Star-Herald Pride I

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2015

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Pride Business & Industry

Family business Second generation taking part of operation started in 1976 page 3

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Trees to power poles

Celebrating 10 years

Nemnich Automotive

Company expands into state

Allo expanding, but keeping local philosophies

Tuning up the valley one customer at a time

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Super star SHS marketing instructor constantly rewarded through business education efforts page 9

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Keeping valley rolling Fremont Motors general manager helps dealership become top seller

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Coffee is life for Scottsbluff entrepreneur By IRENE NORTH Staff Reporter

Angela Kembel breathes coffee. Walk into Cappuccino and Company any time of the day and you’ll see staff busy helping customers. Owner Angela Kembel is usually among them helping serve up gelato, scones, lattes and a variety of drinks and food. She finds it hard to sit for an entire interview, popping up several times to make lattes or give hugs to customers. She is at home among the myriad choices her business offers to customers. Her love of coffee expands to every aspect of her life. She spends hours each day reading about coffee preparations and techniques. She has traveled from Colorado to Connecticut to learn what the coffee market is doing and for inspiration. Kembel has two inspirations, Corvus Coffee in Denver and Two Rivers Coffee in Arvada, Colorado. She visits them whenever she can. “I’ve also attended Barista Nation and learned to network and ask all kinds of questions,” she said. Most coffee shops specialize in either serving hot coffees or syrups. “I’m bridging the gap,” she said. Those who serve syrups typically have a few offerings. “Eighty syrup flavors is unusual,” she said. Kembel recently purchased a new espresso machine to make her coffee better. She had a trainer teach her staff how to make the perfect cup. “She’s very innovative and always looking for ways to improve things,” said Janie Scanlan, co-owner of Cappuccino and Company and Kembel’s mother. Care and concern is put into each espresso.

“It matters to me to have the best cup in the Panhandle,” she said. “Prep is important and we follow a very strict recipe.” Kembel’s first experience working at Cappuccino and Company was in high school working with original owner Jeff Ross. She came to business by herself, but draws on grandparents, uncles and her mother who have all run their own businesses. She’s a third-generation American, with grandparents who arrived at Ellis Island from Croatia. “I have their entrepreneurial spirit,” she said. When the opportunity to purchase Cappuccino and Company arose, she took it. “I had this feeling that this should not go away,” she said. “Since day one, my objective was to change the face of the business.” The churning blender competes with the chatter of customers who come to visit, study and people watch. Kembel thrives in the busy atmosphere of a coffeehouse. She cares about quality and her hard-working employees that support her, her work and keeping the business from getting stagnant. In return for that dedication, she has worked hard to adjust business costs to give them as many hours of work as possible. “I like to keep the girls at a high level and as close to 40 hours a week,” she said. “They have families to take care of, too.” Being self-employed is something Kembel and her husband, Jared, who owns MBKem Enterprises, are used to. Kembel said it has brought great rewards. “I feel we can do the most good by steering our own ship,” she said. “From my point of view, an opportunity is what you make it.” Kembel enjoys being involved in the community. She’s a board member of the Scottsbluff Business Improvement District. “It fits perfectly with what I’m interested

Courtesy photo

Angela with her miniature Yorkie Mya.

in,” she said. “I’m happy to be involved.” She likes relaxation and incorporates a relaxing environment to all aspects of her life. “I grew up loving moments where you can breathe deeply,” she said. “Breathe deeply at Cappuccino and Company, and you’ll find it’s fabulous smelling.” Kembel was home schooled, but doesn’t feel like she missed out on anything. When she was a teenager, her mother asked her if she wanted to attend regular school. She declined and graduated in three years

Mini golf course sprouts from greenhouse operation

instead of four. “I wasn’t suffering from any kind of socialization issues,” she said. She is always looking for new ways to learn and grow, no matter the topic. “She loves feedback from her customers on ways to improve,” Scanlan said. “She’s always looking at ways to improve herself and her business and takes that feedback to heart.” KEMBEL, page 2

TCD helps valley cope with job growth, recruitment and housing challenges By STEVE FREDERICK Editor

T OR R INGT ON, Wyo ming — The Wollert family had no plans to open a mini golf course when they arrived in Goshen County 21 years ago. They came to farm and ranch and raise their children on a place northeast of Lingle. However, Gretchen, a teacher by trade, was also interested in gardening. It wasn’t like she wasn’t busy anyway, helping husband Mike, and home schooling four daughters. But, when the opportunity came to work in a local greenhouse, she began another career. She didn’t know it at first, but af ter a few seasons there, another door opened. With her interest and experience in greenhouse plants and skills, Wollert took an opportunity eight years ago to open Pleasant Valley Greenhouse one and-a-half miles west of the port of entry on U.S. Highway 26/85 west of Torrington. The business had been in operation for decades under previous owners, but the Wollerts added their own touches. T hey upgraded some of the greenhouses, made changes to the sales areas and enlarged the parking area. Business was good, but again, a new idea began to grow in the back her of mind. “We didn’t have anything around here for kids,” Wollert explained while busily transplanting tiny petunia seedlings into four-packs. “No bowling or skating, and you don’t swim around here in the winter. We had extra space here, and I was tired of pulling weeds to keep it looking nice. That’s when

At one time, economic development focused on blockbuster deals — attracting large, well-paying employers that offered good benefits, opportunities for future growth and didn’t degrade the local environment or threaten the quality of life. Twin Cities Development Corporation has chased a few of them over the past decade, but with the economy reeling and every community grabbing for the same golden ring, it’s gradually changed its focus, said Director Rawnda Pierce. “We used to look at anything that would look at us,” she said. “Now we look at what’s good for the community.” O ver t he ye a r s , T CD has helped employers such as Progress Rail, Alliance Data and Aulick Industries ex p a nd . It s e eks g r a nt funding through the state to help large companies grow or move into new facilities and has helped numerous small businesses apply for local economic development funding. It’s helped to fill or re-purpose vacant buildings. It’s even received funding to tear down some derelict buildings to open up property for potential development. Scottsbluff’s economy has grown by more than 1,000 jobs through TCD’s efforts to help companies qualify for locally generated LB 840 sales tax funding, while Gering has seen about 175 new jobs, Pierce said. “We have made a difference in the community,” she said. “When you look at all the things together, it’s quite a bit.” TCD is a private, nonprofit corporation founded in the 1980s as a payroll development fund, providing assis-

Ag Editor

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Photo by Sandra Hansen

Gretchen Wollert, right, and a seasonal assistant, Bernadine Lewis, transplant petunias at Pleasant Valley Greenhouse in preparation for the 2015 gardening season.

we began talking about miniature golf.” According to Wollert, planning began in August 2 01 3 , a nd t he 10 - hol e course opened Apr il 1, 2014. Open seven days a week, its main theme is the West, with other whimsical touches. There is the ghost town, the Oregon Trail, cowboys, and a few pirates

and treasure chests. This year will find more addit ions. A f ter t r y ing the business last year, the family decided to expand in 2015. It is now an 18-hole course, with new features, including two rivers, two waterfalls, an abandoned mine, Devil’s Tower, and a Swiss Family Robinson tree house. Visitors will find

other surprises after the weather warms up. “It would be hard to just open a mini golf course and have it available on a regular schedule,” Wollert said as she sprinkled water on a flat of petunia trays. “But with us here most of the time in spring and early WOLLERT, page 4

“

We used to look at anything that would look at us. Now we look at what’s good for the community.

“

By SANDRA HANSEN

— Rawnda Pierce

tance to workers who had been laid off and working on job growth projects. It’s governed by a nine-member board, representing economic sectors such as transportation, manufacturing, agriculture, medicine, education, legal, retail and technology. It’s one of many economic development organizations around Nebraska. There’s no single model for economic development. Some communities have stand-alone agencies; others work through city government or through chambers of commerce. “Each community does what it feels is best,” Pierce said. “It really depends on the community. We’re one of the few that have more than one staff member. Most of them are a one-person show.” TCD operates with a director, an employee recruitment manager, an administrative assistant and a part-time project manager. Although it still pursues TCD, page 6

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KEMBEL: Coffee is life for Scottsbluff entrepreneur Continued from page 1 Once a woman told Kembel she was the most intimidating woman the woman ever met. “I used it as motivation to look at myself and improve,” she said. “It’s important and necessary to do that.” Her business has also helped her come out of her shell. “I wasn’t allowing myself to be me,” she said. “I love to open up and to character build.” On that character building journey, she read “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. “I studied it, took notes. My life opened up and allowed my heart to be shared,” she said. “Before I had a huge heart, but no way to share it with others.” Kembel may have a passion for great tasting coffee, but she has many other interests to keep her busy. She relishes the dream of a yearlong, all expenses paid trip to travel the world and visit coffee shops. “Coffee is in my blood now,” she said. “Even after that year, I would return here.” Her love of the arts further extends to her business, which she opens Friday nights for music and poetry. She would love to be able to speak with William Shakespeare to learn how he feels about the quote that a monkey at a typewriter could Courtesy photos do what he did. ABOVE: Angela Kembel, center, with her family. From left are Adam “I’d also like to talk to Pablo Scanlan, Doogie, Mark Scanlan, Josh Scanlan, Angela, Sarah Neruda. His stuff is beautiful,” she said. “He wrote in Spanish, but he’s Scanlan, Christine Scanlan, Teresa Scanlan and Janie Scanlan. known for poetry about love.” She’s also an advocate of knowing what is in her food and sources the ingredients for meals, cookies and breads at Cappuccino and Company locally. “You wouldn’t believe the stuff in our food that doesn’t benefit us,” she said. “I won’t impose my choices on others, but that’s one reason we have so many options at Cappuccino and Company.” Kembel would like the opportunity one day to speak with any of our presidents about our food supply and ask why the government subsidizes things that are making us ill. “I want to know what can be done. I care about health, but I fear I would be lumped in with the crazies,” she said. “Just be informed, read, know what goes into every aspect of your life and understand it.” In what spare time she has, Kembel can be found improving her house, traveling, attending Bible study and spending time with Jared and her miniature Yorkie, Mya. Kembel has come a long way from sleeping in a bassinet on her Angela and Jared at the United Way Color Run. parents’ dresser. She’s grateful for and values everything she has in It’s her way of showing how much yet to be written. life. Don’t be surprised if she sees she appreciates others. “I’m on the path,” she said. “But Angela with a young child she visited during her 2014 Christmas you in her shop and gives you a hug. Her greatest success, she feels, is I don’t know where it’s taking me.” trip to Haiti.

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Family business continues with second generation By SANDRA HANSEN Ag Editor

TORRINGTON, Wyo. — Most people wouldn’t think that Dave Cronk, owner and head mechanic of Goshen Diesel Service and Goshen Diesel Lube, dreamed of being a rancher. Raised on a small spread in Keya Paha County, Nebraska, in a family of four brothers and two sisters, Cronk had looked forward to a life of raising cat t le in t he w ide open spaces. Instead, at 21, he decided that wasn’t going to happen, and came to Goshen Count y, Wyoming, where his older brother, Morris, had moved a few years earlier. Morris was farming, but working on equipment for other farmers in his spare t ime. He asked Dave to come out and see what he thought of the potential, after a local truck service company closed up shop. Dave looked it over and in 1976, the brothers decided to give it a try. “I discovered a mechanical talent I didn’t know I had. Inherited it from my grandfather, and a business ability from my mother,” he said, sitting at a picnic table covered with a cowboy decorated tablecloth in the shop’s office area. With a twinkle in his eye and a wide grin, Cronk said he didn’t go to college or university “so I’m able to still learn. I don’t have that to hold me back.” He graduated high school with algebra and geometry to his credit, but other than that, and his natural talents, he said, “My resume is kinda thin.” That has not been a problem for the young man who has built a business by providing quality results. The brothers started with an acre of land south of Torrington, Wyoming next to Highway 85. That acre cost $6,000 because it was highway f ront age. T hey borrowed the money from Tri Count y Sav ings and Loan and built a 38 x 72 foot shop that is still there. They cut the business name out of plywood, painted it, and hung it on the south face of the building. The brothers had picked an ideal location. A n extremely busy truck route passed their driveway, and it was a time of heavy oil field activity in northern Wyoming and Mont ana, and a major route for livestock movement. “We had regular customers f rom Oklahoma and Texas who planned their major work in our shop,” Cronk recalled. But the local businesses kept the brothers af loat while they built their reputation for qualit y work throughout the trucking world. According to Cronk, Bill Reib, owner of the local rendering works, brought his trucks to the brothers. “He did that because no one else would work on them, they smelled so bad. But we were farm kids, and hungry enough, that we would take the job. “Bill was probably the client that allowed us to sur-

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Friday mornings are doughnut time at Goshen Diesel Service, and owner Dave Cronk and customers take advantage of a picnic table to linger over coffee and the sweet treats.

Photos by Sandra Hansen

Dave Cronk checks the underside of a semi truck and trailer before beginning a vive those first few years,” a nd fabr icat ion work at lube job at Goshen Diesel and Lube Service in Torrington, Wyoming. It’s one of the t h e W y o m i n g M e d i u m few drive-thru lube shops in the country that isn’t located on an interstate highway. he said.

According to Cronk, once the brothers’ reputation for good work spread, they were busy. Cummins, Detroits and other big engines were popular with truck owners, but they worked mostly on Detroits. “I guess I got to be the go-to guy for those, and I have a couple on my loader and an irrigation pump,” he said. T h i n g s we nt wel l for about 20 years, until Morris developed back trouble and allergies to smoke and diesel fuel. At first Cronk worried about continuing the business without Morris, “But then I realized I had learned a lot in 21 years, and with a clientele established, I decided to go forward,” Cronk said. “And as sole owner, I was freer to take risks.” He bought out Morris in 1997, and the business continued to prosper. Soon the truck stop opened east of Torrington, and in 2001, Cronk opened Goshen Diesel Lube north of the terminal. A lways looking to the future, Cronk decided to go a bit extra and install a d r ive - t h r u lube shop. “It’s one of the few in the country that isn’t on an interstate,” Cronk explained, standing in the walkway beneath a semi trailer. In 2006, he enlarged the facility and operation, moving all of the business. “And that was a good move,” he said. The success of the business isn’t due only to quality work. Cronk said it is also because of the relationships he and his brother, and now his son and nephew, build with customers. “You have to stand behind your work, and beside it, and on top of it, and lots of times you get under it,” Cronk said with his familiar mustached grin. “But we have third-generation customers, and that’s neat.” Serving the third-generation customers are second generation Cronks. Byron is Dave’s son, and Will is Morris’ son. They are taking on more of the labor and customer service as the years go by. Byron took welding classes at Eastern Wyoming College, and did a lot of welding

Correctional Institution at Torrington while it was being built. After working as assistant foreman building water towers for Pittsburg Demoine Steel, which then was bought out by CB&I, he ret u r ned t o G oshen Diesel Service in 2006 and occasionally gets to use his welding skills there. Will has been with Goshen D ie s el s i nc e 2 01 2 . Having always enjoyed the repa ir business, he has been a valuable asset to the operation. Educated in truck diagnostics, he is excellent in diagnosing problems with the electronics and wiring of the trucks. In addition to the cousins, Cole Larsen is part of the team. Raised in Wyoming, he was working in heavy duty truck repair in Billings, Montana, before he joined Goshen Diesel. He said he was looking for an excuse to get back to his Wyoming roots a nd the hunting and fishing that are a huge part of his life. Morris, although not a partner in the business, has a big presence there winter and summer when it comes to truck air conditioning, and it’s not uncommon to see him there on a regular basis, visiting with the boys or with Dave. “ T he boys here work hard and play hard together,” said Dave’s wife, Dawn. “I have just been really impressed with their working relationship. It’s a common occurrence to see them t alk ing in the mor ning, looking at their scheduling board and discussing how they are going to get things accomplished for that day. And on the weekends it’s not uncommon for all of them to head out on a great fishing or hunting trip together. I am so grateful for such a great staff, and it’s a family, which makes it even better.” While he is satisfied with the family operation, Cronk does have concerns for the f ut ure of engine repa ir. “The biggest challenge is people,” he said. “It’s harder to find technicians with the knowledge to get the job done. You need math and comprehension skills, and even physics is useful.”

He said fewer youth have those skills and are willing to learn, and to work in greasy/oily coveralls, with stained and grease smeared hands. “But, if you want to wear these and look like this, there is good money to be made,” he explained, rubbing his chest and turning his grease streaked hands palm up. And there is a good future in diesel engine work, Cronk said. Especially in Torrington. In addition to the truck traffic north and south on U.S. Highway 85, there is heav y traffic on U.S. Highway 26, running east and west. Cronk said 26 has become a favorite with truckers because of higher fuel prices. It is a straight route to Casper instead of using I-80, then turning north to Casper, Wyoming. “Ogallala to Casper saves big mileage,” he said, adding that 26 carries about 80 percent as much traffic as I-80 and I-25. And it’s growing. To meet the needs of the trucking industry, Cronk said he keeps enough parts on hand to work on three engines at the same time. The operation has made changes to keep up with technical advances, both in tools and equipment, and in office service, with Internet billings and ordering. But Cronk has m i xed feelings about the future of efficient engines. “ EPA was a t r ucker ’s f r ie nd u nt i l ab out f i ve years ago,” he said, noting the industry has gone to elect ronic cont rols a nd other means of reducing emissions and increasing mileage, but now, he said, the EPA has started going backwards. As regulations increase, the cost increases to keep emission control functioning. He said emission maintenance is now another layer of cost, and c a n r u n $ 5 0 0 - $ 1,0 0 0 a month after the first few years. Even low sulfur fuel was a big benefit, increasing reliability, and improved fuel and oil costs, but that has mostly been eliminated by

the emissions regulations. Another big improvement has been the elimination of smoke and diesel fumes. “Trucks don’t smoke anymore,” Cronk said. “ We used to have to open all the doors when we’d start a truck.” Cronk has also found a good use for used oil. He has three oil burning heaters in the building to keep it at a steady, comfortable temperature. He said the used oil is worth about 50 cents a gallon. That is partly because federal highway projects are prevented from using it, so it is a cheap waste product. As part of his safety and rec ycl ing pol ic y, Cronk doesn’t use flammable materials in the shop. Toward that goal, he bought a used spray cabinet washer to clean parts, and uses regular dish washing detergent in it. This saves money and also makes the place smell good. In addition to the usual repair jobs, Cronk has set aside space to work on his hobby of antique tractors. Right now he is working on a 1959 John Deere tractor that he uses to bale hay on his place. “I do it as a hobby,” Cronk explained. “ I ’ l l help a f r iend once in a while, but I won’t do restorations. It ’s not fun anymore if you do it for pay.” His hobby extends to actively participating in events sponsored by the Cowboy State Steam and Gas Association, which he

helped organize, and the Farm And Ranch Museum, which is now part of the Legacy of the Plains Museum in Gering. Out of reach of the grease and humming engines, in a corner of the building, Dawn does the paperwork, which is now computerized. Her realm has the usual filing drawers, counter top, desk and computer equipment. But follow ing the family atmosphere of the business and facility, there also is a 1950s era table and chairs. A cowboy themed tablecloth is background for a child’s pencil drawing on paper, under a glass table top. The face of their youngest grandson is the screen saver on one of the computers. T he couple has f ive grandchildren, t wo with Byron and his wife, Kerry, in Torrington, and they will visit their daughter Jane, her husband Byron, and their three children in Israel later this spring. T hree -legged Bill, a blonde and white Corgie keeps t rack of v isitors, checks out the operation, and shadows Dave for treats and tricks. “The next generation is taking off, and I’m doing less,” Cronk explained of t he cha nges com i ng t o Goshen Diesel S er v ice. “We offer something pretty unique here, with probably more years of experience than most other shops. And we do everything we can to protect our reputation.”

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WOLLERT: Mini golf course sprouts from greenhouse operation Continued from page 1 summer, it would work. And it was perfect for our unused space. “ We f i g u re we a re at demand capacity and won’t need any more greenhouses, so the mini golf fits perfectly,� she said, pulling out another tray full of empty four-packs for more petunias. “We used to have some down time between July 4 and fall when we sell fall plants, and again at Christmas for trees and wreaths.� She said the mini golf fills in a lot of that extra time. Depending on weather, they open in April and continue through October. They will also offer Glow Golf on Friday and Saturday evenings this year. On Halloween, it is referred to as Ghost Golf. Wollert said Glow Golf isn’t as popular in the summer because it stays light so much later. The mini golf is staffed by Wollert daughters Gabrielle and Georgia, Gretchen, and a few teenagers, supplemented by three to four greenhouse employees, if needed. The need for employees and the hours required fit well into the greenhouse schedule, Wollert said. “It’s pretty well eliminated our down time, though,�

Wollert said, laughing as she placed plastic I.D. tabs in the transplanted petunia trays. “We have about two months now to prepare for the next season, and get the golf course cleared and ready for summer.� “It’s been a lot of fun, and people really seem to like it,� Gretchen said, running her finger down a list of transplants in a small spiral notebook. “We had a lot of parties for youth and schools and ladies’ groups. Two places have agreed to deliver pizza here for the parties, and if a storm shuts us down, we give coupons so they never miss a round of golf because of rain.� Wollert added that last year, with only 10 holes, golfers were allowed to go twice around the course if they wanted more green time. However, this year, with 18 holes, it will be just one round of about 500 feet of winding “green.� In the meantime, Wollert and her assistants will be busy t ra nspla nt i ng a nd planting flowers and vegetables, creating hanging baskets, and arranging incoming shipments of plants, trees and shrubs. “We want to start everything we can here so we have the colors and varieties customers want, but we do

Courtesy photo

Different areas of the mini golf course have special themes, such as this Oregon Trail segment. Others include an abandoned mine shaft, pirates and rivers.

have to order some things,� Wollert said, adding that customers come from Casper, Colorado, Lusk, and western Nebraska. A second grand opening for the expanded golf course w ill take place in April, depending on the weather. In the meantime, the greenhouse is open during the week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Beginning April 1, the greenhouse and mini golf will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Call for summer hours for evening glow golf. For more information, call 307-532-GROW.

Gretchen Wollert carries a golf club as she checks the mini golf course that will soon open for the season at Pleasant Valley Greenhouse in Torrington, Wyoming. The course has been expanded to 18 holes for its second year of operation.

Photos by Sandra Hansen

A new feature, the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House, will provide an added challenge to this year’s players at Pleasant Valley Greenhouse. Plans call for a Fort Laramie-oriented feature in 2016.

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Photos by Maunette Loeks

A Bell Lumber and Pole employee uses a tool to move a large utility pole for framing or drilling holes as requested by the customer.

Turning trees into power poles: Bell Lumber and Pole expands into Nebraska By MAUNETTE LOEKS Media Editor

Have you ever thought about the utility poles that line the highways and roadways? Wel l, someone has to make them. A Minnesota-based company has been manufacturing utility poles for 106 years and expanded operations into Nebraska last year. Bell Lumber and Pole Company opened its Sidney plant in April 2014. T he company has operations in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Wisconsin and even British Columbia. The Sidney facility is a treatment plant, treating plant coordinator Br yan Hamilton said. Hamilton has been tasked with heading up the start-up of the plant, getting it up and running, hiring workers and taking it through start-up efforts. “Largely, locating in Sidney had to do with the location of our customer bases and access to the railroad and Interstate 80,” Hamilton said. The plant is located in the Sidney Industrial Park, which long-term western Nebraskans may know as t he for mer Siou x A r my Ordnance Depot. The plant is near Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific rails and just about five minutes off Interstate 80. That access to transportation is important to a business that hauls in 80 percent of the lumber it uses for poles by rail. The rest of the lumber and materials are trucked into the plant. The location of the industrial park is also ideal in that it is “open and away from neighborhoods,” Hamilton said. “There is dust, there is noise and a little bit of smell in our operations. It’s nice to be able to operate without having to worry about affecting the neighbors too much.” Cheyenne County, the Village of Potter, City of Sidney and the State of Nebraska worked heavily to recruit the company. The state awarded Cheyenne County $605,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds for Bell Lumber and Pole to locate its state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Sidney. The CDBG funds were made possible by the Nebraska Tax Advantage Act. The Sidney facility is the newest facility for Bell Lumber and Pole. The company pr imar ily manufact ures utility poles, but has also branched out and has a wood laminating facility in southern Minnesota. They also have facilities that manufacture commercial wood beams that you may see in churches, arenas or other buildings, log homes, raw forest products, fence posts, railroad ties and the wooden posts that you see on guard rails. The Sidney facility focuses on treating manufactured poles and preparing them for customers. T he manufacturing of utility poles starts out in the forests, where quality trees are selected. Bell Lumber and Pole Company offers poles made from trees from t h rou ghout t he Un it e d States in Cedar and Douglas

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Fir, Southern Yellow Pine and Red Pine. Utility poles must meet certain safety guidelines a nd nat ional st a nda rds, as well as other customer service standards. The standards cover such things as minimum circumference requirements, deflection and protection against rot, decay and insects. “Not every tree can make a utilit y pole,” Hamilton said. Other Bell Lumber and Pole Company plants manufacture the utility poles, which are transported to the facility, where the final processes are completed. At the Sidney plant, employees will drill or prepare poles to customer specifications, using blueprints

A Bell Lumber and Pole employee drills holes for mounting equipment into a utility pole. Many customers have the poles drilled at the facility instead of doing the work in the field.

provided by the customer. They also treat the poles with a chemical called pentachlorophenol to protect them from rot, decay and insects. The extent of the treatment depends on the usage of the pole and the area that it will be located. The Sidney plant has allowed Bell Lumber and Pole to expand its customer base throughout the Midwest region, Hamilton said. Prior to opening the plant, the company had a strong customer base in Iowa and Nor th Dakota, but the company has now been able to extend to Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, North and South Dakota, Arizona and Brian Hamilton, Sidney plant manager, stands in front of the drum line that utility New Mexico. poles are brought through the building. The poles stay contained while chemical is applied to the poles to protect them from rot, insects and even water. The entire

BELL, page 8 treatment process is contained and automated.

308-632-2143 800-446-7147

www.carrtrumbull.com

1310 Circle Drive, Scottsbluff Mon–Fri 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM Sat 8 AM – 2 PM

3/5/2015 4:24:00 PM

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Star-Herald

TCD: Helps valley cope with job growth, recruitment and housing challenges Continued from page 1 new employers, the pace of the competition for big projects has quickened. “It used to take two weeks to put forth a response to a proposal. Nowadays, we have to be ready with a proposal in a day and a half,” she said. “You’d better be ready to respond. You have to have all that research work done.” Ma ny such prop os a ls come from state agencies, from the Nebraska Public Power District, which has an economic development arm, or from site-selection businesses. Many of the inquiries are for land or available buildings. In recent years, the lack of available space has become an obstacle to growth. “We don’t have any land options,” she said. “There’s no inventory. We don’t have a lot of vacant buildings. If we’re going to develop an industrial park, where’s it going to go?” Other challenges include matching jobs with the local workforce and finding places for new workers to live. “We don’t have enough people. Everybody is hiring right now,” she said. “We could have more interns in the community if they had a place to stay.” That sentiment is echoed by Darla Heggem, TCD’s chief recruiter. Heggem, a Morrill native, explored medicine, and later tried modeling, singing and acting. After a decade of auditions and temporary gigs, she returned home. “I was planning to stay for a little while, and here I am,” she said. She’s spent the past seven years managing TCD’s workforce recruitment. She finds that much of her efforts are focused on bringing back former residents like herself, who have tried other places but yearned for an opportunity to come back to western Nebraska. “It’s been effective, depending on the labor market,” she said. “During the recession we had a lot of young people come home.” She also helps to publicize local job openings through a recruitment website. Right now, she’d welcome an influx of new workers. Human resources departments are in hiring mode and can’t find enough qualified people to fill all of the 175 to 200 jobs that are open locally. “It’s a global phenomenon,” she said. “Rural populations in general are losing their youth.” The economic recovery has boosted business confidence, encouraging businesses to add more staff. “The workforce is getting tighter and tighter, which is why ‘grow your own’ has become the mantra. You’re competing with every other community of 25,000 across the nation.” TCD has employed some st r at eg ies t o boost t he workforce. It promoted a bond issue for an updated Scottsbluff High School, which will include expanded career academies. It helped to create N E X T Young Professionals, a service group for young working people and newcomers. Newcomers are more likely to adapt to the rural lifestyle if they have a support net work of l ike -m inded

Pride 3-7-15 6

Photos by Steve Frederick

A group of entrepreneurs called Mastermind works and meets in the TCD building to cooperate and share ideas. The group includes, from left, Matt Larson, Joshua Curtis and Spencer McMCurtry.

Panhandle Area Development District officials, from left, Regional Planner Daniel Bennett, Director Chuck Karpf and PADD President Pat Comfort of the Nebraska Department of Labor look over space in the TCD building, where it plans to move to help create a one-stop location for development agencies.

friends, Heggem said. “We take for granted how beautiful it is,” she said. “That’s a big thing for them.” Lately, TCD has focused more on assisting existing businesses, helping small employers f i nd ways to expand. It formed several industry focus groups that will meet and look for ways that TCD might help to improve their industry’s success. The initial groups include precision metal manufacturing, agricultural manufacturing and technolog y. T hey ’ ll start this month by surveying businesses about their needs. Prospective areas of assistance could include training, marketing or even improving the local housing market. The lack of housing has been cited repeatedly as an obstacle to recruiting new professionals. “We’re going to see how it goes,” Pierce said. “We’ll start with three, and maybe it’ll turn into five our six.”

Also on the horizon is a March 30 meeting with local city governments. “They want to determine which direction they want us to go. We sometimes get accused of competing against people or getting into things we shouldn’t be involved in,” she said. “If they want us to do more things, we’re going to have to have more people.” T he competition issue came up when TCD purchased the former U.S. Bank building downtown after it had sat empty for more than four years. Part of the renovation turned upstairs space into apartments, used in some cases by newcomers who are looking for a permanent home. Developing space in the 35,000-squarefoot building has become a long-term project. TCD has been inviting other development-oriented agencies, including the Panhandle Area Development District, to move into the building to

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create a one-stop center for development ideas. Other space has been renovated for a new Entrepreneur Center that can work with the business incubator program at Western Nebraska Community College and similar efforts. It will allow budding entrepreneurs to rent a cubicle or an office while they get their business idea off the ground and are big enough to move out on their own. In another area, a group of small business owners who call themselves Mas-

Darla Heggem works to recruit new workers and match the local workforce to existing jobs.

termind meet to discuss and develop business strategies, assist start-ups and offer mentoring. The group consists of local entrepreneurs who found it useful to have their offices located near one another. “They’re all young. They have a lot of energy and ideas,” Pierce said. “I hope that whole space fills up.” TCD has tackled the housing shortage in several ways, working with local modular-home builders during the recession to keep their employees busy, working with high schools to build new houses and helping with the formation of the Western Nebraska Housing Organization, which renovates buildings and looks for other ways to increase the local housing stock. Although WNHO is a separate agency with its own board, it employs the TCD staff. Its projects keep local carpenters, plumbers and dry-wallers busy while improving or creating new housing opportunities. A lthough some critics have accused TCD of competing with local contractors and real estate developers, Pierce defends the effort based on community need.

“We don’t want to own property long-term and we don’t want to manage it,” she said. “The community doesn’t have enough housing. You can’t recruit people and increase your workforce. We feel we can do some things that other people won’t do.” Some TCD supporters who own property would like to donate buildings to the agency to help with the effort, and TCD is exploring ways to be able to accept such donations under its nonprofit status “so we can clean them up,” she added. Despite occasional criticism and misunderstanding of how TCD works, Pierce said she’s happy with the direction the community is taking and her agency’s role in moving projects along — even if it never produces a big, blockbuster jobs project. “I think we’re doing good t h i ngs , a nd we need to keep doing them,” she said. “ We’ve become very targeted and specific. We still want to see the economy diversify. It’s easier to have a garden with a lot of small plants and help them thrive than to pin all your hopes on one big plant.”

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3/5/2015 4:27:39 PM

Pride

Star-Herald

Saturday, March 7, 2015 7

Allo Communications President Brad Moline talks about the business and its operations while showing the control panels for its television offerings at its office in Scottsbluff. BELOW: Kami Balthazor and Tanna Hanna, with marketing at Allo Communications, review some final plans on March 4 before a red ribbon cutting celebrating Allo’s expansion into Gering.

Photos by Maunette Loeks

Jason Van Dyke, western region operating manager; Kim Brackett, construction manager; and Jeff Kuenne, executive vice president of engineering and networking operations, discuss plans at Allo Communications.

Allo Communications: Expanding, but keeping its local philosophies, after 10 years in the region By MAUNETTE LOEKS Media Editor

For 10 years, Allo Communications has been expanding in the Panhandle like it provides its service — steadily and reliably. This month, Allo Communications has announced expansion into G er i n g, c over i n g more t h a n t wo - t h i r d s o f t he com munit y. It ’s a high ly-anticipated expansion and also symbolic of the company’s business plan. A llo is growing, and it ’s not stopping. “We have been in business for 12 or 13 years,� said Brad Moline, pres ident of A llo Communi cat ions. “ We celebrated our 10 -year anniversar y of providing switch tele phone services and fiber bu i ld - up i n S c ot t sblu f f this year.� The company started as a lease arrangement with CenturyLink, leasing part of it s net work , bi l l i n g, regulator y and business operations. “ We were wa it i ng for tech nolog y to c at ch up so that we could provide a reasonably priced, de pendable solution to the customer,� Moline said. In late 2004, technology started to catch up with A l l o b u s i n e s s ow n e r s ’ drea ms a nd t he compa ny expanded into the S cot t sblu f f a nd G er i ng business communities. In 2007, Allo began offering s e r v ic e i n A l l i a nc e . I n 2011, the Rural Nebraska He a lt hc a re Net work , a par tnership of hospitals and health care facilities i n bu i ld i ng a f iber network, began construction and Allo Communications acqu i red r ight s to t hat f i b e r a nd we r e a bl e t o connect all their markets to North Platte, including Bridgeport. “ T he R N H N Net work helped build faster a nd we could devote more of ou r c apit a l t o bu i ld i n g w i t h i n c i t i e s ,� M o l i n e sa id. “ I f the net work would not have been built, we would have had to build across Nebraska. In the end, it and some other things have allowed us to have robust and diverse connect ions throughout the city, have redundant links through Omaha and connections to Denver at high rates of speed. Many of our business customers need connectivity to other parts of the country and the world and we can do that.� A llo anticipates it will offer service in Gering by Ma rch 15, of fer ing ser v ice f rom the Meadows s ubd iv ision t o S event h Street and f rom U to M streets. It is hoped that Allo will offer service to the entire community of Gering and Terrytown by the end of the year. “We are in six communities now — Scottsbluff, Gering, Alliance, Bridgeport and Ogallala. We are

Pride 3-7-15 7

look i ng to add a not her market late this year.� With the Gering build, Moline said that the company has passed availabilit y to 75,0 0 0 population and aims to be of fering ser vice to up to 200,000 to 250,000 in population within the next three to f o u r ye a r s . L o n g - t e r m strategic plans also call for expanding outside of Nebraska. “ We have set a goal of growing four times in the next four years,� Moline said. W he n A l lo b e g a n of fer ing ser v ices in t he Scottsbluff area 10 years ago, Moline said the incumbent phone provider had been experiencing a hard time providing good service. “ T hey were having some t roubles a nd it looked l ike it would be t he easiest to conver t ma rket sha re a nd t here was enough population in Scottsbluff and Gering to war rant such an investment.� W it h t he m a j or it y of S cot t sblu f f a nd G er i ng now eligible for ser vice, the aim is to get the majorit y of those potential customers converted into A l lo cl ient s w it h i n t he next 12 to 18 months. Allo has a strong pitch for the reasons that customers should consider switching to its service. “ T he communit y is a m on g t he b e s t i n t he

country in response,� he said. “The amount of market sha re is a mong t he best in the country, which is why our investors are interested in expanding what we do. We also do it better than most in the industry.� A l lo C om mun ic at ions do e s n’ t j us t of fe r t el e phone services, but Internet and television. It s I nt e r ne t s e r v i c e s is its greatest source of p r ide . I n 2 01 2 , G o ogle started overbuilding Kansas City and touted that it could bring one gigabyte of I nter net ser v ice to business customers within the communit y. A f ter the Federal Communications Commission enacted its National Broadband Pla n, a call to expa nd high-speed Internet ser-

vices, it became a badge of honor to be billed as a “g i g aby t e c om mu n it y.� The label is now used in marketing to tout the successes of companies and in recruiting companies to communities. Moline said that only 5 to 8 percent of communities throughout the nation c a n tout t hemselves as g i g aby t e c om mu n it ie s . W i t h A l l o ’s o f f e r i n g s , S cot t sblu f f a nd G er i ng can be touted as gigabyte communities. The company is able to offer faster Internet ser vice than its c om p ut e r s b e c a us e i t s system is 100 percent fiber, not using slower networks made out of copper and other modes. “ We can offer Internet s er v ic e s i n S c ot t sblu f f and Ger ing as fast as

any where else in the country, if not the world,� Moline said. “It is really a feature in people’s caps to be ca l led a g igaby te communit y a nd say to companies that you won’t be limited by communic a t ions i n f r a s t r uc t u re . S cot t sblu f f a nd G er i ng ca n say to ex ist ing a nd new businesses that they will have the same or better communications abilit ies here as a ny where. It is ver y impor t a nt for us in Nebraska and rural Nebr ask a to be able to identify with that.� Allo’s services are also of fered at an a f fordable r ate, pa r t ic ula rly when compa red to ot her ser v ice prov iders in larger communities. T hat is particularly important in ser vices, he said, where

content prov iders a re charging more as advert is i n g dol l a r s c ont i nue to decl ine as people do more on the Internet. Prov iders are also of fer ing more content — you can get 20 0 to 30 0 channels t o d ay c omp a re d t o t he seven- channel of ferings of yesteryear. Of course, for t hose that do get their television online, “that is where we shine as well, offering the f a s t e s t c on ne c t i v it y of anyone of fer ing ser v ice i n we s t e r n Ne b r a s k a ,� Moline said. Unlike some of its competitors, Allo’s Internet of ferings are strong in that they focus on offering “incredibly fast� upload a nd dow nload ALLO, page 8

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3/5/2015 4:24:16 PM

Pride

8 Saturday, March 7, 2015

Star-Herald

BELL: Turning trees into power poles Photos by Maunette Loeks

The Bell Lumber and Pole Company plant in Sidney is located in the industrial park, which has access to two rail Continued from page 5 lines and Interstate 80. Two other businesses in the park, Adams Warehousing and Trucking and Progress Rail, “We serve customers from Long Island, New York, to are good partners for the business. Olympia, Washington,” Hamilton said. “We even export to LEFT: The nearly $9 million facility for Bell Lumber and Pole’s Sidney location is a state-of-the-art facility. The treatment process is entirely contained, eliminating chemical exposure and pollution, and is controlled by computer. Bell Lumber and Pole manufactures utility poles from 25 feet to 125 feet wide.

South America from this plant.” The Sidney plant employees 35 full-time employees. Hamilton is the employee who is not from the area, having come from Minnesota to temporarily oversee the plant and its operations until a manager is hired. Employees from the plant come from Sidney, Gering, Potter, Kimball and even Julesburg and Peetz, Colorado. “This is our first greenfield facility in many years,” Hamilton said. “It is definitely an exciting time for our company. The start-up has been doing well.” Nebraska has been great to us, he said.

Bell Lumber and Company employees use a plate to deep incise some fir utility poles, done prior to treating the wood, to allow deeper penetration of chemicals used to preserve the poles.

ALLO: Expanding but keeping its local philosophies Continued from page 7 speeds. Many companies focus on of fer ing fast dow nload speeds , but upload speed “is getting much more i mpor t a nt ,” Moline said. As customers use cloud-based services, gaming and other i n t e r a c t i v i t y, t h e y a r e seeking gigabyte for gigabyte in their upload and download speeds through direct connections. “Bandwidth limitations are basically non-existent for ou r c ust omer s ,” he said. A llo is also testing some devices in its market s t hat wou ld ensu re that those upload a nd dow n load speeds st ay consistent in wireless capabilities. Moline credited A llo’s successes to its employe e s . T he c om p a ny h a s g r ow n f r o m a f e w e m ployees to 80 employees throughout the countr y. T he c omp a ny pl a ns on t r ipling its employ ment a s p a r t of it s f i ve - ye a r strategic plan. The company has been able to acquire great e m p l oye e s a nd r e c r u i t fantastic talent,” Moline said. “A lot of ou r suc c es s is the western Nebraska work ethic,” he said. “The people in the communities have also been wonder f ul in their response and staying loyal to Allo. Our success breeds success.” As the company grows, it focuses on maintaining its strategy to “operate on a local basis.” That means that though the company may expand, Moline said, i t h a s l o c a l e m p l oye e s in its of f ices, prov iding quality customer service and being involved in the communit ies. It bucks the trends and even adv ice of consult ants that recommend outsourcing operations, such as cus tomer service calls. “We want to keep a local feel,” he said. “It is the way we operate, the way we care and we spend a lot of money supporting t ho s e c om m u n i t i e s . . . . We do it the way the tele-

phone companies did in t he 19 70 s a nd t he 8 0 s , keepi ng a good core of employees in the region that truly understand the communities.” The company stays true to its values: honesty, not playing games and tricks on customers to get them to switch such as hidden fees ; being “ ver y local” and par ticipating in the com mu n it ies f rom sup port of schools to employing local people; offering hassle -free ser vices, f rom easy sign up to changes in service; making installation easy and exceptional ; and “being

significantly better than our competitors,” Moline said. “ I f you have t hat as your business values, it is pretty easy to do business,” he said. “If there is a problem or we diverge f rom that , we shut it dow n i m me d i at el y a nd fix it.” Allo’s initial successes were made possible with the assistance of LB 840 funds. “LB 840 funds provide d g r e a t a s s i s t a nc e i n get t i n g us st a r t e d a nd we h a ve i n ve s t e d t e n s of millions of dollars in western Nebraska,” Mo -

line said. “ That program rea l ly prov ided a g reat return from the communit y and helped build a c omp a ny t h a t is doi n g ver y well and strong in the region.”

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Pride 3-7-15 8

3/5/2015 4:24:22 PM

Pride

Star-Herald

Saturday, March 7, 2015 9

Tuning up the valley one customer at a time By JOE DUTTON Staff Reporter

I n s p r i n g 2 011 , E r i k a nd S t ac y Nem n ich set out to heed the call of the American dream by openi ng t hei r ow n busi ness together. After the couple met while working at Twin City Auto in Scottsbluff, they st ar ted dat ing and found they both had a lot in common. Besides a Ford a nd Chev y r iva l r y, t his included a passion for cars, the automotive industr y and the goal of entrepreneurship. “ T hat was somet h i ng she wanted to have as well and it kind of worked out for the two of us,� Erik said. “ W hen t he oppor t un it y arose, we decided it was time.� In April 2011, that dream became a realit y for the Nemnichs. T hey opened shop on 19th Avenue in S c ot t s bl u f f . A f t e r fou r months, the couple moved to Third Avenue in Scottsbluff. Erik said the business was tucked away and people only knew about them through word of mouth. Two - a nd - a - h a l f ye a r s later, the Nemnichs moved once again, but just across the North Platte River to Gering where the modern shop sits in a prime locat ion at 4010 N. 10 th St . Today, customers can walk into the state-of-the-art facility and be welcomed like family, complete with their small dogs to happily greet every customer. “Business has been g r e a t ,� E r i k s a i d . “ We have a huge amount of new customers a nd dr ive -by business now because of the location.� To d a y t h e s h o p i s equipped with six service bay s , t he on l y C ha s s is Dyno in western Nebraska a nd si x st a f f members , including Stacy and Erik. T he Nemnichs are even helping st udents in t he community that want to get into the business by having a student from ESU #13 who interns twice a week. “We try to help him see what the automotive world is really about,� he said. The Nemnichs also sponsor a bumble bee class of cars at the Hiway 92 Raceway Park in Gering every year. Erik said the shop does a lot of work on the cars that run on the raceway in the summer. Not only are the Nemnichs helping students and getting involved in local high-speed performance, they are also helping both men and women customers understand their cars. Stacy also isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty underneath the hood, making for equal share of work between the couple. As a Western Nebraska Community College Automotive program graduate, Stacy thought even if she didn’t make a career out of auto repairs, it would be smart to work on her own vehicle and know if the repairmen are being honest or not. “ You hea r a lot about women who don’t k now what’s going on with their cars and you don’t know if you can trust somebody,� she said. “By knowing it just makes me feel comfortable and it makes other women who come in feel comfortable, too.� At first, the shop was 90 percent high performance and 10 percent repairs. Today the tables have turned. Erik said the volume of repair work has increased dramatically, but he still enjoys t he high per for mance side of the business. “That’s one of the things we have the big passion for is the high performance,� Er ik sa id. “ We work on everything from imports, h i gh p e r fo r m a nc e l i ke Nissan G T-Rs to Dodge Vipers. I specialize in the Corvettes and the Chevy Camaros, too.� Now that most vehicles have changed to computer-based machines, Erik’s other specialt y includes computer diag nost ics, which he has become very familiar with since he started working on cars in 2001. “Diagnostics were all I did initially and that is the easiest for me personally,�

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he said. “I’d rather work w it h my m i nd t ha n my hands, that ’s my kind of mentality.� With automotive changes a lso comes cha nges i n t h e wo r k p l a c e . T h e Nemnichs are making efforts to make the shop as eco -friendly as possible. T he bays a re equ ipp ed with a state-of-the-art heating system that burns used motor oil and transmission fluid to create heat. Solar panels are also a possibility in the future to add more efficiency to the shop. Other unique items to the shop are a few dec orat ions t hat St ac y has ha nd made her sel f w it h her welding and creative efforts. These decorative touches make it feel like a tr ue classic mechanic shop. Er ik sa id t he ha rdest part of his work is informing people and teaching them what they should and shouldn’t be doing maintenance wise with their cars, trucks and SUVs. “ I f you e duc a t e you r customers right, they are then asking you for things instead of you tr ying to say you need to do this and that,� he said. “It’s easier for them to say ‘yes we talked about this and I am due for that service now, so let’s get it done now.’� By educating the cus tomers, this allows them t o b ud ge t t he i r m one y and even prevent a future breakdown. “Some people don’t realize that their cars require ma intena nce a nd t hey just wait until something breaks and don’t do their scheduled maintenance,� St acy sa id. “ T hey don’t realize that if they would spend that little bit of money ahead of time, it would prevent a big repair down the road.� With an updated facility a lso comes a few drawbacks. Er ik sa id even though they have a nicer facility today, people often think it will cost more to come there, but he assures them that isn’t the case. “Our labor rate is in line

Photos Joe Dutton LEFT: Nemnich Automotive owners Erik and Stacy ABOVE: Erik Nemnich inspects the engine of a 2009 Nemnich stand beside their original sign that still hangs Nissan GTR. Nemnich also specializes in Chevy proudly at the front desk of their new state-of-the-art Corvettes, Camaros and other high-performance vehicles. facility. The Nemnichs have been proudly serving area residents for four years with their dedicated auto service business that helps both regular and high-performance customers.

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with the average or slightly below average for the area,� he said. “We operate at lower profit margins and a lot higher volume of business and in the long run, everyone makes out.� A lthough the company has almost outgrown itself already, the Nemnichs will continue to service their customers to the best of their abilities without having to move once again. “Our goal is to maintain and maximize our efforts and just stay with this size of an operation,� Erik said. “Our plan is to stay here and if we maximize our po-

tential, we can still handle our customers.� According to Erik, the best part of serving the valley is the good nature of its people. By being in a small community, people talk a lot and by giving quality service he knows they will get a deeper customer base and plans to serve the community well into the future. “When you give good-quality service, people come because t heir friends have told them to check out Nemnich Automotive,� he said. “ That ’s the advantage of this community.�

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3/5/2015 5:07:58 PM

Pride

10 Saturday, March 7, 2015

Star-Herald

A super star in the classroom n SHS marketing instructor constantly rewarded through business education efforts By JOE DUTTON Staff Reporter

On Jan. 26, Scottsbluff H igh S chool ma rket i ng instructor Derek Deaver was awarded the Visionar y Super Star award at t he S c ot t s bl u f f - G e r i n g Cha mber of C om merce awards banquet that annually distr ibutes three awards to area business leaders. The award is given to a member who has been in business for six years or more. T h is recog n it ion was g iven to Deaver to reflect his 30 years at SHS and the positive impacts to his students and comm u n i t y. A f t e r w i n n i n g the Visionary Super Star award, he jokingly said he has a lot of people fooled. “ T he recognit ion is one of t he b e s t t h i n g s t hat has ever happened to me,” he said. “I think along w ith that , I got r e c og n i z e d b e c a us e of the achievements of a lot of my current and former st udents a nd what t hey have done.” D e a v e r, a L a r a m i e , Wyoming, native, graduated from the University of Wyoming and earned his master’s degree from Chadron State College. Aside from his teaching efforts, Deaver has been a n inter nship coordina tor, DECA advisor, activities director and coached basketball a nd football. Other honors include M a rket i n g E duc at or of the Year t wice from the Nebraska Association of Marketing Educators. He has also been awarded the Wester n Con fer ence Assistant Coach of the Year and Outstanding Marketing Educator from the Nebraska Vocational Association. Deaver was i nspi red to become a teacher t h rough h is f at her a nd g ra nd mot her who were teachers themselves. He was going to go into marketing, but after some conv incing f rom his fa ther, he got dual endorsed in college for marketing and marketing education. “I did it and I kind of liked teaching,” he said. “I did the student teaching and I thought ‘ well,

I’ll try that.’” In 1985, Deaver’s teaching career led him and his newly forming family to Nebraska in S cot tsbluf f Public Schools where he thought he would stay for a short period of time. “ I thought , well I can come here for a few years a nd t hen cha nge or go b a c k t o W yo m i n g, b u t it was the luckiest, best thing that ever happened to me and my family,” he said. “We are very fortunate that it came about.” Deaver still has a few extracurricular activities u nde r h is b elt , i ncl ud ing coaching the SHS football team and heads the DECA program, but his true calling is in the classroom. In those 30 years at the hel m of t he classroom , the thing that gives him the best memories and a sense of pride, as he reflected back, is watching the success of all of his students. “I’ve seen kids w in in st ate DECA based on their hard work and their diligence and that’s the biggest reward, or even watchi n g ou r fo ot b a l l t e a m s and the kind of kids they a re a nd cha racter ist ics that they have,” he said. “I’ve been fortunate to be around a lot of successful kids and that’s my reward, seeing them do well.” T he classroom has also acted as a learning env ironment for both st udents and the teacher. Deaver ha s lea r ned that ever y student is different in lea r ning st yle a n d i n d i v i d u a l i t y, b u t t hey a l l c ome t oget her a nd even teach him a lesson or t wo on technolog y a nd ot her releva nt real world items. “I can teach them the concepts about business and about life and being s uc c e s s f u l , but I le a r n from them, too,” he said. “ T hei r ex p er iences en lighten me. It’s cool that I can learn from them on regular life skills.” Te a ch i n g is never a n easy job in public education or otherwise, but, according to Deaver, if it ’s done right, it takes time. Educat ion is one of the most vital parts of society

to get students ready and excited for the real world, he added. Since the high school bond passed last S ep tember, Deaver said the f ut u re of t he s cho ol is going to be exciting , especially with the new career academies that will bring in new technologies and modernization to the school and classroom. “It’s exciting to see the com mu n it y supp or t for educat ion a nd for t hem to value that. It ’s a community benefit and in the Photo by Joe Dutton lon g r u n we a re re a l l y Scottsbluff High School marketing instructor Derek Deaver, right, assists SHS helpi n g k ids ,” he s a id . senior Bradley Divan with his DECA project. Deaver has spent the past 30 years at “We need to change, our the high school with the mission to help students succeed. st udent s have cha nged

Courtesy photo

Deaver said his daughters Darci Deaver, Dani Deaver Courtesy photo and Dailee Deaver have been a crucial inspiration Derek Deaver and his wife Jill have helped serve in his life and career as a marketing instructor at the community for the past 30 years. Derek was SHS for the past 30 years. recognized in January for his teaching and coaching efforts by the Scottsbluff-Gering Chamber of fortunate enough to have f e e l v e r y f o r t u n a t e t o Commerce with the Visionary Super Star award.

a nd we have to cha nge to meet their needs and satisf y the needs of our community as well.” Fo r t ho s e l o ok i n g t o become a high school m a rket i n g t e a cher, h is advice is that it’s an admirable position and a crucial part of any student’s education to understand marketing. “ I t h i n k t he r ew a r ds are there, but it is a very tough job and you have to work at it to be good at it like any other job,” he said. “The biggest part of being a teacher is developing a good relationship with kids and you have to let them know you care.”

W hen Deaver isn’t teaching a valuable les s on t o h is h i gh s cho ol jun iors a nd sen iors, he spends his f ree t ime as an avid hunter and fisherman. Given the chance to take a year off, he would miss his classroom family, but would concentrate on his immediate family life. Deaver said he’s been

t h re e g re at dau ght er s , four grandchildren, with a fifth on the way. “ I could easily t a ke a year off and follow them and watch them grow and be a part of what they’re doing,” he said. “I would also spend some t ime w ith my wonder f ul w ife as well.” A lt hough ret irement isn’t in the near f ut ure, Deaver sa id it ’s a lways excit ing to teach a nd

e nj oy w a l k i n g t h rou gh the doors of the high school each school day. He wouldn’t wa nt to do any thing else except be an educator. “ I think I got really luck y a nd fel l i nt o t he right job in the right community,” he said. “I thank my lucky stars every day, I have never seen where the grass is any greener t ha n where it is r ight here.”

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Keeping the valley rolling By JOE DUTTON Staff Reporter

A passion for hard work has led one Scottsbluff resident to be the driving force behind a community-based car dealership. Fremont Motors in Scottsbluff General Manager Phil Brooker originally planned to go into the world of political science after college at the University of Central Florida, but after an internship in Washington, D.C., his mind quickly changed. A f ter a stint in spor ts marketing and sales, he knew he wanted to work with people. Brooker later moved to Denver for a job of fer, but a f ter a qu ick change in management, he was weighing his options for employment once again. “I didn’t want to move back home, I really liked Denver, but the new boss wasn’t quite a good fit,” he said. “I knew restaurants and cars so I was pretty sure I was going to work for the restaurant industry.” One day, Brooker went with a friend to an interview at a Big Mike Naught on For d de a le r sh ip i n Denver. After talking to the sales and general managers, they asked Brooker if he wanted to try working at the dealership. This offer ultimately landed Brooker in the automotive world. After fixing dealer partnerships with credit unions and helping various dealerships in the Denver area, he realized he could begin consulting for car dealerships on his own. L at er, Brooker fou nd himself at Fremont Motors i n R i ve r t on , Wyom i n g, and then had the chance to open a new branch in Scottsbluff in 2009. Over the past six years, Brooker said he has learned that he throughly enjoys what he does for a living. “If you don’t enjoy going to work, it’s really difficult to go to work a nd help people,” he said. “I realized prett y early that I enjoy doing this, I like working with people and I’m very passionate about the Ford brand for many reasons.” On a daily basis, Brooker handles all the manufacturer responsibilities in the morning, which includes inventory, sales and service parts. From there, he visits with the office manager to make sure deposits and other related items are done. He also takes care of the departments’ needs and other commitments throughout the day. Brooker said one of the reasons he came back to the ca r business rather t ha n st ay i n g w it h c on sulting was the benefit of personal interaction with people on a daily basis. “In consulting, you get to work with the dealership staf f and the customers who come in, but it’s on a standof f basis,” he said.

Courtesy photo

Phil Brooker and his wife Jennifer attending the Regional West Foundation Gala in 2014.

“One of the best parts of my job is having the ability to help customers, but just as important to that is seeing the successes of the staff.” Fremont of Scottsbluff in its five years of service has gone from a new store, to a well-awarded business with a two-time Store of the Year in the entire Fremont Motors group and was the No. 1 volume select store in the Denver area for two years. Brooker said this success, a lon g w it h a n 18 7- p e r cent- above object ive, is owed to his “brilliant” staff. “That is all we ever want to be, we don’t want to be a big store,” he said. “We want that personal interaction, we want to know people, we want to keep people for a long period of time, we don’t want 50 sales people, we don’t want customers to see nine new faces every time they come in. This team has allowed us to succeed and looking at that is the best part of my job.” Although working in the car buying and car repair busi ness c a n be bit ter sweet, it allows Brooker to learn about people every day. Brooker said even if it ’s the customer ’s 20 th car purchase, they still get excited once the keys are in hand. When he purchased his first Ford car at 18 years old, Ford credit was the only company that would give him a line of credit, so he is paying his debt to the company that got him started in making his first major purchase in life. “I felt very loyal to them

for helping me. It turned out in my professional life I’ve been able to try and help them,” he said. Not only is Brooker paying it forward to Ford, he is also doing the same for the Scottsbluf f and Gering communit ies. Since Fremont of Scottsbluff employs 40 people from the surrounding communities, the compa ny also g ives back donat ions a nd re sources to better the communities around them. “I look at it as, without my towns and communities, that no matter how nice the building is or the product I’m selling, it’s really tough to ask people to support you when you won’t suppor t them,” he sa id. “That has been the mentality I’ve grown up with.” Brooker enjoys giving back to t he com mun it y s i nc e he h a s e ve n h a d situations in his own life where he needed help and someone was kind enough to do it. “They did it with a simple ‘you’re welcome’ and t he fe el i ng I got about them, I said I would sure like to repay that favor,” he sa id. “ I f t he p erson yo u he l p e d w h i c h w a s me at the time, feels that strongly about the person that helped them, imagine the person that helped them, how they have to feel.” T h i s y e a r, t h e c o m munit y was able to give back to Brooker after he won the Visionary Rising Star award at the Scottsbluff-Gering Chamber of Commerce Awards on Jan,

Photo by Joe Dutton

Fremont Motors of Scottsbluff General Manager Phil Brooker has helped the local Ford dealership become one of the top selling dealerships in the area market. Brooker assisted in opening the Ford and Lincoln dealership in 2009.

26. Brooker said it was very unnecessary and humbling to win the award, but the two recipients that followed him in the awards ceremony are the people he looks up to. “I haven’t educated kids for 30-plus years. I haven’t helped families like that and I for darn sure am not the guy if you have a terminal disease I can help you,” he said. “If I were giving out the award, those two would be at the top of my list and I wouldn’t be near it.” Brooker is glad t he communit y took time to re c og n i z e h i m w he n it wasn’t necessa r y. Even the process of the award organizers bringing his parents into town to watch

him receive the award was a big surprise to him, too. Brooker said it means a lot that he means enough to a lot of people that they would come up with that surprise for him. “ It ’s one of t he t h ree awards I keep in my office,” he said. “I keep a service award that Rotary gave me, the Rising Star award and an award that the educators gave me.” Brooker told the st a f f after receiving the award that he was the one that got called on the stage, but it was the entire company that was getting the recognition. A few years ago, Brooker was recognized nationally by the automotive news. Brooker said he is unsure

of how long he will keep doing his job, but when given the opportunity to retire, he plans to spend valuable time with his family when that day comes. In his six years of service to the community thus far, he said he wouldn’t be who he is today without his wife Jennifer and the staff that works under him in this community. “Any time that you have the ability to spend more time with your family is time well spent to me,” he sa id. “Could I be doing this for many more years? Yes. Would it take much to spend more time with my family? Probably not a bunch, but I think they ( Fremont) will be stuck with me for a while.”

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