apple, Google, and a handful of mutual funds, the investor could potentially pick a group of local companies to invest $1,000, $5,000, or $10,000 into and create their own locally flavored fund of investments. Interestingly, the model for crowdfunding under the JOBS Acts fits quite nicely with Indiana Securities laws, and the Indiana structure for LLCs. In short, under Indiana law, an LLC offers tremendous advantages to a small or startup company with more than one investor, providing significant flexibility. An LLC may also be taxed as a pass through entity, where
June • July 2012/Hamilton County Business Magazine
the taxes are paid solely at the investor level, avoiding taxation at the entity level, if that is preferred by its managers. To sample the climate for startup investment in our region, I recently attended Startup Indiana’s inaugural networking event in Indianapolis. The excitement surrounding the potential for new, local investment is hard to overstate. There is an abundance of worthy business in Indiana, especially here in Hamilton County.
Take it To Market
So what should you do if you are interested in a private stock offering for your own business? Get all the documents you need in place, including your business plan, all incorporation documents, vetted financial forecasts and a full profile of your executive team. Conduct market research. Assemble all the facts in order to make the case for funding your project. Craft your pitch in the best possible way. Think in terms of public relations and marketing to find the best way to tell your story. The concept of crowdfunding involves leveraging network contacts and growing lists of potential investors. Gather a contact list of all potential investors and create a spreadsheet for the amounts you will solicit and the amounts subscribed and paid. Use good contact management software to track your moves with potential investors. Expect at least 1/3 of initial investments to come from within your circle of primary contacts. Time will tell exactly how much impact the JOBS Act will have on local business, but it is sure to generate considerable buzz and energy for local businesses and their partners in upcoming months. Andrew J. Thompson is a sole practitioner at the Thompson Law Office, LLC in Carmel. Reach him at andrew@businesslawindiana.com
Profile
A Dream Come True… By Jeff Curts
The Gordon Family: Rebecca Gordon, Frank Gordon, Margaret Gordon, Richard Gordon, Theresa Landers, Sylvia Gordon
S
eventy-seven-year-old Dick Gordon has shepherded the growth of his namesake company from its humble beginnings in a one-bedroom apartment to a new 12,000 square foot facility he expects to open this summer. “We had to make more room with the increase in business,” Gordon remarked. The expansion is expected to more than double the present workforce of 56. Located at 2040 Hague Road in Noblesville, Gordon Marketing is a family owned insurance brokerage company, specializing in senior, health, life, Medicare supplement, and long-term care and annuity products sold nationwide through a network of 6,000 independent agents. The business regularly offers continuing education and training seminars to agents as part of its services. “We’ve grown leaps and bounds,” said Gordon, who entered business at the tender age of 19, “too intent on getting rich to go to college.” Though he’s turned the day-to-day operations of the company he formed in the 1980’s with wife Margaret to his daughters (Sylvia,
the President, and Rebecca, a Vice-President) and son Frank, a Vice-President, Dick still regularly consults and shares business ideas. He’s pleased with the niche his firm has developed, but recognizes two obstacles. “Government regulation and health care reforms are things that cause frustrations,” he offered.
While he built the company from its foundation, Gordon has no regrets about letting his children take the reins. “Our revenues have increased substantially since they took over,” chuckled Gordon, who believes most family businesses run into succession issues because they “give children positions and promises, but not ownership.”
Gordon understands the value of a locallyowned small business to a community and strives to be a good corporate citizen. He’s active with Riverview Hospital, serving as a board member and raising funds for hospital initiatives through a brick laying campaign.
Humble Beginnings
His family carries out those beliefs with daughter Sylvia stressing the business has a “strong connection to Noblesville and Hamilton County” and feels an obligation to be civic minded. Indeed, a look through the firm’s website staff directory reveals that nearly all of the employees are heavily involved in community activities.
The move to Noblesville has paid off. Gordon grew the company and diversified, adding several family businesses, including Harbour Storage and a separate life and casualty insurance agency that are located nearby. Other private businesses also lease space at the site, which is near Morse Lake. Gordon’s business creed is simple. “You can’t skip steps or take shortcuts.”
And while the insurance industry is known for being conservative and, in Sylvia’s words, “sometimes frustrating and boring,” Gordon Marketing embraces a culture of fun, celebrating “crazy dress” days and “Office Olympics’” while also providing company perks such as season tickets to Pacers games and the Indianapolis Repertory Theater. “We can get annoyed with the red tape sometimes, but that doesn’t mean it has to carry over to how we interact with one another”, added Sylvia.
Gordon received his start in the insurance business after answering a newspaper ad. When the company he worked for in Indianapolis sold out, Gordon decided he would take control of his life by making two major decisions: to operate his own business and to live near water.
“When I started the business, people used to question the wisdom of locating our offices in the middle of a cornfield,” Gordon proudly states, “But this is where I wanted to live, and more than 30 years later, we’ve proven to be successful. It’s a dream come true.” “Crazy Dress” days
Gordon Marketing’s new facility
As President, she manages to work harmoniously with family members, admiring the business lessons her parents presented, “They are great teachers who also love business.” v
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2012
19
Management Charles Waldo
When It’s Time to Adjust Your Course… Here are 17 Keys to Successful Change Is your company changing? How about you? All organizations and humans are in a constant state of change, however minute. Some change is planned; much change is thrust upon us. Some changes are slow; others come fast and furious. In the last issue, “Do You Kaizen?” focused on changing via the Japanesepopularized technique of “Kaizen” – improvements coming from many, very small changes made on a continuing basis over time from a broad spectrum of employees. But, as effective as Kaizen can be, sometimes things happen that simply cannot wait for a solution via tiny changes over time: A major, new competitor suddenly enters the market-
To change can be dangerous. Not to change can be fatal. -Old Chinese proverb place; a senior v.p. leaves unexpectedly; a chance to buy a major competitor suddenly arises; and on and on. Sometimes the stimulus for change is planned; more often than not it’s unexpected. A few years ago I developed and University’s Falls School of Business called Managing Change. Over the years I have accumulated quite a library of books, articles, cases, and projects on the subject. Here are some key principles and practices that can help you better deal with change in your workplace, church, or home. 1. Successful change, especially largescale change, is hard. Research shows
20
that as many as 75% of large-scale change projects either fail totally or don’t fully meet their original goals. Some never even get off the ground. Seemingly “sure bets” turn out to be losers. These sad results have many causes. 2. Human beings, by nature, resist change, even when it logically seems good for them. And the longer a person or organization does some thing a certain way, the more resistant they will usually be. We get into a “comfort zone.” Expect resistance. 3. The more entrenched the negative factors leading to the need for change, the tougher it will be to reverse the trend – “battleships can’t turn on a dime.” Unfortunately, the opposite is not true – even when things are going well, they can go to pot in a hurry. Battleships can go down fast. 4. Changes of a reactive nature do not succeed at nearly the rate of planned changes. Unfortunately, research shows most change is reactionary. 5. Changes tend not to “stick” by themselves over the long-run. Conditions will revert to their previous state if the new state is not constantly tended to. Witness the numerous people who make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight or stop smoking and do so -for awhile. By the end of the year, many are back to their old habits. 6. Change attempts are better received when the need for change is apparent, such as reacting to a competitor’s
June • July 2012/Hamilton County Business Magazine
unexpected strategy; however, the success rate is not that good. Major changes are harder to attempt when times are good (“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”) but are more likely to succeed. 7. Visioning and planning for major change is one thing, implementing and managing it is quite another. Finding both sets of abilities in the same leader is unusual. 8. Expect the unexpected. Things seldom go completely as planned. “Mr. Murphy” is always lurking nearby. Opposition can come from the most unexpected places and might be overt or, more likely, covert. 9. The more success the change leader has already had, the more likely she is to succeed with the next one: She has learned what works and what doesn’t and followers have more confidence in her leadership. 10. The potential benefits of detailed planning, including “what if ” scenarios, cannot be over-emphasized. Toyota and Honda reportedly
There are many books, articles, seminars, and case studies on Leading and Managing Change. For my money, the best researcher and author on change is Dr. John Kotter, of the Harvard Business School. His 1996 book, Leading Change, is a classic. See Amazon for other titles, including videos, by Dr. Kotter.
spend 80%-90% of a project’s time table on planning and trials and only 10%– 20% on implementation. Most American companies do the opposite – the “ready, shoot, aim” mentality. On the other hand, “paralysis by analysis” syndrome can be just as deadly. 11. The more employees, departments, plants, suppliers, customers, and so on involved in planning and implementing a change, the less likely it is to succeed. Complexity may be unavoidable but it’s not an advantage.
benefits for those involved, they are much more likely to accept it. But if the change is seen by the “ground troops” as bypassing them for the benefit of top executives or owners, their minds AND hearts won’t be in it, even if they go along. Worse, if the change is perceived to be detrimental to them, they might try to sabotage the effort. The more a change project is perceived to be a Win-Win-Win
by and for all involved, the better the chances of success. Changing usually is hard and tricky, whether individually or in an organizational setting. I hope the above principles will help boost your change success rate “To be forewarned is to be forearmed.” Dr. Charles Waldo is a retired Professor of Marketing at Anderson University’s Falls School of Business
12. So try to break large projects into smaller, simpler, more manageable “chunks.” Celebrate “chunk successes” with all involved. 13. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Get feedback from those involved. Keep people informed, frequently and honestly. 14. Don’t try to take on too many major projects at the same time. Peter Drucker says most us have trouble do ing well (this is the key) more than three major projects at once. One or two is better. Your “To Do” list will probably have a humongous number of projects on it so prioritize and tackle those that will have the biggest positive impact if done right or the biggest negative impact if done poorly. Stephen Covey calls this strategy “Putting first things first.” 15. The more “different” the proposed change is from the “way things are now,” the less likely it is to succeed. Persist. Most change is a marathon, not a sprint, and the victor is usually the one who just keeps going. 16. “Demanding change” under threat of demotions or firing seldom pays off in the long run. The next point is a better way to motivate. 17. Figure out the “WIIFM?”-- “What’s In It For Me?” If a change offers clear Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2012
21
The Pitch-In
Notes from all over the county… Green initiatives sprouted all over recently. Here’s a sampling: To encourage recycling at community events, Carmel Green Initiative is launching Lend-A-Bin, which offers portable recycling bins for private events. More info: bins@carmelgreen.org. Regions Bank opened its first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold-certified building at 146th St. and Lowes Way in Carmel. Regions used energy efficient lighting, roofing and HVAC. Sustainable wood products are used throughout and electric vehicles get preferred parking spaces. The landscaping also features native plants. Hamilton Town Center unveiled three charging stations for electric cars. Located closer to stores than any other parking spaces in the lot, the charging stations will be “free of charge” for the time being.
Westfield’s Litchfield Landscape, a division of Engledow Group, was awarded Best of Show in the landscaper category for their garden display at the 23rd annual Orchard In Bloom event. The theme was gardento-table, the idea that food sources can be as local as your own backyard. Litchfield incorporated several dairy goats into their display to show the multitude of possibilities.
Also:
Beth Gehlhausen is Meals on Wheels’ new executive director, elevated from Interim Director, a post she has held since November. Matt the Miller’s tavern is the newest tenant in Carmel City Center. Schedule to open in late summer or early fall, Matt’s is an upscale tavern offering varied menu items and an extensive selection of wins, cocktails and craft beers. This is third location and the first outside of Central Ohio.
A new food store committed to healthy eating will open later The Noblesville Chamber sponsored this year in the Borders space two cash mobs. Shoppers meet at a at Hamilton Town Center. Calling designated time and “mob” a store, itself “the healthy supermarket,” spending $20 each. Targets so far Earth Fare has 25 stores across were Linden Tree and Heavenly the Southeast and Midwest. It Sweets. refuses to carry foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup, artificial fats and trans-fats, artificial colors, flavors and preservaRoyal Gallery of Rugs has opened a showroom in the Indiana tives, as well as antibiotics and synthetic growth hormones in Design Center, featuring rugs from an array of countries like Egypt, fresh meats and dairy. Turkey and Tibet, with sizes ranging from two by three feet to palace-sized. Westfield’s Insects Limited and Fumiga- Hamilton County High Schools earned five of the top ten spots in tion Service & Supply US News and World Report’s fourth annual ranking of best schools hosted the 10th Fumi- in Indiana. Carmel was #3, Westfield #7, Hamilton Southeastern #8, gants & Pheromones Fishers #9 and Noblesville #10. The rankings are determined by test International Conferscores and student success in Advanced Placement and Internaence and Workshop in tional Baccalaureate programs. Indianapolis in May. The conference draws attendees from dozens of countries around The Hamilton County Leadership Academy is accepting applicathe world, who learn the latest techniques to protect stored goods tions for the 2012-13 class. Applications are due June 30. More at from pest infestation. www.hcla.net.
22
June • July 2012/Hamilton County Business Magazine
$AVE EVERY TIME YOU HIT PRINT! Did you know, companies spend on average 3% of their annual revenues on of�ice printing? Indiana Business Solutions, your locally owned Xerox Sales Agent, and Xerox are offering a FREE of�ice assessment during May and June. Let our team of analysts provide you with
a detailed cost analysis of your of�ice printing costs.
Mill Top features six unique event spaces to accomodate groups of near any size in style.
Three preferred caterers to suit any taste or budget. Let them create a menu to perfectly complement your event.
Photo by Nathan Johnson
In 1875 the building now known as The Model Mill was erected. After more than 125 years service this space still thrives in the heart of downtown Noblesville.
Photo by Rick Walton Photography
Call Indiana Business Solutions today at 317-471-9735 or visit us at www.indybiz.net
Original architecture adds character and charm to this late 1800’s building. Hardwood style floors, brick walls, exposed wood beams all create warm and interesting event space.
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2012
23
Off the Clock
Financial Pro by Day Lawman by Night Volunteers Help Patrol County’s Streets
By Shari Held ~ Photo by Mark Lee
M
atthew Snively, age 43, has been involved in the world of finance ever since he graduated from Ball State University. Currently he serves as senior vice president, wealth management & strategic projects for Eli Lilly Federal Credit Union. But that’s just his day job. Evenings and weekends find him patrolling the streets of Hamilton County while serving as a reserve deputy for the Hamilton County Sheriff ’s Office. It’s two different worlds, but Snively slides from the office to a patrol car with ease. He’s juggled dual careers since 1998 when he was initially sworn in as a deputy sheriff—taking time off when his kids were small and while
24
he was going back to school for his MBA. In fact, it was his desire to become a policeman that launched his secondary education. “Ever since I was a little kid I always wanted to go into police work,” Snively says. “I understood that if I was going to go into police work, it would be better to have a degree. That was my primary motivation.” When he became engaged prior to graduating from college, Snively rethought his career, opting to go in another direction. Ironically, it was his brother-in-law, First Sergeant Larry Jenkins, an Indiana state trooper, who got him back on track, suggesting he contact the Hamilton County Sheriff ’s Office to see
June • July 2012/Hamilton County Business Magazine
about becoming a reserve. Snively didn’t waste any time. “Once you get that bug, once you have that desire to do police work, there’s not a similar outlet for that,” he says. “There’s nothing else like it.”
…it always feels good to know you were there when they needed help. That’s what keeps us coming back out. -Matt Snively
Full–fledged officers
Hamilton County reserve deputies receive training similar to full-time deputies. It takes about 500 hours of classroom work to qualify and about 1100 to 1200 hours to become a solo patrol officer like Snively. Reserve deputies also perform all the same duties as fulltime deputies. The only difference is reserves don’t handle crimes that could potentially lead to an extended trial out of respect for their commitment to their day jobs. It’s a lot of work, especially considering reserves don’t receive financial compensation. It’s a labor of love. Snively’s wife Beth has been supportive, but Snively admits it can be frustrating when he’s unable to spend time with her and their three children, ages 18, 16 and 10. It does have its rewards. For Snively, that’s being able to give back to the community. “You get a chance to interact with a lot
of people from all different walks of life,” Snively says. “In a lot of cases you’re not there when they’re at their best, but it always feels good to know you were there when they needed help. That’s what keeps us coming back out.” Hamilton County has a low crime rate, but Snively has experienced horrific traffic fatalities and intervened in numerous domestic disturbances. His first “homicide,” however, was less stressful. He was called out to investigate the death of a duck that someone thought had been killed by neighborhood kids. “No fowl play suspected,” he says.
Significant Contribution
Snively is one of 20 Hamilton County reserve deputies. In 2011, these volunteers contributed 15,200 hours to Hamilton County. “It certainly helps us from a budgetary standpoint because . . . there’s not a salary or a benefit package associated with those hours,”
says Hamilton County Sheriff Mark Bowen. “They give us a lot more eyes and ears out there on the street to take care of the citizens and the community.” “Matt does a great job for us,” Bowen adds. “The reserve brings folks in from all different walks of life with talents and experiences that we are able to tap into. We rely upon those folks to educate us on what’s going on in their various professions and to develop partnerships with folks in the business community. I appreciate all they do.” It’s a way of life for Snively that he’s not planning on giving up any time soon. “The big thing for all first responders is you really have to have a belief that you are helping people and improving people’s lives,” he says. “Otherwise you wouldn’t get up and do it everyday. As long as I continue to enjoy it and find it rewarding I’ll continue to go out.” v
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2012
25
News & Updates June & July Events June
July
June 8:
Arrows YP - Volunteer at Carmel Clay Parks 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. | Monon Community Center
June 13:
Monthly Luncheon 12 to 1:30 p.m. | Ritz Charles
June:
Arrows Young Professionals Lunch & Learn 12 to 1:30 p.m. | Location & date tba
June 26:
Golf Classic 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. | Woodland Country Club
July 11: Monthly Luncheon 12 to 1:30 p.m. | Monon Community Center July:
Business After Hours 5 to 6:30 p.m. | Location tba
Events are subject to change. Visit carmelchamber.com for updates and to register for events.
New Businesses & Grand Openings
School of Rock 626 S. Rangeline Rd.
Atlas Fantasy Art House 246 W. Main St.
Environmental Laboratories Regions Bank
1235 Central Park Dr. E.
2155 E. 146th St.
Schindel Agency Nationwide Insurance 12460 N. Meridian St.
New Carmel Chamber Members The Beauty Lounge Carmel Family Optometry Carmel Tailoring The Domain at Bennett Farms Elite Management Services ERA/Real Estate Links - The Rust Realty Group
First Choice Window Cleaning Kitchen Master Corporation The Paint Cellar Republic Waste Services of Indiana Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County StorAmerica Self Storage & Wine Cellar
The National Bank of Indianapolis 613 E. Carmel Dr.
carmelchamber.com 317.846.1049 21 S. Rangeline Rd., #300A Carmel
26
June • July 2012/Hamilton County Business Magazine
EVENTS
and
NEW MEMBERS
Welcome New
2012 CALENDAR of EVENTS JUNE
1st/Fri 21st Annual Golf Outing 10:00am-5:00pm Ironwood Golf Club (fees vary) 5th/Tues Lunch & Learn Accounting Fraud Whitinger & Co. 11:30am-1:00pm ($10 members/ $15 non-members) Fishers Train Station 11601 Municipal Dr. 6th/Wed Morning Motivator Networking and More Breakfast 8:00am-9:30am ($10 pre-paid/pre-registration only) The Historic Ambassador House 10595 Eller Rd., in Heritage Park 14th/Thurs Navigating the Chamber 3:00pm-4:00pm (no fee; please RSVP) Informational Session New Members New & Current Contacts Fishers Train Station 11601 Municipal Dr. 16th/Sat Fishers Farmers Market Wellness Day 8:00am-Noon 11601 Municipal Dr. 20th/Wed Monthly Luncheon Michael Hicks Community Assets and Ranking 11:30am-1:00pm ($20 pre-paid members*/ $25 non-members, at door) FORUM Conference Center 11313 USA Pkwy. 27th/Wed Business After Hours 4:30pm-6:30pm, (no fee) Residence Inn Indianapolis-Fishers by Marriott 9765 Crosspoint Dr.
Chamber Members
JULY
12th/Thurs Navigating the Chamber 3:00pm-4:00pm (no fee; please RSVP) Informational Session New Members New & Current Contacts Fishers Train Station 11601 Municipal Dr.
Kurt Beard Veteran Construction Co.
Charles Caesar New York Life
Dan Cobb Lake City Bank
Lloyd Easters Capital Blueprints
Reggie Jackson New York Life
Josh Lagler and Georjean Cecil Maggiano’s
Mike Lalioff Telewebtech
Tom Longest Beam, Longest and Neff
Keith Terrell Ketay & Associates
14th/Sat Fishers Farmers Market Pet Day 8:00am-Noon 11601 Municipal Dr. 18th/Wed Monthly Luncheon Tom Dickey, Fishers Community Development Director 11:30am-1:00pm ($20 pre-paid members*/ $25 non-members, at door) FORUM Conference Center 11313 USA Pkwy. 25th/Wed Business After Hours 4:30pm-6:30pm, (no fee) Hilton Garden Inn 9785 North by Northeast Blvd. 31st/Tues Tilson HR Seminar HR Survival Training for Supervisors 9:00am-4:00pm ($37.50 members/ $75 non-members) Fishers Train Station 11601 Municipal Dr.
REGISTRATION To register, please visit: www.FishersChamber.com or call 317.578.0700. *Pre-pay for lunch by 10:00am Friday prior to the luncheon for reduced price.
To take advantage of coupons and discounts visit: FishersChamber.com/Coupons
www.FishersChamber.com
HR Survival Training for Supervisors Seminar presented by
Tilson Hosted by
Fishers Chamber of Commerce Tuesday, July 31 9:00am-4:00pm
$37.50 Chamber members $75 non-members (no charge for Tilson HR clients)
Fishers Train Station 11601 Municipal Dr. Lunch provided
317.578.0700 Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2012
27
HAMILTON NORTH
Hamilton North Chamber 70 N. Byron Street Cicero, IN 46034 317-984-4079
28
Upcoming Events! JUNE 2012
Tuesday, June 5 HNCC Luncheon ~ 11:30 am
JULY 2012
Wednesday, July 4 Lights Over Morse Lake
Beck’s Hybrids
Thursday, July 26 Joint Chamber Luncheon with Sheridan Chamber ~ 11:30
Tuesday, June 12 HHEF Golf Outing ~ 12:00 Bear Slide Golf Club
Indianapolis Executive Airport
Thursday, June 14 Joint Networking Luncheon with Noblesville Chamber ~ 7:30 am Harbour Trees Golf Club
MARCH Chamber Luncheon
Meredith Carbrey, Bedel Financial Consulting “ Big Steps for Small Business
Larry Christman, representing the Cicero Kiwanis, accepts the Bell of Recognition from Carmen Clift, Ambassador Committee Chair
NEW MEMBERS
APRIL chamber luncheon
Charisse Johnson and Susan Powell of First Farmers Bank & Trust recently joined the Chamber
Lori Sterrett, Fairfield Inn & Suites accepts her membership plaque shane crabree new member - Shane Crabtree, Visalus joined the Chamber in March Emmett Dulaney, Associate Professor at Anderson University, “Avoiding Common Errors in Business Plans”
Shane Crabtree, Visalus, also joined the HNCC recently
23RD ANNUAL GOLF OUTING
June • July 2012/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Hamilton Heights Educational Foundation - 23rd Annual Golf Outing co-sponsored by Hamilton North Chamber of Commerce Tuesday, June 12 ~ Bear Slide Golf Club $90 per golfer includes 18-hole scramble, dinner, door prizes, beverage cart and fun! Golfers Wanted! Sponsors welcome! Call Chamber office for more information
UPCOMING EVENTS! JUNE 2012
JULY 2012
Taylored Systems Topic: Social Media Trends and Your Business
Harbour Trees Golf Club
June 7 – 11:30 a.m. Lunch & Learn
Featured Speakers: Sharon Smith, Maverick Public Relations Mike and Gabrielle Sauce, Saucepan Creative
The deadline for all reservations is Monday, June 4th
Noblesville Chamber 601 Conner Street Noblesville, IN 46060 317-773-0086
July 25 – 11:30 a.m. Membership Luncheon
MARCH and april Community Pride Award Winners MARCH
Harbour Trees Golf Club
Rodney Wilkerson, Store Manager – Big Lots in Noblesville
June 27 – 7:30 a.m. Membership Breakfast
Mill Top Banquet & Catering Hall
Today more than ever, businesses are expected to give something back to their communities in the form of charitable giving and/or projects. In keeping with this month’s service-oriented topic, the Noblesville Kiwanis club will provide a pancake breakfast for our members and guests. Join the Noblesville Chamber as we explore “Corporate Social Responsibility - The Business of Charity” with guest speaker, Terry Anker, president of The Legacy Fund, the Hamilton County Affiliate of Central Indiana Community Foundation. Charity is not only good for the community but is it also good for business? With so many opportunities to sponsor or partner with non-profits, this topic is one that many business leaders face every day. We are happy to welcome Anker as the guest speaker of the June breakfast as we attempt to navigate this ever-relevant topic. Anker is also chairman of The Anker Consulting Group, Inc. A firm believer in corporate social responsibility, he is active in advancing the strategic direction and financial well being of several local not-for-profits, including serving on the board for Conner Prairie Interactive Hisotry Park, the Indiana Humanities Council, and other similar organizations. Cost: $15 for Chamber members - $20 for Non-members This is a pre-pay event. Reservations are required and will be accepted through Friday, June 22nd. Note: This event is part of the Monthly Membership Luncheon series. This breakfast is scheduled in place of a luncheon for the month of June. All membership benefits/restrictions apply.
RIBBON CUTTING
Ribbon Cutting at the new Mattress Firm Tempur-Pedic Gallery located at 13170 Harrell Pkwy, Suite 450 in Noblesville (Hamilton Town Center)
APRIL
Church, Church, Hittle & Antrim - back row from left to right: Seamus Boyce, Lynne Baker, Steve Lutz, Doug Church, John Davis – front row from left to right: David Day, Jennifer Hughes, Lindsay Perry, Sarah Jubina, Melissa Lightfoot)
NEW MEMBERS - MARCH
Pamela Hunt Indiana Heart Hospital 8075 N. Shadeland Ave. Suite 330 Indianapolis, IN 46250
Carolyn Pettit Creative Campus Child Care 19403 Cumberland Rd. Noblesville, IN 46060
www.noblesvillechamber.com
“Corporate Social Responsibility The Business of Charity”
NOBLESVILLE
June 21 – 7:30 a.m. Network Breakfast (Noblesville & Hamilton North)
Mark Colglazier Don Hinds Ford, Inc. 12610 Ford Drive Fishers, IN 46038
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2012
29
Sheridan Chamber 407 S. Main Street P.O. Box 202 Sheridan, IN 46069 317-758-1311
Community Events
Chamber Events JUNE
June 9th - Creekside Chiropractic Open House and Salon 306 Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting
www.sheridanchamber.org
SHERIDAN
306 S. Main Street, Sheridan, In Contact erin.merrill@att.net
Sheridan Fireside Tales 2012
Pork Burger Dinner, Picnic, Games, Magic, Master Storyteller June 2, 2012 - 5:00pm - 9:00pm Sheridan Community Center
Sheridan Firemen & Lions Club Fish Fry June 9th, 2012 - 4:00pm - 7:00pm Sheridan Community Center Adults $9 in advance, $10 at the door Children under 12 are just $4
Sheridan Lions Club Parade July 4th, 2012 - 10:00am
Sheridan Bluegrass Fever
Eight bands, two days of foot kicking, and plenty of nodding heads to follow the banjo plucking! July 13th, 6:00pm-10:00pm - July 14th, 10:00am-11:00pm Adults $10; Kids 12 and under FREE www.sheridanchamber.org/calendar for more information
Wheels & Wings Airshow and Car Show Sheridan Airport 27045 Jerkwater Road, Sheridan, IN 46069 July 14th, 2012 See http://www.sheridanairport.com/
June 21st - 4:00pm - 7:00pm Spicewood Garden Apartments Phase II Open House
HAND will be partnering with the Sheridan Chamber of Commerce to host a joint Open House and Business After Hours Celebration. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend!!
June 28th - Member Luncheon
Sheridan Public Library Speaker: Mark LaBarr, Duke Energy - Members $12 Contact Patty Nicholas at 317-758-1311 to register
July 11th - Annual Sheridan Chamber of Commerce Golf Outing. Wood Wind Golf Club For more information visit www.sheridanchamber.org/calendar
JULY
July 26th - 11:30am - 1:00pm Monthly Member Luncheon-Joint Luncheon with Hamilton North Chamber
Indianapolis Executive Airport Speaker: Andrea & Dan Montgomery, Montgomery Aviation Members $12. Contact Patty Nicholas at 317-758-1311 to register
AUGUST
August 23rd - 11:30am - 1:00pm Monthly Member Luncheon
Sheridan Public Library Speaker: Mark Robbins, Legacy Fund Members $12 Contact Patty Nicholas at 317-758-1311 to register
Wood Wind Golf Club Value Cards The Sheridan Chamber of Commerce still has a few Wood Wind Golf Club Value Cards available. Get yours today before they are gone!
Branson, Missouri Motorcoach Tour Sponsored by Sheridan Rotary Club July 31st - August 3rd Contact: connie_pearson42@yahoo.com
Dixieland Jazz Motorcoach Tour
Sponsored by Sheridan Rotary Club October 3rd, 2012 Contact: connie_pearson42@yahoo.com
The 2012 Wood Wind Value Card provides the following benefits: 2 Complimentary 18-Hole Rounds of Golf: Monday – Friday (1) Complimentary 18-Hole Round of Golf: Weekends & Holidays after 11:00am, (5) Two for the Price of One 18-Hole Rounds of Golf: Monday – Sunday (available after 11:00am weekends holidays) (1) $80 Golf Lesson for $25: At the Doc O’Neal Golf Academy at Wood Wind (one offer per person per year) Go to www.sheridanchamber.org for more information.
Be sure to visit the Sheridan Chamber Website, www.sheridanchamber.org for information on all upcoming events!
30
June • July 2012/Hamilton County Business Magazine
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
JUNE 2012
JULY 2012
The Westfield Farmer’s Market is located on North Union Street one block north of Main Street (Hwy 32) next to City Hall (130 Penn Street).The first Friday night market will be June 1st from 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., and the market will run through August 31st. Market details can be found at www.dwna.org
Live Music, Headliners Car Show, Kids Area, Marketplace, Food & Beverage, Beer & Wine and Food vendorsFor up to date information, visit the event Website: http://westfieldrocksthe4th.com/
Friday, June 1st ~ 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. 2012 Westfield Farmer’s Market
Monday, June 4th
9th Annual Golf Outing
Nominations for the 2012 Lantern Awards are due on July 6th. 2012 Lantern Awards Saturday evening, September 22, 2012 The Palomino Ballroom “An Evening to Celebrate Community” Presenting 2012 Sponsor:
Thursday, June 21st ~ 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
www.westfield-chamber.org
The Bridgewater Club 161st and Carey Road ~ Westfield Speaker: Mayor Andy Cook Members with reservations: $15; all others: $20 RSVP at www.westfield-chamber.org Due to the recent increased attendance at Chamber luncheons, pre-registered guests will be seated first.
Thursday, June 28th ~ 5-7 p.m. Business After Hours Hamilton Memorial Park 4180 Westfield Road ~ Westfield
Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting! Mayor Andy Cook, Chamber members and staff of Poblanos celebrate the grand opening! Poblanos Mexican Bar & Grill is located at 17417 Carey Road in Westfield.
WESTFIELD
Join us for a fantastic day of golf at The Bridgewater Club! Contact Kathy at the Chamber office at 317-804-3030 or email events@westfield-chamber.org to reserve your foursome. Event details and registration can be found at www.westfield-chamber.org
Wednesday, July 4th ~ 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Westfield Rocks the 4th!
Westfield Chamber 130 Penn Street P.O. Box 534 Westfield, IN 46074 317-804-3030
Ribbon Cutting with City and Chamber members from both Carmel and Westfield celebrate the grand opening of the new Regions location at 2155 East 146th Street in Carmel.
All Chamber event dates, times and locations are subject to change. Please call 317-804-3030 or visit www.westfield-chamber.org for details. NEW MEMBERS Indiana Live! Casino Jennifer Duszynski 4300 N. Michigan Road Shelbyville, Indiana 46176 877-386-4463
http://www.indianalivecasino.com
StorAmerica Self Storage & Wine Cella Tom Thompson 4420 East 146th Street Carmel, Indiana 46033 317-733-8655 www.StorAmerica146th.com
Color Consulting Becky Baker P.O. Box 942 Westfield, IN 46074 317-867-0485
www.ColorConsultingBB.com
Crossroads Chiropractic Elizabeth Azhar 3008 State Road 32 East Westfield, IN 46074 317-867-0123
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2012
31
Hamilton County History
The Sunday Baseball Trial
David Heighway
Noblesville tested the blue laws a century ago
T
he summer of 1908 was an exciting time in Hamilton County. It was an election year and Teddy Roosevelt was in the final year of his presidency. William Howard Taft had been just nominated by the Republican Party to replace him. The Democrats had nominated William Jennings Bryan, who had chosen Indiana’s own John Kern as his running mate. Hoosier Eugene Debs was running for president on the Socialist ticket. The election was shaping up to be quite a fight. The state of Indiana was still feeling the prosperity of the natural gas boom. The interurban system was providing people with fast, clean, electric transportation. Many different brands of automobiles were starting to be manufactured and used by Hoosiers. Indiana was acquiring a reputation for producing nationally known writers and artists. Homespun commentary was being provided in the pages of the newspaper by Kin Hubbard, in the guise of Abe Martin. Many people in the state started to feel that it was time to reach out, loosen up and try some new things. Not everyone was happy with the changes. Temperance and moral reform were powerful forces in Indiana politics. Governor J. Frank Hanly, a strong supporter of prohibition just finishing his term, was pushing a county option law through the legislature to control the flow of alcoholic beverages in the state. He said once of the liquor traffic, “I hate it as Abraham Lincoln hated slavery”. The two candidates to replace him as Indiana governor, Republican James Watson and Democrat Thomas Marshall, didn’t have strong opinions on prohibition, but had to take a stand on it anyway. The town of Noblesville was feeling the changes going on statewide and adding some excitement of its own. A scandal had occurred that summer
32
when the local interurban station agent ran off with the ticket receipts from the station and another man’s wife. A new hydroelectric dam was under construction across the White River on the north side of town. Two local boys, William Fodrea and Charlie Malott, had started an automobile company to build a vehicle they called the “Beetle Flyer”. A new hospital was being planned by Doctors Samuel and Madison Harrell, a pair of brothers who had received medical training in Europe. And the most formidable county baseball team in the last twenty years had been assembled.
The Team There had been baseball teams in Hamilton County and Noblesville since 1869, but few of them had shown as much promise as this one. One of the managers was George Stevenson. He was County Treasurer and owner of a local plumbing store and had been involved in county baseball in one form or another since the 1870’s. In those early days, he had been given the nickname of “Curley”. The other manager was Frank Hare, Stevenson’s nephew and a member of a prominent carriage making family. He had received offers to play professional baseball while he was a student at Indiana University, but had chosen to return home to Noblesville. One of the players on the team was shortstop Johnny Fisher. He would be hired by the Indianapolis Indians in the middle of the season and would go on to play professional ball for several years. The pitcher for the team, Curtis Bales of Carmel, had played for the Indians the previous season. Kin Hubbard’s cartoon character, Abe Martin, had said, “The manager o’ th’ Indynoplus ball club says Pitcher Bales o’ Carmel has a fine rural delivery.” However, the player who would
June • July 2012/Hamilton County Business Magazine
attract the most attention that summer was their 18-year-old first baseman, Clarence Wyant. Son of a local house-painter and a top athlete in high school, in July of 1908 he would be up against an opponent tougher than any big-city pitcher – he would face the state “Blue Laws”.
The Laws The Blue Laws were about regulating activities in a Sunday, such as closing businesses. Noblesville had always had a reputation for strictness in this area. In 1907, Abe Martin had commented, “You can’t buy nothin’ in Noblesville, Indianny, on th’ Sabbath but Sunday newspapers an’ ther hain’t nothin’ in them after you blow th’ froth off.” Evidently this was not considered severe enough, because in April of 1908, a Civic League had been formed in Noblesville. Their goal was the continued moral improvement of the city. They stated that they would accomplish this by pushing for the enforcement of laws that had been only selectively enforced in the past. The first law that they chose was one that had been created fairly recently. The state of Indiana had passed a law against Sunday baseball in March of 1905. It was part of a general law on Sabbath-breaking and was grouped in with laws on pornography and prostitution. It was challenged at every session of the legislature after that. The first test of the baseball law had been a trial held in Greenfield, Indiana, in 1907. That player had been found guilty and the case went to the Appellate Court, where it had been upheld. One way that the baseball teams attempted to get around the blue laws would be to hold their games in a venue that would be used for other events as well. Then the public would not be
Noblesville’s 1908 baseball team standing back row, left to right - J. Moore, right field & [relief] pitcher; George Stephenson, President; C. H. Smith, Secretary; John L. Fisher, shortstop; O. Moore, right field & [relief] pitcher. Sitting front row, left to right - Clarence Wyant, first base; F. Stanton, left field; F. Johnson, center field; Frank Hare, third base & Manager; F. Jeffries, second base; E. Nance, catcher, Curtis Bales, pitcher.
The Trial
press charges until the political pressure became too strong. The trial was presided over by Justice of the Peace Joel Stafford and had a full twelveman jury. It’s not certain why Clarence Wyant was chosen as the defendant, but he was represented by George Shirts, a grandson of some of the first settlers of the county. There were three witnesses called: George Stevenson; one of the fans who had seen the game; and Clarence himself. After the testimony was taken, the prosecution and defense attorneys gave their final arguments. Interestingly, George Shirts’ closing argument barely mentioned guilt or innocence. He talked instead about the public embarrassment that the Civic League was causing the town. The jury was then recessed and, after fifteen minutes of deliberation, returned a finding of Not Guilty.
were still hard feelings about it. After the trial, a local minister gave a strong sermon about moral failures in the town. However, he was fighting a losing battle. The Sunday baseball law was revoked in by the state legislature in 1909. Society was changing its views about professional sport. It was in 1908 that Indiana native Albert Von Tilzer wrote the music to the song “Take Me out to the Ball Game.” Then in 1910, William Howard Taft began the tradition of the President throwing out the first pitch of the baseball season. The game was now the National Pastime and had become a respectable way to spend an afternoon. And today, although it still has the occasional scandal, at least no one worries about the day on which it’s played.
The county prosecutor, Cassius Gentry, (who would later go on to have a long career as a judge), was reluctant to try the case. He didn’t
The local paper had referred to the Noblesville trial as a “test case” and a “friendly suit”, but there
David Heighway is the Hamilton County Historian
“charged admission” to the game. The fee they paid was simply to enter the stadium, and the fact that a baseball game happened to be in progress was merely a coincidence. In Noblesville, the team used the county fairgrounds (now the site of Riverview Hospital). The local paper asked sarcastically if people were paying 25 cents to view the “remains of the once famous frog ponds of that classic park.” Since people were paying money to see Stevenson’s and Hare’s baseball team play at the county fairgrounds, and since the team would often play on a Sunday, this seemed like a clear violation. The Civic League filed an affidavit with the County Prosecutor’s office to have the case tried in the county circuit court.
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2012
33
Dining Out
Something New on the Square! Conner Station Pub and Eatery Story and photos by Chris Owens
run approximately 20 establishments over the last 30 years in central Indiana. Most recently they helped open The Mill Tavern in Westfield with Lynda’s sister, proving they truly are a family business. “They recently sold a property and were going into retirement, but that didn’t last long” Lynda joked. Once the concept was in place the original intent was to find something close to the size of The Mill Tavern with a seating capacity of 60. “We thought we
T
he downtown Square in Noblesville is home to many quaint shops, businesses, and eateries. Add to those a new destination for socializing and dining in Conner Station Pub and Eatery, located at the corner of Conner and 9th streets.
Opened in mid-April, Conner Station is a new venture for owners Mark and Lynda Callahan who are relying on the counsel and guidance of Lynda’s parents, Alan and Shirley Woodrum, and their vast experience to make this venture a success. Mark just finished a 35-year career as a Carmel firefighter in early May and Lynda is still going strong at UPS after 32 years. The couple refers to Conner Station as “the next chapter” as they seek to set themselves up for “retirement”. The Woodrum’s are no strangers to the bar and restaurant industry, having opened and
34
Razz-Burger: a hamburger topped with black raspberry jelly and jalapenos. could find something small and do this parttime and we looked at a couple of places. Then we walked by this location, peeked in and saw how cute it was and had to have it. So, our little pub is really very large”. Conner Station has a total seating capacity of approximately 150 between the pub and restaurant sides. The entire facility is smoke-free and family friendly, with televisions throughout the facility for great sports viewing. Several years ago, the owners of Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano (also on the square) purchased and renovated the building that now serves as their home. The building itself has quite a history and the new décor features some beautiful exposed brick as just one of many unique highlights. The menu, including their carryout options, features some favorites from many of the other locations the family has operated including a wide variety of appetizers, sandwiches, and make-to-order pizzas. Perhaps the menu
June • July 2012/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Shirley Woodrum, Lynda and Mark Callahan
item that generates the most questions would be the Razz-Burger, boasting a hamburger topped with black raspberry jelly and jalapenos. While I opted for the tenderloin over the razz burger during my first visit, I’m anxious to return because I have heard it’s a must-try, along with the Zig-Zag Shrimp. Their bar also features many local craft beers. In my time talking with Lynda about everything that has gone into opening Conner Station, I really felt a dedication to customer service. I mentioned to her that my family had visited during the opening week and she quickly transformed from interviewee to interviewer asking about our experience. “We want this to be your home bar where we really do know your name” Lynda said. The pub doesn’t currently list a closing time and the Callahan’s are trying to listen to their patrons and the local community before they establish a formal closing time. As for special events, they’re keeping their minds open as they’ve been filled to capacity thus far. You can find Conner Station Pub and Eatery on Facebook or stop by and visit them in person.
BUSINESS RESOURCE DIRECTORY Signs and Banners
Service Club Rotary International
The Noblesville Midday Rotary Club is one of 32,000 local Rotary clubs throughout the world and six in Hamilton County. Open to all persons regardless of race, color, creed or political preference, Rotary brings together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Each club meets weekly. For more information on the Noblesville Midday Rotary Club. Call Mike Corbett at 774-7747 David Heighway is the HamiltonTechnology County historian Business Sharp Business Systems of Indiana 7330 East 86th Street Indianapolis, IN 46256 317-844-0033 sbsindiana.com
We are serious about improving our clients businesses by updating office technology, managing office printing and streamlining critical business processes. Sharp Business Systems of Indiana, a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, can increase your company’s bottom line.
Logan Street Signs & Banners 1720 South 10th Street, Noblesville, IN 317-773-7200 Open M-F 7-5 www.loganstreetsigns.com www.noblesvilletrophies.com www.noblesville.com
Digitally printed signs and banners of any size, vehicle wraps and graphics, T-shirt printing, laser engraving. Great customer service, fast turn-around. Family Owned and Operated. Serving Noblesville and Hamilton County since 1992. Also home of Noblesville Trophies. 773-7391 Open M-F 9-6 Sat. 10-2
Graphic Design and Advertising NVS Design Inc. 6116 N. College Ave, Suite 3 Indianapolis, IN 317-437-4417 www.nvsdesigns.com
NVS Design is an innovative company that thinks so far outside the box, we’re 2 blocks down the street from it! We provide our clients with detail-oriented work that speaks for itself. You not only get a fresh new look, you get artwork that will make your competition envious!
River Edge Professional Center and River Edge Market Place Noblesville, IN Call John Landy at 317-289-7662 landyfortune@gmail.com
65,000 square feet of flexible floor plans. Design and build to your specifications. Time Share space available. Retail space also available from 1,600 square feet up. Easy access and abundant parking! High speed internet. 3 minutes from Riverview Hospital.
Graduate Education University of Indianapolis 1400 E Hanna Avenue Indianapolis, IN 317-788-3340 http://www.mba.uindy.edu/
The University of Indianapolis MBA Program offers a wide range of options to help secure your future. Our programs include on-campus programs in the evenings and on Saturday, off-campus programs including Carmel and Fishers, and we are the largest provider of on-site MBA programs in the area.
THE PROFESSIONAL BARBERS Dave Snider - Owner - Master Barber
Classic Barber Shop
Computer Consulting
317-843-2500
Compumed 802 Mulberry Street Noblesville, IN, Suite B1 317-340-4802 Rocky@compumed-indy.com
2462 East 116th Street, Carmel, IN 46032 Mon, Tues & Fri 9-6 Wed & Thurs 9-7 Sat 7-4 www.barberclassic.com
Walk-in no waiting
340-4802
• Business Computer Hardware and Software Installation • Custom Application Development • On-Site Support and Service
Commercial Lease Space
Next Edition:
Education/ Workforce development
Advertising deadline: JUNE 29 Mails: JULY 27
Hamilton County Business Magazine/June • July 2012
35
Creating
a lake living lifestyle—
t of be par
it!
Waterfront Communities County Rd. 360 N.
Lake Clearwater
Scatterfield Rd
Next to Killbuck Golf Course
Bus 9
If you are interested in living on the water, The Marina Limited Partnership has a host of options for you. With six distinctive communities RQ WKUHH &HQWUDO ,QGLDQD ODNHV ZH¡OO KHOS \RX ÀQG the perfect waterfront, water access or off-water ORW IRU \RXU KRPH 6SHFLDO LQ KRXVH ORW ÀQDQFLQJ LV available in all of our communities.
Anderson
Canal Place On Olio Rd just north of 104th St
116th St
Sail Place
Olio Rd
Adjacent to the Indianapolis Sailing Club
Marina Village Townhomes Access from the Geist Marina
96th St
Indianapolis Geist Reservoir
Carroll Rd
Fall Cr ee k
Rd
96th St
Springs of Cambridge Across the bridge from the Geist Marina on East 96th St
Hampton Cove Across from the Geist Marina
$6. $%287 63(&,$/ ,1 +286( /27 ),1$1&,1*