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Ellis County Business Journal | September 2015
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Welcome to the second edition of the Ellis County Business Journal magazine, with content specifically focusing on economic development and business matters in Ellis County. We first began discussing the need for a local-only business periodical back in 2013. In our initial edition, we wanted to shine a light on all the rapid progress being made on the Waxahachie Economic Development Council’s objective list. In “Rising Tide,” we wanted our first cover story to highlight the combined efforts being made by a community to not only identify economic development needs, but also produce significant results since the council was established in 2011. In this month’s edition, our cover story “Building Ellis County’s workforce one student at a time,” we take an in-depth look at the role Navarro College – Ellis County serves in helping the county and all of its municipalities meet their economic development goals. Many of our readers are probably aware of the college, but have no idea the depth and breadth of its contributions to economic development. If you are informed, then we’ve done our job. Every other month, the Ellis County Business Journal magazine will continue to shine the light on businesses and economic development issues within the boundaries of our county. If you have a suggestion for a business you would like us to highlight, please let us know. You can email me at nwhite@waxahachietx.com, or give me a call at 469-517-1470. We always look forward to hearing from our readers. We look forward to share more Ellis County economic development news in our September edition. Until then, thank you for allow us to keep you informed through the Waxahachie Daily Light, Midlothian Mirror and our online editions.
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Building Ellis County’s Workforce One Student at a Time By NEAL WHITE EDITOR
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There is a key component to industrial retention, recruitment and expansion that’s often overlooked by the general public, yet it is often one of the key factors in making a decision to invest in new facilities. That component is a skilled workforce. When it comes to economic development in Ellis County, Navarro College has and continues to play a significant role. “We receive a lot of attention for our academic programs and our partnerships with our four-year university partners that allow our students to receive their bachelor’s degree here in Ellis County,” said Kenneth Martin, president of Navarro College – Ellis County. “And we receive a lot of attention for our dual credit program partnership that we have with every high school in Ellis County. But one of the things that hasn’t gotten as much attention as it should be getting is our technical education programs that help prepare students for technical careers. We have several technical programs that have gained national recognition. And, we are also seeing a significant influx of students from outside Ellis County applying for admission to our programs because of the quality of those programs. “But — and here is the big one that everyone needs to know — students wanting to begin their technical education while in high school can get a jump start on their careers through our dual credit technical courses.” Martin said it is not uncommon for students in the technical pro-
Navarro College - Ellis County President Dr. Kenneth Martin
File Photos by Scott Dorsett/The Daily Light
gram to receive certification and immediately begin earning wages starting in the mid-$60,000 range that a four-year college graduate normally wouldn’t earn until after 5-10 years into their career field. “Just to give you some idea, these are students who are earning credit for technical certification such as welding and automotive repair,” Martin said. “Not only are they gaining college credit in high school, it also helps them make that transition from high school to college.” Other programs, such as Firefighter, EMT/Paramedic, massage therapy, and cosmetology are earning recognition for the quality of the programs — most notably how well graduates perform after landing jobs in the field. “When you have a successful program, word gets around,” Martin said. “Everyone wants to get into a program that’s going to increase your chances of landing a job when you graduate. I can say, in the Firefighter, EMT/Paramedic program especially, our graduates are highly sought after because the departments that are hiring know our students are well-trained and well-prepared to enter the workforce. Bottom line, that’s what it’s all about and that’s what we’re here to do. It’s great to be able to provide quantity. But it has to have quality. Every program — every course — has to be quality driven. Our students deserve nothing less.” A skilled workforce goes beyond producing new welders, plumbers, auto mechanics, nurses, police officers and paramedics. It is also about taking a veteran
workforce and teaching new skills that enable industries to remain competitive — and in some cases, remain in Ellis County. “We have been able to help a number of our Ellis County industries via skill development grants from the state,” Martin said, listing off key members of the Navarro administrative team who daily work with Ellis County’s industrial leaders as well as municipal economic development directors and chambers of commerce. “It is a team effort, that’s for sure,” Martin said. “We are constantly meeting with our chambers and our industries and we are asking what it takes for their students to enter their industry because we want our students to have options. We are also asking what we can do to help them with their immediate needs.” Martin said skill development grants have not only helped add jobs in Ellis County, they have saved a lot of jobs. As new technology is developed, industry, just as in retail, adapts to that technology, Martin explained. It also requires a skilled workforce
to implement that new technology — otherwise that division of the plant (and in extreme cases the entire plant) would be relocated to another factory. “I can tell you that has happened in Ellis County a number of times and in nearly every case, not only were jobs saved, more jobs were added through the use of skill development grants and the training provided to their existing employees by Navarro College,” Martin said. “We all are very proud of that. We’re thrilled. It helps retain industry and it provides stability for their employees who are gaining new skills, which also helps them to advance. We really have a great rapport with businesses in Ellis County because we see ourselves as their partner.” Martin said Navarro College is always changing — adapting to meet the demands that students graduating two to three years from now will need in the respective career fields. “It’s not about us. It’s always about our students — first and foremost,” Martin said. “We are constantly looking three to five years out into the future to have a good grasp
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on what jobs will be needed, and then we find a way to provide the best quality programs to meet those needs.” But it’s not just anticipating the future and providing students with an opportunity to be competitive for available jobs. It’s also about changing to meet the needs of today’s students, Martin said. “We’ve always had a business program,” he said. “Typically, students in our business program would take their core courses with us and transfer to a four-year school — either through one of our partnership universities, through classes available at our Midlothian campus, or to another university elsewhere. “For the first time we are now offering a weekend program where a student is able to take courses over a period of time with all classes being offered on Friday and Saturday. A lot of residents have told us they want to go back to college, but they don’t
have the time. Providing a weekend college is gives them that opportunity to go back to school. We took a survey and this I something that was highly sought after.” Martin said it is also an accelerated program, allowing students to take their core courses on the weekend. “As soon as they complete the weekend courses, they are eligible to take upper level business classes in accounting, economics, finance, marketing, real estate or business administration,” Martin said. “We’re even offering hybrid courses and online assistance to help students in completing their program. Through our four-year university partners, we also are offering an MBA (Masters of Business Administration) after they finish their bachelor’s degree.” Martin pointed out Navarro College has an outstanding partnership with Tarleton State University and Texas A&M-Commerce, both of which offer bachelor and graduate
business degree programs (among opportunity to earn an associate’s others) at Navarro College’s Midlo- degree in 12-18 months. thian campus. “And let’s not forget about our continuing education courses,” he said. “I don’t think you can underestimate the emphasis of continuing education. Participants may not earn a degree or receive certification, but think about how many of your friends or neighbors have signed up to take a course in computer skills — or how to learn a certain program, or learn more about a hobby they’ve always been interested in. Sometimes the students are taking continuing education classes just for fun, but more times than not, they are gaining valuable skills that make them more competitive in the highly skilled workforce today’s job market requires,” Martin said. “That’s what we do here. “What we’re trying to do is “It starts with great people,” he experiment with a number of pro- added. “From the administration to grams like that,” Martin said. “We’re the faculty to our adjunct profeslooking to do short-type degrees, but sions, each one is a top notch, highly with rigor, yet still allow students the qualified instructor all dedicated to
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providing our students the highest quality education possible and be prepared to enter the workforce and the jobs our businesses and industries are in need of.” Navarro College, based in Corsicana, provides two-year college courses to five counties, including Ellis County. Current enrollment is about 10,000 students (system wide). The Navarro College – Ellis County campuses located in Waxahachie and Midlothian have a student enrollment of more than 4,300
students. From helping students obtain their GEDs, to providing dual credit courses for students still in high school, to providing both academic and technical education programs, to assisting industries with specialized training, Martin said Navarro College has and continues to be a major economic development partner throughout Ellis County. “Yes, our folks here at Navarro College – Ellis County field a lot of economic development calls from
industries and businesses interested in locating in our communities,” Martin said. “They want to know about what education is available for their families — which includes spouses. We have been instrumental in attracting industry here because at Navarro College – Ellis County, you can go from GED, earn college credit while in high school through our dual credit program, earn an associate’s degree, a four-year degree through our university partners or a technical degree or technical certification. “Having Navarro College in Ellis County is a real attraction and it helps attract industry as a whole,” Martin said. “I’m enthusiastic about the education programs we offer. It’s really a blessing. I’ll tell you, it makes me feel good when former students come back to say, ‘Thank you, Dr. Martin. I just received my doctorate’s degree, or I’m head of an industry, or I just got accepted to this school.’ On Father’s Day, I couldn’t even tell you
the number of notes and cards I received from former students telling me thank you. That’s what makes me feel good. It is so rewarding to see that. We even have students who come back to volunteer as tutors just to give back because they feel blessed because of the education they received here. “Yes, we deliver,” Martin said, again listing off the names of his entire administration team, giving them due credit for the college’s ongoing success. “We have so many strong relationships — with our communities, with our businesses and industries, with our chambers. But most of all, we have a fantastic team here at Navarro College – Ellis County that is dedicated to our students. It’s all about quality. Our students deserve it. Our businesses and industries demand it.” Contact Neal at nwhite@waxahachietx.com or 469-517-1470. Follow Neal on Facebook at Neal White – Waxahachie Newspapers Inc., or on Twitter at wni_nwhite.
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Bob Phillips Brings Economic Boost to Waxahachie By ANDREW BRANCA Daily Light Staff Writer
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Each October, the Texas Country Reporter Festival brings unique vendors, great food and live music to downtown Waxahachie. Thousands of people from around the state make the trip to take part in this annual event. The festival not only provides a day of entertainment, but it also has a large economic impact on the city. According to a previous Daily Light article, at last year’s festival more than 50,000 people attended. “The Texas County Reporter festival is one of the largest events that we host in Waxahachie annually. Anytime that we (the city) can be exposed to 50,000 people you know there is going to be a positive economic impact with that,” said Laurie Mosley, Convention and Visitors
Texas Country Reporter Festival drives downtown business
File Photos by Scott Dorsett/The Daily Light
Bureau Director. “I have more than 400 hotel rooms in Waxahachie that are all going to be sold out for two nights. Not only does that create an economic impact for Waxahachie, but it creates a positive economic impact for all over Ellis County and beyond.” Mosley said she has spoken with the tourism director in Ennis and has been told Ennis hotels representatives love the event because visitor overflow carries into their community. This year’s festival will go from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 24. The oneday event will feature more than 300 arts and craft vendors and food
vendors. The festival features many guests who have been on the “Texas Country Reporter” television show hosted by Bob Phillips. Mosley said having so many vendors in downtown is not a negative impact to the established retail stores and restaurants. Those vendors are a driving force to bring business to other businesses in the city. “Our downtown merchants are great. They are all Texas-friendly and hospitality trained. So they know how to roll out the red carpet and cater to that visitor and get them in the door. Even if they don’t make the sale that day, they know that by treating those people right they will
September 2015 | Ellis County Business Journal | 7 come back on another day when they can spend more time to shop,” Mosley said. “It is an important day for downtown merchants to help kick off that Christmas season.” Mosley said the additional vendors also help provide the city with additional sales tax revenue. This revenue is used to fund city services such as the fire and police departments. Amber Caverly, President of the Waxahachie Downtown Merchants Association and owner of Plain Jane and Co., agreed with Mosley and said the event aids downtown businesses and increases the amount of traffic in their stores. “That is the largest day of the year as far as sales go. We typically do twice a much as we would do on a normal Saturday,” Caverly said. “I would say that (the festival) creates awareness of everything that downtown has to offer in addition to not just public places to see, like the courthouse, but also the economic
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and entertainment opportunities that Waxahachie has to offer.” Debra Wakeland, Waxahachie Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, said the economic impact of the festival expands way past downtown and into the northern parts of the city.
The first time El Fenix, on U.S. Highway 287 Bypass, was open for the festival in 2010 the restaurant made more than $20,000 in business, Wakeland said. This amount exceeded revenue taken in by the El Fenix location in downtown Dallas on that day.
The Texas Country Reporter Festival is celebrating its 20th year this time around. Of those 20 years, 16 of those years have been in Waxahachie. To mark this anniversary, the rock band America will be performing. America has had such hits as “A horse with no name” and “Ventura Highway.” “The biggest thing to celebrate the 20th is the headliner on stage. America is by far the biggest national group that we have brought in for the festival. The music on stage all day long is people who have actually appeared on the show ‘Texas Coun-
September 2015 | Ellis County Business Journal | 9 apart of the festival in the previous 19 years. One of these includes the strolling orchestra from Odessa Permian High School. Instead of sitting on the stage, this orchestra walks around the crowd as it plays. Also to mark the 20th anniversary, the trees next to the historic Ellis County Courthouse will be re-illuminated.
try Reporter,’ until we get to the headliner at 6 p.m.,” Phillips said. “What we try to do there is to bring somebody in that our crowd would identify with. America is someone we have wanted for years and years.” Phillips said this festival will bring back some its popular vendors and performers that have been
“We are going to have the lighting in place ready for Christmas. It is already going to be up and when America goes on, we are going to flip on the lights and it is going to beautiful. That is going to be the big deal,” Wakeland said. “We are going to turn the lights back off until after the event and they won’t be turned
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back on until we do the Christmas parade.” Phillips said the people who work on this festival and volunteer their time contribute to its success. “We don’t do nearly as much as the volunteer committee of people from Waxahachie. There are 20-30 people that come to these meetings when we are planning this,” Phillips said. “Nobody is paid and they don’t make anything off of it.
They are just working hard to show off their town. We love that about them and how hard they work to make it the festival the best it can be.” Follow Andrew on Facebook at www.facebook. com/AndrewBrancaWDL or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AndrewBrancaWNI. Contact him at andrew.branca@waxahachietx.com or 469-517-1451.
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An Entertainment Destination
Menu changes, live entertainmnet and contests make Pop’s Burger Stand more than 1950s atmosphere
By ANDREW BRANCA Daily Light Staff Writer
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Since making the move from Ennis to Waxahachie this spring, customers have flocked to Pop’s Burger Stand and now the owners want to turn its downtown location into more than a hamburger and hotrod hotspot. The restaurant owners takes pride in providing great service, freshest ingredients and food that will leave a person craving more. Pop’s recreates the old-fashioned drive-in atmosphere where hot rods and classic cars are welcome. The in-
terior of Pop’s Burger Stand features a 1950s and 1960s look. The walls are lined with sports and automotive memorabilia. On the outside of the building, an outdoor television may be added with a mural of drive-in. Along with adding more to the menu, co-owner Lee Edwards is hoping to make Pop’s into a destination not only for great food but great entertainment. “So far I don’t think that it could be much better. We knew the product that we were going to put out,
File Photos by Scott Dorsett/The Daily Light
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but you never know how the public is going to receive it until they get it,” Edwards said. “They have blown me away and have humbled me and come to me by saying “Pop’s is the best hamburger that I have ever eaten.’” What sets his restaurant apart from others is the freshness of the ingredients and attention to detail put into each meal served, Edwards said. The patties used on the burgers
are hand-pressed; the fries and onion rings are hand-cut. He stated the lettuce, tomatoes and onions put on a burger at 11 a.m. were cut at 10:30 a.m. One of the burgers that Pop’s is known for is “The Tank.” The Tank is a 13-ounce double meat burger cooked to order. Since coming to Waxahachie, one of the additions to the menu is a burger simply known as “The Big Willy.” “We have had it for a couple of months now. The Big Willy is the Tank with an extra patty and is 19.5 ounces. The guy that we named it after, his name is William. He orders one every time he comes in here,” Edwards said. “I am looking for an antique bell that I can put up on our
post. So every time somebody orders a Big Willy, we are going to go ahead and whack that bell. It is going to be a tradition.”
Edwards said they are also looking to create a Challenge burger. The humongous meal would feature a pound of fries and a chocolate shake. Customers who take on the challenge will have 20 minutes to eat everything. If successful, they would get their meal free, receive a Pop’s T-shirt and their picture would be placed on a wall of fame. Unsuccessful customers would have to pay for the meal and their picture would be put up on the wall of shame. For folks who don’t have as big of an appetite, there is the Pop’s Original, which is a 4-ounce burger. Along with burgers, Pop’s has the Texas Philly, which features ribeye steak with mayo, topped with grilled onions and provolone cheese. Chicken sandwiches and a fried bologna sandwich called the Nickel’s Poor Boy are featured on the menu as well. Pop’s also has draft root beer, which is a unique recipe. “We are going to get into offering a daily special. For instance, maybe a turkey breast club sandwich,” Edwards said. “I have just hired a chef. I want to improve the professionalism in my kitchen. That is where specialty sandwiches are going to come in. He is going to do different sauces. We have already got ideas about the green chilly burger.” Edwards said he wants to expand the menu by adding several dessert options as well.
“We have been loyal to Blue Bell and have been holding out for Blue Bell. Even though Blue Bell is about to come back on the retail side. On the commercial side, for restaurants we are still probably about three months out. So I am going to pull away from Blue Bell and I bought a soft-serve machine,” Edwards said. “We are going to offer a high quality softserve. It is custard, not an ice cream. We are also going to offer a gelato. That should be a big hit. With this machine, I am going to be able to offer up to 24 different flavors.” Other dessert items include six types of Sundaes, shakes, five types of fried pies and brownie bites and banana fosters cheesecake bites that are deep-fried. Pop’s is also looking to offer beers and margaritas in the next two to three months. Pop’s Burger Stand is located 107 S. Monroe St. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday – Wednesday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Thursday – Saturday and 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information about Pop’s Burger Stand, the staff can be reached at 972-923-8922. “We have had some live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights. We are going to try and book more gigs and have it be a part of our routine. I want to be so constant with our music on Friday and Saturday night that people will say, ‘Let’s go to Pop’s and get a burger and listen to music,’” Edwards said. “We want you to come in and serve you a good, quality burger in a good atmosphere, with good, old-school music and the best service that you can find.” Follow Andrew on Facebook at www.facebook. com/AndrewBrancaWDL or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AndrewBrancaWNI. Contact him at andrew.branca@waxahachietx.com or 469-517-1451.
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Shhhhhhhhhhh!
Don’t Let Red Oak’s Secret Out of the Bag By Shelly Conlon Daily Light Managing Editor
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RED OAK – What was once a blink-of-an-eye town on the verge of financial jeopardy is now a prime spot for employment and residential opportunity toward the top of the Texas Triangle, between Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio back to Dallas-Fort Worth. For the past three years, Red Oak has grown quickly, thanks to city officials strategically holding to standards, understanding luck favors the prepared and confidently convincing developers the city was a prime market place, said Mayor Alan Hugley. The city was the fastest growing city in Ellis County between 2000 and 2013, ranking No. 17 for the fastest growth rate out of 156 Dallas-Forth Worth cities, according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments. And demand to move to booming atmosphere is now constant. In 2000, the city’s population was 4,301. By 2010, the population grew to 10,769. By 2020, the population is expected to be near 12,000 or more. But to understand how the city began building its future from its heritage, one must understand how the need for growth was identified, Hugley said. “Our story has to back up a few years,” Hugley said. “It’s a story I’ve told over and over. It’s part of what we talk about with everybody here — where we’ve been, where we are, where we’re trying to go. Even with citizens who come in with a specific item or issue, we try to frame it into ‘I understand this is your issue, but here’s the big picture. This is how that fits and this is why we might be doing with it what we’re doing.’
File Photos by Scott Dorsett/The Daily Light
We’re looking at the broad view.” Going back five or seven years, Red Oak was a town headed toward economic trouble fast, Hugley said. If the town didn’t start to generate a plain, better, economic model, there’s no telling where the city would be now, he said. The biggest employer at the time was the school district, the grocery store and a health and rehab center. “That was our daytime employment. Everybody was leaving and going to work and coming back. So for shops, stores and things like that, you can’t make a model work when they only have from 6 to 8 p.m. to try to make their business go, because that’s only the time when anyone was around doing any shopping,” he said. “That’s the way things were, and we didn’t have places where people wanted to shop. Most cities, particularly mid-level income cities, have to have more than just residential because the property tax generated by a mid-level house isn’t
generating enough in tax revenue to pay for the services that are required to keep up the infrastructure around them. You have to be able to augment that with a sales tax, and with growth-related incomes.” The mission back then was obvious, said Hugley, who has been mayor since 2007. City officials began looking at plans to bring in that sales tax revenue. “There was really only one. It was a very hard plan to accomplish, but it was simple. You have to generate more revenue just to support the city an particularly growing from a population standpoint,” Hugley said. “It wasn’t then. We had a big growth spurt in the early 2000s, but as the economy dropped off, we weren’t growing a lot and we weren’t generating much.” Roads go right on deteriorating. Infrastructure just keeps on aging. Regardless of what the economy is doing. So, the city officials started on a
mission to bring places to Red Oak for people to shop, using location, location location as a strategy and tenacity, they said. It helped that Red Oak has five interstate highways within a 43-mile radius of the town. “It was difficult to demonstrate to retailers that there was a reason to locate here as opposed to somewhere else around us,” Hugley said. “We set out on a very disciplined and aggressive program to promote economic growth.” The city also need employment opportunities as well, giving Dallas-Fort Worth residents and local residents a reason to work in town instead of leaving. The city was able to bring in a Walmart Supercenter, and once Walmart arrived, more retailers popped up around it. The city officials were also able to convince Triumph Aerostructures, LLC., a leading global manufacturer of aerostructures for commercial, military and business jet aircraft, to open
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the Red Oak family in 2011, bringing 1,200 jobs and suddenly turning around the dynamic of daytime operation only, Hugley said. “As opposed to our restaurants having to try and make it in the evening, and mid-lunch traffic, now when people try to go out for lunch, they weren’t getting their employees back in time because it took too long in the restaurants because they were too busy,” Hugley said. “So, they started splitting their lunch period and filling restaurants more than two hours a day. And that starts generating more interest, so at this point we’re in a virtuous cycle, spiraling upward from an economic standpoint.” That focus upward, or the element that began helping the city officials change the dynamic of the spiral and bring more businesses into the former bedroom community, Hugley said, was confidence.
“I don’t mean ours, but developing confidence in them that we were going to be good partners and it had a lot to do with simply working with
them a lot, talking with them a lot and giving them convinced belief in what we’re doing,” Hugley said. “Belief alone won’t get a retailer to do anything. They’ve got to see the numbers, so we had to work real hard, and we hard to partner and retain very good retail analysts that we work with closely, and that firm can help us find the numbers for anybody who wants to come here and show them to them. Numbers they usually have to try and figure
out and generate, we usually take them to the table when we’re talking to them to prove out that the market really is here.” And it was. Once the city retained some businesses, more were interested in showing up, Hugley said, adding the proof is in the pudding.
bik’s Cube is the the jigsaw puzzle, you just have to put this piece with this piece. You don’t have to worry about future moves,” said McCleary, who’s worked for the city for two years. “You put a Rubik’s Cube together, you have to be thinking about how this move affects the next move, affects the next move and affects the next move, which affects
“It’s much easier than it was even two years ago to convince a retailer,” Hugley said. “Five or seven years ago, when we were cold calling places, the question was basically, ‘We don’t even know where Red Oak is. Where is that?’ Now, a lot of retailers, first off we keep talking to them. When we walk up, they already know who we are, and say stuff like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah. No sales talk needed. We want to be there. Just talk to us about where we can go, how we can get in there and how soon we can get into the market,’ which is pretty gratifying from where we’d been.” In fact, it’s that focus on the larger picture of where do businesses fit into the Rubik’s Cube that Red Oak is becoming that’s now the issue, said Lee McCleary, the Red Oak economic development director. Hugley added addressing all the issues that simply come with constructing the buildings in the right location, making sure the roadways are there for easy travel and making a market work for multiple interested businesses is now the better problem to have. “The difference between putting a jigsaw puzzle together and a Ru-
the next move. It’s not only where we’ve been and where we are, it’s where we’re headed and how we’re going to get there. One of this city’s major strong points is division and leadership, but also being business friendly. So if you’re looking for a community that’s not only going to work with you, but support you and look out for your well-being in the future, this would be the community to go to, far and above, second to none.” Beyond Walmart and Triumph Aerostructures, LLC., Red Oak now also has National Freight Industries, which is warehousing and logistics for Triumph; the Knapheide Truck Equipment Center, which handles retail parts components and parts store; and Texas State Technical College North Texas, which has partnered with Red Oak ISD to provide more technical opportunities and is possibly looking to expand the current campus which opened in August of last year. The city is also on an uptrend for issuing residential permits. In 2009, the city issued 36. In 2014, that amount was 137, with the expectation the amount would only increase. And as of July 2015, Red
September 2015 | Ellis County Business Journal | 15 Oak had more than 3,500 planned residential developments, according to the Red Oak Public Works Department. Hugley and Todd Fuller, the city manager, said the standards are pretty standard if a residential development or commercial development is interested in coming into town. Lot sizes are different than a lot of other places, Hugley said. “If you look at lot sizes in Ellis County, I think they’re all pretty comparable with Red Oak, Waxahachie and Midlothian,” Fuller said. “You get up into North Dallas and you look at some tiny lots, 3,000 square foot lots with a 2,000 square foot house on it, we know that’s not what we’re trying to do.” Part of the appeal about Red Oak and the county in general is residents have an opportunity to have diversity and lifestyle they are looking for, Fuller said, whether lots are larger or smaller. Residents have choices and that’s what Ellis County and Red Oak can provide that can’t
be provided in more northern locations, Fuller said. “Plans are great, but opportunities are better,” Hugley said. “So, we use future planning more as a guideline and we work as hard as we can toward the opportunity that presents itself next. We tend to focus on those things we’re looking for and keep an eye on them, but we work on what presents itself. So, in terms of the longer-term plan, it’s simple. It doesn’t have to be complex. It’s simply that we’re going to continue to try and develop further employment, large employment, if possible here. We’re going to work with the residential growth that’s coming quickly and we’re going to continue to try to make certain that what we’re doing is a benefit to the people who live here. If at the end of the day, you aren’t doing things that improves the quality of life for the citizens who are moving there, that’s the end game to it. That should be at the end of the plan every time and if
you can’t add it up to that, then what you’re doing in between is pointless.” As far as what other businesses might be moving in within the next five years, Hugley said, confidentiality is key to success and city officials won’t break that silence out of respect to any partners they have and city officials rely heavily on staff who hold steadfast to standards yet understand the need for flexibility to allow a project be what it needs to be. But residents shouldn’t be afraid of the unknown, Hugley said. He tells the same thing to residents now that he thought when he first moved to Red Oak in 2003. “If I could have closed the gate behind me, I would have. If that meant that nothing changed and it could stay the way it was and it could stay just like that, I’d still be voting for that today,” he said. “And so would the people who moved here in 2005, and 2004, 2005, 2006,
2007 and 2008. It’s not going to stop because there’s no gate. We are where we are, and we’re in this proximity to a huge metropolitan area, which makes it at this point, economically inevitable that this is going to grow. It’s not a question of why don’t we just stop it, because we can’t. What we can do is work with it, and make it become a community we still all want to live in, work in and play in. We can do that. But just to stop it with our head in the sand is like trying to build a dock against the water. It works for a while, but when it breaks lose, all hell breaks lose, and you have no control with what happens next. We need to work with the tide, and slowly try to form where we want that to go and how we want it to look.” Contact Shelly at 469-517-1456 or sconlon@waxahachietx.com. Like her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ShellyConlonDailyLight or follow her on Twitter at ShellyConlonWDL.
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New Midlothian Business Park to Bring in 400-800 Jobs By BETHANY KURTZ Midlothian Mirror Managing Editor
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MIDLOTHIAN – New opportunities are opening for small and medium-sized businesses looking to move in the Ellis County area. Midlothian Economic Development members broke ground on a 140-acre light industrial business park on July 14. The park is designed to meet the growing demands from companies wanting to move into the city, but don’t fit into the RailPort Business Park, said Larry Barnett, the Midlothian Economic Development president.
“Since the development of this park began, we’ve been in contact with dozens of companies whose needs fit this size park,” he said. Dallas-based commercial real estate developer United Properties Southwest, LLC. will oversee construction of the park. “We’ve spent months in study and review and we’ve come up with a design that we feel is dynamic and perfect for the market demand,” said Gary Pickens, the United Properties Southwest president.
File Photos by Scott Dorsett/The Daily Light
Construction on phase one of the park infrastructure began on June 1 and should be complete in the spring 2016, he said. The park will be built in two phases, with 73 acres of building space opening up in the first phase, and 67 acres in the second phase, he said. Between 400 and 800 people
RailPort Business Park offers distribution and manufacturing operation sites from 5 acres to 200 acres, while the new park facilities will range from 25,000 square feet to 150,000 square feet. The park answers a need not just in Midlothian, but in the greater Metroplex, Barnett said.
could be employed in the park, depending on which companies move in, according to information on Midlothian Economic Development’s website. Dozens of businesses have already begun discussions with Midlothian Economic Development, Barnett said. Several developers, including United Properties Southwest, have also expressed interest in constructing buildings.
“We have identified a lack of space for the smaller user on the southern side of the DFW Metroplex,” he explained. “We also know from experience that companies needing smaller tracts of industrial zoned land, 5 to 10 acres, don’t have many options in Midlothian, at the present time.” The park is also a chance for Midlothian leaders to achieve development goals for the city, he said. A
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2012 strategic plan to identify ways to strengthen the city’s development pointed out a needed to focus on improving high technology businesses in Midlothian. Manufacturing companies such as food processing and other specialty manufacturing are prime targets for developing that area, Barnett said. Steel fabrication industries are also desirable because of the Gerdau Ameristeel location in the RailPort park.
New, smaller companies will strengthen businesses in Midlothian, said Danny Rodgers, chairman of the Midlothian Economic Development board. “Small business is the backbone of the United States. Small business is the spin-off to large industry and without small businesses, big businesses are hampered,” he said, explaining small businesses produce the resources and provide the services bigger industries, like the ones
in RailPort park, need to remain operational. “Small businesses employ more people nationwide than large businesses.” Land for the park was purchased by the 4B in 2013 for $2 million dollars. It took three years to begin construction because city leaders wanted to ensure the park was the right fit for the city. “We have actually been working on this project for almost three
years,” Barnett said. “This project has been a smooth process because of the quality consultants and overall cooperation by the city of Midlothian and the many other entities who play a part in making a project like this successful.” Contact Bethany Kurtz at 469-517-1450 or email bkurtz@waxahachietx.com. Follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ BethanyKurtzMidloMirror or on Twitter @bethmidlomirror.
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New Flooring Business Gives Father, Son-in-law Chance to Help Midlothian Grow File Photos by Bethany Kurtz/The Daily Light
By BETHANY KURTZ Midlothian Mirror Managing Editor
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MIDLOTHIAN – Calvin Nelms and John Herrera see each other more often than most father and son-in-laws. Nelms and his son-in-law Herrera opened Hardsurface Unlimited Flooring to serve Midlothian, Ellis County and the surrounding area in April. The store sells and installs wood, stone, tile and carpet options as well as countertops and paint for small to large scale jobs. Nelms, who has spent his last 25 years in Texas selling and installing flooring and doing remodeling projects, does the installation for customers who don’t want
to do it themselves, he said, including showers, something some other remodeling companies won’t do. Working with the in-law has not been a problem for either of them, the men said. “He knows I say what I feel and don’t beat around the bush,” Nelms said. “And I don’t get my feelings hurt,”
Herrera replied. Opening the store together worked out for both men’s careers, he said. “He had been talking about beginning his own store for a while and I was looking for a change,” said Herrera, who had been working as a blue print designer. When selecting a location for their first store, Nelms said his years of watching the Metroplex grow guided him to Midlothian. “I have watched this little town for the 25 years I have been here. When we had talked about starting this, people said Mansfield or Arlington and I said no, Ellis County,” he said. “You all have been the suburb of Cedar Hill, now Venus is going to be a suburb of Midlothian.” He first saw the city while he was driving back from a job in Waxahachie years ago, he said. It was just a “blink-and-you-miss-it” town then, but has grown to have a lot of business potential since, he said.. Building a good base of local customers is important to the pair’s business
plan, Nelms said. “We moved in here to support the city,” he said. Business has been starting to roll in, they said. Customers so far have been from Midlothian area, though Nelms has submitted bids for projects in other cities through his business connections. Their future plans include the Midlothian store becoming the main office of many stores to come in other developing towns south of the Metroplex, Nelms said, maybe in two or three years. More houses are on the way, and the men want to tap into the growing market of homebuilders and homeowners looking to remodel. Hardsurface Unlimited is located at 1000 E. Main, Suit 201 in Midlothian. They can be contacted at 817-793-4082 or hardsurfaceunlimited@gmail.com. Contact Bethany Kurtz at 469-517-1450 or email bkurtz@waxahachietx.com. Follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ BethanyKurtzMidloMirror or on Twitter @bethmidlomirror.
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Walton Group Giving Back to Ellis County Community By Alexandra Allred Guest Columnist
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By their own description, the Walton Group, Inc. is a multinational, family-owned real estate investment and development group that has recently moved into Ellis County. This is, by my own assessment, an incomplete description because they are so much more. By reputation, land developers grab up land and ignore community needs in exchange for great profit while slipping away into the night. Not surprisingly, many are suspect anytime new real estate investment teams move in on a territory. By their own admission, the Walton Group operates “very quietly,” ac-
cording to John Vick, Regional President, South Region for Walton Development (USA), Inc. This is done not for duplicitous reasons but to slowly build confidences and relationships in the region, “which is very important to us.” And it is exactly what they have done. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the Walton Group, Inc. has invested into the community, including donating an astonishing 80-acres to Tarleton State University to be built along the Chisholm Trail Parkway. In Ellis County, on a less grand but equally important scale, Walton Group, Inc. has donated funds to
support Bridges Training Foundation, a local Ellis County nonprofit that endeavors through its resource center to educate and train young adults with disabilities with the
hopes of finding job placements in the community. The Walton Group, Inc. is a 35-year-old privately held company that was founded in Calgary on the
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principle of giving back to the community. “Our philanthropic mission is to give back,” said Vick, particularly to charities that benefit women and children. “Specifically, moms and children, where they are in some kind of difficult position.” In fact, Our Lady Queen of Peace, a summer camp for disadvantaged children, was founded in Calgary by CEOs of the Walton Group and proved to be so successful, the company has remained dedicated to its principles of giving back. “It’s a tremendous place,” said Vick. Invigorated by its communal importance and benefits, the Walton Group redefined what a real estate and land development agency should be. It was how the Walton Group founded Bridges Training Foundation in Ellis County. “Last year, we got the directive that we would be participating in charities in this area,” said Larry
Reichhart, Planning and Development Manager of Ellis County. When he began researching local charities that fit the Walton Group mold, he went out to the [Bridges] and talked to folks first hand to see if their organization fit the goal. It did. “While the Bridges training mission expands a little past our typical charities, the focus is still on special needs and fits well in our profile,” Vick said. “Being able to work with a charitable organization like Bridges Training Foundation means so much to be able to give back to the community,” Reichhart said. In the two years that Reichhart has been with Walton Group, he is very proud of the company’s protocol. Walton Group, Inc. currently owns approximately 3,300 acres in Ellis County and intends to help build a better community through its good works. “We’re big fans of
Ellis County,” Vick said. “We want to stay here long term. We look for quality, we want to build better parks, and trails, work with the school system, the city, and the county, and have a collaborative relationship with all. We take a very deliberate and personal approach,” Vick said, adding that Walton Group, Inc. is still working with every city or community it has developed. Even as Reichhart has scoped out new territories for Walton Group, Inc., he has worked tirelessly to cultivate relationships here in Ellis County, including that of the founder and CEO of Bridges Training Foundation, Melissa Boler. “For us, the connections, support and encouragement Walton Group, Inc. has brought us has been so important,” Boler said. “Larry and I have had great conversations about how I can find and build housing for my clients.”
With Bridges, many of her young adults are truly ready, however, they do not have the same options you and I have to leave home because of the availability of appropriate living arrangements or, more often, for financial reasons. “Melissa and I have had a couple of conversations about what we can do together in the future as we go through more development,” Reichhart said, thus enforcing the Walton Group mission statement to responsibly transition land into sustainable communities where people live, work, and play. And, in the case of Bridges Training Foundation, give special needs young adults the hope to dream of a better future. Now residing in Waxahachie, Alexandra Allred is the author of numerous books, including White Trash, Damaged Goods and the Allie Lindell series. Visit her website, www. alexandratheauthor, or Twitter @alexandraallred but always check out her column the WDL as she ponders all things Waxahachie and beyond its borders.
September 2015 | Ellis County Business Journal | 21
Prosperity Bank Keeps Focus On Individual Customer Service With New Look By ANDREW BRANCA Daily Light Staff Writer
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File Photos by Scott Dorsett/The Daily Light
After an extensive renovation, Prosperity Bank in Waxahachie has a new look but still features the same one-onone personal banking that customers have come to expect. The bank officially re-opened July 24 after three weeks of renovation. “We had a grand opening last Friday to welcome our customers back. That scared me to death when they told us that we would have to close. I worked so hard in getting this customer base built up and establishing a great rapport,� said Candi Hunt, Prosperity
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Bank Assistant Vice President and lobby manager. “We had to close for three weeks. We have commercial customers. So we would come here twice every day to service those commercial customers from other banking centers because they could not be in here because they were demolishing it.” The work at the bank first started with the roof in April. The roof drain pipes were stopped up, causing about 300 gallons of water to back up and stay on the roof. Once the roof issues were tackled the renovations on the inside and outside started June 1. The renovations included new flooring, new walls, new outside tile and paining. “The minute the customers walk in, they say this is so beautiful. It is more modern and it is up-to-date,” Hunt said. “For us, we feel more confident.”
Prosperity Bank serves both commercial and individual customers. Some of the services that the bank provides include free checking, savings accounts, certificate of deposit, bill pay, home loans, Internet banking, investment services, car loans, commercial loans and businesses checking. Hunt said during her time here
in Waxahachie, she has seen the community continue to grow and thrive. But as the growth continues to take place in the city, the need for banking services become even greater. “I can tell just from our day-today traffic, there are a lot of new people moving here,” Hunt said. “In the three years that I have been here I have seen a lot of growth. We thrive on the businesses because they help
to keep our community going.” Hunt said the most important service Prosperity Bank provides is that one-on-one personal attention. “When you come into the bank you are greeted by name. Your bankers are going to be here to service you. We have a call center, but we want you to be able to call your banking center and talk to your banker,” Hunt said. “That small community banking is something we want to
continue to do. Even as big as we get, we don’t want to lose that. That is our philosophy.” Customers can expect expect great personal service from the staff whenever they visit and the conversation is truly about caring for each other, Hunt said. “My staff is the most outgoing and friendliest group of people. My customers say that ‘I love this bank.’ ‘Your girls are so nice.’ ‘Your girls are so friendly.’ We have a lot of conversations with our customers,” Hunt said. “We have customers that come by every morning to check on us. We don’t want to get away from the small town environment. That is just who Prosperity is. It is the way to do banking. Our motto at Prosperity Bank is that we are real bankers, not just a bank.” Prosperity Bank is located at 401 Ferris Ave. in Waxahachie. The lobby is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the drive-in is open 8 a.m. – 6
p.m. Monday – Thursday. The lobby is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the drive-in is open from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Fridays. On Saturday, the lobby is closed but the drive-in is open from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Follow Andrew on Facebook at www.facebook. com/AndrewBrancaWDL or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AndrewBrancaWNI. Contact him at andrew.branca@waxahachietx.com or 469-517-1451.
September 2015 | Ellis County Business Journal | 23
Serving Closer To Home
Midlothian family offers community connection with new Beef O’Grady’s By BETHANY KURTZ Midlothian Mirror Managing Editor
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MIDLOTHIAN – A Midlothian man’s dream of creating a community space full of food and fun opened on Aug. 10. Brad Golden, a 13-year Midlothian resident, and his wife have run the Jostens graduation gifts and memorabilia business in Arlington for 20 years and have provided Midlothian students with graduation gifts, he said. But this is his way of serving the community closer to home, he said. “As my children grew up, every time we were done with a basketball
File Photos by Bethany Kurtz/The Daily Light
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game and we wanted to go somewhere nice to eat with the team, we had to leave our town,” Golden said. So when the opportunity presented itself, the family expanded into the restaurant business. He chose a Beef O’Brady’s franchise because it offered a wide selection of food, a family atmosphere and something for everyone, he said. “When that stadium empties, we want to be ready to feed people,” he said. “I want to provide a nice space for our students to hang out.” And the family atmosphere extends to his own family, he said. His wife will continue to run the couple’s Jostens business, but will help out on the weekends, Golden said. His sons will work as servers or bus boys and his daughter is a restaurant hostess. “They are excited, it’s almost like a built-in job Dad is providing,” he said. But his children are still insisting on a paycheck, he said with a laugh. The restaurant held a soft opening a
few days before the grand opening on Aug. 10, and the Heritage football team had one of the first tastes. “What a great day. Football players got after it in our scrimmage. Finished the night with a terrific meal with family at Beef O Brady’s,”
tweeted Lee Wiginton, Heritage High School’s athletic coordinator, on Aug. 8. Building relationships with local sports teams and organizations is an important part of growing the restaurant, said Peter Petrosian, the
Beef O’Brady’s chief development officer. “Midlothian is really the kind of community where Beef O’Brady’s belongs,” he said. “Brad’s objective is to give back to the community, that people have a place to go that is good and wholesome.” The Midlothian location is larger than most of the other franchise locations, because Golden wanted to have plenty of room for sports teams, business meetings and live music, he said. The restaurant has four different seating areas and an arcade to ensure there is a place for every occasion, he said. Couples can spend time together in the bar area or on the patio listening to live music on the weekends, families can gather around several large tables in the dinning room or groups can use the party space, he said. “I want this to be a community bonding place,” Golden said. He hopes the live music and new
job opportunities will help younger community members get started, he said. He also wants to line up plenty of local talent to perform on the weekends. “It’s a good place for people to start with a guitar and a good voice,” Golden said. There are also several positions that would help Navarro College students who are interested in a restaurant or hospitality management degree, he said. The restaurant will employ 40 to 70 employees, mostly part time, Golden said. “I hope the hospitality Midlothian provides shines through at Beef ’s,” Golden said. “We are helping to welcome the future to Midlothian.” The restaurant is located at 1000 George Hopper Road. Contact Bethany Kurtz at 469-517-1450 or email bkurtz@waxahachietx.com. Follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ BethanyKurtzMidloMirror or on Twitter @bethmidlomirror.
September 2015 | Ellis County Business Journal | 25
Midlothian Nurse Finds Calling With New Right at Home Healthcare Businesses By BETHANY KURTZ Midlothian Mirror Managing Editor
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MIDLOTHIAN – A Midlothian woman is confident she has found her calling. Whitney Krupala was set to her own home healthcare service, a franchise of Right at Home, on Aug. 17. Headquartered in Midlothian, the business will provide at home health care and assistance to most of Ellis County, she said. A registered nurse with an MBA, starting her own business was a logical step for her. “I really fell in love with the business side of nursing and with the need for healthcare options, it sparked my interest in the other kinds of non-hospital nursing,” she said. “I got to looking at ways I can plug into Midlothian and serve a physical need.” Her two children were another reason she wanted to find a career outside of a hospital. “The big thing for me about hospital nursing was being away from my family,” Krupala explained. “I knew, ultimately, I wanted a job that provided financial stability and flexibility for my family.” She and her husband decided to move to Midlothian for purely logistical reasons in 2008, she said. “I was working in Dallas, he was working Alvarado. We opened a map and Midlothian was right in the middle,” she said. After they moved to the city, the couple fell in love with the people and she wanted to find a way to meet the needs she saw in the community, Krupala said. “Having home healthcare preserves
their dignity. It really takes the role of caregiver off the family so they can be a daughter or a wife,” she said. “I definitely feel this is what I’m suppose to be doing.” Her grandmother’s health makes her aware of the needs that existed for home healthcare options, she said. Her family had to work out a schedule to ensure her grandmother received care. “I got to thinking, ‘What would
happen when she can’t take care of herself ?’” Krupala said. “‘Why can’t I become someone who can step in and help meet that need?’” Her company will provide companion services first, meaning services like meal preparation, house cleaning, transportation and ensuring clients take medications property, she said. Other more personal services like bathing, helping with toileting and other services will come as
the business grows and clients need them, she said. When the company begins accepting clients, Krupala said she will do all of the interviews and set up care plans for each client, then match them up with a caregiver who is a good match for the client’s needs and personality. She said she hopes to start out with a team of 10 parttime caregivers and grow from there. Her nursing background will help
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her make the best decisions for her clients, she said. “My nursing training builds credibility for my business, but more than that, nursing taught me how to think critically. In this business, it is not all black and white, there is a lot of gray and you have to think critically to figure out what is the best treatment schedule for this patient,” she said. Not every patient will progress in the same manor or a client may have other health issues that require a change from the usual care pattern, she explained. Her nursing experience will allow her to understand the client’s needs better to create the best plan, she said. “She has the background and business mind and a lot of passion and energy,” said Eric Martin, director of franchise development for Right at Home, who helped Krupala start her business. Krupala’s background makes her the idea type of person to start a fran-
chise like this, he said. “Our owners are someone who wants success with significance,” he said. “It requires a lot of care and outreach to families in difficult situations.” Krupala’s husband has been a big part of helping her get the company rolling and the couple hopes he can get more involved as the business grows, she said. Her family has also supported her decision to strike out on her own. “With my dad being an entrepreneur, they were interested in what I was doing, but they wanted me to exercise some caution. I think they have all been waiting for me to do this, and thought it was a better fit for me than what I was doing,” she said. Contact Bethany Kurtz at 469-517-1450 or email bkurtz@waxahachietx.com. Follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ BethanyKurtzMidloMirror or on Twitter @bethmidlomirror.
September 2015 | Ellis County Business Journal | 27
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