PERFICUT ON:
HOLIDAY LIGHTS
& SNOW MANAGEMENT
EAT MORE CRICKETS PLUS THIS STUFF: BLACK & GOLD SUCCESS THE QUEEN BEE KUM & GO’S NEW HQ
FIND OUT WHY PAGE 14
AND (SHHH....)
LA NINA’S SLIP
WINTER SITE MANAGEMENT NOW IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND
SOME PEOPLE CALL IT THE FUTURE SOME JUST CALL IT PERFICUT
WINTER SITE MANAGEMENT FOR CRITICAL SITES
Comprehensive Training
Site Inspection
To be the best, we know that you have to recruit and train the best. With our new Perficut University, we are writing the book on snow and ice management. Our 38-step curriculum ensures that our snow professionals are ready to tackle the most critical assignments.
The best way to prevent issues during winter weather is to anticipate them. That’s why Perficut performs a detailed site inspection of each property before the season begins. During this review, we’ll identify safety and emergency access issues, review traffic and pedestrian flow, and work to identify any special issues at the pr property.
Snow Plan We hate surprises and know that you do too. That’s why every site we manage has a detailed snow map that tells you exactly what services will be performed and when.
In Event Documentation Risk mitigation is the heart of our Snow & Ice Management Program, which is why we record the condition of your property throughout each snow event and document the performance of services in real time.
Monitoring & Communication Our meteorologist and communications team will keep you advised of the status of your site no matter the time of day or night.
Audit Four levels of internal and external audits ensure that every service is performed as designed and documented.
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LA NINA IS COMING PUBLISHERS / MATT BOELMAN & KORY BALLARD
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OR MANY PEOPLE IN THE MIDWEST, winter has a way of sneaking up on us. For a smaller, perhaps heartier population, snow isn’t a season, it’s a lifestyle. If you trend with the former rather than the latter, you better get ready for winter quickly, because La Niña is coming! As much as we enjoyed it, El Niño officially came to an end in early June, wrapping up a period of unusually warm climatic conditions across North America. As we now begin the winter season, the experts at NOAA are predicting heavy snowfall and periods of bitter cold as a new La Niña system develops in the Pacific. La Niña is the cool counterpart to El Niño and is characterized by unusually low ocean temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. La Niña puts emphasis on the northern jet stream while weakening the southern jet stream, which could result in a winter
with record snowfall. As snow piles up, we should expect colder-than-normal conditions with some harsh spells. Forecasters are predicting that during the coldest periods of winter, nighttime temperatures could drop into the minus 30 to minus 40-degree range. If that sounds like too much to bear, we have arranged a special delivery of flowers for you on page 20. If you would rather just focus on the future, take a sneak peek at The Krause Gateway Center on page 26. Feel like you need a little more preparation? We’ve got you covered, with a special guide to preparing for winter on page 38. We’ve also returned with some of your favorites, including “Details of Health,” in which we taste test the new Cricket Bars, and “Details of Dress,” in which our fashion experts provide a few picks for whatever winter has in store. Enjoy!
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WINTER 2016
FEATURES 20
THE QUEEN BEE If there were a Hall of Fame for flowers, Lisa Fazio would appear twice. For more than 30 years, she has been changing the face of central Iowa one garden at a time.
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IN GOOD COMPANY When Kyle Krause goes, he goes big. Get a sneak peek at The Krause Gateway Center and read about the team that is working to raise Renzo Piano’s architectural wonder in Des Moines’ Western Gateway.
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THE COLOR OF SUCCESS Tiffany Vaske struck gold in the land of “Black and Gold” with nothing more than a t-shirt, a Bonneville and an impossible sales goal. Then, Ryan Nurnberg helped her deliver.
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LA NINA’S SLIP Experts are predicting record snow fall this winter and record numbers of slip and fall lawsuits. Our winter site management overview will provide you with everything you need to know to have a happy New Year.
ON OUR COVER Dress by Sarah Dornink, holiday lighting and snow managment by Perficut, photograph by Phillip Harder.
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12 TOOLS OF TRADE La Nina is coming and we’ve got a selection of the latest and greatest in winter wear from Active Endeavors, which is guaranteed to keep you feeling summery no matter what winter has in store.
14 CRICKET BARS Crickets are finding their way out of your backyard and into your kitchen thanks to Chapul. These healthy and environmentally friendly snacks may be a key to a sustainable water future.
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18 WINTER D-I-Y Don’t fret. You’re not the only person who has been putting off those winter chores. Check out our Winter D-I-Y guide to get caught up without missing the big game.
GET THESE GUYS A HEAD START. ORDER YOUR LAWN APPLICATION PROGRAM TODAY AND GET ONE FREE.
LIVINGDETAILS EDITORIAL TEAM
PUBLISHERS / MATT BOELMAN, KORY BALLARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / CHARLIE WITTMACK CREATIVE DIRECTOR / PHILLIP HARDER COPY EDITOR / BREE HOUSLEY
COLLABORATORS
CONTENT / MATT BOELMAN, KORY BALLARD, CASSIE CIMAGLIA, JEREMY BOKA, NICK CIMAGLIA, JC OBRECHT, JEFFREY GOODE, LISA FAZIO PHOTOGRAPHY / PHILLIP HARDER, CHARLIE WITTMACK
SPECIAL THANKS
SARAH DORNINK, ACTIVE ENDEAVORS, CHAPUL, KUM & GO, RYAN COMPANIES, THE WORLD FOOD PRIZE HALL OF LAUREATES, DES MOINES PERFORMING ARTS AND CORAL RIDGE MALL
ONLINE
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COPYRIGHT 2016 TWG CREATIVE 112 S. TRYON STREET, SUITE 1200 CHARLOTTE, NC 28284
COMMERCIAL QUALITY - RESIDENTIAL PRICING But for more than 25 years, Perficut has been the site management company trusted by more businesses and organizations in Iowa than any other. Perficut is the only company in Nebraska and Iowa to be recognized for it’s leadership across all four seasons by publications including Lawn & Landscape, Landscape OL C ON T R Maintenance and Snow Magazine. And as the company R UB Gonly in the region with a snow and ice management program A T IO N accredited under the rigorous new quality standards of A E R CORE ISO-SN9001, the choice is now clearer than ever.
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you’ looking for a new approach to the maintenance of If you’re IZE R your site, send up a signal or just pick up the phone and give F E R T IL us a call today. SP R ING
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KEEP THE HOLIDAYS ON SCHEDULE. SITE MANAGEMENT FOR CRITICAL SITES Perficut is chosen by more shipping and manufacturing centers, hospitals and clinics, and high traffic retail and corporate locations than any other site management company in the region. As the only company in Iowa and Nebraska with a site management program accredited under the rigorous new quality standards of ISO-SN9001, the choice is now clearer than ever.
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TOOLS OF THE TRADE AS TOLD TO / EMMA LOCKWOOD IMAGES / PHILLIP HARDER
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1. Better Sweater Jacket by Patagonia. 2. Mitten by Sundborn. 3. Snack Sack by Snack Sack. 4. Yonder Boots by Fossil. 5. Cozy Crew Socks by Larimer. 6. Courduroy Trousers by Patagonia. 7. Silvia Parka by Arc’Teryx.
1. Triclimate Coat by Canyonland. 2. Coffee Traveler by YETI. 3. Straight Fit Courduroy Pants by Patagonia. 4. Black Hole Pack 25L by Patagonia. 5. Socks by Ragwool. 6. Recycled Fleece Vest by Patagonia. 7. All Mountain Ski Gloves by Hestra. 8. Overshirt by Toad.
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cricket bars
WITH MORE PROTEIN THAN BEEF, TWICE THE B12 AS SALMON AND PACKED WITH AMINO ACIDS, CRICKETS ARE CRAWLING FROM THE BACKYARD TO THE KITCHEN. STORY / EMMA LOCKWOOD IMAGES / PHILLIP HARDER
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HE CONCEPT OF A “POWER BAR” is taking on new meaning thanks to the work of entrepreneur and hydrologist, Patrick Crowley, who at the age of 22 stuffed his belongings into a backpack and embarked on a year-and-a-half long journey into the future.
His destination wasn’t the high-tech hubs of Palo Alto or Singapore, where new technologies are emerging at the speed of human imagination, but the poverty stricken regions of Mexico and Latin America. A former river rafting guide and surfer, Crowley’s interest during his travels was water. “When you travel through Mexico and Latin America it’s very clear that the biggest issues that will be faced by humanity in the decades ahead are water scarcity and sustainability,” Crowley remarked. “In Mexico and Latin America, food scarcity and access to clean water are real issues that are faced by communities every day. The United States, and particularly the Midwestern states, play a huge role in feeding the world, but our population is growing at rate that is unsustainable with our current agricultural model,” he said. “During my journey, I realized that if we’re going to provide for the needs of our shared future, we will have to reimagine our approach.” With renewed perspective, Crowley returned to the U.S. and enrolled at the University of Arizona to pursue a Masters Degree in Hydrology. “I quickly learned that agriculture consumes more than 90% of our global water supply,” Crowley said. “So I dedicated my research to mapping out water use in agriculture, while trying to figure out how we could use less water while increasing our food supply so that we could leave our children with a more sustainable and secure water future.”
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THIS PAGE Cricket are finding their way into toolboxes at Perficut Companies. LIVING DETAILS 15
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Out of the backyard and into the oven, Chapul founder Patrick Crowley at work. An employee at Perficut companies takes a break and reloads with a healthy and environmentally friendly snack. Chapul bars can be found at local retailers including Whole Foods and Active Endeavors.
“THE BIGGEST CHANGE WE CAN MAKE TO REDUCE OUR WATER FOOTPRINT IS TO INCORPORATE INSECTS INTO OUR DIET.” -PATRICK CROWLEY
“Through my research, I discovered that the biggest change we can make to reduce our water footprint is to incorporate insects into the agriculture sector. Crickets quickly emerged as the best option.” The environmental impact of incorporating crickets into a human diet are clear. Compared to cows, crickets need only 8% of the feed and water to make the same amount of protein and produce only 1% of the greenhouses gases as cows. Space and time requirements are also much less. However, convincing Americans to start eating bugs is an entirely different matter, although it is a practice with significant historical precedent. In our region, Aztecs and Native Americans were early adopters of the practice, who both enjoyed meals featuring crickets and other bugs. You can even find a reference to eating bugs in Leviticus, which includes a list of kosher insects that are suitable for consumption. Despite this rich history, Crowley knew that the biggest challenge to ushering in a new era of insect cuisine would be figuring out a way to improve the appeal of insects in a modern world that is growing increasingly disconnected from its food supply. To do this, he began researching other foods that were popular in foreign regions and successfully adapted for the U.S. market.
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“The California Roll was my inspiration,” Crowley said. “For a long time people in the U.S. were disgusted by the idea of eating raw fish. So someone came up with the idea of reimagining sushi to be more familiar to a U.S. audience. The rice was put on the outside, the nori was placed on the inside, the raw sushi was replaced with cooked crab, and avocado was added so that there was another familiar ingredient. It was an act of genius and literally transformed the sushi industry in America.”
WINTER CAN BE HARD ON TREES. WE WON’T BE.
Inspired once again, Crowley began working to figure out how to make crickets similarly accessible. He discovered that the Aztecs used to dry crickets in the sun and then use stone tools to mill them into flour. He replaced the sun with commercial convection ovens and the stone tools with a flour mill, and then sourced commercial-grade crickets which were fed only organic non-gmo food. He used his new cricket flour to bake, and then wrapped the cake in something loved by all Americans - chocolate and peanut butter. He launched the product on Kickstarter and sold nearly 4,000 cricket bars in two weeks. In the first year-and-ahalf, Crowley personally made nearly 50,000 cricket bars, all by hand, with just a rolling pin and a half cookie sheet while working for continuous 24-hour shifts in a rented commercial kitchen. The business quickly grew to more than 1,000 retailers and a demand of more than a million crickets per year. “While I was personally motivated by the environmental benefits, we quickly realized that our consumers were shopping based on health. The public now understands that crickets really are the protein of the future.” Nutritional experts have determined that crickets have turned out to be the perfect protein. They contain twice the protein of beef and all nine essential amino acids. Crickets contain 15% more iron than spinach, as much B12 as salmon, and are packed with micro-nutrients. “The nutritional benefits of insect protein stand alone,” Crowley said. “You don’t have to care about the environment at all. You can choose it just for your health.” Some people say that everything old is new again. When you look from the Old Testament to the Aztecs to the modern retailer, when it comes to crickets, it certainly seems to be true. With one pound of flour containing around 6,000 crickets, one thing is certain. We’re going to need more cricket farms.
Trees have the best opportunity to stay healthy when they are provided with regular maintenance. Investing in a maintenance program for your tress is like prepaying your mortgage. A thoughtful tree program, designed by a Board Certified Master Arborist, will promote tree health and vigor, while ensuring that your home landscape remains an investment that will offer enjoyment and value for decades to come. At Perficut, we love your trees as much as you do. Give us a call today to schedule a complimentary inspection of your property by our Board Certified Master Arborist.
Learn more about cricket bars at Chapul.com.
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WINTER D-I-Y AS TOLD TO / EMMA LOCKWOOD IMAGES / PHILLIP HARDER
AERATE & OVERSEED
STORE SUMMER GEAR
Experts agree that aeration and overseeding is the best way to improve the health and vigor of your residential turf. However, as with most things, timing is everything. After aerating, you need to plan to allow at least four weeks of growing time prior to the first frost. If the forecast is cooling off, you should probably wait until spring.
It’s time to pack up your summer maintenance equipment for the winter and make room for your snowblower, salt and shovels. Remember to top off the fuel tank in your mower, weeder and blower with fuel stabilizer for the winter. Gas usually goes bad in about three months but stabilizer can double that time.
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TURN OFF FAUCETS Undrained water pipes and hoses will freeze during the winter, causing the pipes to burst as the ice expands. Remove your hoses and store them in a warm location, then call an irrigation contractor to blow out your system.
PREP WINTER GEAR Be sure to dust off your snowblower before the big storm pops up in the three-day forecast. Check the paddles or blade for wear, then give it a tank of fresh gas and an oil change. It’s also the perfect time to dig out your hat, mittens and boots.
CHECK RUNOFF In the Midwest, we frequently experience periods of warming and refreezing, which leads to ice dams in gutters and slippery walks and driveways. Take an hour to clean out your gutters and clear your roof of debris. Then make sure that water is draining properly from your roof and off your sidewalks and driveway.
PLANT BULBS Everyone loves to see the first signs of spring when Daffodils, Iris and Tulips begin to pop up from the soil. Inexperienced gardeners frequently overlook the fact that these bulbs need to be planted in the fall. Most bulbs will do best when planted when nighttime temperatures are between 40-50 degrees. Bulbs need to root before freezing and should to be planted about six weeks before the ground freezes to allow sufficient time for rooting.
STOCK UP ON SALT Every year we forget to stock up on salt and deicing products and every year they sell out on the weekend before the big storm. La Nina is coming, so do yourself a favor and buy a couple of extra bags.
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F E A T U R E
THE QUEEN IF THERE WERE A HALL OF FAME FOR FLOWERS, LISA FAZIO WOULD APPEAR TWICE. FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS, SHE HAS BEEN CHANGING THE FACE OF DES MOINES, ONE GARDEN AT AT TIME.
STORY / EMMA LOCKWOOD IMAGES / PHILLIP HARDER
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FTER SEEING GRACE KELLY FOR THE FIRST TIME, the Prince of Monaco, Rainier III, is rumored to have remarked that she was “tangible proof of the existence of God.” After all, he reasoned, what other explanation could there be for something so beautiful and perfect to exist? A walk through the many spectacular gardens of downtown Des Moines forces the same question. From the dramatic formal gardens at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates and the modern design of Cowles Commons, to the ever-changing seasonal planters that fight for attention from the sculptures in the Western Gateway; what possible explanation could there be for such beauty and perfection? Perhaps the color, shape and scent of each bud can only be explained with a reference to divinity, but the planting and growth of the gardens is quite another matter altogether. As the author Kipling wrote, “gardens are not made by singing ‘Oh, how beautiful!’ and sitting in the shade.” The group of people that brought these gardens to life includes businesses and philanthropists, developers and dreamers. But if you check the 35,000 bulbs planted each season in downtown Des Moines for fingerprints, your investigation would lead you quickly to Lisa Fazio.
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ABOVE When Lisa Fazio began working in the landscaping industry more than 30 years ago, it was so unusual for a woman to be working outdoors that it landed her a feature story in the Des Moines Register.
“GARDENS TEACH US THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR ACTIONS, WHICH CREATES PATIENCE AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL.” -LISA FAZIO
“If there were a ‘Hall of Fame’ for flowers, Lisa Fazio would be in it,” said Matt Boelman, co-owner of Perficut Companies. Modest to a fault, Lisa doesn’t see her contribution as anything other than evidence of the passage of time. “I’m old, and I’ve been doing this for more than thirty years,” she says with a laugh. “But I’ve loved every minute of it. I store my memories in the wrinkles around my eyes.” Born in Beaverdale, Lisa was a member of one of the first few classes from Hoover High School. After graduating, she found herself wandering around the campus at DMACC and stumbled across the greenhouse. Amazed with what she saw, she quickly learned that DMACC offered a two-year degree in horticulture and immediately enrolled. “I knew that I was really more of a dig in the dirt kind of person than an office person,” she said. “But it hadn’t occurred to me that I might actually be able to make a career out of flowers.” The horticulture program required several rotational internships, which provided practical work experience and gave the students a glimpse of what they might be doing in the future. Lisa was assigned to an internship at Water Works Park in Des Moines. “The Des Moines Water Works has always handled their own maintenance,” she said. “They have their own greenhouse and they grow their own plants. So our team was responsible for planting annuals, trimming the crabapple trees and mowing the lawn.”
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At the time, it was uncommon for a woman to be engaged in operating machinery like mowers, trimmers and end loaders. In fact, it was so unusual that after a reporter from the Des Moines Register discovered her operating a large mower on the Water Works grounds, Lisa found herself the subject of a feature story in the paper. “That was actually a lot of fun - to be 18 years old and see your work in the newspaper,” Lisa said. “Perhaps it was a little unusual, but I never felt out of place. It always felt just right to me.” Despite her demonstrated success and sudden fame, Lisa struggled to find employment as a horticulturalist after finishing her degree. With her dream temporarily put on hold, she accepted a position as a foreign exchange teller at Iowa Des Moines National Bank. Then, one day, the phone rang. “A friend was a property manager at a business complex with MidAmerica Group and wanted to plant some flower beds at the property,” Lisa said. “So I started planting a few beds at night after working at the bank, and things just grew and grew. After a couple of seasons, I was able to leave my job at the bank and plant full-time.” “It was a lucky circumstance, but I really believe that’s just the way it was supposed to go! Thirtythree years later, I’m still planting those same exact beds,” she said. “Although lately things have been getting a little more creative,” she added with a wink. Gardeners are the best among us at nurturing the things they love - be it a flower, a client or a child. Lisa’s gardens naturally became a place where all three of her daughters could grow as well. “Gardens have so many lessons for us,” Lisa said.
ABOVE The flower beds at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates are considered by many to be some of the most beautiful in the region. A butterfly enjoys the last days of summer. A planter overflows with flowers at Cowles Commons.
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T H T H E E Q IUCEEE N M AB NE E
“Perhaps most importantly, they teach us how to anticipate the consequences of our actions, which creates patience and attention to detail.” “For our family, the garden became a perfect place to raise our daughters.” As Lisa’s work grew, literally and figuratively, larger companies began to take notice. “Lisa is a true artist,” said Matt Boelman, co-owner at Perficut Companies. “As her experience grew, it became obvious that we could never perform with the vision and reliability that she could, so rather than trying to compete with her and failing, we began contracting her for all our jobs. Then, after working together for several years, she accepted our invitation to oversee our entire flower department.”
ABOVE Lisa Fazio takes a break in one of the many gardens she visits every day.
“A LITTLE BIT OF COLOR AND A FEW FLOWERS CAN QUICKLY TURN INTO A MOMENT, AND IN THAT SLIVER OF JOY, WE’RE THERE.” -LISA FAZIO
“Having the opportunity to work with a company like Perficut was really a dream come true for me,” said Lisa. “Every day I have the chance to work on many of the most important gardens in our region, some of which are truly world class. It’s something that I never could have imagined when I was 18 and peering inside the greenhouse at DMACC with my nose smushed up against glass.” “It’s been incredibly rewarding to be part of the transformation of the city. Having grown up in Des Moines, I remember going to the Des Moines Library. The transformation there [to the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates] has been especially rewarding. And watching the East Village and the Western Gateway come to life is so much fun.” “The best part is watching how people enjoy the spaces that we maintain,” Lisa said. “Whether it’s an employee stepping outside for lunch on the campus at Principal or Nationwide, or a patient getting some fresh air with family members at Mercy.” “A little bit of color and a few flowers can quickly turn into a moment, and in that little sliver of joy, we’re there.”
See more of Lisa Fazio’s work at Perficut.com.
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THIS PAGE Matt Boelman takes his training out into the mountains during a climb of Imja Tse in Nepal.
WE PARTNER WITH CLIENTS WE BELIEVE IN BECAUSE GREAT THINGS COME FROM BEING INSPIRED.
SITE MANAGEMENT FOR CRITICAL SITES Perficut is chosen by more hospitals and clinics, shipping and manufacturing centers, and high traffic retail and corporate locations than any other site management company in the region. As the only company in Iowa and Nebraska with a site management program accredited under the rigorous new quality standards of ISO-SN9001, the choice is now clearer than ever.
PERFICUT.COM | LIVE THE DETAILS
F E A T U R E
IN GOOD COMP RENZO PIANO’S LATEST MASTERPIECE IS RISING UP OUT OF THE GROUND IN THE WESTERN GATEWAY OF DES MOINES THANKS TO KYLE KRAUSE AND KUM & GO. AND YES. IT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
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HEN YOU THINK OF ALL THE GREAT CITIES IN the world – New York, Chicago, London, Paris, what is it that motivates people to fly for hours in cramped airplanes (next to a woman named Tippy who eats tuna out of a pouch), just to step on those sidewalks? What is it that enamors us to the point of dropped jaws and shameless gawking? What is it that makes our hearts beat faster without exchanging so much as a word. Hint: It’s the buildings. Okay, maybe that was a ham-fisted hint, but your guesses were probably way off anyway. At the end of the day, when the hustlebustle is over, and everyone has stopped ‘synergizing’ and ‘circling back,’ the buildings are what gives a city life. They are the face and the personality. They set the mood and make a statement. And thanks to the Krause Gateway Center, downtown Des Moines’ personality is about to become a whole lot cooler. This 5-story architectural wonder will be home to the headquarters of Kum & Go (a regional chain of C-stores), but that’s the least newsworthy thing about it. The building itself will change the landscape of the Western Gateway area. It’ll be open, airy and light, but if you look a little closer, you’ll notice a unique sophistication at its core. “Why just build a new headquarters for Kum & Go when you can build a new headquarters for the people of Des Moines?” Sure, this idea might sound lofty, but Chad Rasmussen, Director of Asset Management for Kum & Go, has the blueprints to prove it’s a reality. Even if the building does look a bit like a spaceship. “We sent the RFQ to iconic architects all over the world,” Rasmussen explained. “Some of them probably hadn’t even heard of Des Moines, Iowa. But so many of them responded to Kyle’s vision. They said it was hands down the best RFQ they’d ever received.” If this sounds a little far-fetched, you probably haven’t met Kyle Krause, President and CEO of Kum & Go. The guy doesn’t do things half way. He also doesn’t do them like anyone else. Which is why the RFQ was far from typical. It included how much this building meant to Kyle, the Krause family, Des Moines, and the Kum & Go company. It gave Des Moines ‘celebrity status’ by highlighting every list the city has ever graced and gave props to all the amazing architecture that’s already found a home here. And lastly, he included pictures of his own house and his art collection.
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This was not going to be another faceless, soulless RFQ. “He wanted to paint an entire picture of our goal and process. And it actually spoke to a lot of people,” Rasmussen said. Have you seen the New York Times Building? Perhaps you’ve taken a weekend trip to Chicago and visited the Modern Wing of the Art Institute? Surely you’ve seen a photo or two of the London Bridge Tower. Well, a man named Renzo Piano is responsible for those very buildings. And he jumped at the chance to create another iconic marvel right here in Des Moines. Just as you wouldn’t hire Wolfgang Puck to make a bologna sandwich, Krause and his team did not select Renzo Piano to create an ordinary office structure. Instead of confining walls and cement blocks that restrict light and life, glass will be featured prominently throughout to provide a transparency and openness – that same transparency and openness the people of Des Moines have been known to possess. The building will act as a nucleus for an urban wonderland including rooftop gardens, lush outdoor space for both work and play, interactive art installations, and trees. So many trees. “Kyle Krause is a big believer in the power of ‘people collisions.’ He wanted to create a space where bumping into someone could lead to exciting opportunities and serendipitous idea exchanges. He sees it as a way to spark creativity and stay motivated,” Rasmussen explained. This sort of serendipitous brain exchange does not typically happen inside an office
ABOVE Nick Cimaglia and Kory Ballard of Perficut Companies review plans with Brad Shoenfelder and Matthew Van Loon of Ryan Companies.
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building between the hours of 9 and 5. It happens when people are popping out to lunch, when they’ve stopped to power down on a park bench after a long day of meetings, or when they’re just aimlessly walking and thinking and breathing in the outside air. This is exactly why finding a landscape architect was just as important as finding a top notch architect for the building. Confluence, a landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm was Krause’s top pick. The design Confluence put together encourages interaction between associates and visitors. “The space is about being an inviting place to work that Kum & Go associates can be proud of and it’s about providing an engaging space open for our community to interact with our associates, as well as to enjoy and experience on their own,” Krause said. Perficut Site Management is thrilled to be collaborating with Confluence on this major undertaking. As described by Jeremy Boka, Perficut Director of Business Development and Sales, “This project was a collaboration of local, national, and international teams that will provide Des Moines a landmark project that anchors the Western Gateway of downtown. The landscape itself is interesting with many concepts of its usage as a plaza and forest that surrounds the building. From a natural extension of the sculpture park, a forest rising from the City, and an overhanging green roof designed to reduce energy and water runoff, the landscape is both functional, and aesthetically inspiring. LEED certification for the facility is important to the teams involved, especially the Krause family, so many extensive conversations have been had on the landscape, and how it impacts, and aids the overall site.” Speaking of landscape, 128 Trees – 1700 Shrubs – 7700 perennials will be planted on site. Yeah, think of your most annoying grocery list of all time and then quadruple it, one thousand times. But for Nick Cimaglia, Landscape Construction Department Manager at Perficut, it’s not a chore at all. In fact, he really, really likes it. “Everything fits the theme of community and inspiration. The landscape theme is ‘Rising from the Forest’ – so picture a clearing in the forest and that clearing is this amazing gathering place. We provide the forest. So our job is to not only plant trees and shrubs but more to really get into the intent of the design and carry it through while we provide the landscape.”
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“THIS WILL BE AN ARCHITECTURAL WONDER THAT DES MOINES, AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL RECOGNIZE FOR GENERATIONS.” - JEREMY BOKA
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Working on a project like this is an honor for Cimaglia and his team. Even if he wanted to hide his excitement, he probably couldn’t. “We are so grateful to the Krause Family for providing something like this to the City of Des Moines. They could’ve just built another building, but chose to do the exact opposite. There may never be another building or site like this in Des Moines. The design team is world class. Some of the best local architecture firms are involved as well.” The fact that Cimaglia sees how this project will enrich is own life is just icing on the cake. “Projects like this can keep you up at night. They scare away a lot of contractors. But I think these are the best projects to be part of. My kids will dance on the dance chimes. And eat lunch under the trees. How cool is that?” Oh yes, there will be chimes. Under the ground. “We wanted to be careful not to be competitive with the art in the area, and also didn’t want to just build a run-of-the-mill playground,” Chad Rasmussen explained, “so instead, we really focused on interactive art. It’s essentially a perfect balance between art and play.” Seriously, they’ve thought of everything. The Krause Gateway Center will put Des Moines on the map in a way nothing else has. People will come from all over the world to see one of Renzo’s buildings. And they’ll leave with a big old crush on Des Moines, Iowa. Jeremy Boka sums it up best, “This will be an architectural wonder that Des Moines, and the international community will recognize for generations. This adds to the list of “Best places and Best ofs” that Des Moines and its metro areas are being recognized for in every poll and publication.”
See more photos at Facebook.com/Perficut LIVING DETAILS 30
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ABOVE Kum & Go has teamed up with Ryan Companies, Confluence and Perficut to execute Renzo Piano’s iconic vision for The Krause Gateway Center.
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THE COLO
THIS PAGE Ryan Nurnberg and Tiffany Vaske at Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville, Iowa. The pair manage Perficut’s rapidly growing eastern Iowa branch.
OR OF SUCCESS IS BLACK AND GOLD
STORY / NICK TAYLOR IMAGES / PHILLIP HARDER
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WAS THE FIRST ONE IN.” “No company car. No marketing tools. All I had was a t-shirt and my white Pontiac.”
It’s certainly not the latest saga from Seal Team Six, but it’s really not a bad story either. Maybe she’s more like Churchill. If Churchill were a thirtyyear-old woman with skinny jeans and a Bonneville. It all begins in 2009 in Eastern Iowa. The waters from the “500-year flood” had finally receded, the economy was showing an inkling of improvement, and like twin lotus flowers rising up out of the mud in the Indian summer, Cedar Rapids and Iowa City were finally coming back to life. Matt Boelman and Kory Ballard were hanging around their offices at Perficut Companies in Des Moines, and they were hungry.
Nearly 20 years earlier, Kory had founded Perficut with a moped, a mower and a piece of rope. Too young for a driver’s license, it would be another two years before he could legally drive a truck. Matt joined the company shortly thereafter, supercharging the company as the pair set their sights on the future. Over the decades that followed, Perficut clawed its way up into the various lists of biggest and best companies working in what insiders call “the green industry.” Perficut was the first company in Iowa to make it into the Landscape Maintenance “LM150,” which features the top providers in North America. It was the first Iowa company to be featured in Lawn & Landscape’s “Top100.” After opening a snow maintenance department in 2005, the company became the first in Iowa to be recognized as part of Snow Magazine’s “Snow100.”
“IT’S AN EXTREMELY TIGHT LABOR MARKET. YOU HAVE TO BE DETERMINED AND YOU HAVE TO PUT A LOT OF CREATIVITY INTO YOUR HIRING STRATEGIES.”
“We had been so focused on central Iowa for so many years,” said Kory. “Then one day Matt came in and said, ‘What do you think about going east?’”
-RYAN NURNBERG
Enjoyable as it was, within a couple of years of graduation, her black and gold blood was looking for a road back to Iowa City and the Hawks.
“Without hesitation, I said, “Let’s do it!’” But how do you build something out of nothing? “You hire Tiffany Vaske,” Matt says with a laugh. Tiffany had a well-established reputation for being the type of person that put the “go” in “go getter.” As a student at Cedar Falls High School, she won the state swimming meet all four years, eventually putting up record times that would stand for decades. She attended the Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa and earned a degree in Economics. After graduating, she began trading commodities with American Express Financial in Des Moines.
Tiffany met Matt through an industry event and as his dream for opening an eastern Iowa office began to come to life, he knew that Tiffany was the perfect person for the job. “The sales goal for the first season was $150,000,” said Tiffany. “I made a list of my top 50 targets and I hit the pavement. I didn’t have a company car. I didn’t have any marketing materials. All I had was a sales goal and t-shirt that said Perficut.” “Nobody even knew who we were at the time,” she added with a laugh. Unable to get prospects to return her calls, Tiffany began voluntarily performing monthly site reviews. She would take photos of each prospect’s campus and
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then email the photos with notes to the property manager. “I would do anything that I could think of to get someone’s attention,” she said. “When I wasn’t doing site reviews, I was making cold calls and trying to write marketing materials with MS Word. It was 110% guerrilla tactics.” Before long, the hard work began to pay off and the contracts started to trickle in. Within the first few months, Tiffany had exceeded $250,000 in sales. “Now that we had sold it, we had to figure out how to get the work done!” she laughed. “We have extremely high standards for customer service and communication,” she said. “Our strategy had always been to grow slowly and methodically so that we didn’t get over-committed. But by the beginning of year two, we had some very large contracts and couldn’t find any labor.”
but there they were in their Raybans and cowboy boots, making sure that the job got done to their standards. It truly was a team effort. We had so much fun doing it, for the rest of that season the guys would come over to mow about once a week, while I would run around and pull weeds.” With the success of Tiffany’s sales effort, Matt and Kory began looking for a production manager who could manage the quickly growing crews in what was becoming an increasingly difficult labor market. “We knew we needed someone with a lot of creativity, a strong sense of teamwork and the ability to pull off challenging tasks,” said Kory. “Someone that could help us keep climbing,” he added. “Figuratively or literally, as it turned out!”
“During that spring, I had an order of 2,000 plantings show up and no one to plant them. So I rolled up my sleeves, and got to work.” “A few days later, Matt and Kory heard about what was going on and they came over to help. Our clients kept driving by our sites but they never realized that sales was planting the flowers and the owners were cutting the grass!” “Matt and Kory hadn’t been behind a mower in 15 years,
Ryan Nurnberg was a carpenter in Des Moines, who credits his passion for rock climbing as providing him with the skills he needed to succeed in business. “I guess it would seem strange that I got so interested in rock climbing, because I’m actually afraid of heights,” Ryan said. “But there you are, pushing yourself to do something when your mind is saying ‘no’ but your heart is saying ‘yes.’” “I think that feeling drew me to a lot of things in life. If there was something that I wanted to achieve in life, I would find
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IN THE WORLD OF COMMERCIAL SITE MAINTENANCE, THERE IS THE EASY WAY, THE RIGHT WAY AND THE PERFICUT WAY. WHEN APPEARANCES COUNT, CALL PERFICUT.
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ABOVE Without a company vehicle or marketing materials, Tiffany Vaske had a hard time being recognized when she opened Perficut’s eastern Iowa branch. Today she has an entire fleet at her disposal.
myself thinking, ‘somebody here is going to do it. If it’s not me, it’s going to be somebody else.’” “So I learned to dig a little deeper and push above and beyond.” “The great thing about climbing is that you have to have commitment. You can’t say, ‘do this’ or ‘do that.’ You have to say, ‘this is my goal’ and you have to know that you only have one chance to do it right.”
“It was the same experience I had as a rock climber,” Ryan said. “My brain was saying ‘no’ but my heart was saying ‘yes.’ I knew that it would be another opportunity for me to push myself and continue to grow.” In the two years since Ryan has been leading operations in Eastern Iowa, the production team has doubled in size and tripled its fleet. “It’s an extremely challenging market,” Ryan said. “There is very low unemployment and all the top companies are struggling to find good workers.”
“I think that’s great training for life.” Then, in a twist that could only happen in a place like Iowa, Ryan got a phone call. “One day, a guy calls me on the phone and asks, ‘How would you like to climb trees for a living?’”
“You have to be determined and be willing to put a lot of creativity into your hiring strategies,” he added. “Once you have your teams in place, you have to keep moral up and make sure your people like their work. We work extremely hard, but try to make it fun. It’s a careful ballet.”
“I said, ‘Is this a joke?’ ‘People really do that?” The next week, Ryan found himself as the newest member of Perficut’s tree team. Then in a couple of short years, Ryan quickly climbed the ranks through the tree crews to department manager, and then on to a role as production manager, overseeing maintenance and watering. During a production meeting in 2014, Ryan learned that there was a vacancy in the eastern Iowa office.
With annual sales growth showing no signs of tapering off, Tiffany and Ryan continue to push higher. “Today eastern Iowa,” said Ryan. “Tomorrow the world!”
Connect with Tiffany and Ryan on LinkedIn and learn more about Perficut at Perficut.com.
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LA NINA’S S LI P
EXPERTS BELIEVE THAT TWO RECORDS WILL BE BROKEN THIS WINTER: THE AMOUNT OF SNOWFALL RECEIVED AND THE NUMBER OF SLIP AND FALL LAWSUITS FILED. ONE OF THESE RECORDS CAN BE PREVENTED. STORY / NICK TAYLOR IMAGES / PHILLIP HARDER
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INTER IS COMING” IS THE NOTORIOUS MOTTO of Eddard Stark, the “Lord of the North” in the riveting Netflix series, Game of Thrones. The motto is intended as a somber warning and a reminder that a summer spent in vigilant preparation is the key to surviving the many challenges of winter. Throughout the series, the inevitable truth of the words is referenced by other characters, who note that sooner or later, the Starks are always right.
Many local business owners have a similar fear of winter weather. However, rather than fearing the return of the “White Walkers,” owners are faced with equally enigmatic (although far less sensational) uncertainties. “The biggest economic risk faced by most owners due to inclement weather is business interruption and closing,” said Matt Boelman, co-owner of Perficut Companies. “Business interruption can include many things,” said Boelman. “Including loss of revenue, staffing problems, inventory disruption and shipping delays.” In 2014, when Boston was hit by unusually heavy snow, economists estimated that economic losses due to business interruption exceeded $10 million per day. When floods hit South Carolina earlier this year, the total economic loss to businesses was estimated to approach $400 million. “Additional risks result when consumers and employees are able to access the property, but conditions are unsafe, leading to slip and fall injuries, commercial property damage, and costly litigation,” said Boelman.
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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Perficut University is a new online training platform created through a partnership between DMACC Business Resources, Perficut Site Management and The Wittmack Group. Equipment is prepped at Perficut’s Eastern Iowa location. Specialized equipment keeps winter work easy even in difficult circumstances.
“DESPITE WHAT YOU REMEMBER FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD, TEN-YEAR AVERAGE SNOWFALLS ARE ON THE RISE.” -CASSIE CIMAGLIA
In 2015, 44% of the members of the Accredited Snow Contractors Association (“ASCA”) reported at least one slip and fall injury. Of these claims, 35% were dismissed and 50% were settled. Most of the cases that made it through to a jury verdict resulted in awards in the tens of thousands of dollars, with many verdicts stretching into the millions. As the filing of slip and fall claims has increased, the prevalence of fraudulently filed claims has also increased. Since 2011, questionable slip and fall cases have increased at a rate of 12-20%. In 2014, more than 3,000 civil plaintiffs were found guilty of criminal fraud for filing meritless civil lawsuits. As the economic uncertainties resulting from winter weather continue to expand, Mother Nature is presenting challenges of her own. Local meteorologists are reporting that it’s snowing more now than ever before. “Despite what you remember from your childhood, ten-year average snowfalls are on the rise,” reports Cassie Cimaglia, Performance Improvement Director at Perficut. “In the last ten years, central Iowa has experienced four years with total snowfall of more than 45 inches and two years with total snowfall of more than 50 inches. As ten-year averages have increased, standard deviations have also increased, with two years of snow totals of less than 25 inches.” “This uncertainty can make it difficult for owners to plan and staff a comprehensive snow program,” said Boelman. “This can present an enormous risk to business owners because the economic impact of a poorly executed plan has never been greater.” A well-designed and well-documented snow management plan is the key to a successful and safe winter season.
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DESIGNING A SNOW PROGRAM THAT WORKS “Every snow management plan is different and based on the specific risks presented by a site,” said Boelman. “Critical sites such as hospitals and clinics, shipping and manufacturing centers, and high-traffic retail or corporate locations tend to warrant increasingly complex plans. However, at its core, each plan should include eight steps.” 1. PRESEASON TRAINING “Many service providers and companies that self-perform create huge, unnecessary risks by handling snow and ice training ‘on the job,’” said Boelman. “Trying to teach contract labor how to operate a plow or salt truck at 3:00 AM when it’s ten-below and snowing like crazy is a recipe for disaster.”
“After reviewing site-specific issues, you need to establish priorities for snow and ice removal considering the hours of operation of your location, facility entrances and exits, and the priority of sidewalks and lots.” “The next step is to figure out where to put the snow. If snow is to be stored on site, you’ll need to determine where, while also noting the capacity of the storage location. You’ll also need to have a plan for snow removal when your storage capacity is reached.” “Thaw and refreeze is a huge problem in the Midwest, so you also need to take time to evaluate surface runoff and refreeze locations by inspecting grading, drains and gutters.”
“September and October is the time for training. You won’t be rushed and you can make sure that your team has the opportunity to ask questions and get thoughtful and accurate answers.”
“Finally, you should review local ordinances to make sure that your plan is not in violation of local law and that you’re not creating additional premises liability risk through an inadvertent attractive nuisance.”
Businesses with complex sites and large teams of snow contractors should consider creating a “Learning Management System” or “LMS” to provide consistent training to the entire team.
3. SNOW PLAN AND SITE PREPARATION
“At Perficut, we created a 38-course curriculum for all our employees and service providers that show them exactly what we want them to do and how to do it,” said Boelman. “Our entire team completes the online coursework and accompanying tests during the off-season and then travels to a regional testing center to get checked before the first snow occurs.”
“The snow plan should include all the necessary site information required by your crews, including priority of lots and walkways, location of emergency access and equipment, storage areas and any special planning considerations.”
“After the site inspection has been completed, it’s time to draft your snow plan,” Boelman said.
2. PRESEASON SITE INSPECTION After training is completed, it’s important to review each location before it snows. “The first step of your site review should be to determine if any site-specific special issues exist,” said Boelman. “It’s especially important to identify any emergency considerations such as fire hydrants, fire lanes, emergency exits and ambulance lanes. You should also note dumpster locations, delivery areas and then research information about their scheduled use.”
“After the snow plan is drafted, prepare the site by using high visibility stakes to mark emergency equipment, landscaping features, perimeters and other other key locations that could be covered by snow. Then stage any equipment that will be stored on site.” 4. WEATHER MONITORING Winter weather happens at unexpected and inconvenient times. Therefore, it’s important to have a dedicated staff that is continuously monitoring weather information for information. Even the best meteorologists make mistakes, so it’s important to obtain forecasts and data from multiple sources.
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LEFT Busy parking lots can be a huge headache during winter weather without a comprehensive winter management plan.
5. PERFORMANCE
performed and take photos for our records as services are underway. Trial lawyers hate it, which is why we love it!”
“With a proper process, the actual snow and ice removal should become the easiest step,” according to Boelman.
7. EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE
“During plowing, always ensure that the snow is pushed in the correct direction and to the correct destination. Remember that sidewalks are intended for foot traffic and deserve meticulous attention. When it comes to snow storage, give special consideration to your runoff and remember to calculate the stress of static and live loads on structures. If you’re storing snow in a parking deck, it is essential that you consult your engineering team.” “De-icing products are also becoming increasingly sophisticated. Be sure to select the correct product for each surface that needs to be treated.” 6. REAL-TIME DOCUMENTATION “Even if services are performed exactly as training and planned, owners are still exposed to significant risk unless the performance is carefully documented,” said Boelman. “With the increase in litigation around slip and fall injuries, it has become essential to create a system by which you can document the condition of your property in real-time as services are performed.” “At Perficut, we created a customized app that allows each employee or service provider to document each task
Difficult working conditions, cold temperatures, slick surfaces and poor visibility are some of the factors that make snow management so hard on equipment. A strong snow program requires a strong maintenance program. Your fleet services team must be able to repair and maintain all the equipment required by your snow program. “Remember, a good mechanic is only as good as his or her knowledge of the equipment you’re actually using,” said Boelman. “If you’re renting specialized equipment for the winter, make sure that your mechanics know how to repair it. Snow events also frequently occur in waves, which means that your mechanics must be available 24-7 and ready to get essential equipment back on the road without delay.” 8. AUDIT “Finally, it’s important that you conduct periodic audits to make sure that your entire snow management process is actually being performed as designed,” said Boelman. “At Perficut, we believe the audit is so important that we’ve created four different levels of review, including an independent audit by an outside third-party.”
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SELF-PERFORM OR CONTRACT? “In the past, most companies self-performed their snow programs,” Boelman said. “However, as premises liability claims have increased, we have seen many owners begin to take advantage of the benefits of outsourcing.” “Many owners find comfort in knowing that they have a dedicated team of professionals attending to their site no matter the time of day or the time of year,” said Boelman. “A dedicated team will have the proper training and equipment to mitigate risk at your site, and communication tools that keep owners up-to-date on the condition of the property.” “It seems that snow events always happen on a big holiday or during the big game,” added Boelman. “So outsourcing can also be a huge boost to employee morale because it lets your fulltime team really make the most of their time off.” “Finally, the biggest benefit is that outsourcing allows owners to delegate some of their premises liability risk to a thirdparty.” However, with 35,000 registered snow contractors in the U.S. and more than 400,000 operators, there is a wide standard deviation of quality within the industry. To have the best success, determine the level of service that you require and then seek a professional capable of meeting your needs. 1. Determine what aspects of the process are most important to you. Do you need demand a pre-season inspection? Do you want real time documentation? Do you want trained and certified operators? Do you need a communications plan that will provide you with updates on the services performed and the condition of your property? 2. Search for a service provider that is accredited by a trade association such as ASCA and has a quality management system certified under the ISO standard for snow contractors called “SN9001”. 3. Find a service provider that has experience serving sites that are similar to yours. Many contractors underestimate the challenges presented by commercial sites. Look at work history and check references.
Learn more at Perficut.com.
THE KEY TO BETTER WINTER SITE MANAGEMENT? (APPP SOLUTELY
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