SBJ - March 2013 by The Southern Illinoisan

MARCH 2013

Directory of Advertisers

Inside M A RC H

MONEY MATTERS Learning the basics: Financial planning means more than making all the right moves for a dream vacation or a shiny new car. Unfortunately, that’s all the financial planning some folks do. With a little planning and discipline, the likelihood of achieving lifetime financial goals can be dramatically improved. Some of the basics include avoiding the frequent use of credit cards, paying off credit card debt quickly and keeping at least six months of living expenses in your savings account. Page 6

20 1 3

1st Bank and Trust of Murphysboro ........6

ENTREPRENEUR’S MAILBAG Don’t fret selling: Sales can be intimidating for many business people. There are the dreaded cold calls, sheer numbers, rejections, long sales processes, continuous pipeline management and quotas. But, the sales process can be simplified with a few easily learned and practiced techniques — truly listening to clients, learning the business client’s biggest obstacle and paying close attention to the client’s budget and time frame for results. Page 12

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WORKPLACE

ACHIEVEMENTS

Reversing the trend: Employee satisfaction in the workplace has been on a downward trend since 2009, but there are options available to the creative employer. Employee involvement can work wonders with poor morale, rampant turnover, low productivity and dissatisfied workers. Make your employees part of workplace solutions by tapping into their thoughts and ideas, and they will quit being part of the problem. You might even get some truly great ideas. Page 7

Who’s in the news: Find out who has been hired, who has been promoted or who has received an award for efforts in business. Make sure you check out our newest Faces in the News collection of business portraits and learn more of the achievements and honors in regional business. If you know of a business person who deserves special recognition for advanced training, a unique honor or a business expansion, please let us know at sbj@thesouthern.com. Page 14-15

Pepsi MidAmerica .......................... 5, 13

SIU Credit Union ................................ 18

Southern Illinois Healthcare................ 20

Publisher: Bob Williams 618-351-5038

Southern Illinois University.................... 8

Southern Illinoisan. Contact us via mail at 710 N. Illinois Ave., Carbondale, IL 62901, or at P.O. Box 2108, Carbondale, IL 62903. Also reach us on the Web at www.sbj.biz and via email at SBJ@thesouthern.com. The Journal is published 12 times per year monthly, and mailed to businesses, community development leaders, chambers of commerce members and other professionals in Southern Illinois. Copyright 2013 by

Editor: Gary Metro 618-351-5033 Advertising: Mark Dynis 618-351-5815 Online: JC Dart 618-529-5454, ext. 5183

State Farm Insurance .......................... 3

Database Coordinator: Mark Doman 618-351-5042

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz.

MARCH 2013

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Cover Story Business owners making it big in small-town environment BY LES O’DELL

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz.

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An old adage says big things come in small packages, but does the cliché carry over to the world of business? A number of entrepreneurs, manufacturers and business leaders maintain that it does, and the proof, they say, can be found in dozens of stores, operations and facilities that are doing big business from the small towns of Southern Illinois. “Rural communities provide a good home for companies and manufacturing firms,” Jim Nelson, vice president of the Illinois Manufacturers Association, says. “Many times, companies locate in these places because owners prefer their own small-town environments as a place to live and work. Other benefits include easy access to the marketplace, to transportation and to suppliers.” For owners of many rural manufacturers, location is simply a matter of starting a business where they live or continuing business where it started, but other benefits often become apparent. “We were born and raised here, both

personally and as a company,” explains Kyle Drone of Dinger Bats in Ridgway. The wooden baseball bat manufacturer has been in the small Gallatin County community since Drone and his father, Randy, started the company. “You’d think there would be drawbacks to our location, but there really aren’t any,” the elder Drone explains. “We have everything we need, and it’s less expensive to do business here. Plus, we have the Internet and all of the shipping companies come through town every day. You can be in business any place in the world today.” Like Dinger, many companies choose to stay in the small communities of Southern Illinois. Despite doing business in 42 countries, Care Trak International, a maker of telemetry-based tracking devices for people with certain medical conditions or special needs, makes its home in Murphysboro. “Why not?” asks Care Trak

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MARCH 2013

Cover Story FROM PAGE 3 International Vice President Mike Chylewski. “We can ship anywhere in the world. A move to somewhere else wouldn’t make any sense.” Chylewski adds there are certain advantages of doing business in small communities. “You employ local people and provide jobs in what could be a depressed area,” he explains. “There’s no traffic, it takes 10 minutes to get to work and parking is easier. There are lots of small-town advantages.” Craig Williams, owner of Pinckneyville’s Craig Williams Creative and CommunityLink, says there are also competitive advantages for rural-based enterprises. His 50-employee company publishes maps and promotional guides for chambers of commerce nationwide. He says his company has an advantage that comes from a small-town mindset. “We know our neighbors. We attend each other’s get-togethers. We sit next to each other at basketball games,” he says. “What that does is create a real sense of what matters to communities, so that when we go into other places, such as Auburn, Ala., Fulton, Mo., Decorah, Iowa, or Orange, Texas, I feel like we know them a lot better than our competition from Chicago, Philadelphia or Atlanta is likely to know them.” Even in a retail setting, businesses in small towns can thrive by knowing their customers, according to Kelly Thornburg, owner of Tickled Pink, a boutique and gift shop in Carbondale. “Just like my customers want to be special, I want to be special, too,” she explains. “I want to put my own touch into things, and I am able to differentiate our shop so much better in a small town. It really works well.” She says being a small business in a smaller community forces an increased focus on the little things. “We have to focus on customer service and doing the things that the other stores don’t do. Often, too, it’s a matter of finding your niche,” she says. One way companies in communities like Pinckneyville find their niche, Williams says, is by embracing the strong worth ethic evident in local residents. “In a small town, there aren’t always the same number of opportunities that there are in the big cities, so people are

PAUL NEWTON / THE SOUTHERN

Brett Drone puts the finishing touches of a paint job on a baseball bat on Tuesday, July 19, at the Dinger Bats facility in Ridgway.

The main entrance to the Continental Tire Plant in Mount Vernon.

grateful for the jobs they have,” he explains. “They work hard and they value their reputations. That means they are included to protect that reputation by doing what they say they’re going to do, and that extends to the workforce. In the large cities, I don’t think you’ll find the work ethic that you do here.” The benefits of work ethic carry over into some of the region’s largest employers, too, says Benny Harmse, vice president of manufacturing for Continental Tire North America. He says he’s been impressed with the attitude and drive he has seen in workers at Continental’s Mount Vernon facility. “This is a very business-friendly community, and we find a very dedicated and motivated workforce,” he says. “The people are different from what you might find in a metropolitan area. The work ethic is different; as in a rural, farming community, the people tend to be able to think for themselves, and they are very dedicated. They are used to hard work.” Harmse says the plant’s employees come from a 65-mile radius from Mount Vernon. Plus, the location of the facility in the community has been mutually beneficial. “Being here has been really good for Continental Tire, and I think Continental Tire has been good for Mount Vernon,” he adds.

Companies often develop a sort of emotional attachment to their communities. Tom Welge, vice president of technical sales and general counsel for Gilster-Mary Lee, says the relationship between a business and its town can be reciprocal in nature. “As a private company, you have the luxury of considering more than just dollars and cents on every decision. We realize that our facilities are important to these small towns and know that it has been a mutually beneficial relationship for us,” he says. “We’ve provided employment and we’ve had a very strong workforce in return. Our communities really partner with us and work to solve any issues that may come up.” Welge’s company, a private label food manufacturer, is based in Chester and has facilities in Centralia and Steeleville. Gilster-Mary Lee employs 3,500 people company-wide, 1,600 of them in Illinois. Welge says doing business in small communities is not without challenges, however. “Sometimes, if you’re in a growth mode, finding enough of a workforce can be a challenge. Other times, there could be issues with utilities or infrastructure, but we’ve always had good relationships with our communities and have always been able to find solutions that are good for the town and the company,” he says.

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Harmse says the rural location of his facility can make attracting professional or highly technical employees a little more difficult because those people often seek employment in more metropolitan areas. Williams adds Internet bandwidth can be harder to come by in rural areas, but finding high-quality talented people has not been an issue. “If you’re not finding good people in Southern Illinois, then you’re either not looking hard enough or promoting your opportunity well enough,” he says. He does feel, however, that earning new business from a Southern Illinois location must be handled differently. “You have to sell a little bit differently,” he adds. “You can’t expect people to stumble across your threshold and buy what you are selling. You have to be prepared to really get out and sell.” Williams says that’s not usually a problem for Southern Illinoisans, however. “We were brought up in this part of the world selling because we’ve always had to. We’re selling ourselves, we’re selling our schools, we’re selling our communities and we’re selling our region as a whole.” LES O’DELL of Carbondale is a frequent contributor to Southern Business Journal and The Southern Illinoisan.

MARCH 2013

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Elder Law Sequestration: What do automatic spending cuts mean for long-term care? BY RICHARD HABIGER SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

January’s word of the month in Washington was “fiscal cliff.” February’s word of the month was “sequestration,” a word only a Congressman could love. Habiger Basically, sequestration is a process of automatic, largely across-the-board spending cuts to most, but not all, of the federal budget. As I write this article, in mid-February,

it is unclear whether Congress and the president will compromise, and thus avoid the automatic budget cuts. If they fail to compromise, we will have awakened on March 1, to a federal government that has been “kneecapped.” Fortunately, programs that low- and moderate-income persons and families rely on to help pay for nursing home and other long-term care have been exempted from sequestration. The following programs are exempt from the automatic cuts scheduled to have taken effect at 12:01 a.m. March 1: Medicaid All VA Pension Benefit programs Both of these two federal programs provide most of the money to help

grandpa and grandma pay for their longterm care, whether that care is being provided at home, in an assisted or supportive living facility, or in a nursing home. In addition to the Medicaid and VA Pension Benefit programs, the following programs of interest to seniors also are exempt from sequestration: Social Security and Railroad Retirement benefits Black Lung Disability benefits Civil Service Retirement and Disability benefits All programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs A complete list of the programs exempted from the sequestration process

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz. is published in a Congressional Research Service Report to Congress: “Budget ‘Sequestration’ and Selected Program Exemptions and Special Rules” (January 10, 2013). www.fas.org_sgp_crs_misc_ R42050.pdf. Note, however, that a current exemption from sequestration does not mean that the exemption will last. What Congress giveth, Congress may take away. This will happen if the president caves in to Republican demands and agrees to SEE ELDER LAW / PAGE 9

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SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

MARCH 2013

Money Matters Strategies designed to meet your financial goals BY MICHAEL P. TISON SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

Close your eyes and visualize your dream vacation or the shiny new car that you’ve always dreamed of having. Sure looks great! Unfortunately, for many of us, the planning stops right Tison there. With a little planning and discipline, the likelihood of achieving our goals can be dramatically improved. Consider implementing one, if not all, of the strategies listed below to improve your financial picture. Write down your financial goals and objectives; include deadlines. Use credit cards as little as possible.

Financing your lifestyle with credit cards is a trap. Reach for your checkbook instead. If you have something you need, try to actually save the money to pay for it. Have it in hand before you purchase that trip or motorcycle. Pay off your credit cards each month. With the new minimum payment requirements around 4 percent, consumers will get out of debt quicker. For example, on a $2,000 credit card bill with at 18 percent interest, paying the former 2 percent minimum will still leave you paying 30 years from now. The interest will cost you more than $5,000 on the $2,000 charge. By making the new 4 percent minimum payment, you will finish up in about 10 years, and the interest will be roughly $1,100. Spend a little, but save a little more. As your debts are paid off, save the extra cash each month. Many people are

tempted to overspend with this extra cash. Keep a savings balance of at least six months of expenses. This cash cushion can be used when emergencies arise, instead of charging on credit cards. Map out a college savings plan. Manage taxes early in the year and look for deductions, credits and deferral of income to reduce your tax bill. The savings on taxes can be used for other goals. Go for steady, consistent, long-term growth in your investment. By the time you read about a hot tip, it’s usually cold. Protect your valuables and income earning potential with appropriate insurance policies, including mortgage, life and disability policies. If you have enough assets you want to protect, you should look into long-term care insurance. This is important for single individuals. Invest for retirement. At best, Social Security will cover only a fraction of the

money you will need for retirement. Talk to your financial advisor about preparing for a comfortable retirement. Create an estate plan. Many people think you must be super wealthy to do estate planning, which is not true. The main goals are avoiding probate and passing assets to heirs free of estate tax. Your financial advisor, CPA and attorney will be able to assist in reaching all of these goals. As the saying goes, “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.” It’s never too late to begin taking a look at your financial picture and get on board with a real plan for you and your family’s future. MICHAEL P. TISON is an investment advisor and registered principal with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., with offices in Harrisburg and Marion. He can be reached at 618-253-4444 or michael.tison@raymond james.com.

NOT EVERYONE HAS ONE. NOT EVERYONE NEEDS ONE. But if you need one, we’re the bank in the area with a fully staffed Trust Department. Our name says it all...First Bank and Trust. Our Trust Department professionals will answer your questions about trusts, including land trusts and other Issues such as wills, executors and gifts, in a quiet, dignifi ed conference room. There is no obligation but there probably will be a sense of relief and confi dence after we talk. We’re here to help. That’s what you call “trust”. Call for an appointment. Murphysboro 1403 Walnut Carbondale 2471 West Main, West Park Plaza www.fb-t.com

MARCH 2013

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Workplace Employee involvement: Is it worth the effort? BY ANGELA HOLMES-YOUNG SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

Did you know that according to the Society for Human Resource Management, the level of employee satisfaction has been trending downward since 2009? Do you Holmes-Young spend time thinking about employee engagement and satisfaction levels at your business? Do you see the connection between satisfaction, productivity and turnover? Maybe the answer lies in involving employees more in your day-to-day business decisions. Many feel getting input from employees is a waste of time. Why get input from anyone? After all, it is your business. Wrong. There could be a better way to do business. What if involving employees ended up being a smarter way that left people feeling good at the end of the day? This smarter way can even lead to lowered overall business costs. Now that I have your attention, let’s talk about employee involvement and what it can do for you. Employee involvement is a term that can scare people. However, it can be as big or as contained as you want it to be. Employee involvement can work wonders with poor morale, rampant turnover, low productivity and dissatisfied workers. How? Use your employees’ brains. That’s right. Make your employees part of the solution, so they will quit being part of the problem. You might even get some truly great ideas along the way. Many businesses and managers are open to asking for ideas, but admit the scary part is what to do with all of those ideas. What if the ideas are crazy? What if the ideas are terrible? What if there are so many ideas that you cannot possibly contain them? What if there are no ideas? Some people are lazy and will not want to think. Yes. You are right. All of these things will happen. Like any

ART SERVICES

Employee involvement can work wonders with poor morale, low productivity and dissatisfied workers. Make your employees part of the solution, so they will quit being part of the problem.

change, it is a process; but, it will be worth the return. You will be pleasantly surprised at the amazing ideas that your employees will have. Why not make the most of your workplace. People want to be a part of something. People want to help improve things. People want to do a good job. I had a boss who would say that most people truly did want to come to work and do a good job. Give your employees that chance and they might just wow you. How can you get an employee involvement program started on a level that is manageable? Don’t set out to change everything all at once. Consider using a task force or committee approach. Ask for ideas or solutions to a problem or issue. Think of this as getting input from those closest to the issue or problem. Begin with a plan for your employee involvement program. Start small. Plan out how the new program will work. Who will be in charge? How will the ideas be gathered? Who will be responsible for tracking the results? Communicate the program to all, not just the people involved. So many times, we make the mistake of communicating only with people involved in the process. This causes secrecy and hurt feelings.

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz. Egos develop before the change can even begin to occur. Encourage participation, but do not make it mandatory. This does not have to be done with candy or gold stars. Some employees will immediately see the value in what you are doing. Initially, this kind of program is not for everyone, so don’t make people do it. Communicate changes and improvements made by the program. Some will be successful, and some ideas will just not be possible. Celebrate success. Encourage all to relish in positive changes as they are made. Be proud of the accomplishments. Keep the momentum going. Don’t lose focus or get lazy and abandon the program. What makes employee involvement programs so successful is the opportunity for employees to participate in other aspects of your business. This broadens their knowledge about your industry and products and allows them to participate in a deeper way. In essence, you are strategically developing their skills, while continuously improving your business. This will

benefit you in countless ways. Also, by allowing employees to participate in improvements, you may tap into existing employee potential and skills of which you were previously unaware. You may have amazing human resources that you don’t even know about. Hopefully, you will also see people engage in the business that you haven’t seen engage before. After all, we all learn differently and interact differently. This could be a way to reach out and utilize skills from some on a level that you have not been able to access before. Don’t miss out on the potential that you have under your roof already. Finally, the teamwork and fun that involvement brings to the work day is also beneficial. Teamwork improves and challenges all of us. We are all improved when we can find a way to come together for discussion and to share ideas. Collaboration can bring out ideas that may never be brought out without the group process. Don’t underestimate the value of brainstorming sessions as a springboard for discussions and problem-solving sessions. Now, don’t just take my word for it. Many highly successful companies have been utilizing employee involvement forever — both here and abroad. First, make sure your committees get guidance and boundaries; people don’t automatically just know what to do or how to do it. You don’t want your groups working on items that are counterproductive to your business either. None of us come to work to have a bad day. Help your employees have their best day yet by giving them the tools to get involved and truly make a difference. ANGELA HOLMES-YOUNG is vice president of consulting and human resource services for Your Professional Partners Inc. in Marion. She consults with clients of all sizes in a variety of human resource areas, while also offering executive coaching and public speaking. She can be reached at angela@yourprofessionalpartners.com, 618-969-8800 or Twitter: A_Holmes_ Young.

MARCH 2013

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Investments If interest rates rise, what happens to bonds? BY SCOTT MCCLATCHEY SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

How long can it last? The Federal Reserve has said it will do what it can to keep interest rates low, but these efforts cannot stem the tide forever. It’s inevitable, at some point, that interest McClatchey rates will rise and diminish bond prices. The only questions are: When? And, how much? A fifth year of easing has left some of the decision-makers at the Fed thinking it’s time to reverse gears. The minutes of a December meeting cited “several” policymakers wanting to raise interest rates sooner rather than later. Considering how long and open-ended the easing period has been, this caused a slight decline in the stock market. The Fed’s easing is tied to the unemployment rate. The U.S. has made great strides in improving the economy and helping people find jobs. The December 2012 reckoning has unemployment at 7.8 percent, down from October 2009’s high-water mark of 10.2 percent. The official Fed policy is to continue the easing until unemployment reaches a more comfortable 6.5 percent. This is roughly where we were in 2008, as the financial crisis emerged. While we’re getting closer to this goal all of the time, 6.5 percent could take a year or more to reach. In the short term, meaning the next

Investors in longer-term Treasuries could see some rocky road ahead

ART SERVICES

It’s inevitable, at some point, that interest rates will rise and diminish bond prices.

few months, the bond market climate may not change. The question is: What happens when it does? Are bond investors going to pay for it? At some point, interest rates will rise again, bond market values will fall. When that happens, how many bond

owners are going to hang on to their 10-year or 30-year Treasuries until maturity? Who will want a 1.5 or 2.5 percent return for a decade? Looking at composite bond rates over at Yahoo’s Bond Center, even longer-term AAA corporate bonds offered a 2.5 to 4.15 percent return in the first part of January. What do you end up with when you sell a bond before its maturity? The current market value of the bond. But, bond value and yield move in opposite directions. So, if the federal funds rate rises 3 percent, a longer-term Treasury might lose some of its market value as a consequence. This risk aside, what if you want or need to stay in bonds? One avenue may be to exploit short-term bonds with laddered maturity dates. The trade-off in that move is accepting lower interest rates in exchange for a potentially smaller drop in the market value of these securities if rates rise. If you are after higher rates of return from short-duration bonds, you may have to look to bonds that are investment-grade, but without AAA or AA ratings. If you think interest rates will rise in the near future (to the chagrin of many bond investors), exploiting short maturities could position you to get your principal back in the short term. That could give you cash, which you could reinvest in response to climbing interest

rates. If you really think bond owners are in for some pain in the coming years, you could limit yourself to small positions in bonds or consider other domestic or foreign bond sectors, which might be less susceptible to rising U.S. interest rates. Appetite for risk may displace anxiety faster than we think. Why would people put their money into an investment offering a 1.5 percent return for 10 years? In a word: Fear. The fear of volatility and a global downturn is so prevalent this spring that many investors are playing “not to lose.” Should interest rates rise sooner than the conventional wisdom suggests, owners of long-term bonds might find themselves losing out in terms of their portfolio’s potential. *Bonds are subject to market and interest-rate risk if sold before maturity. Bond values will decline as interest rates rise, and bonds are subject to availability and change in price. SCOTT MCCLATCHEY is a certified financial planner with Alliance Investment Planning Group, a Carbondale investment firm at 115 S. Washington St. He can be reached at 618-519-9344 or scott@alliance investmentplanning.com. He also provides investment, retirement planning and insurance services to SIU Credit Union members through the SIU Credit Union Investment Services partnership. Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC.

ELDER LAW: What do automatic spending cuts mean for long-term care? FROM PAGE 5 “un-exempt” some or all of the currently exempt programs. Moreover, even if sequestration is avoided, the so-called exempt programs, such as Medicaid and VA Pension Benefits, may nonetheless wind up on the chopping-block on March 27, when a

Congressional continuing resolution expires. (Because Congress has not passed individual appropriation bills for Fiscal Year 2013 which began Oct. 1, 2012, all federally appropriated programs are currently funded only until March 27 by a continuing resolution.) This truly is a mess and, frankly, a national disgrace!

With all this turmoil, it ought to be obvious that persons who want to plan for the second half of their lives ought to take advantage of the estate and long-term care planning opportunities that are available under current law to protect themselves and their loved ones. As a wise old owl once said, “Hoot, the politicians are not going to make it any easier.”

RICHARD HABIGER is author of the Illinois edition of “How to Protect Your Family’s Assets from Devastating Nursing Home Costs: Medicaid Secrets” and an elder law attorney, who focuses on asset protection, Medicaid and VA benefits. He can be reached at 618-549-4529 or info@habigerelder law.com.

Retail sales for Southern Illinois cities City Anna Benton Carbondale Carterville Chester Du Quoin Harrisburg Herrin Jonesboro Marion Metropolis Mount Vernon Murphysboro Nashville Pinckneyville Red Bud Sparta Vienna West City West Frankfort REGION ILLINOIS

YTD Dec 2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

114.1 83.2 552.4 38.9 53.2 114.4 205.1 152.5 11.8 620.1 77.8 494.9 127.5 116.3 38.6 78.4 120.2 38.4 87.1 70.8 $3,192.7 $152,406.7

119.1 86.4 593.5 42.0 55.7 113.5 214.0 154.0 11.4 686.9 84.4 533.6 135.2 110.3 42.3 74.7 128.2 40.1 88.3 122.5 $3,436.1 $154,650.6

120.9 69.5 598.0 42.2 55.3 77.1 195.0 153.4 11.8 683.1 82.0 507.0 130.6 96.6 38.5 75.2 128.5 39.9 87.8 112.4 $3,304.8 $147,232.0

114.5 69.4 565.5 39.9 52.9 100.8 191.9 147.2 12.5 676.0 77.1 476.7 129.1 107.9 37.2 70.1 126.4 37.1 91.9 111.4 $3,235.5 $139,593.2

113.3 71.4 587.7 40.1 51.5 91.9 179.3 135.9 12.4 673.4 75.9 482.8 117.1 101.8 39.0 77.7 130.5 40.5 89.6 111.2 $3,223.0 $237,438.0

112.3 72.4 607.4 40.3 51.7 94.4 173.6 134.4 11.3 662.4 79.8 461.5 94.9 105.2 35.8 73.7 129.5 39.8 82.8 111.4 $3,174.7 $180,162.7

N I L L I Chicago Fed Midwest % change 07-11 Manufacturing Index

6.1% 19.3% 2.3% 4.2% 7.7% 20.2% 23.3% 15.6% 0.9% 3.7% 5.8% 15.6% 42.5% 4.8% 18.2% 1.4% 1.0% 0.8% 6.6% 10.0% 8.2% 14.2%

Alexander Franklin Gallatin Hamilton Hardin Jackson Jefferson Johnson Massac Perry Pope Pulaski Randolph Saline Union Washington White Williamson .,REGION ILLINOIS U.S.

2,959 17,457 2,634 4,199 1,731 32,391 19,812 5,140 7,615 9,589 1,859 2,744 15,245 12,757 7,787 8,526 7,713 34,706 194,864 6,645,300 154,904,000

314 2,072 226 353 196 2,293 1,706 533 699 1,045 190 281 1,241 1,248 863 578 577 2,895 17,310 576,600 11,844,000

104 103 102

IPMFG Dec 12 96.4

100 98 94 90 88 86 84

81 80

Unemployment rates for Southern Illinois counties, state and nation Jobless

105

SOURCE: LATEST STATISTICS AVAILABLE FROM THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. FIGURES ARE IN MILLIONS.

Labor force

The CFMMI is a monthly estimate by major industry of manufacturing output in the Seventh Federal Reserve District states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. It is a composite index of 15 manufacturing industries, including auto and steel, that uses electrical power and hours worked data to measure monthly changes in regional activity. It is compared here to the national Industrial Production index for Manufacturing (IPMFG). Base year is 2007. Starting in November 2005, the index excluded the electricity component.

Dec 2012

Nov 2012

Dec 2011

10.6% 11.9% 8.6% 8.4% 11.3% 7.1% 8.6% 10.4% 9.2% 10.9% 10.2% 10.2% 8.1% 9.8% 11.1% 6.8% 7.5% 8.3% 8.9% 8.7% 7.6%

11.2% 10.9% 7.8% 7.4% 10.0% 6.8% 7.9% 9.6% 8.8% 10.4% 8.8% 10.0% 7.8% 8.5% 10.3% 6.5% 7.1% 7.9% 8.3% 8.3% 7.4%

12.7% 11.3% 9.4% 8.2% 11.2% 7.5% 9.1% 10.1% 8.4% 10.7% 9.7% 10.9% 8.6% 9.1% 12.3% 7.5% 8.1% 8.7% 9.5% 9.7% 8.3%

SOURCE: ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. FIGURES ARE NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED.

Change month

0.6 1.0 0.8 1.0 1.3 0.3 0.7 0.8 0.4 0.5 1.4 0.2 0.3 1.3 0.8 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.2

Change year

76 74

CFMMI Dec 12

2.1 72 94.7 0.4 70 68 0.8 0.2 66 0.1 64 M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D ’11 ’12 0.4 0.5 SOURCE: FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF CHICAGO 0.3 0.8 0.2 0.5 0.7 Dec 12 Dec 11 Change 0.5 0.7 MONTHLY TOTALS 1.2 856 912 6.1% 0.7 YTD TOTALS 0.6 0.4 10,170 9,682 5.0% 0.6 2011 2010 Change 1.0 ANNUAL TOTALS 0.7 9,682 7,478 29.5%

Williamson County Regional Airport passengers

I S I N Consumer credit score

11 94 25 43 9 142 91 41 34 49 5 20 106 78 44 55 75 180 1,102

15 99 19 22 9 107 104 23 22 34 7 24 79 90 41 44 61 179 979

693

Region

694

688

State

O R S U of I Flash Index

U. S.

Total cars, trucks sold based on title applications filed. Excludes motorcycles, trailers.

New vehicle sales Alexander Franklin Gallatin Hamilton Hardin Jackson Jefferson Johnson Massac Perry Pope Pulaski Randolph Saline Union Washington White Williamson REGION

Carbondale

SOURCE: EXPERIAN

Dec 11

686

Credit scores are numeric reflections of financial behavior and credit worthiness and they are based on information included in a credit report. Ranging from 330 to 830, a higher score means a lower credit risk. Scores are from December 2012.

Dec 12

Change

2011

15.4% 5.1% 13.6% 26.5% 50.0% 14.5% 1.1% 2.5% 17.2% 15.5% 68.8% 17.6% 29.3% 32.2% 17.0% 14.1% 4.2% 14.3% 7.2%

142 1,174 265 279 96 1,482 1,025 392 297 606 96 159 975 1,022 502 583 625 2,060 11,780

2010 126 965 222 236 97 1,320 848 327 269 558 73 129 844 793 486 446 571 1,796 10,097

Change

12.7% 21.7% 19.4% 20.8% 1.0% 12.3% 20.9% 19.9% 10.4% 8.6% 31.5% 23.2% 15.5% 28.9% 3.3% 30.7% 9.5% 14.7% 16.7%

6 75 1 4 3 80 65 19 21 25 3 2 25 30 31 164 32,975

’10

’12

’11

’13

SOURCE: INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Hotel/motel stats

Consumer Price Index

Total amount of revenue generated in Carbondale by hotels and motels for room rentals only.

The CPI measures average price changes of goods and services over time, with a reference base of 100 in 1982-84.To put into context, a current CPI of 194.5 means a market basket of goods and services that cost $100 in 1982-84 now costs $194.50.

Nov 12 Nov 11 MONTHLY TOTALS

Change

$615,784

$527,112

14.4%

YTD TOTALS $7,267,182

232

230

$7,290,083

2011 ANNUAL TOTALS

2010

0.3%

Change

228

226

U.S. City Average Jan 13 230.3

224

222

$7,710,436 <0.01%

220

218

Total units sold, including condominiums

Q4 12 Alexander Franklin Gallatin Hamilton Hardin Jackson Jefferson Johnson Massac Perry Pope Pulaski Randolph Saline Union Williamson ILLINOIS

Jan 13 104.9

$7,706,931

SOURCE: ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE. LATEST DATA AVAILABLE.

Home sales

108 107 106 105 104 103 102 101 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 J

The Flash Index is an early indicator of the Illinois economy’s expected performance. It is a weighted average of growth rates in corporate earnings, consumer spending and personal income. An index above 100 indicates expected growth; an index below 100 indicates the economy is contracting.

Q4 11 4 72 0 1 0 62 50 17 19 18 2 4 30 43 18 132 25,571

SOURCE: ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

Change 50.0% 4.2% NA 300.0% NA 29.0% 30.0% 11.8% 10.5% 38.9% 50.0% 50.0% 16.7% 30.2% 72.2% 24.2% 29.0%

2011 16 283 12 6 14 325 258 66 82 86 10 11 117 148 89 539 103,294

2010 19 259 8 8 8 358 264 78 91 116 8 6 131 122 84 590 103,455

Change

15.8% 9.3% 50.0% 25.0% 75.0% 10.2% 2.3% 15.4% 9.9% 25.9% 20.0% 83.3% 10.7% 21.3 % 6.0% 8.6% 0.2%

MEDIAN SALES PRICE Q4 12 Q4 11 $15,500 $43,000 $75,000 $59,000 $46,000 $98,250 $89,000 $66,000 $69,000 $42,500 $300,000 $24,500 $60,000 $65,150 $74,900 $98,000 $134,000

$82,500 $45,750 NA $55,000 NA $112,500 $76,875 $39,000 $92,000 $59,450 $223,950 $115,000 $86,000 $67,000 $84,888 $104,500 $128,000

216

Change

81.2% 6.0% NA 7.3% NA 12.7% 15.8% 69.2% 25.0% 28.5% 34.0% 78.7% 30.6% 2.8% 11.8% 6.2 % 4.7%

214

Midwest Urban Jan 13 219.3

212

210

208

J ‘12

J ’11

SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Prices at the pump Average price per gallon of regular, unleaded gas as of February 21 and January 30, 2013.

Metro East Springfield Illinois U.S. SOURCE: AAA

Feb 13

Jan 13

Feb 12

$3.87 $3.85 $3.95 $3.78

$3.45 $3.44 $3.55 $3.24

$3.64 $3.40 $3.52 $3.58

I S I N Consumer credit score

11 94 25 43 9 142 91 41 34 49 5 20 106 78 44 55 75 180 1,102

15 99 19 22 9 107 104 23 22 34 7 24 79 90 41 44 61 179 979

693

Region

694

688

State

O R S U of I Flash Index

U. S.

Total cars, trucks sold based on title applications filed. Excludes motorcycles, trailers.

New vehicle sales Alexander Franklin Gallatin Hamilton Hardin Jackson Jefferson Johnson Massac Perry Pope Pulaski Randolph Saline Union Washington White Williamson REGION

Carbondale

SOURCE: EXPERIAN

Dec 11

686

Dec 12

Change

2011

15.4% 5.1% 13.6% 26.5% 50.0% 14.5% 1.1% 2.5% 17.2% 15.5% 68.8% 17.6% 29.3% 32.2% 17.0% 14.1% 4.2% 14.3% 7.2%

142 1,174 265 279 96 1,482 1,025 392 297 606 96 159 975 1,022 502 583 625 2,060 11,780

2010 126 965 222 236 97 1,320 848 327 269 558 73 129 844 793 486 446 571 1,796 10,097

Change

12.7% 21.7% 19.4% 20.8% 1.0% 12.3% 20.9% 19.9% 10.4% 8.6% 31.5% 23.2% 15.5% 28.9% 3.3% 30.7% 9.5% 14.7% 16.7%

6 75 1 4 3 80 65 19 21 25 3 2 25 30 31 164 32,975

’10

’12

’11

J ’13

SOURCE: INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Hotel/motel stats

Consumer Price Index

Total amount of revenue generated in Carbondale by hotels and motels for room rentals only.

Nov 12 Nov 11 MONTHLY TOTALS

Change

$615,784

$527,112

14.4%

YTD TOTALS $7,267,182

232

230

$7,290,083

2011 ANNUAL TOTALS

2010

0.3%

Change

228

226

U.S. City Average Jan 13 230.3

224

222

$7,710,436 <0.01%

220

218

Total units sold, including condominiums

Q4 12 Alexander Franklin Gallatin Hamilton Hardin Jackson Jefferson Johnson Massac Perry Pope Pulaski Randolph Saline Union Williamson ILLINOIS

Jan 13 104.9

$7,706,931

SOURCE: ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE. LATEST DATA AVAILABLE.

Home sales

108 107 106 105 104 103 102 101 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 J

Q4 11 4 72 0 1 0 62 50 17 19 18 2 4 30 43 18 132 25,571

SOURCE: ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

Change 50.0% 4.2% NA 300.0% NA 29.0% 30.0% 11.8% 10.5% 38.9% 50.0% 50.0% 16.7% 30.2% 72.2% 24.2% 29.0%

2011 16 283 12 6 14 325 258 66 82 86 10 11 117 148 89 539 103,294

2010 19 259 8 8 8 358 264 78 91 116 8 6 131 122 84 590 103,455

Change

15.8% 9.3% 50.0% 25.0% 75.0% 10.2% 2.3% 15.4% 9.9% 25.9% 20.0% 83.3% 10.7% 21.3 % 6.0% 8.6% 0.2%

MEDIAN SALES PRICE Q4 12 Q4 11 $15,500 $43,000 $75,000 $59,000 $46,000 $98,250 $89,000 $66,000 $69,000 $42,500 $300,000 $24,500 $60,000 $65,150 $74,900 $98,000 $134,000

$82,500 $45,750 NA $55,000 NA $112,500 $76,875 $39,000 $92,000 $59,450 $223,950 $115,000 $86,000 $67,000 $84,888 $104,500 $128,000

216

Change

81.2% 6.0% NA 7.3% NA 12.7% 15.8% 69.2% 25.0% 28.5% 34.0% 78.7% 30.6% 2.8% 11.8% 6.2 % 4.7%

214

Midwest Urban Jan 13 219.3

212

210

208

J ‘12

J ’11

SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Prices at the pump Average price per gallon of regular, unleaded gas as of February 21 and January 30, 2013.

Metro East Springfield Illinois U.S. SOURCE: AAA

Feb 13

Jan 13

Feb 12

$3.87 $3.85 $3.95 $3.78

$3.45 $3.44 $3.55 $3.24

$3.64 $3.40 $3.52 $3.58

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

MARCH 2013

Entrepreneur’s Mailbag Achieving overnight sales success BY CAVANAUGH L. GRAY SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

I remember the moment my former boss turned to me and asked, “Do you think you would be interested in going into sales?” At the time, I was young and in a very complex industry Gray and simply trying to keep my head above water. To me, the idea of going into sales was the equivalent of going to the front lines of a war. Since then, I’ve had a change of heart as I have needed to rely on my own sales ability to move The Entrepreneur Café, LLC forward. For many, sales can be intimidating — the dreaded cold calls, sheer numbers, rejection, long sales processes, continuous pipeline management and quotas. Recently, I found myself trying to explain the sales process to a budding entrepreneur and wanted to make sure that the details of an extended sales process didn’t get lost in translation. So, I tried to simplify the sales process with these easy steps:

Tell me all about you To me, listening has become somewhat of a lost art. We all have so much going on that, at times, it can be difficult to sit still and listen to what is going on with someone else. People may allow you to go on about yourself in other social settings; however, fail to hone in to what a potential customer is saying and you could be blowing a sale. All of us have amazing personal and professional accomplishments that we are all very proud of. Let’s be honest. We all love talking about ourselves and, if asked the right questions and given the opportunity, we will probably tell you everything that you want to know professionally. To become a sales guru, the first question you will need to ask is, “What is it that you do?” Try to avoid making this question a robotic sales response, and take a genuine interest in what the other person

does. It makes a difference, and the potential client will recognize it as well. Get the clients to tell you all about their business, and you have accomplished the first step in reaching your sales goal.

What’s your biggest obstacle? Experience and research have shown that small businesses often face some of the same issues. The job of a salesman is to avoid the urge to be a mind reader and try and determine the needs of the client. If you were successful in gaining insight into the client’s business, then you may be ready to take the next step. Depending on how much equity you have with the potential client your next question should be, “What’s the biggest obstacle your company is facing right now?” The right answer to this question will go a long way in helping you determine if the client has a legitimate need for what you do and what your response should be in order to move the sales process along.

Do you have a budget or timeframe? Last month, a contact called with a lead on a business planning project for which the client had a budget of $10,000. The third question in moving the process along will let you know if you have a realistic chance of making the sale, “Do you have a budget in mind for this project?” Responses such as “whatever it takes” or “I really haven’t thought about it” rarely lead anywhere. An equally important question in the sales process is one that would most likely follow the budget question, and that is, “What is your timeframe for completing this project?” Music to any salespersons ears is usually in the form of, “How soon can you start?” or “Here’s a check.” It rarely happens that easily, but what you are looking for is an answer that expresses some sort of urgency. Without having a budget in mind or an expressed start or end date for addressing the client’s most pressing need, you could find yourself on a wild goose chase.

Would you mind if I followed up? A successful sale has a lot to do with the

ART SERVICES

The dreaded cold calls, sheer numbers, rejection, long sales processes, continuous pipeline management and quotas can make sales intimidating for many.

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz. quality of the business relationship. If you have been able to successfully move this relationship along, you should know the following about the potential clients: What they do for a living and how their companies operate; What their most pressing business needs are; If they have an established budget for the project; How soon they would like to see the project completed. With this information, you should feel pretty confident as to whether or not you can assist the client and further the business relationship. If so, your next question should be, “Do you mind if I follow up with you?” Once you have received the green light, be sure to send information that will help the client better understand what you do and how you can help. Be sure to give clients a few days to review your information, and don’t forget to provide them with a day and time you intend to follow up. At this point, all of the work that you put in to the sales process is lost unless you ask for the business. Each

question gets you closer to the coveted “yes,” but it is important to remember the following: You may not be able to get all of the information you need from the client at one time, so stay committed to moving the sales process forward. Depending on the complexity of your industry, your sales process will likely need to be modified. Sales is a numbers game, so the more interactions you have with potential new clients, the greater your chances for success. Lastly, keep in mind there could be a legitimate need for what you offer, but it could simply be the wrong time for the client. So, be sure to keep your pipeline alive by checking in with the client at a future date, as circumstances often change. CAVANAUGH L. GRAY (cgray@ecafellc.com) is director of business development for The Entrepreneur Café, LLC (877-511-4820). For more information on small business sales or to read a chapter from his new book, “The Entrepreneurial Spirit Lives: 25 Tales to Help Entrepreneurs Start, Grow, and Succeed in Small Business,” log on to www.ecafellc.com. For more information on how to start, grow and succeed in small business, ‘Like’ on Facebook, ‘Follow’ on Twitter @TheECafe or ‘Connect’ on LinkedIn.

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SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

MARCH 2013

Achievements

Faces in the news

Pinckneyville Hospital honored for excellence

Hudgins

Carson

Hassakis

Jackson

Wildharber

Patton

Varel

Burns

Rhodes

Pinckneyville Community Hospital received one of 12 honorable mention awards from the National Rural Health Resource Center for demonstrating excellence and innovation in the area of quality. The award was presented to the hospital’s CEO Tom Hudgins on Feb. 12 in Springfield at the ninth annual member meeting of the network. The Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network nominated the hospital for the work done by Chief Financial Officer Kara Jo Carson in developing financial indicators that were part of a scorecard developed by ICAHN to assist hospitals in comparing their performance against their peers.

Hassakis attends convention on trial advocacy Mark D. Hassakis of Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C. of Mount Vernon recently attended the mid-year convention in Miami, where trial lawyers and experts from around the country discussed the latest developments in trial advocacy and specialized topics to better represent their clients. Hassakis is a trial attorney who represents injured victims throughout Southern Illinois and the adjacent areas.

Carbondale’s AAA office moves to new location

Moore

Davis

Berger

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz. Frost

Riess

Faces in the news Have you been promoted? Send a photo. Has a colleague at work completed an intensive continuing education program? Send a photo. Others in the business community will want to know it, so please consider passing on your employment news and photos to the Southern Business Journal. Feel free to email the information to sbj@thesouthern.com.

Carbondale’s AAA office has moved to a new location in town, less than half of a mile away from its old location. The office is now at 1348 E. Main St. (Illinois 13), not far from the intersection of Main Street and North Giant City Road on the east side of town. The Carbondale branch is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment on Saturdays.

Huddleston awarded IPEM certification Kelly Huddleston, administrative assistant at Williamson County Emergency Management Agency, has been awarded the top level of certification for emergency management in Illinois. She has received the Illinois Professional Emergency Manager (IPEM) certification.

Jackson opens The Sales Door Larry Jackson has started a business, The Sales Door, to help business owners streamline all of the sales calls they receive. “The small business owner gets way too may sales calls, either in person or by the phone. They don’t have time or payroll to deal with all these calls. The Sales Door will keep track of all these calls, verify the information and give the business owner a detailed report. This way, the business owner and their staff can work on their business rather than dealing with interruptions all day,” Jackson said. The Sales Door is based in Marion. Jackson said he hopes to serve business owners throughout the country. He may be reached at 877-531-0050, ext 101.

Aisin announces safety award winners For the seventh consecutive year, Marion Aisin plants were recognized for their safety performance. Aisin Mfg. Illinois and Aisin Electronics Illinois were presented safety achievement awards at the North American Presidents meeting for their safety programs and 2012 safety results. The award recognizes the North American plants which achieve safety performance targets. Aisin Electronics received the President’s Award for achieving zero recordables. This is the fourth year in a row Aisin Electronics has achieved zero recordable injuries. Aisin Mfg. Illinois received the Platinum Award for achieving a recordable injury rate of less than 1.0. In 2012, AMI also surpassed 3 million hours worked without a lost-time accident.

Wildharber promoted to nurse practitioner Cari Wildharber has been promoted to nurse practitioner with Mercy Primary Care Reidland, the office of Dr. Terri Telle. Wildharber has been with Mercy Medical Associates for six years, previously as a nurse in Mercy OB/GYN, the office of Dr. Lisa Lasher and Dr. Amanda Wagner.

Disney vacation planning DVD available Diemer named president-elect of IAPA Don Diemer, program director of the physician assistant program at SIU School of Medicine in Carbondale, is president-elect of the Illinois Academy of Physician Assistants (IAPA). His term began in January and will be followed by a term as president in 2014. Diemer joined SIU in 2011.

The 2013 Disney Parks Vacation Planning DVD has arrived at B and A Travel Service. This DVD is designed to help prospective visitors plan their upcoming vacation to either Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., or Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. Free copies of the DVD are available at B and A Travel Service in Carbondale and Marion.

MARCH 2013

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Achievements Patton joins Paul Wilson Realty Tyler Patton, a lifelong resident of Marion, has joined the office of Paul Wilson Realty, LLC in Marion. A thirdgeneration realtor, Patton has a degree in education and a background in Internet marketing and web design. He is married to Sarah (Myatt) Patton, who owns Market Street Music in downtown Marion.

Illinois Physical Therapy Association elects chairman Dan Varel, physical therapist manager at Pinckneyville Community Hospital, has been elected as chairman of the Southern District of the Illinois Physical Therapy Association. The IPTA is a non-profit organization with a mission to empower its members to advance the ethical and professional best practice of physical therapy. The Southern District of the IPTA represents members from 30 Southern Illinois counties. Varel will serve a two-year term through 2014, while continuing his full-time position at Pinckneyville Community Hospital. He has been employed with the hospital for more than 13 years.

Burns earns management honor John P. Burns of Marion, a Modern Woodmen of America managing partner, has earned membership in the organization’s managing partner round table inner circle. The inner circle includes the top managing partners in Modern Woodmen’s managing partner round table. The round table recognizes outstanding leadership and is based on high achievement in life insurance sales. Modern Woodmen’s local office is at 502 S. Court St. in Marion.

FCC ranks Mediacom among top performers The Federal Communications Commission has issued its latest study of residential broadband performance in the U.S., and once more confirmed that Mediacom is one of the nation’s top Internet Service Providers when it comes to routinely delivering advertised broadband speeds. The FCC report indicated that Mediacom was again ranked in the top five

ISPs nationally when it came to sustaining its advertised Internet download speeds. With respect to delivering advertised Internet upload speeds during peak periods (7 to 11 p.m.) and over a 24-hour sustained period, Mediacom was ranked in the top two cable companies and top four ISPs nationally.

three-day Apple Vacations Advance Team inspection and familiarization of Apple’s newest resort destination — Huatulco, Mexico. Information on all of Apple Vacations’ Mexico destinations may be obtained by contacting B and A Travel Service in Carbondale and Marion or visiting online at www.bandatravel.com.

Three attend specialty crop conference

Berger joins lending department at bank

Stephanie Rhodes, Debbie Moore and Nicole Davis attended the Illinois Specialty Crop Conference in January in Springfield. Rhodes, the owner of Bloomin’ Communications in Alto Pass, joined Heather Wilkins, director of the Central Illinois Tourism Development Office, in presenting a two-part workshop, “Understanding the Agritourism Traveler.” Moore, CEO of the Carbondale-based Moore Tourism Development, Inc., served as a judge for the Illinois Apple Cider and Hard Cider competition. And, Davis, an instructor in the Hospitality and Tourism Administration Program at SIU, attended the conference to study the economic value of specialty crops grown in the region in relationship to the tourism industry. Rhodes, Moore and Davis may be reached at goodfoodlocal@gmail.com.

Darren Berger recently joined the lending department at The Bank of Carbondale. He brings extensive banking experience and customer relations skills to his position as business development specialist. Berger is a member of Carbondale Chamber of Commerce and well known for his community activism with the Saluki Pride Committee and the board of Boys & Girls Club of Carbondale. He can be reached at 618-549-2181 or darren@tboc.com.

VNA Plus recognized as a top agency VNA Plus Home Care & Hospice has been named a top agency of the 2012 HomeCare Elite, a compilation of the top-performing home health agencies in the U.S. Now in its seventh year, HomeCare Elite identifies the top 25 percent of Medicare-certified agencies. Winners are ranked by an analysis of publicly available performance measures in quality outcomes, process measure implementation, patient experience, quality improvement and financial performance.

B and A Travel participates in advance team Mari Schneider and David Coracy of B and A Travel Service in Carbondale and Marion recently returned from a

Frost offers massage at new Joyner clinic Emily Frost is the newest massage therapist at Joyner Therapy Services. She provides massage therapy at the company’s clinic in Carmi, which opened recently at 108 April Ave. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house was Feb. 11. Frost attended Southeastern Illinois College in Harrisburg and received her massage therapy certification in 2008. The Carmi clinic provides physical therapy, occupational, speech and massage therapy. JTS also has clinics in Marion, Harrisburg and Golconda.

Riess honored by Franchise Brokers Association St. Louis attorney Eric Riess of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., has received the highest honors from Franchise Brokers Association. He is a resident of Belleville. Riess has been named Trainer of the Year by FBA, a national organization that helps franchise brokers build practices and franchisors grow globally. He earned FBA’s top honor as the 2012 Trainer of the Year Gold Award winner for the legal, business and sales training he provided to franchisors and franchise consultants throughout 2012.

Librarian to serve as ILEAD USA mentor Carbondale Public Library Director Diana Brawley Sussman has been selected to take part in ILEAD USA. Innovative Librarians Explore, Apply and Discover USA is a prestigious yearlong program designed to help library staff understand and respond to user needs through the application of participatory technology tools and the creation of an easy-to-replicate model program. Sussman will serve as a mentor with participants from Illinois. Participants take part in three four-day sessions throughout the course of nine months, beginning March 25 to 28. Other ILEAD USA sessions will be June 17 to 20 and Oct. 21 to 24.

Promotions announced at Com-Pac International The following employees at Com-Pac International, Inc., have been promoted: Diana Isaacs has been promoted to account manager of new business development. Staci Rowe has been promoted to corporate purchasing manager. Carmen Hileman has been promoted to medical tray cover department manager. Victor Branch has been promoted to medical tray cover supervisor. And, Nicky Reed has been promoted to white room shift supervisor. Com-Pac is an extruder, printer and converter of flexible packaging products for the food and medical industries. The business employs about 180 people and operates in Carbondale’s Industrial Park.

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz.

MARCH 2013

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Special Report

Calendar

Bernanke defends Fed’s low-interest-rate policies

March 6 Starting a Business in Illinois: 9 to 11 a.m., Randolph County Courthouse, 1 Taylor St., Chester. Free. An optional business start-up kit is available for $15. To register, call 618-536-2424, email sbdc@siu.edu or visit www.siusbdc.com.

BY MARTIN CRUTSINGER

March 19 and 26

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — Facing criticism from Republican lawmakers, Chairman Ben Bernanke stood behind the Federal Reserve’s low-interest-rate policies last week and sought to reassure members of Congress that the central bank has a handle on the risks. In his second day of testimony on Capitol Hill, Bernanke told members of the House Financial Services Committee that the bond purchases are needed to boost a still-weak economy and that they have helped create jobs for average Americans. The bond purchases are intended to lower long-term interest rates. That encourages more borrowing and spending, which generates growth. Still, Republicans said the bond purchases could generate higher inflation. “We have gone too far in monetary policy and the monetary easing and it is in this member’s opinion time to pull back,” said Rep. Gary Miller, R-Calif. Bernanke said the Fed is weighing the costs and the benefits. “We plan to have a continual discussion and review of both the costs and the benefits and try to make sure that we are taking the right steps given those costs and benefits,” Bernanke told the House panel. Bernanke’s remarks during his semiannual monetary report to Congress largely repeated comments made a day earlier to a Senate panel. The Fed chairman made clear that the Fed’s low-interest-rate policies are giving crucial support to an economy still burdened by high unemployment. He also acknowledged the risks of keeping rates low indefinitely. But he expressed confidence that such risks pose little threat now and gave no signal that the Fed might shift away from those policies. The aggressive program to buy

Advanced MS Excel: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Room 338, RLC MarketPlace, 327 Potomac Blvd., Ste. A, Mount Vernon. Fee is $40. To register, call 618-437-5321, ext. 1267 or 1714, or email to CommCorpEd@rlc.edu.

March 21 and 28; April 4 and 11 Beginning QuickBooks: noon to 4 p.m. on Thursdays, March 21 through April 11, RLC MarketPlace, 327 Potomac Blvd., Mount Vernon. Fee is $80. To register, call 618-4375321, ext. 1267 or 1714, or email to CommCorpEd@rlc.edu.

March 22 Starting a Business in Illinois: 9 to 11 a.m., Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, Room 150, 1740 Innovation Drive, Carbondale. Free. An optional business start-up kit is available for $15. To register, call 618-536-2424, email sbdc@siu.edu or visit www.siusbdc.com.

March 26 AP

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, speaks to media before his first meeting as Treasury Secretary, Thursday, Feb. 28, at the Treasury Department.

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz. $85 billion a month in Treasurys and mortgage bonds had kept borrowing costs low, he said. And that, in turn, has helped strengthen sectors such as housing and autos, he said. Bernanke rejected a suggestion by Rep. John Campbell, R-Calif., that the Fed’s policies were mainly helping the federal government with its borrowing needs and big banks and foreign governments. “This is very much focused at the

average American citizen,” Bernanke said. “Our estimates are that we’ve helped create many private-sector jobs. ... People are able to buy houses at very low mortgage rates, refinancing at low mortgage rates. People are able to get car loans at low rates.” The low borrowing rates have boosted demand, Bernanke said, and that has helped to lift home prices, making home owners feel more financially secure. “In a lot of dimensions, we have, I think, benefited Main Street and that’s certainly our objective,” Bernanke said.

Beginning Microsoft Word: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Room 102, RLC Murphy-Wall Pinckneyville Campus. Fee is $40. To register, call 618-357-3742 or email bauersachsh@rlc.edu.

March 27 Starting a Business in Illinois: 9 a.m. to noon, Room 338, RLC MarketPlace, 327 Potomac Blvd. Ste. A, Mount Vernon. Free. To register, call 618-242-5813 or email lemayn@rlc.edu.

April 8 Starting a Business in Illinois: 5 to 7 p.m., Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, Room 150, 1740 Innovation Drive, Carbondale. Free. An optional business start-up kit is available for $15. To register, call 618-536-2424, email sbdc@siu.edu or visit www.siusbdc.com.

MARCH 2013

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Business Fine Print Building permits Carbondale Veterans Administration, 1130 E. Walnut St. $18,000 SIU Credit Union, 395 N. Giant City Road, $52,000 SIU Credit Union, 400 N. Giant City Road, $252,000 Goodman Networks, 1450 Radio Drive, $25,000 Goodman Networks, 921 E. Larch St. $25,000 JKH Realty Services, 716 S. University Ave., $250,000 John McCall, 616 W. Elm St., $35,000

Herrin Brad Blakey, 3 Douglas Drive, $25,000 Carlos Tanner, 297 N. 12th St., $80,000 DG Partners, 2111 N. Park Ave., $650,000

Marion Golden Eagle Distributing, 2713 Merchant, $412,917 Deanna Battaglia, 103 Lingale Ave., $8,000 Ruth Rideout, 211 Red Row, $10,000 David Moore, 1109 W. White, $25,000

Metropolis Robert Cohoon, 616 Vienna St., $11,000

Mount Vernon Jason Kuhn, 2220 Cherry, $13,700 Tammy Overbey, 410 N. 16th St., $0 United Rentals, 912 S. 10th St., $3,100 City of Mount Vernon, various locations, $0 Rick Heck, 1916 S. 8th St., $42,064 Mount Vernon Airport Authority, 100 Aviation Drive, $0 Larry Walton, 2505 Jones, $0 Catherine Harvey, 316 Castleton, $0 CCC Land Development, 302, N. 12th St., $0 Victory Christian Center, 226 S. 18th St., $0 PFS Properties, 220 S. 18th St., $0 Mount Vernon Airport Authority, 100 Aviation Drive, $350,000

Murphysboro Paul Graham, 432 Murphy St., $60,000 Cory Etherton, 735 N. 23rd St., $2,200 Derek Pfeaster, 2031 Clay St., $2,000

Bankruptcies Chapter 7 Virginia A. and Steven L. Metzler, 901 W. St.

Louis St., West Frankfort Grantley M. Payne Jr. and Ian Chanel Payne, 204 W. Vine St., Vienna Timothy Allen Anderson, 310 S. Lincoln, Royalton Richard Neal and Katherine Barnett, 2285 Yates Road, Elkville Gregory A. Grove, P.O. Box 205, Hurst William K. and Christine Strong, P.O. Box 399, Ashley Joyce K. Stork, P.O. Box 271, Coulterville Roy A. and Carolyn Budde, 3207 S. Palmer, Springfield Jennifer Marie Waldrop, 1118 SW Sixth St., Fairfield James P. Chandler, 16014 Mallone, Thompsonville Floyd DeWayne and Mary Jane Gibson, 835 Mount Olive Road, Dongola Michelle Lynn Rutherford, 108 N. Main St., Royalton Jason C. Schultz, 206B Wild Rose Lane, Marion Melvin T. and Lila S. Jackson, 108 Norris St., Anna Neil E. Huntley, 2465 Laurent St., Prairie Du Rocher Lael L. Griffith, 1411 N. Fourth St., Herrin Richard Clyde Flanagan, 2108 Melanie Lane, Apt. Q, Marion Linda Gayle Houseworth, 6715 N. Program Lane, Belle Rive Kathy E. Belt, 512 Cassandra Blvd., Kevil, Ky. Ronald G. Merrill, 18269 Illinois 14, Benton Donald Paul and Myra Sue Chartrand, P.O. Box 9, Willisville Jennifer Dawn Galeski, 201 Van Zant, Apt. B, Chester Jewel D. Doolin, 5093 Park St., Mulkeytown Robert Eric Riddle, P.O. Box 54, Olmsted Randy William Kueker, 414 Main St., Red Bud Christina M. Pearson, 114 Prairie St., Zeigler Gordon L. Reach, 704 S. Pine St., Zeigler Wesley N. and Heather N. Rogers, 318 W. Beacon Court, Mount Vernon Fred L. Hodges Jr., 2331 Illinois 14, Mulkeytown Ruth E. Walenta, 1409 Pine Ave., Johnston City Jeffrey C. Wombacher, 4607 Hoover Road, Oaksdale Daniel L. and Patricia E. Vawser, 1004 Jefferson Ave., Johnston City Timothy W. Dillon, P.O. Box 463, Rosiclare Robert H. Frisch, 501 E. Mound St., Sparta

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz. Mary Ellen Smith, 9 Johnson Terrace, Cairo David W. and Christie S. Wright, 748 Filmore Square, Herrin Joshua and Kerry McKnight, 241 N. Main, Nashville Brent Hahn, 1400 Plum, Mount Vernon Crystal D. Stacey, 319 Walnut St., Zeigler Josh D. Barnes, 269 Union Hills Road, Apt. 1, Carbondale Lisa J. Stallings, 303 N. First St, Apt. 1009, Fairfield Aimee R. Birkla, 114 E. 12th St., Mount Carmel Janice A. Davis, 100 S. Eighth St., Herrin Donald D. Waldron, 2007 7th South, Royalton Sandra D. Hogue, 409A E. Cherr y St., Carmi Ronald P. and Cynthia S. Mincey, 123 E. Belleville St., Nashville Susan R. and Dustin B. Deain, 1124 W. Drive, Carmi Belinda Lea Harvey, 322 E. Eighth St., Mount Carmel

Chapter 13 Duane C. Grammer and Cassandra M. Kirkpatrick, 17 Hansen Way, Murphysboro John R. Snell Sr. and Karri D. Snell, P.O. Box 363, Dongola Wanda F. Bush, 616 S. 20th St., Herrin Debra Lee Mezel, 412 E. Chestnut St., Coulterville Samuel B. Waters, 125 Barrett Lane, Harrisburg Mary L. Wolfe, 209 W. Seventh St., West Frankfort Benny L. and Janet K. Ingram, 1220 Prairie, Enfield Stacy R. Boswell, 1107 W. Boulevard, Marion Kristina D. Reynolds, 1308 West Blvd., Apt. O, Marion Dennis Andrew Ball, P.O. Box 84, Marion Donald W. Hufstedler Jr. and Lisa Hufstedler, 178 E. Davenport, Equality Harvey J. West, 105 W. Reid St., Marion Phillip C. Rice, 512 N. Friend St., Carrier Mills David M. and Tammy R. Phillips, 12620 N. Ashland Lane, Woodlawn Wallace A. and Betty J. Miles, 519 Burkitt St., Benton Bruce W. and Debra A. Galey, 817 W. Chestnut, Apt. 1, Marion

Joshua R. and Amy Y. Chitwood, 301 S. McKinley St., Dowell Tad W. and Tracy L. Thompson, 840 Belleview Place, Herrin Jeremy S. Shroyer, 5334 E. Illinois 15, Woodlawn Jerry Ray and Jessica Dawn Koch, 8206 E. Alex Road, Dix Bobby J. and Lela D. Chitwood, 702 W. Almond, Percy Dianna Mechele Neuhaus, P.O. Box 147, Ashley Faye M. Howard, P.O. Box 91, Cairo Pamela K. McGinnis, 8697 E. Jackson St. Road, Du Quoin Marvin D. and Karen M. Sperry, 18974 U.S. 51, Dongola Jowana D. Whitfield, 426 Union St., Cairo Russell F. Warner Jr., 17725 Clank Road, Tamms David L. Veldman, 1795 Pershing Road, West Frankfort Kent A. Cletcher Sr. and Ronda M. Cletcher, 617 Dorris Heights Road, Harrisburg Julie Ann Roesch, P.O. Box 524, Wayne City Melissa S. Graves, P.O. Box 274, Willisville Sandra K. Tarver, 713 38th St., Cairo Russell F. Warner Sr. and Beverly S. Warner, 17725 Clank Road, Tamms Carolyn J. Clendenin, 15611 Shake Rag Road, Johnston City Bobby R. and Heather A. Cates, 809 W. Wood Drive, Fairfield Steven G. and Sherri L. Jepsen, 9186 Old Illinois 13, Marion Francis R. and Helen R. Reynolds, 710 S. Hancock St., Apt. C-2, McLeansboro Brian C. Brooks, 410 Timothy Lane, Galatia Helen S. Miller, 105 Goldenrod Lane, Goreville Cecil R. and Rebecca Rumsey, 14205 Prosperity Road, Johnston City Stephen E. Serati, 102 S. Oak, De Soto Myra J. Bauer, 4359 Price Road, Olmsted Gary Dean and Theresa Ann Lutz, 802 E. Green St., Steeleville Amy Lynn Fry, 306 N.W. Third St., Fairfield Rober t Scott Venus, 1116 Darley Drive, Coulterville John L. and Sarah J. Garett, P.O. Box 63, Cairo James E. and Ruth A. Cravens, 14638 Circus St., Herrin Carol J. Starrick, 206 N. Taft St., West Frankfort