Winter 2011 A publication of the St. Joseph Metro Chamber
Get Smart!
Courses fill workforce need
Work it Out
Businesses focus on health
We Have Another Winner
Nestle Purina Wins Baldrige Award
St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
2
New name, updated logo You may have noticed the Chamber has a new name and updated logo in 2011. The Chamber began as the Board of Trade of St. Joseph in 1862 and has gone through a number of updates since then. The beginning of the year was a good time for kicking off the new name, which reflects St. Joseph’s position in the area. “The St. Joseph metro is the economic engine of the Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas region,” said Ted Allison, President and CEO of the St. Joseph Metro Chamber. “We feel it’s time to reflect St. Joseph’s notable metropolitan status in our Chamber’s name, publications and economic development efforts.” The four-county metro area includes Buchanan, Andrew, and DeKalb counties in Missouri and Doniphan County in Kansas. Its total population was 126,644 in the 2000 U.S. Census, which better defines our labor pool than the population of St. Joseph. “This is a very important factor in the process of attracting new employers to the area,” Mr. Allison said.
Changes will not occur in name and logo alone. “This initiative is not solely a branding change, but also our sincere interest in working closely with smaller Chambers and communities within our metropolitan area,” he said. “While St. Joseph is the hub of commerce in the four-county metro area, it is clearly dependent on the vitality of agriculture in the surrounding smaller communities. It is important to reach out in collaboration with the stakeholders of those communities in order to have a stronger, unified voice in legislative advocacy and in pursuing economic development, he said. The name change was announced at the Chamber’s Annual Banquet on January 15. A ribboncutting ceremony and reception will be held to help the Chamber celebrate the new brand. The road sign along Frederick Avenue has been updated. For lettering on the building to be changed, the weather must improve. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held once the lettering is changed.
St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
3 Cover photo submitted by Missouri Western State University Editorial content, unless otherwise noted, by Kristi Rasmussen
INDEX Economic Update.................................................................................4 Great Northwest Day at the Capitol....................................................6 Washington, D.C. Fly-In Faces New Obstacles...................................7 Legislative Priorities Identified.............................................................9 Get Smart! Courses Fill Workforce Need............................................10 Gov. Nixon Visits to Celebrate Business Expansions.........................12
Nestle Purina Wins Malcolm Baldrige Award...............................13 Downtown Partnership Seeks to Establish New District.............14 Top Employer Profile: Becker Underwood..................................15 Downtown Digest..........................................................................16 Work It Out....................................................................................17 Small Business Matters...................................................................18 Member Profile...............................................................................19
2011 St. Joseph Metro Chamber BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman President/CEO
Brad McAnally Hy-Vee Food Stores, Inc.
Chair-Elect
Matthew Dority KCP&L
Secretary/Treasurer
Vern Middleton Midwest Federal
Ted Allison, CEcD St. Joseph Metro Chamber
Ted Allison, CEcD
President & CEO allison@saintjoseph.com 816.232.4461
Shannon Jobes
Vice President, Administration jobes@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4111
Directors Brian Bradley, St. Joseph Cablevision Barbara Burns, B.J. Office Products Inc. James Carolus, Hillyard Companies Dr. Gary Clapp, Institute for Industrial & Applied Life Sciences Bill Falkner, City of St. Joseph Tim Knapp, Tim Knapp Construction Co. Dr. Mark Laney, Heartland Health Chris Listau, American Family Insurance Corky Marquart, Commerce Bank, N.A. Col. Mike McEnulty, 139th Airlift Wing, Missouri Air National Guard Todd Meierhoffer, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory Byron Myers, Sr., City of St. Joseph
Kristi Rasmussen
Director of Communications rasmussen@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4108
Economic Development
Brad Lau
Senior Vice President, Economic Development blau@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4110 816.244.6221 (cell)
Steve Hamilton
Executive Director of Business Relations & Development hamilton@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4106 816.244-9533 (cell)
Maryann Skiles
Receptionist, Administrative Assistant
skiles@saintjoseph.com
Dan Nicoson, Missouri Western State University Foundation Dan Nowalk, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. Dr. Melody Smith, School District of St. Joseph Larry Stobbs, South St. Joseph Progressive Association R.T. Turner, Buchanan County Bob Wollenman, Deluxe Truck Stop LLC Mark Woodbury, General Counsel Polsinelli Shughart P.C. Rick Gronniger, Immediate Past Chair, Altec Industries Judy Hausman, Diplomats Club Representative, Taylor, Thompson & Hausman LLC Kylee Strough, Young Executives Network Representative, United Way of Greater St. Joseph
3003 Frederick Ave. 816.232.4461 or 800.748.7856
816.232.4461
Community Alliance
Membership
Mary Brown
Project Manager, Administrative Assistant brown@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4102
Natalie Redmond
Vice President, Member Relations redmond@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4107
816.364.4873 (fax) www.saintjoseph.com
Chris Schmitter
Director of Membership Sales & Retention schmitter@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4113
Keisha Parrish
Administrative Assistant, Membership parrish@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4101
Steve Johnston
Director of Community Alliance of Saint Joseph johnston@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4109
St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
EconomicUpdate
Top 10 Employers Heartland Health Triumph Foods, LLC St. Joseph School District Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. Altec Industries American Family Insurance Sara Lee Foods City of St. Joseph Western Reception, Diagnostic & Correctional Center Missouri Western State University
4
Health Services Meat Products Education Animal Pharmaceuticals
3,175 2,740 1,807 974
Utility Industry Equipment Insurance Meat Products Government Prison
940 757 700 665 576
Education
534
Demographics
2010 Year-End Results Announced projects................................................7 New jobs.................................................................96 New payroll...............................................$3,184,344 Capital investment................................$44.9 million Average annual wage of new jobs...............$33,170
December Announced Project
The “Hillyard” name is prominent in the skyline of downtown St. Joseph. Hillyard Industries will renovate and expand its existing facilities to create new production, filling, laboratory, and warehousing areas for cleaning products. The total project investment is approximately $1.85 million. The expansion will create nine full-time jobs with an average annual salary of approximately $53,000.
Unemployment (Dec.)
Population Housing units
76,197 32,495
St. Joseph Missouri
8.0 percent 9.5 percent
Average family size
3
United States
9.4 percent
Director Kerr Speaks to Crowd at Economic Summit Luncheon
Missouri Department of Economic Development David Kerr was the keynote speaker at the Economic Summit Luncheon held at Missouri Western State University on Dec. 8.
Director David Kerr of the Missouri Department of Economic Development was in St. Joseph on Wednesday, Dec. 8. Director Kerr toured Mitchell Park Plaza, the Bond Science and Technology Incubator, and was provided a windshield tour of St. Joseph’s industrial base. He wrapped up his visit by addressing the Economic Summit Luncheon, where he discussed Missouri’s economic development plans. “We need to keep our eye on the ball when it comes to creating jobs,” he said. “We need a road map to tell us where we’re going and how we’re going to get there.” The department has a strategic plan with strategic initiatives to accomplish in the next five years to transform the economy of the future. “We are confident that we have the assets and the game plan for Missouri’s economy, “Director Kerr said. The initiative areas include: workforce, track and develop them; local business, support existing business through retention programs; innovation; marketing, be aggressive; foreign trade; small business and entrepreneurship; and infrastructure. “To change culture we must focus, have determination and do some hard work,” he said. “But when we do, we’ll be more competitive and more successful for years to come.
St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
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St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
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Leaders go to Jefferson City for Great Northwest Day at the Capitol Key talking points decided among area leaders As legislators are gearing up for a new season in Jefferson City, so too are the citizens of Northwest Missouri. The Great Northwest Day at the Capitol Steering Committee representing the 18 participating counties gathered and prioritized legislative issues for the region’s annual visit to the state capitol city. The visit was rescheduled because of inclement weather and held on Feb 14 and 15. On that date approximately 350 people visited Jefferson City to make their regional voice heard in a cohesive message. The Great Northwest Day at the Capitol group legislative platform includes the following four priorities: • Transportation: Safe access to employment and education through the maintenance of lettered routes. Endorse legislation or departmental
community economic development for small business investment, workforce development, job skills development, and technology development investment.
Photo of Missouri State Capitol courtesy of Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau. policy that preserves levels of transportation funding specific to maintenance of letter routes and community accessibility. •
Funding and Jurisdictional
Ray A. Sisson, CCIM
Serving Commercial Clients in the St. Joseph area since 1959
Partnerships: Support language change that allows local communities or multi-jurisdictional projects the ability to pursue accepted funding practices. (Potential projects with a regional or multi community focus may include the Great Northwest Wholesale Water Commission; Hwy 36 Heritage Alliance, law enforcement initiatives and county/ multi-county 911) • Life-long Learning: Prepare Missouri’s citizens for today and tomorrow’s workforce challenges: Emphasize early childhood development. Re-establish funding for critical educational components for elementary, secondary and higher education. Continue endorsement and expansion of elementary, secondary and higher education.
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• Economic Development: Create an effective and competitive business climate in Missouri to retain business and build jobs. Focus and emphasis on fair legal system regarding agribusiness and business components such as workers’ compensation; limiting liability of small business cost, and easing regulation to help stimulate economic growth. Retain and emphasize programs that partner with
Along with these four priorities, communities weighed in on legislative items of concern throughout the Northwest Missouri region. The criteria for reviewing issues included – legislative impact, overarching regional impact, non-partisan perspective and timeliness of concern. The Steering Committee is sharply aware of the state’s budget concerns and during selection of topics discussed presenting a priority and potential solution. Community issues are collected by county coordinators and then compiled by a volunteer committee. Those community issues are then regionally defined, sent back to county coordinators and the event steering committee for additional input before being presented as legislative priorities for the event. Great Northwest Day at the Capitol is celebrating its 10th year in Jefferson City. The event included a legislative luncheon and community roundtables with the Departments of Corrections, Agriculture, Tourism, Transportation and the P-20 Council. Attendees could also take a State Capitol Tour. The Great Northwest Day Celebration, held in the Capitol Plaza Ballroom, had a Mardi Gras theme with food, music and entertainment. At the celebration, individual communities set up booths to educate legislators and their staffs about the positive aspects of where they live. On Tuesday morning, a regional breakfast was held, where guest speaker James Moody discussed Missouri’s budget issues. The event ended with the Great Northwest delegation being introduced to the Senate and House. For more information visit www. greatnorthwestday.com/gnw.
St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
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Washington, D.C. Fly-In Delegation Faces New Obstacles The annual Washington D.C. Fly-In has proven profitable for St. Joseph over the years. The Community Alliance of Saint Joseph coordinates the yearly venture to the nation’s capital so St. Joseph’s leaders can speak with a united voice to the region’s top policymakers about issues important to St. Joseph and Buchanan County. On April 5 and 6, business and community leaders will meet individually with Sen. Roy Blunt, Sen. Claire McCaskill and Rep. Sam Graves in Washington and their respective staff members. Since 2003 the area has received more than $29 million in federal appropriation assistance. These appropriations have helped fund law enforcement communication systems, highways, drug task forces, and innovative educational opportunities. But this year may prove to be more difficult. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recently
announced that it will follow the House Republican Conference and implement a moratorium on congressional earmarks for the unfinished Fiscal Year 2011 and 2012 spending bills. What this means, according to Trent Lehman of The Ferguson Group, which lobbies on behalf of St. Joseph entities in Washington D.C., is that while earmarks may go away for the time being, the pots of funding from which earmarks are drawn still remain. What has changed is the branch of government that allocates the funding. Instead of lobbying individual legislators about the importance of local projects, those efforts will need to be focused toward federal agencies. In the absence of earmarks in Fiscal Year 2007, the federal agencies distributed the majority of previously earmarked dollars through a competitive grant process. “We expect that to be the same
this year, for the FY2011 funding, and next year, for the FY2012 funding,” Mr. Lehman said in an e-mail. “However, to be sure, (The Ferguson Group) is preparing recommendations to Congress to ensure that local governments still have access to this vital funding.” Appropriations Chairman Dan Inouye does not believe that the process of congressionally-directed spending has come to an end. He has said, according to Mr. Lehman, that the issue will be revisited so the process of earmarking can be improved. Although legislators will not have the power to earmark funds to their hometown communities, it’s still important to make the trip to Washington, D.C., said Steve Johnston, Director of the Community Alliance of Saint Joseph. “We will continue to need the support of our federally-elected officials as we move through this new process,” he said. “The distribution of
funding will still take place; however, it will be more important than ever before to work with agencies, for example the U.S. Department of Transportation, to make our priorities known.” Mr. Johnston said the itinerary for the 2011 trip may be adjusted to include visits with agencies as well as legislators based on this new information. The legislative team within the Community Alliance assembles the partners to determine where efforts for federal appropriations can be maximized. Typically, 20 or 25 requests are brought to the table, with the goal to narrow those to the top 10. Leaders put their own individual differences aside and decide upon what is going to make the greatest impact, and The Ferguson Group helps keep the Top 10 List in front of the legislators throughout the year. The list of top priorities hadn’t been finalized by the deadline for this issue.
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St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
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St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
9
2011 Legislative Priorities for St. Joseph Metro Chamber Set Each year the St. Joseph Metro Government Relations Committee determines the legislative priorities the Chamber should have in its advocacy efforts. These priorities are set in the local, state and national levels. The following is a list of the priorities determined for 2011. Local Issues: n Support efforts to establish an ongoing General Obligation Bonds program funded through property taxes to address the community’s aging infrastructure needs, including upgrading the city’s sewer system to federal EPA standards. n Support passage of new bonds to fund the construction of new grade schools in the St. Joseph School District as identified by the “PACT� initiative (Planning A Course Together). n Support efforts to secure adequate funding to strengthen the Missouri River levees through the St. Joseph metro area. n Support continued progress in downtown revitalization, continued development of the Riverside corridor, Eastowne Business Park, and vital areas of commerce and industry. n Support efforts to improve local funding for public safety. State Issues: n Seek adequate & reliable funding for public education for prekindergarten through 12th grade. n Encourage increased funding support for public higher education, including legislation to eliminate the tuition limit that currently restricts public higher education institutions from adjusting tuition as may be necessary to maintain quality education standards. n
Support the branding of St.
Joseph as the home of the Animal Health Corridor and the expansion of our agricultural, agribusiness and biotechnology markets in the global economy.
mandates of “No Child Left Behind.�
n Economic Development – support legislation to expand state economic development incentives through the “Quality Jobs� program, workforce training, and tax abatement on personal property of targeted industries.
n Energy Diversification – support legislation that would promote the development of alternative fuels and energy conservation, but oppose the adoption of punitive federal mandates as currently proposed in the “cap and trade� legislation (also re-branded in the Senate as “Pollution Reduction and Investment�).
n
n Wireless Communication – Oppose legislation that would bring wireless communication under more restrictive regulations.
n Sponsor a new internship with Missouri Western State University to assist in monitoring and reporting progress on pending legislation. For more on this, see page 11.
n Support increasing the tax on tobacco products to the national average among all states of $1.45 per pack in order to re-establish essential funding for education, transportation, and public health. n Support enforcement of local and state sales taxes on all sales of products on the Internet. n Seek funding for four priority road construction projects: (a) U.S. 36 Highway & Riverside interchange; (b) Interstate 29 & U.S. Highway 169 interchange; (c) new interchange at I-29 and Faraon; and (d) the Alabama Street viaduct.
n Tax Reform – support legislation that would simplify and improve fairness in the federal tax code.
Chamber Legislative Activities:
n “Great Northwest Day� at the Capitol in February
n Provide weekly legislative updates to Chamber members during the General Assembly session n Encourage state and federal officials to visit and participate in forums
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n Healthcare Reform - support legislation that would improve access to affordable healthcare insurance for small employers and individuals and reduce healthcare costs, without the formation of a government-operated health insurance program or imposing new mandates and penalties on businesses.
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n No Child Left Behind – Reconcile Missouri’s performance measures with those being used in other states and support efforts to eliminate the unfunded federal
“Washington D.C. Fly-in� in April
n Build relationships and provide individual briefings to legislators, chief policymakers, and their staff members.
Federal Issues:
n Employee Free Choice Act (Card Check) – oppose any effort to eliminate private balloting in the election process of organizing a union in the workplace.
n “St. Joe Rising� legislative session preview in January or February.
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St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
Get Smart! St. Joseph is a major part of the Animal Health Corridor, which stretches from Columbia, Mo., to Manhattan, Kan. Nearly one-third of the $14 billion in global sales for animal sales and nutrition comes from the St. Joseph and Kansas City area. And, those companies need qualified workers in science and engineering fields. Missouri Western State University has worked hard to enhance its science education programs. It recently underwent a $37.5 million construction and renovation project of the buildings that house the math and science departments. Western now has 120,000 square feet of science instructional space. “The expanded and improved facilities will help develop the life science workforce of the future and help us recruit and retain topnotch faculty and students,” Dr. Robert Vartabedian said in Western’s Community Impact Report. Agenstein Hall, Western’s original science and math building, had seen enrollment triple in its halls since it opened. The renovated building now will host the biology, chemistry and computer science departments. “It’s truly a state-of-the-art building,” said. Dr. Ben Caldwell, Chemistry Department Chairman. “It had great bones but we couldn’t keep up with technology.” That is a problem of the past now. “You learn science by doing science,” Dr. Todd Eckdahl, Biology Department Chairman, said of the importance of adding and renovating laboratory space. “We provide education for tomorrow’s chemists, biologist, mathematicians, computer scientists and more.” Those students don’t just learn in the classroom and in Western laboratories. Many St. Joseph companies allow students to hone their skills with internships.
10
Needs for an educated workforce are filled in St. Joseph
Dr. Caldwell said students have completed internships at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., Nestle Purina, Johnson Controls, Becker Underwood, Lifeline Foods, the Bond Science and Technology Incubator and many more St. Joseph employers. Sometimes those internships turn into full-time jobs. Chris Feiden, Head of Operations at Becker Underwood, said his company has hired Western interns for full-time positions when they are available. “Of the eight employees with advanced degrees in science, six have come through an internship program at MWSU upon receiving their degrees,” Mr. Feiden said. “Our key to any growth or expansion opportunities will rely on our ability to hire quality graduates from MWSU.” Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., one of St. Joseph’s largest employers, also uses the wealth of knowledge from Western to fill their employee roster. Cory Sullivan, Director of Public Relations at BI, said the company utilizes interns in its Missouri Western State University students work in laboratories in the new Remington Hall. operations, research Photos submitted by Missouri Western State University. and development, central services and sales and marketing departments. Multiple internships turned into full-time jobs, she said. “We value the partnership (with Western) greatly as we get quality labor while they get solid, real life work experience,” she said. “The intern program is top notch and the school works with us closely to Chris Feiden ensure we get talent that meets our Head of Operations needs.”
“Of the eight employees with advanced degrees in science, six have come through an internship program at MWSU upon receiving their degrees.”
Becker Underwood
St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
BusinessBriefs
Get Your Master’s Degree Chances to pursue a higher education past high school have long been available to St. Joseph residents. But recently, the opportunities to obtain master’s degrees have greatly expanded. Missouri Western State University offers six master’s programs with multiple options, as well as graduate certificates and cooperative programs with other universities. Northwest Missouri State University’s St. Joseph Center offers two master’s programs with multiple options as well as specialist and certificate programs.
Missouri Western State University Master of Applied Science
Chemistry Option Human Factors and Usability Testing Option Information Technology Management Option Engineering Technology Management Option
Master of Applied Science in Forensic Investigations Master of Applied Science in Assessment Learning Improvement Option Writing Option Autism Spectrum Disorders Option TESOL Option
Master of Applied Arts in Integrated Media Applied Integrated Media Option Convergent Media Option
Master of Applied Arts in Written Communication Writing Studies Option Technical Communication Option
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Health Care Leadership
Northwest Missouri State University -- St. Joseph Center
Master of Business Administration (MBA) Master of Science in Education
Elementary Educational Leadership Secondary Educational Leadership English Language Learners Guidance and Counseling Health and Physical Education Reading Teacher Leadership Teaching: Early Childhood Education Teaching: Instructional Technology
To learn more about these programs, visit each respective university’s website at: www.missouriwestern.edu www.nwmissouri.edu
11
Chamber VP Receives IOM New Internship offered at Designation Chamber Natalie Redmond, Vice President of Member Relations of the St. Joseph Metro Chamber, has received the designation of IOM (Institute Natalie Redmond for Organization Management) from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This professional development program of the U.S. Chamber is a comprehensive course of study consisting of four annual sessions focusing on professional growth and development for non-profit professionals. “Institute graduates are recognized across the country as leaders in their communities,” said Raymond P. Towle, the U.S. Chamber’s Vice President of Institute for Organization Management. “These individuals have the knowledge, skills and dedication to achieve professional and organizational success in the dynamic association and chamber industries. Graduates of Institute receive the IOM recognition, signifying the completion of 96 hours of course instruction in nonprofit management.
Have You Noticed? Have you noticed the newly-painted water tower along Interstate 29 in the north part of St. Joseph? Missouri American Water offered to paint a “Welcome to St. Joseph” message on one side of the tower. The other side has the water company’s logo. This makes a nice welcome to people visiting and traveling through our city.
The St. Joseph Metro Chamber has an intern working in its office this semester. Colin Hoffman, a junior at Missouri Western State University, is serving as the governmental relations intern. Mr. Hoffman had previously worked as an intern in Congressman Sam Graves’ office in Washington, D.C. He said at that internship he learned how to conduct research on legislation and got a feel for current issues. His internship at the Chamber entails helping keep members abreast of legislative issues going on in Jefferson City and Washington, D.C. These real-time updates show the progress being made on bills concerning the Chamber’s legislative priorities. Mr. Hoffman is a political science and economics major from St. Joseph. After graduation he’d like to go back to Washington D.C. and work as a lobbyist or congressional staffer. If you are a Chamber member and would like to receive these emailed weekly updates, e-mail Colin at hoffman@saintjoseph.com.
St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
12
Governor Nixon Visits to Celebrate Small Business Expansions Growth at Van-Am Tool & Engineering, Sunshine Electronic Display and I & M Machine & Fabrication Corp.
Gov. Jay Nixon, center, congratulated Kendall Randolph of Sunshine Electronic Display, left, and Ivan Russell, of Van-Am Tool & Engineering at a visit to the Chamber. In the picture on the right, Gov. Nixon went on a tour of I & M Machine & Fabrication Corp. Gov. Jay Nixon visited St. Joseph twice in the late part of 2010 to help local businesses celebrate expansions. “Financing an expansion is no easy task, even in a good economy,” Gov. Nixon said at a ceremony celebrating the growth of Sunshine Electronic Display and Van-Am Tool and Engineering. Sunshine Electronic Display’s project includes the acquisition of real property and the purchase of equipment for expansion of the manufacturing plant. Real property acquisition and construction cost $900,000 and new equipment purchases ran $200,000 – a total of $1.1 million in capital investment.
Twenty jobs will be created by
Owner Receives Highest Accreditation Kenton Randolph, owner of Randolph Medical Plus, has earned the Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) certification by the Rehabilitation Engineering and
this expansion, with average salaries of about $32,000. The project will use EEZ tax credits and receive $150,000 of federal stimulus dollars from the city. “This is something really nice for downtown to see a new building going up,” said Kendall Randolph, CEO of Sunshine Electronic Display. “We plan on being here for a long time. We’re appreciative of the work of the Chamber, Rep. Pat Conway and others (in our expansion efforts).” Gov. Nixon also congratulated Ivan Russell, President of Van-Am Tool and Engineering. “Isn’t it great to be talking about making things in America?” he said. After pursuing a contract with a local company for many years, which
is now experiencing a significant increase in its product demand, Van-Am is gearing up to meet those needs as well as its increase in sales in another division. The capital investment in the building is $750,000 and results in seven new jobs. Mr. Russell talked about the company’s beginning compared to its newest expansion. “It’s hard for me to believe myself,” he said. He said at one point they were paying 21.5 percent interest and it was hard to make the payments. Now things have turned around. “St. Joe has a great pool of employees to draw from,” he said. Gov. Nixon discussed the importance of small businesses like Van-Am and
Sunshine. “People forget the stability small business brings to the community in the facts and figures of economic development,” he said. “But these people aren’t just facts and figures, they are your little league coach and the people who sit on your church pew.” The governor, in a separate visit to St. Joseph, toured I & M Machine and Fabrication Corp. I & M had a building expansion of 25,000 square feet, along with equipment, which represents a $1.2 million investment. Fifteen new full-time employees will be added, accounting for half-million dollars in new payroll.
Assistive Technology Society of North America and a Certified Rehabilitation Technology Supplier (CRTS) through the National Registry of Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers. There are only a limited number of other suppliers who have obtained duel certification in the state of Missouri. The ATP certification recognizes
professionals who have reached an internationally-accepted standard of knowledge in assistive technology and who demonstrate a commitment to provide only the highest ethical standard. CRTS professionals are certified to provide complex rehab wheelchairs and seated positioning systems to
people of all ages and diagnoses, who have postural or mobility defects. Randolph Medical Plus is located at 139 N. Belt Highway in the Hy-Vee Plaza and can be reached at (816) 364-4357 or at www. randolphmedical.com
BusinessBrief
St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
13
Nestlé Purina PetCare Wins Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Nestlé marks the second St. Joseph company in two years to win prestigious honor
Nestlé Purina PetCare Company (NPPC) recently announced that it was named a 2010 recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. NPPC’s associates at the St. Joseph plant and the Nestlé Product Technology Center in St. Joseph received site visits from Baldrige examiners in October, helping to earn the award. This marks the second St. Joseph organization to win the award in two years. Heartland Health won in 2009. This prestigious award recognizes organizations that show consistent excellence in the areas of leadership; customer and market focus; strategic planning; process management; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; workforce focus; and results. By receiving the Baldrige Award, Nestlé Purina PetCare Company became the first consumer packaged goods company ever to receive the award; and the first pet food manufacturer to receive the award. In addition, out of 83 applicants, Nestlé Purina PetCare Company was one of only seven companies to receive the award this year. And prior to the 2010 group, only 80 organizations had received Baldrige awards. “The passion that Nestlé Purina associates extend to enrich the lives of pets and the people who love them is directly responsible for our designation as one of the country’s leading and innovative businesses,’’ said Pat McGinnis, Chief Executive Officer, Nestlé Purina. “The St. Joseph Metro Chamber salutes Nestlé Purina on their tremendous achievement,” said Ted Allison, President and CEO. “The culture of excellence is spreading which can only bring positive results for our community.”
Named after the 26th Secretary of Commerce, the Malcolm Baldrige Award was established in 1987 to enhance the competitiveness and performance of U.S. organizations. The award raises awareness about performance excellence in the U.S. and global economy, provides organizational assessment tools and criteria, educates business leaders about best class practices and recognizes national role models. It is the only Presidential Award for performance excellence. Nestlé Purina PetCare, a global leader in the pet care industry, promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. Part of Swiss-based Nestle’ S.A., the world’s largest food company, Nestlé Purina PetCare’s North American headquarters is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis, Mo., and has 20 manufacturing facilities and 7,000 associates.
win a prize, but to ensure the highest quality of care for the community,” he said. However, the journey isn’t over. “We aren’t perfect,” Dr. Laney said. “We try hard to be perfect, but we aren’t perfect. The journey of excellence never ends, ever.” The Baldrige award will travel
Heartland brings home award On Dec. 16, 2010, Heartland Health President and CEO Mark Laney, MD, Heartland Health Chairman of the Board of Directors Alfred Purcell and Team Heartland caregivers made the trip to Washington, D.C., to receive the 2009 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. On Jan. 26, they presented the award to the St. Joseph community in an unveiling ceremony. “You have every reason to be proud of a group that has worked so hard,” Dr. Laney said. Dr. Laney said there were only 10 other health institutions to win (at that time) and there are more than 5,000 health care institutions nationwide. “The journey was taken not to
among Heartland clinics and the hospital. “We’re giving it back to the community, but you have to come out here to see it,” joked Chief Operating Officer Curt Kretzinger about the award.
Heartland Health Chairman of the Board Al Purcell, Registered Nurse Kathy Albers, Chief Operating Officer Curt Kretzinger and President and CEO Mark Laney, MD, pose with the Baldrige award at the unveiling ceremony.
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St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
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St. Joseph Downtown Partnership Seeks to Establish New District By Becky Boerkircher St. Joseph Downtown Partnership Corporation The St. Joseph Downtown Partnership is in the process of trying to establish a community improvement district. The initiative to establish a CID would replace the current Special Business District that expires at the end of 2011. Once formed, the CID will
provide a funding source to improve existing services downtown, as well as help fund capital improvements. Currently, the Special Business District generates approximately $60,000 a year based on a property tax. This funding is currently used for trash pick-up and watering of
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the flower pots during the summer months, maintenance of the gateway park, funding for the Downtown Partnership, holiday decorations, capital improvements and other downtown projects. This tax sunsets every seven years and limits its ability to help fund larger capital improvements downtown that require bonding. The boundary of the proposed CID district would be the existing boundary of the downtown TIF district. Revenue would be generated from a property and sales tax. The money would fund the following plan for downtown. Security: The CID district would hire some downtown ambassadors to monitor the district, pick up trash on the streets and report suspicious activities to the police. Marketing: A dedicated funding source would allow the Downtown Partnership to be more pro-active with marketing downtown. Those who live and work downtown know of the many positive opportunities that are available in the central business district. With a marketing budget, the partnership could tell others of the attributes in the area. This budget would go toward developing and maintaining a website and promoting the many events and activities. Capital improvements and land acquisition: There are several capital improvements that would assist the partnership in creating a more vibrant downtown. A funding source is needed to assist in obtaining land to assimilate for some of the larger projects (like the events center) that may be constructed. It is also imperative that some of the derelict properties that hinder development be addressed.
Landscape maintenance installation and improvements: Over the last 10 years several beautification elements have been added to downtown. Attributes like the gateway park, landscape nodes and flowers in the planters all add color and vibrance to the district. It is very important to take care of these, as well as add more to enhance the environment in the district. Trash pick-up: Downtown will continue to partner with the City of St. Joseph to have the trash receptacles dumped on a regular basis. Downtown Partnership: Additional revenue would provide the Partnership with more funds to increase its staff and equipment to be proactive with downtown development and events. Downtown events: Downtown has been able to successfully establish some good events over the last couple of years. With a dedicated funding source, these could be enhanced and expanded upon. This plan was established based on the responses from the community during a survey conducted by the DREAM Initiative. Input was also obtained by interviews with focus groups also conducted as part of the DREAM Initiative. Establishment of the CID would create a political subdivision downtown. The resources would be managed by a board of directors that would be made up of downtown property owners and businesses. This board will determine the projects funded. For more information contact the St. Joseph Downtown Partnership at 816-233-9192 or st.josephdowntown@yahoo.com.
St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
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TopEmployerProfile Each quarter in the Business Journal we will profile one or more of St. Joseph’s top employers. A top employer may be based on number of employees, or because the business operates in a St. Joseph-focused industry. Often, we all may recognize a company name, but may not know exactly what they do. In this question and answer piece, learn a little bit more about:
Becker Underwood Manufacturers-Bioagronomic Products 1305 S. 58th St. Mitchell Woods Business Park (515) 956-2309 www.beckerunderwood.com Questions answered by Chris Feiden, Head of Operations
What products are developed and/or manufactured in St. Joseph?
We employ 18 people full time. Many of our employees have four-year degrees. The most common emphasis is microbiology.
The products we manufacture in St Joseph are rhizobium inoculants. These organisms are used on legume crops to enable the host plants to fixate nitrogen from the atmosphere as a fertilizer source instead of having to use a nitrogen fertilizer.
Why did your company choose to locate in St. Joseph and what keeps you here?
How are your products distributed?
Our products are bought and distributed by major agricultural distributors.
Becker Underwood in St. Joseph is part of a global company. How does the work done in St. Joseph relate to the other parts of your company? Becker Underwood as a company has always focused on niche markets. The work done in St Joseph is the fermentation of rhizobium that can be used as inoculums in many parts of the world. Products we make in St Joseph are shipped to Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, & Europe. How many workers do you employ and what kinds of educational backgrounds do they have?
The company is located here due to acquisition of two prior companies that were located here in Urbana Laboratories and Custom Fermentation. The assets and people were brought together in the facility we are in now. Any prospect for expansion? Yes, the markets we serve are those related to supplying the world’s food supply. Are there any interesting facts or figures you’d like the Business Journal readership to know? Our industry has a 25 percent rate of use on our targeted crops. The return for most treatments averages four times the investment in an average year.
St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
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DowntownDigest Information provided by the St. Joseph Downtown Partnership
Mardi Gras Parade goes back to its roots
American Family Insurance... for over 80 years the family you choose.
The St. Joseph Downtown Association has announced the theme of the 2011 Mardi Gras Parade. The theme “Back Where You Belong” was chosen in part to bring attention to the parade being switched back to its original route. The line-up for the parade will be at the Holiday Inn at Third and Felix streets. The parade will proceed east on Felix and conclude at Eighth and Felix streets. The parade will be held on March 5 at 8 p.m. Fees to be a participant in the parade are $50. Entry forms are available at all downtown bars or by contacting the St. Joseph Downtown Association at 233-9192 or e-mail at st.josephdowntown@yahoo.com. The Mardi Gras Parade is sponsored by the St. Joseph Downtown Association, KKJO and Q Country. The Grand Marshal for the parade will be announced at a later date.
St. Joseph Downtown Partnership to relocate offices
Regional Office 816-364-1541 4802 Mitchell Avenue, St. Joseph, MO www.amfam.com ©2011 American Family Mutual Insurance Co. and its Subsidiaries Home Office - Madison, WI 53783 003842964 02/11
The St. Joseph Downtown Partnership has announced plans to relocate its offices from the Missouri Valley Trust Building at 402 Felix St. The organization has had their offices at this location since its inception in 1998. Previous to the St. Joseph
Downtown Partnership, the Downtown Chamber of Commerce had offices in this building. The Missouri Valley Trust Building was willed to the AlbrechtKemper Museum of Art by Mary Boder upon her death in 1988. The museum sold the building to local realtor Joann Cobb in December. The St. Joseph Downtown Partnership will move to a temporary location owned by Hillyard Industries at 101 Jules St. by the end of February. A new location for the offices should be announced in the near future.
Bad Art Bistro opens The Bad Art Bistro, located at 707 Edmond St. next to the Missouri Theatre, is a new and different type of dining experience for St. Joseph. Executive Chef Chris Frangiadis comes to the Bistro from Asolare on St. John in the Virgin Islands, the island’s premier fine dining establishment. Prior to chefing at Asolare, Chris had gained national recognition in the gourmet and food magazines for his Pittsburg restaurant. What Chris has done, with Vincent Daunay alongside him, from Chloe and Bernard’s fame, is create a comfortable menu of food and classic cocktails that please the palette without mugging your wallet. Chris makes everything from scratch ranging from the ketchup he uses to the bread he serves and the Osso Bucco he presents.
Thinking of joining the Chamber? Call 232-4461 or visit www.saintjoseph. com for more information
St. Joseph Business journal
Work it out
St. Joseph residents, like most in the nation, see the benefit of improving their health. Most people spend 40 hours a week at work, so why not make a workplace a starting point to better health? The Community Roundtable on Health and Productivity is trying to do just that. Its mission is to create a workplace culture that encourages personal well-being, resulting in improved health and productivity. “Employers are one of the largest sectors of any community and their policies and efforts directly influence employees and their families,” said Steve Wenger, Process Leader- Market Research and Population Health at Heartland Health. “Eventually, employers have the opportunity to become the trendsetter or standard bearer that influences their community to achieve higher levels of health.” While improving health is good for a number of personal reasons, it’s also good for a company’s bottom line. Healthy workers have fewer healthrelated costs, including direct medical expenditures, unnecessary absences from work and lost performance at work, according to Heartland. Here are some interesting facts gathered by the Community Roundtable: • The cost of obesity to American business is $285,000 to a firm of 1,000 employees • Each employee who smokes cost $3,391 per year more than a non-smoker • When worksite wellness programs are in place, insurance claims dropped by 27.8 percent; physician visits dropped by 16.5 percent and hospital admissions declined by 62.5 percent • A healthy lifestyle is defined as a combination of four healthy lifestyle
Winter 2011
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Businesses Pledge to Make Health a Priority for Employees
characteristics– be non-smoking, have a body mass index below 25, eat five fruits and vegetables a day and get regular physical activity. Only 3 percent of the adult U.S. population meet this criteria. “The idea has been brewing for several years and the group (below) agreed to start modestly with only a few goals and a small group,” Mr. Wenger said. “ As the group gains momentum and success it Tracy Canchola, of Heartland Health, participates in fitness activities. can be grown and expanded.” participation with business and faith significant increase in participation Sixeen businesses and other communities of roundtable and non-roundtable groups have signed on to the businesses. Community Roundtable. By doing this they have agreed to these goals: Year 3: Show a statistically Year 1: Conduct wellness screenings; Communicate intent to be tobacco free; Conduct one exercise or nutrition activity Year 2: Have a tobacco-free or designated area; Reduce employee tobacco use; Establish a formal exercise or nutrition program Year 3: 100 percent should have a wellness program that has 60 percent of employees participating The group has goals for the community outside of the original participating workplaces as well. Year 1: Hold Fourth Grade Challenge; Raise community awareness by engaging the faith community Year 2: Encourage Corporate Challenge
Businesses Participating in the Business Roundtable Altec Industries Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. Buchanan County City of St Joseph Eagle Radio Heartland Health Hillyard Industries Hy-Vee KCP&L Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory Missouri Western State University St. Joseph Metro Chamber St Joseph School District United Way of Greater St. Joseph Triumph Foods YMCA
St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
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SmallBusinessMatters Social Media: Is Your Business Being Left Behind? Q: How do I increase profits? A: Ask your customers what they
want. Q: How? A: With social media
Q: How do I increase customer
loyalty?
A: Engage your customers. Q: How? A: With social media Q: How do I advertise on a
shoestring budget or no budget at all? A: Use your customers. Q: How?
A: With social media Social media is the common tool used to achieve the above results. Multiple studies have been performed trying to either prove or disprove the idea that social media can be used successfully for business purposes. The only thing that the researchers seem to agree on is that social media is not a fad and will be here for quite some time. In today’s world of Internet, ecommerce, and the erosion of paperbased advertising, embracing a free marketing medium such as Facebook seems like a no-brainer…so why the nay-sayers?
The Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC) is located inside the St. Joseph Metro Chamber. You do not need to be a member of the Chamber to receive services from the SBTDC. The SBTDC can complete a walk-through of your business to determine if there are any wastes that are causing your operation to run inefficiently and what can be done to correct those situations. All services performed by the SBTDC are pre-paid by the Small Business Administration, so there is never a charge to the business.
Hy-Vee gives to Lindbergh Officials from the St. Joseph Hy-Vee presented a $1,500 SMART Board interactive whiteboard to Lindbergh Elementary School during a gathering at the school on Jan. 24. Lindbergh was one of more than 200 schools throughout the Midwest that received the innovative technology tools this year through Hy-Vee’s SMART Points promotion, which ran from Sept. 1 through Nov. 30. During the promotional period, shoppers who purchased Procter & Gamble and Sara Lee products at HyVee earned points that could be designated to the schools of their choice. Lindbergh achieved the highest average points score in its region to earn the SMART Board. In addition, the Lindbergh Elementary student with the most points designated on his or her behalf received a MacBook computer during the presentation.
As with all “new” concepts that invade businesses, such as the Internet, e-mail, or the cell phone, social media is just one more “new” concept to learn; one more item on the task list; one more issue to deal with. While change can be an arduous experience, social media can actually be embraced due to all of the positive impact it can have on your business (refer to numbers 1 through 3 at the beginning of the article). Consider the analogy below to truly appreciate the positive impact of social media. If you could place 1,000 television ads with your local cable station, for free, and you could track exactly how many people saw the
ads, at what time of day, and on which day of the week, would you do it? Of course! It may take a bit of your time to assist with creating the ad, but you know that it will reach thousands or more people, so you know the time is well invested. Social media is exactly that. So what are you waiting for? Invest a little time each day for a big return tomorrow. For more information about how to create a Facebook page for your business, please contact your local SBTDC center.
Rebecca Evans is the Regional Director of the SBTDC. You may contact her at: 816-364-4105 or evans@saintjoseph.com
BusinessBrief
Hy-Vee managers pose for a funny picture with Lindbergh Elementary School staff and students at the SMART Board presentation.
St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
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an $8.3 million economic impact in St. Joseph on an annual basis. About $2.3 million is from direct expenditures by arts organizations and $6 million is generated from audiences. Additionally, the City receives $275,000 in license fees, theater rent and taxes as a result of the expenditures made by arts organizations and audiences. With the overall season of entertainment, children’s workshops and additional educational outreach, the Performing Arts Association is able to positively affect the lives of more than 7,000 individuals from St. Joseph, the surrounding region and beyond. Goals for the future include serving the community to the fullest extent possible as outlined in the group’s mission statement and to evaluate how the Performing Arts Association can be a positive creative outlet in strengthening the relationship between the arts and business sector of the community. For more on the Performing Arts Association and to see information about upcoming productions, visit their website, noted above.
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The Performing Arts Association is a nonprofit corporation formed in 1979 to strengthen the performing arts in St. Joseph and to support the development of the Missouri Theater into a regional center for the performing arts. The group also provides performing arts education programs for area youth without any access barriers, and offers other performing arts education programs, such as master classes and workshops to the general population of the greater St. Joseph area. The Performing Arts Association strives to provide opportunities for collaboration with other arts organizations that helps meet collective goals. The Performing Arts Association serves the community by providing access to the best in the performing arts in all disciplines, including classical music in all its various forms, jazz, popular music, contemporary and classical dance and dramatic and musical theatre. To the extent possible, the organization encourages the development of new works through commissioning and artistic residencies. The arts community generates
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(816) 279-1225 www.saintjosephperformingarts.org
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St. Joseph Business journal
Winter 2011
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