Fall 2013 a publication of the St. Joseph Metro Chamber
St. Joseph Ranks 4th in Nation in Real GDP Growth Chamber Launches New Website for Small Businesses Legislative Priorities Identified
St. Joseph BuSineSS Journal
Fall 2013
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St. Joseph BUSINESS JOURNAL
Fall 2013
BUSINESS JOURNAL INDEX
Chamber Launches New Resource for Small Businesses..................4 Transportation Needs Discussed at St. Joe Rising.............................5 St. Joseph Ranks Fourth in Nation in Real GDP Growth..................6 Shop St. Joseph Kicks Off for Seventh Year......................................8 Institute Names New Leader...............................................................9 Top Employer Profile: Advantage Metals Recycling.........................10 Chamber’s 2014 Legislative Priorities Established.............................11
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Different Generations in the Workplace May Lead to Conflict..........12 Economic Update.................................................................................13 Cronkite Memorial Dedicated at Western...........................................14 Member Profile: St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau................15 Downtown Digest.................................................................................16 MWSU Hires New Dean for Craig School of Business.......................17 Small Business Matters..........................................................................18
A publication of the St. Joseph Metro Chamber. Published Aug. 17, 2013. Content by Kristi Bailey, unless otherwise noted.
2013 St. Joseph Metro Chamber
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman
Directors
Vern Middleton Midwest Federal
Chair-Elect
Dr. Mark Laney Heartland Health
Secretary/Treasurer
James Carolus Hillyard Companies
President/CEO
R. Patt Lilly
John Bosman, American Family Insurance Brian Bradley, St. Joseph News-Press Barbara Burns, B.J. Office Products Inc. Mike Decker, Apple Market Bernd Eichenmueller, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. Bill Falkner, City of St. Joseph Tim Knapp, Tim Knapp Construction Co. Corky Marquart, Commerce Bank Todd Meierhoffer, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory Byron Myers, Sr., City of St. Joseph Col. Mike Pankau, 139th Airlift Wing, Missouri Air National Guard
Matt Robertson, CliftonLarsonAllen Stet Schanze, Gray Manufacturing Co., Inc. Larry Stobbs, South St. Joseph Progressive Association Kylee Strough, United Way of Greater St. Joseph R.T. Turner, Buchanan County Bob Wollenman, Deluxe Truck Stop LLC Mark Woodbury, General Counsel, Polsinelli Shughart P.C. Brad McAnally, Past Chair, Hy-Vee Food Stores Janice Keith, Diplomats Club Representative, Holiday Inn Conference Center Jennifer Pellersels, LEAD Representative, Altec Industries, Inc.
STAFF
3003 Frederick Ave. 816.232.4461 or 800.748.7856 816.364.4873 (fax) www.saintjoseph.com Kristi Bailey
Director of Communications & Marketing bailey@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4108
Brad Lau
Vice President, Economic Development blau@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4110
Mary Brown
Programs Coordinator brown@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4102
R. Patt Lilly
President/CEO plilly@saintjoseph.com 816.232.4485
Amanda Davies
Events Coordinator davies@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4101
Natalie Redmond
Vice President, Membership redmond@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4107
Jessica Jackson
Business Retention Specialist jackson@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4103
Jodi Thomas
Receptionist, Administrative Assistant thomas@saintjoseph.com 816.232.4461
Shannon Jobes
Vice President, Administration jobes@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4111
Steve Johnston
Director of Community Alliance of Saint Joseph johnston@saintjoseph.com 816.364.4109
St. Joseph BUSINESS JOURNAL
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Chamber Launches New Resource For Small Businesses
New website, stjosephsmallbusiness.com, offers articles, videos to help grow business without leaving the office
If you’re a small business owner in search of some help on your road to success, check to see what assistance you might find at the St. Joseph Metro Chamber’s new website, The Small Business Resource Center. The website, stjosephsmallbusiness.com, was launched in October and provides a wealth of information about a variety of subjects that affect small businesses. This can range from financing and planning to sales, marketing and insurance. “The goal of this website is to provide small business owners with resources and information they might not be able to find in one spot otherwise,” said R. Patt Lilly, President and CEO of the St. Joseph Metro Chamber. “One issue that many of our small business members have raised is that they would like to attend the Chamber’s educational events, but they literally cannot get out of their office or shop to attend. This website addresses that issue, to offer value to small business owners so they can help grow their business.” Whether a business is just starting or if it has been operating for a while, the articles, videos and frequently asked questions sections are sure to provide small business owners with plenty of information to help solve potential problems. The website has advice and tips from mostly local experts. For instance, in the Legal Advice category, if you’ve ever wondered if your business should incorporate, you can get free legal advice on the topic from Polsinelli attorney Seth Wright. The sales category has advice from Eagle
Radio’s sales manager Jenny Cathcart and Jeff Penland, Director of Cloud Services at the St. Joseph News-Press has a blog on keeping your data safe. However, the Small Business Resource Center is strongly supported by American Family Insurance. American Family has an excellent business accelerator platform for small businesses, so its staff has also provided some useful tips in articles and videos throughout the site. Although the majority of the content is from local experts, this American Family content provides a national voice as well. If you’re a person who needs real world examples of how little things you do can make a difference, you’ll find inspiration in the site’s Case Studies section. This area gives great examples of how Chamber members are using their membership to grow their businesses in very different ways. If you need a quick answer to a question you might have, the Frequently Asked Questions section probably has the answer for you. The Chamber reached out to Small Business and Technology Development Center Director Rebecca Evans for the top questions she gets from residents looking to start their own business, or from those who are struggling to stay afloat. She gave the answers to those questions and they’ve been formatted in an easy way for you to find what you need. Questions range from how do you finance a small business to how to do I get the right permits? Are you more of a visual learner? In the Learning Center you’ll find some of the videos the Chamber has recorded from its popular Lunch and Learn sessions and from the Small Business Summit. Maybe you couldn’t get out to attend the session on technology tips for small business or how to help your business go green when they were offered, but now you can catch up at your own convenience. The Chamber has also gone
From left to right: Ronan Molloy, the Institute for Industrial and Applied Life Sciences President, speaks with Chairman of the St. Joseph Metro Chamber Board, Vern Middleton, and guest speaker Tyler Prochnow of Think Big Partners at the Fall Chairman’s Luncheon on Oct. 29. online to find some great video tutorials that can help your business without you spending a lot of time hunting on Google. You’ll see an intro to Quickbooks, some information on the Cloud and a video from American Family on being a start-up business. The site will be updated weekly. You can sign up to receive notifications when new content is added. “We hope you find what you need quickly, but if you are having trouble we want to help,” said Kristi Bailey, Director of Communications for the Chamber. “If you have a question that isn’t answered, don’t be shy, just ask. Your question will come to me and I’ll make sure we reach out to one of our experts to find the answer.“ The Small Business Resource Center was built with much help from two Chamber members that are also small businesses, St.Joe Web and Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions. The website was publicly launched at the annual Fall Chairman’s Luncheon where Tyler Prochnow led a thought-provoking discussion about entrepreneurship.
Mr. Prochnow, co-founder of Think Big Partners, an earlystage business incubator, startup accelerator and mentorship-based collaborative network that takes ideas, opportunities and entrepreneurs and makes them big. It is based in Kansas City. He provides the company’s clients with insight, consulting and advice on the difficult issues that face entrepreneurs today. A former attorney, he also is the founder of Golden Peak Sports, a full-service sports representation agency that has counted Deion Sanders among its clients. Mr. Prochnow presented “The Silicon Prairie is Alive and Well -- How Entrepreneurs are Thriving in the Midwest.” He discussed how St. Joseph fits into this arena with resources like the Chamber’s new website and the Bond Science and Technology Incubator. Students from entrepreneurship classes from the St. Joseph School District were in attendance and were able to ask Mr. Prochnow questions. The event, held on Oct. 29 at Moila, was sponsored by American Family Insurance.
St. Joseph BUSINESS JOURNAL
Fall 2013
The Director of the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) recently discussed the current state of transportation in Missouri and what the future looks like. Dave Nichols said that currently MoDOT is staffed and structured in an efficient manner. “We went through a very significant right sizing that took about two years to complete,” he said. “We reduced our staff by about 20 percent. Giving those pink slips is one of the hardest things there is to do.” Not only did the department cut 1,200 jobs, it also reduced 131 MoDOT facilities. “We were structured like we were still in the 1920s,” he said. “We consolidated a lot of equipment. Those dollars we saved went right back into highway projects.” Saving money is important to Mr. Nichols because transportation funding is going down. He said in 2005, 2006, and 2007 the department made major investments. Now, his staff is in maintenance mode. He said the next big projects are going to be slimmer and slimmer. He explained that MoDOT is funded from gas tax revenue and a fee from when residents license their cars. “We still get 17 cents a gallon, even though the price of gas is much higher than in the 1990s when that figure was established,” he said. “And
costs are higher -- those 17 cents don’t go as far as they used to.” MoDOT staff held public sessions to determine priorities for the future. The results of those told MoDOT to take care of what you have first, invest in safety and invest in projects that will bring new jobs to the community.” Projects that will help bring jobs into the state include projects that provide better access to air, rail and river ports and continue to improve the highways. “If anyone wonders how this connects,” said R. Patt Lilly, President and CEO of the St. Joseph Metro Chamber, “the new Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. facility is a reality because of working with MoDOT on the Riverside Road project. Mr. Nichols said that there is $70 billion in need for intermodal transportation projects and the department has only $17 billion to meet the need. He said that a group called Missourians for Safe Transportation and New Jobs filed a ballot initiative to put a sales tax on the November 2014 ballot to fund transportation. In October, it was polling at over 52 percent without any campaigning occurring yet. He said there is no appetite to raise the gas tax. The event, presented by Cochran Head Vick & Co. P.C., was held Oct. 11 at the Holiday Inn.
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Transportation Needs Discussed at St. Joe Rising Event
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St. Joseph BUSINESS JOURNAL
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St. Joseph Ranks Fourth in the Nation in Real GDP Growth The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released a report in September that showed St. Joseph, Mo., as a leader in real gross domestic product growth. The BEA reported that Real GDP in metropolitan areas increased 2.5 percent in 2012, in comparison to 1.7 percent in 2011. It listed St. Joseph as one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in terms of 2012 GDP growth with an increase of 9.8 percent. St. Joseph ranked fourth in the nation out of 381 metro areas. “I think the increased percentage is an indication that overall, the U.S. economy is improving,” said R. Patt Lilly, President and CEO of the St. Joseph Metro Chamber. “It also indicates the strength and diversity of manufacturing in St. Joseph.” Mr. Lilly said GDP is a measure of products that are produced or manufactured and sold both domestically and internationally. “A lot of people may think of traditional manufacturers like Altec,
Johnson Controls or Wire Rope in St. Joseph, but many of our top employers like Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., Nestle Purina and Triumph Foods also contribute to St. Joseph’s GDP. This report speaks to the vitality of St. Joseph’s manufacturing base, which continues to grow.” For example, Boehringer Ingelheim continues its expansion efforts in Eastowne Business Park with the addition of the Consolidated Packaging and Physical Distribution Warehouse and Triumph Foods is making $7.4 million in new capital investment and adding 105 new jobs in 2013. St. Joseph ranked only behind Midland, Texas; Odessa, Texas; and Elkhart-Goshen, Indiana, in the rankings. St. Joseph was the only Missouri city in the top 10 list. For more information about this report, please see http://bea.gov/ newsreleases/regional/gdp_ metro/gdp_metro_newsrelease.htm
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Gross domestic product growth out of St. Joseph comes in many forms. Scientists work at places like Nestle Purina and Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., and wire rope is made at WireCo WorldGroup.
St. Joseph BUSINESS JOURNAL
SBTDC Assistance Makes Positive Impact MARYVILLE, Mo. – The assistance provided by the Northwest Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) during the last year has made a significant impact on small businesses – and the economy – in Northwest Missouri, including the creation of 17 new businesses. In addition to the creation of new businesses, Larry Lee, director of the Northwest SBTDC, reported that, in fiscal year 2013, from October 2012 to September 2013, the businesses the center assisted: • created or retained 444 jobs in Northwest Missouri; • experienced an increase in sales of $11 million; and • received loans and investments totaling nearly $7 million. “The goals of the SBTDC are based on helping business owners and potential entrepreneurs meet today’s competitive challenges,” Mr. Lee said. “We reached 107 percent of our sales increase goal, 124 percent of our capitalization goal, 173 percent of our job creation goal and 404 percent of our job retention goal.” The region’s SBTDC is operated by Northwest Missouri State University with offices in Maryville, St. Joseph and Chillicothe, serving an 18-county area. Like other SBTDC centers located throughout the United States at institutions of higher learning, the Northwest Missouri center is focused on economic development assistance for businesses with fewer than 500 employees. More specifically, the Northwest SBTDC provides individual business counseling to small business owners and individuals throughout Northwest Missouri, coordinates and conducts research related to technical and general small business problems, and conducts conferences and workshops on topics of interest to small business owners. “The SBTDC is a leader in small business advocacy in Missouri
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BusinessBriefs Budgeting for 2014? and helps business owners and potential entrepreneurs meet today’s competitive challenges,” Mr. Lee said. “However, it is imperative that we all take ownership in supporting area businesses and entrepreneurs and be strong advocates for northwest Missouri.”
Polsinelli Attorneys Recognized Polsinelli congratulated 135 of its attorneys from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. who were among those recently included in “The Best Lawyers in America 2014.” Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence and is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey. The following is a list of attorneys from Polsinelli’s St. Joseph office chosen as Best Lawyers® for 2014:
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R. Dan Boulware, Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants Grace S. Day, Family Law Mark R. Woodbury, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Health Care Law Polsinelli also congratulated 33 of its attorneys elected to shareholder from 11 offices across the country. The number of promoted attorneys increased this year by a dozen, and reflects the firm’s commitment to the development of its attorneys and ongoing growth to better serve clients. The attorneys became shareholders on Nov. 1. Jared O. Brooner, of Polsinelli’s St. Joseph office, was one of the attorneys to become a shareholder. He specializes in health care. He earned his J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis in 2006.
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St. Joseph BUSINESS JOURNAL
Fall 2013
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Shop St. Joseph Kicks Off For The Seventh Year The St. Joseph Metro Chamber will conduct the seventh annual Shop St. Joseph Holiday Program. This year the program is presented by the St. Joseph News-Press. The campaign encourages customer loyalty, retains sales revenue for participating businesses and raises public awareness of retail products that are available in St. Joseph during the holidays.
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FSB Mortgage 2407 N. Woodbine Road, Ste. C Goetz Credit Union 1905 Howard St.
BEAUTY SALONS
Merchants give tickets to customers (one free, others based on amount spent). At the end of the program, one lucky shopper wins $10,000. Shoppers can also win prizes from merchants. Each year participating businesses give out thousands of tickets. This year’s program kicks off Tuesday, Nov. 19, and will conclude on Wednesday, Dec. 20, with the
grand prize drawing. Check the Chamber’s website, www.saintjoseph.com, the St. Joseph News-Press, Q Country 92.7, FOX KNPN 26 or KQTV for the winning number. The following list is as of Nov. 12. Other merchants may have been added. For a complete list go to www.saintjoseph.com.
Pizza Shoppe 2229 C N. Belt Highway
Kruse’s Auto Center 901 N. Fourth St.
Jamie’s Secret Garden 811 N. Woodbine Road
Merry Maids 1006 Pacific Street
Jesse James Antique Mall & Rusty Chandelier Interstate 29 & Highway 71
FURNITURE Colony House Furniture & Bedding Frederick Boulevard & Riverside Road
BeautyFirst 3833 Frederick Blvd.
Home Style Furniture & Bedding 302 S. Third St.
Loox 214 S. Belt Highway
Peoples Furniture 3603 Frederick Ave.
FLORISTS Butchart Flowers & Gifts 3321 S. Belt Highway Village Flowers & Tuxedos by Rob 5005 Frederick Blvd. (Inside Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory)
FOOD RETAIL/ RESTAURANTS Carlos O’Kelly’s 3818 Frederick Ave. Cold Stone Creamery 5301 N. Belt Highway (Shoppes at North Village)
GROCERY STORES Apple Market 3734 Pear St. 2300 Mitchell Ave. 903 N. 36th St. Hy-Vee St. Joseph 201 N. Belt Highway
JEWELRY Creviston & Son Jewelry 510 N. Belt Highway Kristen’s Coin & Jewelry 3855 Frederick Blvd. (East Ridge Village)
MISCELLANEOUS
Fredrick Inn Steakhouse 1627 Frederick Ave.
The Comfort Center 1804 N. Belt Highway
Pappy’s Grill & Pub 2501 Messanie St.
House of Sound 1112 S. Belt Highway (Belt & Penn streets)
N.W. Audio 514 N. Belt Highway Praxair Distribution Inc. 3924 Pettis Road St. Jo Frontier Casino 777 Winners Circle T.B.A. and Service LLC 405 S. 36th St. Weaver Overhead Door 2324 Locust St.
RETAIL 2 Trendy 3500 N. Village Drive (Green Acres Building) CVS 1301 S. Belt Highway 930 N. Belt Highway The Cellular Connection 4106 N. Belt Highway East Hills Shopping Center Information & Gift Certificate Center 3702 Frederick Blvd. Fairview Golf Pro Shop Corner of 33rd & Pacific Streets (Fairview Golf Course)
Lil’ Pink Closet 303 S. Belt Highway Niche of Time Jewelry, Inc. 2221 N. Belt Highway, Ste. C On-Site Golf 1213 N. Belt Highway, Ste. A (Pony Express Plaza) PBE’s Toys and Dolls 2241 N. Belt Highway (Woodlawn Shopping Center) Pawn Plus 603 A S. Belt Highway (Next to Payless Shoes) Pigtails ‘N Inkwells 400 S. Belt Highway Record “Wear” House 1401 S. Belt Highway (Belt and Mitchell Shopping Center) Rue21 3702 Frederick Ave. (East Hills Shopping Center) St. Joe Harley-Davidson 4020 S. Highway 169 St. Joseph Auction & Antique Mart 3600 S. Leonard Road
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Institute Names New Leader
Ronan Molloy The Board of Directors of the Institute for Industrial and Applied Life Sciences has named Ronan Molloy as the Institute’s new President. Mr. Molloy began his duties on Aug. 5. The IIALS is a public-private partnership to enhance life sciences training in the Midwest. It manages the Christopher S. “Kit” Bond Science and Technology Incubator on behalf of its owner, Missouri Western State University. “I am grateful to the IIALS Board of Directors for giving me this opportunity,” said Mr. Molloy. “I’m excited to aggressively go into the marketplace and look for new startups to bring the Incubator to the next stage of development.” Mr. Molloy comes to the IIALS from Zoetis/Pfizer Animal Health in Kansas City, where he was Group Director for Global Diagnostic Marketing. Previously, he was Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Synbiotics Corporation in Kansas City, Chief Operating Officer of Phylogenetix Laboratories in Overland Park, Kan., and held several marketing positions at Primus Corporation in Kansas City, including Vice President of International Sales and Marketing. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Kansas, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. “Ronan’s experience in global marketing and sales, in the life sciences industry, and in negotiating complex business transactions will serve the IIALS well as we seek to help life sciences grow in the
region,” said Kevin Speltz, President of Clipper Distributing in St. Joseph and Chairman of the IIALS Board of Directors. The goal of the Bond Incubator, operated by the IIALS, is to provide facilities and assistance for start-up companies, with a focus on animal health businesses. The Incubator houses laboratories, conference rooms and tenant spaces while providing access to Missouri Western faculty, students and staff. “I’m pleased the IIALS was able to find someone with Ronan’s depth of experience, and I look forward to working with him to solidify and expand the Incubator’s role in the region’s economy,” said Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western’s President. In addition to the IIALS, the Bond Incubator currently houses five tenants: Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc., DT Search & Designs, New Functional Polymers, Sopharmia and the United States Animal Health Association. The Incubator also provides services to 17 “virtual clients” – businesses that aren’t physically located in the Incubator but utilize IIALS services, including patent assistance, laboratory analysis, business plan development and others. The IIALS will also participate in operating the BioTechnology Mobile Laboratory, or BioBus, that visits schools, fairs and science events to give students the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities using an array of scientific equipment not available in most schools. The Institute for Industrial and Applied Life Sciences, a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation, is a joint public/private cooperative effort to enhance life sciences training in the Midwest region. The IIALS mission is focused on workforce development, economic development, and improving the knowledge, understanding and training in the field of life sciences. The IIALS is a Missouri Innovation Center.
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St. Joseph BUSINESS JOURNAL
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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, residents may recognize a company name, but may not know exactly what the company does. In this question and answer piece, learn a little bit more about:
Advantage Metals Recycling, LLC Recycling Rick Archer, Plant Manager 750 S Fourth St. St. Joseph, MO 64501 (816) 279-7403 www.advantagerecycling.com
Advantage Metals Recycling is one of Kansas and Missouri’s largest scrap recyclers. What kind of materials do you accept and who can bring you their scrap? Anyone with a valid state-issued ID can sell us their scrap material: aluminum cans, cast iron, copper, appliances, brass, automobiles, stainless steel, demolition scrap, barn tin. Advantage has recently made improvements in the way you process automobile recycling. Please explain these improvements. Last year we purchased an Enviro–rack which now allows us to drain all the fluids (fuel, oil, & antifreeze) from the vehicles that are being purchased as scrap. This helps tremendously for customers who otherwise wouldn’t be able to drain their vehicles themselves (like the elderly). We then sell the used fuel &
used oil to EAP approved vendors. What happens with the metal once it leaves the St. Joseph facility? We send material out to several different places. We transport some material to Kansas City, we send some material directly to the mill using railcars and a mix of nonferrous materials (brass, copper, batteries, various grades of aluminum) are transferred to Kansas City to be housed until there is enough of each commodity to be shipped directly. Anyone who has been to your facility in the past and goes back today sees a big difference in the look of the facility. Could you describe the improvements you’ve made to your property? We have recently relocated our truck scale, as well as added a second truck scale to our facility. This has helped tremendously with
reducing the amount of over flow traffic sitting and waiting on Fourth Street. It has also decreased the time it takes a customer to bring us their material almost in half! Concrete has been poured so customers have a smooth clean surface to drive on and we’ve also added ATM machines for our customers to receive easier cash payment as they exit the facility. Advantage Metals Recycling has been green long before it was trendy. Can you describe some of the ways you embrace recycling and why? For instance, Brad said that Advantage is owned by NuCor, which is the largest purchaser of ferrous scrap in North America. Brad said that recycled steel is much cheaper than new steel. Making new aluminum from old aluminum uses 95 percent less energy than producing the same product from ore. New products made from steel
contain, on average, between 60 percent & 75 percent recycled steel. It takes 66 percent less energy to make new steel from recycled material than from ore. Advantage has a close relationship with the St. Joseph Police Department to ensure the materials you receive are brought to you with the owners’ permission. Could you describe how you work with the authorities in this manner and why. We want to encourage people to recycle for the benefit of the environment and in return they receive some extra cash. We don’t want people to steal from one another to just try earning a quick buck or two, so we work closely with the law enforcement to try and eliminate this from happening. Once someone is arrested for selling stolen material we ban them from the yard & no longer purchase material from them.
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Chamber’s 2014 Legislative Priorities Established
Local Issues Infrastructure Improvements The Chamber supports increased local funding for road and infrastructure improvements. Public Education The Chamber supports extending the sunset on the local property tax levy that funds our schools from five years to 15 years.
ects: (a) U.S. Highway 36 & Riverside interchange improvements; (b) Interstate 29 & U.S. South 169 interchange improvements; (c) new interchange at I-29 & Faraon; and (d) new Alabama Street interchange. Public Education – Pre-school through 12th Grade The Chamber supports maintaining or increasing the current funding level for K-12 funding, while ensuring that revenue dedicated to education continues to be used for that purpose. In addition, it supports the establishment of a new direct funding source for early childhood education.
Higher Education The Chamber supports adequate and appropriate state funding for Missouri’s institutions of higher education, including Missouri Western State State Issues University. Missouri has a responsibility to adequately fund its colleges and Employment Law universities to help promote personal The Chamber supports legislative growth, statewide economic developefforts to restore Missouri’s law to ment, and thriving communities. The mirror that of the federal Civil Rights Chamber further supports bonding for Act. Employment law in the State of capital improvements on state univerMissouri is widely divergent from the sity campuses, as well as the elimiprotections guaranteed by the fednation of the sunset date on higher eral Civil Rights Act. Missouri’s laws education institutions’ ability to enter regarding the definition of employer, standard of review, procedures used in into long-term land leases. court and remedies are decidedly pro Economic Development plaintiff. The Chamber’s supports the passage of an economic development package Unemployment Insurance in the Missouri General Assembly that The Chamber supports reform to enhances the state’s ability to attract Missouri’s unemployment insurance and retain jobs in the state. Further, program in order to bring relief to it supports increased funding for job Missouri’s employers. The current training. system is often plagued by fraud and reform needs tightening to better define misconduct so employees that are terminated or blatantly breaking the law or company policy cannot receive unemployment benefits. Transportation The Chamber supports increased funding for Missouri’s transportation needs, which includes the expansion of Interstate 70. Additionally, it supports funding for four priority road construction proj-
Federal Issues 139th Airlift Wing of the Missouri Air National Guard The Chamber supports growth and expansion of the 139th, including acquiring C-130J aircraft, the C-130H ARC Weapon Instructor Course, an Aircraft Simulator for training and tactics development. Missouri River Levee Construction and Maintenance The Chamber supports increased funding for levee construction and maintenance and advocates for prioritizing levee construction and maintenance funding over the Missouri River Recovery Program, to provide long term viability for business growth and expansion. Farm Bill The Chamber supports passage of a Farm Bill that includes reforms to
Controlling Spending The Chamber supports efforts to reduce federal spending and reduce our nation’s $16 trillion debt through collaborative efforts to avoid government shut downs. Regulation Reform The Chamber supports reform to the Regulatory Flexibility Act to expand protections for small businesses from burdensome regulations from federal agencies. Sales Tax Fairness The Chamber supports federal legislation to ensure that items purchased online are subject to the same state and local sales taxes as all other sales.
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Tax Credits The Chamber supports reform of Missouri’s tax credit programs, including measures that would institute caps and eliminate the buying and selling of tax credits between businesses. Medicaid Program The Chamber supports the expansion of Medicaid in the state that would provide additional federal funding.
nutrition programs, including food stamps and reforms to farm subsidies including direct payment to farmers.
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The St. Joseph Metro Chamber’s Board of Directors recently approved the 2014 Legislative Priorities. The Government Relations Committee guided this effort based in part on the results of the annual Government Relations survey distributed to Chamber members via e-mail this fall.
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816-387-8180
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Fall 2013
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Different Generations in the Workplace May Lead to Conflict There are five generations now in the workplace. Depending on when you grew up, those familial and cultural experiences of your childhood have influenced your generations’ values. Those values are brought into the workplace. Each one has defining characteristics and at least one nickname. With each generation’s value system, it is no wonder when members of multiple generations arrive to work each day, tensions and misunderstandings arise. Members of each generation often think they have members of other generations pegged. Here are some perceptions between generations: • Millennials think Generation X managers are jaded, bitter, abrasive, not interested in them, hoard their knowledge, and don’t delegate. • Generation Xers think Millennials are too needy for attention and are demanding, and overly confident. • Generation Xers says Millennials don’t have a good work ethic, jobhop, and live off their parents. • Millennials are enthusiastic and optimistic. • Generation Xers are frustrated and cynical. • Millennials are sometimes shocked by Generation X’s aloof management style. • Generation Xers are selfreliant, are used to doing everything themselves, and don’t like handholding. • Millennials come in ready to make a difference and get mentored by their Gen X manager. • Traditionalists and Baby Boomers believe Millennials don’t have a good work ethic because they integrate life into work. • Workers in the three older generations dislike what they perceive as Millennials’ disregard for corporate norms governing communication methods and hierarchy. • Baby Boomers are often not tolerant of difference or change. • Millennials might think Baby Boomers are too rigid and tied to
The generations: Year Born 1925-45 1946-64 1965-80 1981-95 1996-2013
Nicknames Silent Generation/Traditionalists Baby Boomers Generation X Millennials or Generation Y Generation Z/Digital Natives
antiquated corporate rules, and the older generations are too slow to adopt social media and other tools, place too much value on tenure rather than knowledge and performance. • Millennials view inflexible work hours as outdated and unproductive. • Generation Xers are resentful of the attention being paid to Millennials because of their technological prowess, entrepreneurship, and because of their sheer demographic size. You can see that while these may not be true, they can be the stereotype. These perceptions can cause issues in the workplace. Therefore, an understanding of how each generation’s values manifest in workplace behaviors and open discussion is needed in the workplace to overcome these perceptions and ease tension among the groups. • Boomers and Traditionalists typically want face-to-face meetings or
2013 Ages 68-88 49-67 33-48 18-32 17 & younger
phone calls, and don’t see the utility of social media as a workplace tool. • Generation X prefers to communicate via email. • Millennials are comfortable trading privacy for instant online access to information and other people. They value relationships, but don’t need face-to-face encounters to build them. However, they rarely use email before they enter the workplace. They may not answer emails in a timely fashion but are quicker to respond to texts or “ping” their social media network. • Millennials want regular communication, no matter how it is delivered. They want constant feedback and coaching. • Baby Boomers are competitive, independent workaholics, with identities closely aligned to their professions. • Traditionalists tend to be frugal, adhere to rules, loyal to employers, and have a deep sense of responsibility and sacrifice for the
good of the organization. • Generation X managers need to be trained to delegate and to give continuous feedback. • Millennials look to their parents, mostly Boomers, for advice and have been taught to be well-rounded. • Millennials were the only participants in a study that did not cite work ethic as one of their top five “principal claims to distinctiveness;” instead citing technology defined them. • Millennials see work/life flexibility as a necessity for long-term productivity and engagement, not as a perk. • Workers in the older generations believe you have to prove yourself before being rewarded with the perk of flexibility. Employers need to set realistic expectations during the interview and onboarding process, as well as training Millennials on corporate norms to mitigate some of these frustrations. In the end, you can’t chase the desires and needs of each generation. You have to do what’s right for your business culture. Article published in The City Weekly by Diane Slater, City Human Resource Director, taken from an article written by Adrienne Fox.
St. Joseph BUSINESS JOURNAL
Fall 2013
Top 10 Employers Heartland Health Triumph Foods, LLC School District of St. Joseph Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. American Family Insurance Wal-Mart Missouri Western State University System & Services Technologies, Inc. The Hillshire Brands Company Johnson Controls
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EconomicUpdate
Health Services Meat Products Education Animal Pharmaceuticals
3,866 2,838 1,882 880
Insurance Department Store Education Financial Services
820 785 720 720
Meat Products Manufacturing
700 697
Demographics
St.J oseph
business... by the good better life ! umbers
Unemployment
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Population Housing units
76,780 32,495
St. Joseph Missouri
5.9 percent 7.2 percent
Average family size
3
United States
7.3 percent
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Fall 2013
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Cronkite Memorial Dedicated at Missouri Western Missouri Western State University dedicated an interactive memorial to one of the most important journalists of the 20th century and St. Joseph’s most famous native son, Walter Cronkite, on Monday, Nov. 4, which would have been his 97th birthday. The interactive Walter Cronkite Memorial, a 5,000 square-foot display in the atrium of Leah Spratt Hall on the Missouri Western campus, gives visitors the chance to learn more not only about the legendary CBS anchorman’s life but the historic events he covered. “He loved his birthday; he loved birthday parties; he loved getting presents,” said Kathy Cronkite of her famous father during the dedication ceremony attended by nearly 500 people. “This is the best birthday party he could ever have.” The Walter Cronkite Memorial is one of the most rewarding projects Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western’s president, has had the honor of being involved in during his presidency, he said. “This icon of American history is one of St. Joseph’s greatest native sons,” he said. “Now, there will finally be a memorial fitting of his legacy in his hometown.” Mr. Cronkite was born in St. Joseph on Nov. 4, 1916. He went on to anchor the “CBS Evening News” from 1962 to 1981 and was consistently named “The Most Trusted
Man in America” in public opinion polls. He first rose to fame as a UPI correspondent during World War II, and went on to bring news of major events to generations of Americans, including the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., the Civil Rights movement, the moon landing, Vietnam, Watergate and the Iran hostage crisis. Gov. Jay Nixon spoke at the dedication ceremony. “I want to applaud Missouri Western and the Bradley family for spearheading this effort so that today’s students ... will continue to learn from and be inspired by the legacy of this great Missourian now and for generations to come.” Kay Cronkite Barnes, Mr. Cronkite’s cousin, St. Joseph native and former Kansas City mayor was the keynote speaker at the luncheon that followed the dedication. She gave the crowd some personal anecdotes about family life with Mr. Cronkite, who was closer to her father’s age than her own. She said he had much sensitivity and had respect for others. She told one story about an event at the St. Joseph Country Club where he went back to meet the chef and wait staff before going into the main room where paying guests were waiting. She also said that he talked with her about her mayoral campaign and
Gov. Jay Nixon, right, speaks with former Missouri Western State University Athletic Director Charlie Burri at the dedication of the Walter Cronkite Memorial (partially pictured in the background) at the university on Nov. 4. said how he wished he would have ran for U.S. Senate. When she asked why he didn’t, he said he didn’t want to go through a campaign. “After all he’d been through, he didn’t want to go through that,” she joked. Scott Pelley, current anchorman for the CBS Evening News, was featured in a video message to the luncheon crowd. He said Mr. Cronkite always credited the Midwest for his ethics and values. He said he thought Mr. Cronkite would be excited that the memorial isn’t just about him, but the times and events he covered.
The video featured a clip from when Mr. Cronkite spoke at a St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce event in 1969 and answered a question from a Missouri Western student. The former student was a guest at the luncheon. “Walter was a St. Joseph native and an internationally-known gentleman,” Ms. Barnes said. “We know he lived an enormous life.” The memorial can be seen in the Spratt Hall Atrium on the Missouri Western campus, 4525 Downs Drive. For more informatoin, visit waltercronkitememorial.org.
Major components of the Walter Cronkite Memorial include: • Historical Photograph Display and Video Kiosk: Eric Fuson and David Harris, faculty members in Missouri Western’s Department of Art, designed a display approximately 9 feet wide by 21 feet tall containing 39 images of world and national events covered during Cronkite’s years as the CBS Evening News anchor. The presentation of the images suggests the shape of a television screen. At the video kiosk, visitors are able to select one of the images and watch Cronkite’s coverage of the event. • World War II Combat Glider Model: Hanging from the ceiling near the front entrance of the Spratt Hall Atrium is a replica of a glider that carried Cronkite behind enemy lines during Operation Market Garden in Holland during World War II. • St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Plaque and Video Display: A large plaque commemorates a 1969 speech Cronkite delivered in St. Joseph defending freedom of the press. The speech was broadcast on the CBS program “60 Minutes.” Visitors can watch the speech on a nearby television screen. • Betsy Maxwell Cronkite: The photographic display tells the story of Mary Elizabeth “Betsy” Cronkite, Walter’s wife of nearly 65 years. • Cronkite Timeline and Video Kiosk: The large timeline chronicles Cronkite’s life from his birth in St. Joseph to his death July 17, 2009. The timeline includes photos and information from his life as a news reporter and anchor as well as his personal life. The nearby video kiosk allows visitors to see Cronkite’s memories of many of these events. • NASA Exploration: Several large photo panels depict NASA’s exploration of space, reflecting Cronkite’s deep interest in the space program. • Memorabilia Case: A case displays memorabilia from Cronkite’s life, some donated and some on loan from the Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin. Items include press passes and model rockets used as visual aids during Cronkite’s coverage of the space program, one of the many Emmy Awards won by Cronkite, autographed copies of Cronkite’s memoir “A Reporter’s Life,” and more. • Hirschfeld Caricatures: The memorial includes caricatures of Cronkite and other celebrities by well-known artist Al Hirschfeld.
St. Joseph BUSINESS JOURNAL The Buchanan County Tourism Board (St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau or CVB) is an organization that develops and implements marketing programs designed to maximize the economic impact of visitor dollars to Buchanan County. The St. Joseph CVB was established by Buchanan County voters in the spring of 1993 with the purpose of advertising and promoting tourism in Buchanan County, Missouri. The CVB is governed by a board of seven members and is a political subdivision of the Buchanan County Commission. In 2014, the Bureau will celebrate the 20th year of operations in St. Joseph. Tourism marketing includes a combination of advertising, public relations and social media efforts that aim to attract tourists to a city or destination. The Bureau utilizes various media resources to market to the general leisure traveler, as
Fall 2013 well as convention, sports and group tour marketing. As reported by the Missouri Department of Revenue, the direct economic impact of tourismrelated expenditures in Buchanan County in 2012 was $158.6 million, a revenue increase of over $7 million over 2011. Additional marketing programs managed by the St. Joseph CVB include a county-wide Cooperative Marketing Grant program, the Show-Me St. Jo customer service workshop, the creation of an annual Visitors Guide, the continued development of an informational website, mobile-friendly website and various social media sites. The Bureau also manages the operation of two Visitor Information Centers, and is directly involved in the support of the Museums Association of St. Joseph, as well as several other niche committees and tourismrelated organizations. Another key objective of the Tourism Bureau is to foster positive
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relationships with key stakeholders. Stakeholders include the local Buchanan County tourism industry, the Bureau’s Board of Directors, Buchanan County and the City of St. Joseph, local, regional and state associations and business groups, the community at large and the local media. The St. Joseph CVB is very committed to continually improving St. Joseph and Buchanan County’s image and visitor amenities to ensure long-term success as a convention and visitor destination. The CVB delivers on this commitment through product development advocacy such as leading efforts to market the Kansas City Chief Training Camp and support the development of new attractions. The CVB has been a Chamber member since 1993.
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St. Joseph BUSINESS JOURNAL
Fall 2013
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DowntownDigest
Information provided by the St. Joseph Downtown Partnership
Edmond Street Parking Lot Open For Business The refurbished parking lot at Fifth and Edmond streets is open for business. This represents a major improvement for downtown. The lot features landscaping and a pedestrian
walkway from the parking lot to Felix Street. At night, the pedestrian walkway is completely lit. Another feature of the new lot is the garbage enclosures. Now all the trash is neatly stored away to create an attractive appearance for the area. The next improvement for this area will be the Western Migration
mural that will be completed next year. This huge mural will cover the entire expanse of the five buildings which have backs that face Edmond Street. Sam Welty of Chesapeake, Virginia has been chosen to do this mural. Mr. Welty began drawing when he was 5 years old. Drawing – and eventually painting - soon became a passion that ultimately led him to art school. He found work in various artrelated trades in an effort to perfect his craft. It was this pursuit that led him to the Hampton Roads, Virginia, area over a decade ago and what led him to start his own mural business in 2003. A committee is fundraising for this mural and the possibility of more murals in the future. If you would like to donate please send your tax deductible contribution to Friends of the Park, 1920 Grand St., St. Joseph, MO 64505. The combination of the refurbished parking lot and the mural will create a welcoming environment for visitors and others coming to downtown.
City Lights Festival Everyone is invited to come downtown and usher in the holiday season at the “City Lights� Festival to be held on Sunday, Nov. 24. Sponsored by the Downtown
Association and the Imagine Eleven Committee, the festivities will begin at 4 p.m. at Coleman Hawkins Park at Felix Street Square. Bring the whole family to be entertained by choirs performing holiday favorites. Free carriage rides will be provided, as well as homemade cookies and hot chocolate and children’s activities. A special guest and his wife will arrive from the North Pole to check with all the good little boys and girls about their Christmas wish lists. At 5:30 p.m., Mayor Bill Falkner will lead a lighting ceremony to light up the park and begin the holiday season! Community church choirs will lead a caroling sing-a-long to conclude the event at 6 p.m.
Delish Bakery has moved locations Delish Bakery has moved from their location at 505 Francis St. to 114 N. Seventh St. in the Kirkpatrick Building. The new location will give the bakery known for it’s signature custom cakes and other delectable treats a larger location and the opportunity to expand its offerings. The business will introduce a new lunch menu and have space for showers and special parties. To contact Delish call 901-9202 or stop by and see them at their new shop.
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St. Joseph BUSINESS JOURNAL
Fall 2013
17
MWSU Hires New Dean for Craig School of Business
Dr. Michael R. Lane
Dr. Michael R. Lane is the new dean Craig School of Business at Missouri Western State University. He began his duties in mid-August. “Dr. Lane brings a wealth of administrative leadership experience
to this position,” said Dr. Jeanne Daffron, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “He has a strong track record of building collaborative relationships both on campus and in the community, and I’m thrilled he has joined the Missouri Western family.” Dr. Lane is happy to be leading the Craig School of Business at Missouri Western. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to lead an exceptional business program,” Dr. Lane said. “I am impressed by the significant opportunities the Craig School of Business provides through its entrepreneurship program, and by its commitment to an applied learning experience for each graduate. Such opportunities serve graduates well long after they leave Missouri Western.” Dr. Lane served as president of Emporia State University for five
years before stepping down in 2011 and returning to a faculty position as accounting professor. Previously, he was vice chancellor for academic affairs/provost at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Mansfield University in Pennsylvania, and business dean at both Berry College in Georgia and Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne. He also served as associate dean and director of the MBA program at Bradley University in Illinois. Dr. Lane received his Bachelor of Science degree in finance from Lowell Technological Institute (now University of Massachusetts at Lowell), his Master of Science degree in accounting from Northeastern University in Massachusetts and his Doctor of Philosophy in accounting from Texas A&M University. Dr. Lane followed Carol Roever,
who began her second term as interim dean earlier this year. The Craig School of Business offers four majors within its Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Program – accounting, finance, management and marketing – and three minors. A unique program within the Craig School allows alumni and senior business majors to become entrepreneurs by competing for the opportunity to own and operate their own franchise store. Missouri Western is accredited by AACSB International, a mark of quality shared by less than 5 percent of the world’s 13,000 business programs.
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St. Joseph BUSINESS JOURNAL
Fall 2013
SmallBusinessMatters
Entrepreneurs Welcome!
1. The Missouri Small Business & Technology Development Centers (SBTDC) 2. Multiple small business owner groups such as Business Networking International (BNI) and the Circle of Influence (COI) 3. The Small Business Administration’s website www.sba.gov 4. The St. Joseph Metro Chamber’s small business resource center stjosephsmallbusiness.com The Missouri SBTDCs are located across the state with one office located in St. Joseph. The centers offer multiple free services including assistance with marketing, financing, strategic planning, process improvement, leadership coaching and more. The statewide network affords the centers the ability to pull in expertise across multiple disciplines so that no matter what issue your business may be struggling with, there
will be a subject matter expert who can help you. The best part about these centers is that they have real people that you can speak with, faceto-face, over and over again. And the individuals with the SBTDC have also owned their own businesses, so they truly understand your pain and challenges and want to help. The networking groups known as BNI and COI are excellent ways to stay in touch with other small business owners, as well as grow your business through sales referrals. These groups work to promote your business to their clients, and viceversa. There is a small fee to be in the groups, but they track your return on your investment to show you how much in new sales you’ve received that are directly attributable to referrals from those in the group. It’s pretty nice to essentially have 20 or 30 salespeople working to promote your business and then, they track how well you’ve done for you. Now that’s customer service! The Small Business Administration’s website is overflowing with free financial templates, business plan templates, and short educational videos about different business concepts such as taxes, accounting, marketing, financing, and sales. This basic business knowledge website is a great
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. 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.
Rebecca Evans is the Associate Regional Director of the SBTDC. You may contact her at: 816-364-4105 or evansr@nwmissouri.edu
beginner’s guide to figuring out the intricacies of owning your own business. Just last month, the St. Joseph Metro Chamber launched its Small Business Resource Center website that offers free advice from an “ask the expert” forum, as well as a list of answers to some frequently asked questions that they hear regularly from local business owners. Additionally, the site offers videos of recent business presentations that are informative and timely. So, even if you can’t attend a local presentation, now you have the opportunity to view it at your convenience online. With the resources mentioned above, and many more in the area, entrepreneurs are encouraged to start and grow their businesses here in northwest Missouri. We’re here to help!
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Many times I’ve heard business owners say they feel isolated trying to do everything and be everything for their company. The good news is that there are resources for the demanding career of a business owner, and many of those resources are free. Some of the resources that are most helpful, and that will be further detailed in this article, include:
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St. Joseph BuSineSS Journal
Fall 2013
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St. Joseph BuSineSS Journal
Fall 2013
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