SBJ 04-2012 by The Southern Illinoisan

APRIL 2012

Directory of Advertisers

Inside A P R I L 20 1 2

DIGITAL BRANDING Want more customers? Online marketing can be a key tool for building the customer base for a business, but it’s not an easily learned skill for everyone. A free series of seminars, Branding in a Digital Age, will take the guesswork out of the equation and provide real-world information on effective branding, marketing and advertising programs for online and print applications. Page 6

Architechniques, Ltd ............................15

unemployment numbers began moving in the right direction, down, during January, but the numbers were not as encouraging for Southern Illinois. Unemployment rose in 17 of the 18 southernmost counties in Illinois, including 1.6 percent spikes in Union and Perry counties. Joblessness grew by at least 1 percent in eight other counties. In another measure of economic health, pain at the gas pump got worse between February and March with an average 38 cent increase in the price for a gallon of gasoline. Pages 12-13

Bank of Marion....................................10 Bill Ecker, State Farm Insurance ..........15 Country Financial, Dennis Woodside .... 7 Datalock .............................................. 3 Feirich, Mager, Green & Ryan.............. 15

BUSINESS SUCCESS Don’t get sued: If there is one sure-fire legal strategy for success that applies equally to all businesses, it is the avoidance of being named as the defendant in a lawsuit. Attorney Don Schoemaker of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale in Belleville says the basics in lawsuit protection can be found in the best practices of identifying risks, managing employees and signing contracts. Page 9

INDICATORS Bucking national trend: The national

ACHIEVEMENTS Who is 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 achievements and honors in regional businesses. If you know of a business or business person who deserves special recognition for advanced training, a unique honor or a business expansion, please let us know at sbj@thesouthern.com. Pages 16-18

John A. Logan College .......................... 5 Modern Copier .................................. 17 Mutual Medical Plans, Inc. ................ 10 Oliver and Associates, Inc. ................ 20 Pepsi MidAmerica ........................ 17, 20 Raymond james Financial Service ........7 SIPMA ................................................15

Contact us The Southern Business Journal is a publication of The 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

Publisher: Bob Williams n 618-351-5038

Southern Illinois Healthcare................ 24

Editor: Gary Metro n 618-351-5033

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

Advertising: Jason Woodside n 618-351-5015

mailed to businesses, community development leaders, chambers of commerce members and other professionals in Southern Illinois. Copyright 2011 by The Southern Illinoisan, all rights reserved. A subscription may be obtained by calling 618-529-5454 or 618-997-3356, or by visiting our website.

SIU Credit Union ................................ 22

Williamson County Airport....................17

Circulation: Trisha Woodside n 618-351-5035 Database Coordinator: Mark Doman n 618-351-5042

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Save the date Lessons on leadership BY GARY METRO THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN AND SBJ EDITOR

It would be tough to pass up a chance to meet 10 of our region’s top leaders, but it’s even more of a must-see event with a keynote speaker and Paducah native who regularly encounters greatness in the National Football League. George That’s the lineup for the May 1 Community Leaders Breakfast at John A. Logan College, sponsored by The Southern Illinoisan and Southern Business Journal. The Leaders Among Us Class of 2012 will be introduced and profiled, followed by the keynote address from Thomas George, a senior writer/columnist for NFL Magazine, the author of two books and another slated for publication this year. George is a frequent guest lecturer at college campuses across the nation and resides in Fort Lee, N.J., with his wife, Tamara, and sons, Anthony and Ely. But, he’s got a special place in his heart for our region; he was raised in Paducah and nearly attended SIU before settling on Western Kentucky University for his undergraduate studies. He has won numerous journalism awards and previously worked as a columnist/writer at Detroit Free Press, The New York Times, The Denver Post, AOL and NFL.com. He was NFL Network’s first managing editor. In a telephone conversation, George said he had met and been inspired by many legendary sports figures — including George Halas, owner of the Chicago Bears and father of the NFL, and Walter Payton, perhaps the game’s greatest player. George said he would talk about the people who are behind the public images of our sports heroes. “One is never too young or old to serve, and the best leaders understand the role of service in their leadership,” George said. Service is a thread that connects the speaking appearance by George with the introductions of the 10 newest members of Leaders Among Us, a group that now numbers more than 100 and comes from every corner of Southern Illinois. A magazine describing their lives and accomplishments will be available at the breakfast, and their video interviews will be shown to participants. Registration is required for the 7 a.m. May 1 event at John A. Logan College. The cost is $15 per person and includes a full breakfast. To register, call The Southern Illinoisan at 618-351-5002 or register online at sbj.biz. The deadline for registration is April 24.

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APRIL 2012

Cover Story Insurance: The cost of doing business BY LES O’DELL SBJ CORRESPONDENT

Insurance. It’s a word that brings about a variety of feelings in business leaders. Ranging from perplexing questions to quiet confidence, business insurance is a topic that can both consume business owners and ensure that business can continue after tragedies or unforeseen circumstances. “Honestly, insurance can be a pain,” says Shayna Shadowen, owner and office manager of Herrin-based Electrical Detectives. “Until you know the ins and outs of what your business needs and why it needs those things, insurance can take a large amount of time. In the long run, if you don’t have it, events can really bite you and end up costing you more.” Much more, in fact, says agent Mike Lange of The Insurance House in Marion. “You never know when or what is going to happen,” Lange says. “Nobody has enough money to cover their own assets against what’s going to happen. Even the biggest companies in the world have insurance to cover themselves.” Lange says having adequate insurance is about more than protecting the business. “You have to remember, especially for small businesses, that the business is your livelihood. It’s probably your main income stream, and if something happens — a robbery, a fire or if you’re sued — it takes a lot of money to overcome that. Without insurance, you may be out of business,” he says. So, what sort of insurances should businesses have and how much? The answer depends on a number of factors. “Business insurance always has three or four pieces to it, and it’s very different from personal auto and home insurance,” explains Matt Bishop, owner of Bishop and Elwell Insurance Agency in Murphysboro. “Business insurance is more like ordering a la carte at a restaurant. You have to make sure all of the parts of your business are covered.” For Shadowen, that means several different insurance products. “We have full coverage on all of our vehicles, a general liability policy, workman’s compensation, employees’ health insurance, property insurance,

unemployment withholding, umbrella coverage and bond insurance, as well.” In total, all of the policies can lead to lots of time and money going to insurance. “We spend several thousand dollars every quarter,” says Todd Darnstaedt, owner of Today’s Technology Auto Repair in Carbondale. “Of course, paying the insurance is tough. The upside, however, is that somebody’s got your back if something happens.”

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Specialized coverage

The right insurance For most business owners, getting the right insurance coverage also means finding the right insurance agent. “You have to find someone that you can talk to face to face,” Bishop suggests. “If you don’t have someone who can actually come to your business and see everything, you could be leaving yourself open. By just calling someone in an office, you may not think to tell them something that an agent who visits with you might see.” Bill Oliver, senior insurance advisor at Oliver and Associates in Carbondale, calls this a “risk review” meeting, where agents analyze the business and determine exposures to potential losses. “It’s not rocket science. It’s getting to know you and what you’re doing,” he says. When it comes to types of coverage, some insurance is required. Employers are required to withhold for unemployment insurance for employees. Likewise, state law requires workman’s compensation coverage. “If you have any employees at all — even if it’s just one clerical person working five hours a week — you have to have workman’s compensation on that employee,” Bishop says, noting that the amount of workman’s compensation is based upon the amount of company payroll and the employee’s duties. “Clerical people are rated differently than sales people that go out into the field, who are rated differently than people doing manual labor. It depends on what type of work is being done.” Liability insurance also is rated and priced differently, depending upon the type of business. “Sometimes liability is based upon payroll. Sometimes it is based on sales.

ART SERVICES

‘You have to remember, especially for small businesses, that the business is your livelihood ... Without insurance, you may be out of business,’ says agent Mike Lange of The Insurance House in Marion.

Sometimes it is based upon square footage of your space. It varies greatly, depending on what your business does,” Bishop explains. “Liability covers you if something happens and other people have damages of some sort. It is the ‘protect other people’ portion of insurance. It doesn’t necessarily protect your building or your goods; it protects other people. It protects your assets — or you could shorten that last word.” To protect buildings and property, property insurance will cover such things as structures, inventory, tools, equipment and cash. Businesses which operate out of rented space can obtain insurance that protects company property within leased facilities. Business vehicles, like the ones used by technicians in Shadowen’s business or even Today’s Technology’s courtesy van, must have automobile insurance. Bishop says companies also need coverage for employees’ vehicles if they are used for business. “If you have employees driving somewhere in their own cars doing business for you, you need to make sure you have coverage to protect you in case something happens while they’re out on your behalf,” he says. “Even if we send someone to the bank to make a deposit in her own car, we have to have coverage.”

Some businesses require even more types of insurance. Darnstaedt says he learned shortly after the May 2009 super derecho that blew through the region that he needed separate property coverage for his shop’s lighted sign. “Most people don’t realize that if it’s not attached to your building or if it is more than a certain distance from the building, it’s not covered by your basic policy,” he says. Today’s Technology also has a coverage called “garage insurance” which covers any damage to customers’ vehicles while they are at the shop. Oliver says many contractors carry “completed operations” coverage in case something goes wrong weeks or months later after a service or repair has been made. Other business policies include umbrella liability, which serves as an additional layer of protection, loss of use/loss of income insurance that covers times when business operations are interrupted and earthquake insurance. Bishop adds that some companies carry a type of coverage known as “key man insurance.” He says it’s for businesses with an employee whose specific knowledge or training is absolutely necessary for the life of the company. “This is a policy providing money to help the business stay afloat until they can re-establish that key person or train someone else for that special role,” he says. “It’s for someone with special training or very specialized knowledge, such as the formula to the secret sauce or something like that.” Professionals such as physicians, accountants and lawyers need to have some sort of professional liability insurance. Errors and Omissions coverage, commonly called E and O insurance, protects engineers, accountants, insurance agents, real estate agents and lawyers, says Chad Smith of Carterville. Smith is a co-broker for Itasca-based SEE COVER / PAGE 9

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

APRIL 2012

Build your customer base through digital branding When was the last time you grabbed a telephone book to get information about a business in your community? If it was recently, savvy business people say you’re in a group that is dwindling in numbers and importance nearly by the day. Customers often go online as a first step in their searches for businesses, goods and services — either through computers, electronic tablets or smartphones. Those businesses which appear first in a digital search have a better chance of gaining new customers and getting a competitive edge. A series of “Branding in a Digital Age” seminars, sponsored by

The Southern Illinoisan and thesouthern.com, will offer realworld information about digital marketing in a series of one-hour seminars May 1 to 3. Participants will learn about branding their businesses in print, online and inside an individual business. The seminars are free and available at times compatible with almost any schedule. Kate Murphy, corporate sales development manager for Lee Enterprises, the owner of The Southern and more than 50 other daily newspapers, will lead the presentations. “Branding in a Digital Age is a seminar-based event that invites local businesses to attend and

learn the latest strategies for growing their business through effective branding, marketing and advertising programs both online and in print,” Murphy said. Jason Woodside, advertising director for The Southern, said the seminars will offer information about advertising options that are available in the regional market. One of the options, “Get It,” is a tool offered by The Southern that provides a variety of digital options in one place and at a very competitive price, Woodside said. “It gives a small business without a huge budget a chance to tap into the huge amount of resources we have available at thesouthern.com,” Woodside said.

Get into the digital market “Branding in a Digital Age,” seminars sponsored by The Southern Illinoisan and thesouthern.com, will be conducted at the following sites: l John A. Logan College, room F119, at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 1. l Carbondale Civic Center, at 7:30 a.m., 10 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 2. l Rent One Park Diamond Club, at 7:30 a.m., 10 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. Thursday, May 3. Advance registration is recommended, but same-day registration will be offered 15 minutes before each session, depending on availability. Lunch will be provided at the noon sessions, with snacks and coffee at other sessions. For advance registration and additional information, contact Ronda Wilson at The Southern, 618-351-5030.

Investments Volatile markets prompt investors to consider alternative investments BY MICHAEL P. TISON SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

If there’s a golden rule of investing, it may be this: Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. For many years, following that rule was fairly straightforward. Investors could Tison create a welldiversified portfolio by allocating some of their overall funds to stocks, some to bonds, some to cash, some to real estate and perhaps a little to commodities. Within those asset classes, investors might diversify further by owning, for example, large- and small-cap stocks, growth and value stocks, and international stocks and bonds, as well as a mix of corporate and Treasury bonds of varying maturities. Unfortunately, the behavior of the financial markets during and since the 2008 crash has called into question the traditional approach to diversification, because the prices of many of these

conventional asset classes have been moving in tandem more frequently — exhibiting what investment professionals call “high correlation.” For example, whereas asset classes such as blue-chip stocks, international stocks and small-cap stocks might each have exhibited different price patterns in the past, in more recent years they have behaved more uniformly. There are a number of reasons for these changes, including, among others, the globalization of financial markets, the increasing influence of government policies both in the U.S. and abroad on asset prices, and the dominance of the so-called “risk-on, risk-off” institutional strategy of being either primarily in or out of the markets. Whatever the exact reasons, the net result for individual investors has been to make achieving diversification significantly more difficult. Adapting to this new reality has led investors to consider a strategy that many institutional investors, notably university endowments, have followed for some time — the use of alternative investments to complement a portfolio’s traditional asset classes. Alternative investments is an umbrella term that covers a wide range of asset classes and investment strategies,

including, among others, hedge funds and fund of hedge funds, long/short equity, event-driven, managed futures, private equity, real estate, commodities and tangible assets. None of these investment categories are immune to loss, and it’s also important to remember that diversification itself does not guarantee profits or protection against loss. However, the strategy of spreading your investment funds among a variety of asset classes is a time-honored approach. What the use of alternative investments does is extend that concept to categories individual investors may be less familiar with, but which nonetheless have produced attractive returns in the past with some behaving more independently of what the traditional asset classes are doing — a characteristic known as “low correlation.” The two primary objectives of adding alternative investments to a portfolio are increased diversification, which can dampen volatility, and, to a lesser extent, the potential for enhanced overall returns. Although alternative investments can provide a number of potential benefits, they generally carry with them other characteristics that investors should be

well aware of before making any commitments. These characteristics will vary from one type of alternative investment to another, but may include higher risk, lower liquidity, less transparency, speculative trading strategies, higher fees, the use of leverage, and different tax treatments. For example, stocks, bonds and mutual funds can be readily sold; they are “liquid.” Real estate, hedge funds, private equity and tangible assets are less liquid, sometimes much less liquid. Commodities and investments that employ leverage are more volatile than stocks. Many alternative investments are not required to register with financial regulatory organizations such as the Securities and Exchange Commission and, therefore, do not provide investors with the protections and disclosures that registration with the SEC or other regulators is intended to deliver. For these and other reasons, and in keeping with the overriding goal of diversification, alternative investments should serve as a complement to the core holdings in an individual investor’s portfolio. How much should be allocated SEE TISON / PAGE 7

APRIL 2012

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

TISON FROM PAGE 6 to alternative investments depends on a number of factors, including the size of the portfolio, as well as the sophistication, time horizon and risk tolerance of the specific investor. University endowments, for example, with much longer time horizons than individual investors, generally are better able to tolerate lower liquidity.

The use of alternative investments is a portfolio management tool, not a panacea. As with any investment, investors should understand what they are getting into, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s involved in getting back out, what the risks are and what the possible returns are. Expert advice is a must. 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@ raymondjames.com.

OUR BUSINESS IS ABOUT ONE THING: YOU AND YOUR FINANCIAL WELL-BEING As a Raymond James client, you can expect objective advice, dedicated service and most important, someone as invested in your future as you are. Michael P. Tison

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Business Success Avoiding litigation key responsibility for successful business BY DON SCHOEMAKER SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

Before retiring at night to sleep, most people make sure all of their doors are locked. It may not prevent a break in, but there’s no sense in inviting one either. Avoiding litigation works Schoemaker much the same way. Most companies get sued because they failed to secure access points for litigation and make it too inviting. After 24 years of defending companies against lawsuits, I’ve been labeled as “the last attorney you’ll ever want to meet” at Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. in Belleville. Here’s how to avoid my services. There are countless reasons why companies get sued; but, in all cases, litigation generally found them because they skipped a critical step in evaluating opportunity, sizing up risk, managing employees or signing contracts. Let’s look at contracts first. Most successful construction companies are not only good builders, but they are great at cultivating relationships. They want to achieve trusted advisor status with their clients to get repeat business. But even among trusted client relationships, you have to document all changes to the original scope of work. Most construction contracts specifically state that no changes can be made unless both parties agree in writing to the

change. Lawsuits are invited when one party finds itself taking on the risk of an added cost increase for no good reason. Remember, the one fundamental truth following the Great Recession is that companies are intensely watching the bottom line. So, whether you are a firsttime service provider or a long-standing trusted advisor, you simply have to document everything in a deal that changes. It can be just an email that states, “This is to confirm that you have changed XX and it will cost an additional $XX.” Misplaced trust also leads companies to blindly accept a risk they don’t fully evaluate before agreeing to the deal. This also has become a major issue since the recession as companies fear losing longtime customers, who are still large purchasers, but weighed down with debt. If a customer buys $1 million annually from your company, but never catches up on a long-standing debt of $400,000, fear of losing the customer creates an illogical assumption of risk that blows up when the customer goes bankrupt. No matter how good the customer is, ongoing long-term debt is a sign of trouble. You have to ask yourself what your business could do with the money owed, instead of being a lender for bad clients! Managing disgruntled or underperforming employees is also critical to avoiding lawsuits. More and more retaliatory discharge/bad faith claims are filed because companies don’t perform adequate exit interviews or take the time to have employees sign forms stating the reason for the parting of ways. Was the person fired or did the person quit? It can

COVER FROM PAGE 4 Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Service, a professional liability insurance agency. “Errors and Omissions basically covers any sort of clerical mistakes that a professional might make that may cause someone to bring a lawsuit against them,” he says. Smith, who specializes in medical malpractice insurance, adds that the coverage required by nurses, physicians’ assistants and doctors against mistakes, which could potentially cause physical

make a substantial difference in suits filed against the company by the ex-employee. Documenting also applies to instances when customers claim they are injured at your business. It needs to be more than just “customer slipped and fell.” Ask how they are and whether they need medical attention. Note their response and write down their mobility after the incident and any other factors that might be relevant in a review of the incident later. Keep and maintain any documents created, along with any video of the area of the incident. Destruction of any documents, tapes or tampering with the site of the fall to eliminate evidence can in and of itself create the grounds for a lawsuit against your company. Not all employees fully appreciate the consequences of today’s politically correct environment, and law tends to be at the forefront of cultural blending and acceptance. Employees who have not been exposed to different races and cultures can unwittingly thrust the company into a lawsuit by making an unwarranted comment on the way someone looks or dresses or that person’s ethnicity. Companies must make sure employees know what is inappropriate by posting guidelines and even conducting meetings to clearly explain the rules. Employees should be trained and required to document their knowledge of inappropriate behavior. While it may not save the day, a jury will consider such actions when assessing damages. Finally, there is the penny wise and pound foolish mindset. Most recently, this has been encountered with budding

harm, can vary widely. “There are many variables that set the price of insurance,” he says, explaining that geographic regions, experience and specialty can all impact the cost of coverage. As an example, Smith says that it is not uncommon for a Cook County obstetrician to pay malpractice insurance premiums of up to $60,000 per year. Lange says a very valuable insurance coverage, which is often overlooked by businesses, is cyber liability coverage. “If you have a website or database that could be hacked and any sort of customer information stolen from it, you have to notify everyone that may be affected by any

entrepreneurs who may have a great vision, but fail on its execution because they didn’t want to incur a legal fee by consulting with their attorney. They put extraordinary energy into developing an idea and researching the competition, but fail to consider the business location, lease provisions and franchise contracts that are every bit as important if the venture is to succeed. Look at it this way. A 10-minute conversation with a lawyer early in a new deal or enterprise, versus the staggering cost of litigation, only makes good sense. Even well-established companies make this mistake. If you have a good quarterback attorney, who works with you on a regular basis and knows your business, that initial call sometimes won’t cost a thing and just be part of mutual desire to make sure your business is successful. Most companies succeed because they are diligent in meeting their customers’ needs. Sometimes, though, that success can lead to complacency in locking all of the doors to keep litigation out of business. Litigation will find you and exploit any opening you give it. Lock all the doors and you’ll sleep better at night. DON SCHOEMAKER is an officer in the litigation practice group of the law firm of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. in Belleville. He represents clients in a broad range of litigated matters, including hospitals, physicians, attorneys and accountants. He concentrates his representation to defendants in employment, product liability, complex litigation and personal injury matters.

security breach,” he says. “It could cost you a few thousand to hundreds of thousands to notify all of your customers, provide them with identity theft coverage, and you may even be responsible for covering your customers’ losses. It could put your company at a big-time risk.” Reducing risk is what business insurance is all about, Oliver says. “It’s a cost of doing business,” he explains. “A lot of people will chase low premium, but you have to make sure your coverage is adequate for your exposure.” LES O’DELL of Carbondale is a regular contributor to Southern Business Journal and The Southern Illinoisan.

www. ankofmarion.com “I was in search of a particular business product for Golden Eagle that no bank in our area was offering at the time. After presenting my idea to the Bank of Marion, they created that product and tailored it to the specific needs of my business. Everyone there is friendly and does whatever it takes to keep things simple for the customer. I would be surprised to find any bank in Southern Illinois that is easier to work with or more accommodating than the Bank of Marion.” Jim Pugh

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Elder Law Law creates new method to transfer real estate upon death BY RICHARD HABIGER SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

A new Illinois law creates a new method to pass real estate to somebody else when you die. It’s the Real Property Transfer on Death Instrument Act. As the name suggests, Habiger it’s a way to transfer real property when you die. Until your death, the property’s all yours. Whoever may get the property when you die has no rights to the property during your lifetime. In the meantime, you can do whatever you want with the home. You don’t have to worry about working together with a co-owner. You can sell or mortgage the property by yourself. If you change your mind, and want to transfer the property to somebody else when you die, you can. If you decide you don’t want to transfer it at all, you can simply cancel the transfer. The new law sets out what a transferon-death instrument is supposed to say, and how it goes into effect when you die. A TODI is similar in form to a deed, but must be executed with all of the formalities of a last will and may only be prepared by Illinois licensed attorneys. Before Jan. 1, the effective date of the new law, it’s been possible to designate bank accounts, CDs, IRAs, stocks, and bonds as payable on death to somebody else. This new Illinois law now makes it possible to do something similar with residential real estate.

Potential problems Proponents of the new law seem to think TODIs are the greatest thing since sliced bread. While a TODI certainly will allow individuals at their death to pass their home to another without the expense, delay and other disadvantages of probate, there are better ways to transfer residential real estate without going through probate. For example, a revocable living trust is a better instrument in most cases, in this author’s opinion, for handling non-probate transfers of

The new law sets out what a transfer-on-death instrument is supposed to say, and how it goes into effect when you die. A TODI is similar in form to a deed, but must be executed with all of the formalities of a last will and may only be prepared by Illinois licensed attorneys. residential real estate at death. More importantly, TODIs are not appropriate in many situations. For example, individuals who have a moderate to significant risk of needing long-term care at any time within five to 10 years should use some other method to transfer (and protect) their residential real estate. In such a situation, you should consult with an elder law attorney. Moreover, the title insurance industry sees at least two very significant problems with the new Illinois law. For more information, read the article written by Douglas M. Karlen, VP and Regional Counsel, Fidelity National Title Group, “Transfer on Death Instruments and Title Insurance: Two Significant Problems” at http://www.irela.org/media/2704/Karlen %20Article%20%20Transfer%20on%20 Death%20Instruments%20and%20Title %20Insurance%20Two%20Significant% 20Problems.pdf.

Benefits of TODIs All ownership interests are retained. The current owner retains all of the rights of ownership and has exclusive control over the property. The owner may do whatever he/she wishes with the property, including changing the designated beneficiary, without seeking permission from or the approval of the designated beneficiary. Probate is avoided. If there has been compliance with all of the conditions stated in the law, your real estate will not be subject to probate at your death. It will pass automatically to the person(s) named

on the TODI by that person simply recording an affidavit and death certificate with the county recorder within 30 days following your death. By avoiding the need to probate your estate, your beneficiaries will save the time and expense of a court proceeding. Your asset is protected. Since your beneficiaries have no present interest in the real estate, any legal action (such as bankruptcy, divorce, lawsuits, etc.) brought against any designated beneficiary will not affect your real estate. Your beneficiary’s creditor cannot place a lien on your property. Your beneficiary also will not be able to transfer, mortgage or pledge his/her interest in your property during your lifetime. If you change your mind, you may sell your real estate without restriction and without the signature of the TODI beneficiary. A change of beneficiary is allowed. You may have more than one beneficiary listed as a transfer on death beneficiary. Each beneficiary listed will have an equal share of the real estate. If you wish to change the beneficiary on your TODI during your lifetime, you may do so without obtaining the signature of the original named beneficiaries. In other words, you control who you wish to name as beneficiaries at all times and can change that designation as you wish.

property from your creditors, who place liens or mortgages on your property during your lifetime. l While a TODI will not, by itself, disqualify you from receiving governmental benefits to help pay for your long-term care (at home, in an assisted/supportive living facility or nursing home), your home will remain subject to liens and estate recovery claims filed by the government. Stated otherwise, a TODI does not exempt your home, homestead farm or other residential real property from governmental liens and claims when you and/or your spouse have received benefits for care at home or in an assisted/supportive living facility or nursing home. Your home will remain a countable resource for those purposes, unless you fall under one of the few exceptions. For more information, talk with an elder law attorney. l If you name more than one transfer on death beneficiary and the relationship among those beneficiaries is not cooperative, there could be more expense and time involved for your family in resolving disputes after your death. If a sale or other disposition of the real estate is needed, all beneficiaries would have to agree and sign for any such disposition of the real estate.

Death of a beneficiary What TODIs do not do TODIs do not avoid estate tax. Also, TODIs do not protect your real estate from your creditors during your lifetime. They don’t avoid Medicaid liens and estate recovery for nursing home and other costs of long-term care, or conflicts among beneficiaries. l Your beneficiaries may still owe Illinois and federal estate tax on the real estate, even though it passes to them by transfer on death designation without probate. Your executor, or the person(s) receiving the real estate, will be responsible to file and pay the estate tax within nine months of your death. l Any liens or encumbrances created by or assessed against you during your lifetime will still attach to the real estate and carry over to your beneficiaries. In other words, this transfer on death designation does not protect your

If you have named more than one transfer on death beneficiary, each will take an equal share. If a beneficiary on a TODI should die, that beneficiary’s share passes to his or her descendants; and, the surviving TODI beneficiary(s) will need to share the property with the descendants of the deceased beneficiary. If no designated beneficiary survives you, the property will become part of your probate estate, which opens the floodgates to claimants, including the government, filing claims against the property. 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. You may contact him at 618-549-4529 or info@ HabigerElderLaw.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 2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

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

111.7 75.0 610.4 39.9 54.0 103.1 168.5 137.5 11.5 592.7 74.8 501.0 93.0 105.7 41.7 82.5 133.1 36.9 77.7 106.8 $3,157.6 $173,362.8

N I L L I Chicago Fed Midwest % change 06-10 Manufacturing Index

p q q p p q p p p p p p p q q q q p p p p q

8.2% 7.3% 2.0% 5.8% 2.4% 25.2% 15.7% 11.6% 2.6% 15.3% 9.6% 1.2% 40.4% 8.6% 7.7% 8.8% 3.5% 8.1% 13.0% 5.2% 4.6% 15.1%

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. 105 104 103 102

IPMFG Jan 12 94.5

100 98 94 90 88 86 84 82

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

81 80

Unemployment rates for Southern Illinois counties, state and nation Alexander Franklin Gallatin Hamilton Hardin Jackson Jefferson Johnson Massac Perry Pope Pulaski Randolph Saline Union Washington White Williamson .,REGION ILLINOIS U.S.

Labor force

Jobless

Jan 2012

Dec 2011

Jan 2011

3,000 17,609 2,614 4,261 1,809 31,864 20,249 5,306 7,621 9,551 1,868 2,722 15,414 12,814 8,128 8,579 7,806 34,882 197,097 6,579,800 153,485,000

359 2,183 260 382 213 2,760 1,988 616 734 1,179 201 334 1,465 1,289 1,126 725 676 3,435 19,925 620,300 13,541,000

12.0% 12.4% 9.9% 9.0% 11.8% 8.7% 9.8% 11.6% 9.6% 12.3% 10.8% 12.3% 9.5% 10.1% 13.9% 8.5% 8.7% 9.8% 10.6% 9.9% 8.8%

12.7% 12.1% 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% 9.7% 9.3% 8.3%

12.2% 11.3% 9.0% 10.3% 11.3% 8.1% 9.2% 11.6% 8.7% 11.5% 11.2% 10.5% 9.0% 9.8% 12.5% 7.7% 8.5% 9.5% 10.1% 10.1% 9.8%

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

Change month q p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p

0.7 0.3 0.5 0.8 0.6 1.2 0.7 1.5 1.2 1.6 1.1 1.4 0.9 1.0 1.6 1.0 0.6 1.1 0.9 0.6 0.5

Change year q p p q p p p

p p q p p p p p p p p q p

76 74

CFMMI Jan 12

0.2 72 90.1 1.1 70 68 0.9 1.3 66 0.5 64 J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J ’10 ’11 ’12 0.6 0.6 SOURCE: FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF CHICAGO 0.0 0.9 0.8 0.4 1.8 Jan 12 Jan 11 Change 0.5 0.3 MONTHLY TOTALS 1.4 731 631 p 15.9% 0.8 YTD TOTALS 0.2 0.3 731 631 p 15.9% 0.5 2011 2010 Change 0.2 ANNUAL TOTALS 1.0 9,682 7,478 p 29.5%

Williamson County Regional Airport passengers

I S I N Consumer credit score

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 March 2012.

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

12 97 26 27 14 120 83 25 15 54 8 22 103 73 30 58 49 153 969

11 103 24 33 4 132 91 27 19 57 10 13 97 79 38 54 59 134 985

692

Carbondale

Region

693

687

State

U. S.

O R S U of I Flash Index

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

New vehicle sales Jan 11

716

SOURCE: EXPERIAN

Jan 12

Change

p 9.1% q 5.8% p 8.3% q 18.2% p 250.0% q 9.1% q 8.8% q 7.4% q 21.1% q 5.3% q 20.0% p 69.2% p 6.2% q 7.6% q 21.1% p 7.4% q 16.4% p 14.2% q 1.6%

2011 142 1,174 265 279 96 1,482 1,025 392 297 606 96 159 975 1,022 502 583 625 2,060 11780

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

p p p p q p p p p p p p p p p p p p p

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%

Total units sold, including condominiums

Q4 11 Alexander Franklin Gallatin Hamilton Hardin Jackson Jefferson Johnson Massac Perry Pope Pulaski Randolph Saline Union Williamson ILLINOIS

4 72 0 1 0 68 49 17 19 19 2 4 30 43 18 135 25,394

Q4 10 8 53 4 1 0 59 63 15 16 35 2 2 27 28 17 113 22,114

SOURCE: ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

Change

q 50.0% p 35.8% q 100.0% 0.0% 0.0% p 15.3% q 22.2% p 13.3% p 18.8% q 45.7% 0.0% p 100.0% p 11.1% p 16.7% p 5.9% p 19.5% p 14.8%

Feb 12 99.2

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

q p p q p q q q q q q p q p p q q

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%

' 09

' 10

' 12

' 11

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.

Jan 11 Jan 10 MONTHLY TOTALS $448,331

YTD TOTALS $448,331

$426,972 q

2010

5.0%

$43,250 $42,500 $83,250 $49,500 $0 $90,000 $75,000 $49,900 $64,000 $68,000 $73,500 $39,500 $72,000 $50,750 $97,500 $114,900 $143,000

228

226

5.0%

Change

$7,710,436 q <0.01%

MEDIAN SALES PRICE Q4 11 Q4 10 $82,500 $45,750 $0 $55,000 $0 $112,500 $76,500 $39,000 $92,000 $64,900 $223,950 $115,000 $86,500 $67,000 $84,887 $105,000 $128,000

Change

$426,972 q

2011 ANNUAL TOTALS $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 A

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.

224

U.S. city average Feb 12 227.7

222

220

218

216

Change

p 90.8% p 7.6% q 100.0% p 11.1% 0.0% p 25.0% p 2.0% q 21.8% p 43.8% q 4.6% p 204.7% p 191.1% p 20.1% p 32.0% q 12.9% q 8.6% q 10.8%

214

Midwest urban Feb 12 216.9

212

210

208 F

J ’11

J F ‘12

SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Prices at the pump Average price per gallon of regular, unleaded gas as of March 22 and Feb. 24, 2012.

Metro East Springfield Illinois U.S. SOURCE: AAA

Mar 12

Feb 12

Mar 11

$4.08 $3.91 $4.23 $3.88

$3.70 $3.64 $3.44 $3.38

$3.60 $3.61 $3.67 $3.55

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

APRIL 2012

Economic Conditions China, its currency and the global economy Which move will it make to address pressing issues? BY SCOTT MCCLATCHEY SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

Right now, there are dozens of investments devoted explicitly to investing in China’s impressive emerging market. Even with the risk of asset bubbles, the promise of McClatchey China is simply too tantalizing for many to ignore. The question is whether its economy can maintain its powerful momentum in 2012. If not, the impact on global investors could be significant. Is China headed for a soft landing or a hard one? Recent data out of the PRC has given economists pause. China’s official manufacturing index fell to 49 last November, indicating sector contraction; since then, it has barely crept above 50 (51 in February, 50.5 in January). Its red-hot GDP cooled slightly to 8.9 percent in Q4 2011 following a series of interest rate hikes by the People’s Bank of China to try and rein in inflation. Still, consumer prices are on the rise in China. The inflation rate rose 0.4 percent in January to 4.5 percent. Other troubling signs emerged in January: a 23.8 percent monthly drop in auto sales, a fifth consecutive monthly dip in property prices, a third straight monthly decrease in foreign direct investment and month-over-month declines in exports and imports. While China has one of the best debt-to-GDP ratios in the world — 16.3 percent at the end of 2011 — that ratio may reflect the official story rather than the reality of its hidden liabilities. What if the yuan appreciates? Until recently, this was the trend. The People’s Bank of China elected to loosen the yuan from the dollar about two years ago, and the currency now floats within a narrow band. In February, the yuan reached an all-time high versus the U.S.

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz. dollar (6.3287). The PBC projects about 3 percent appreciation for the currency in 2012. An even stronger yuan would alter the exchange rate between China and the U.S. and theoretically lessen American consumer demand for Chinese imports. If the yuan continues to appreciate against the dollar, there may be three macroeconomic effects. One, American firms would have to pay more for Chinese goods they buy. Two, American companies might try to source out new suppliers and cheaper factories in nations like India, Thailand and the Philippines, or they might even direct some dollars back into our own manufacturing sector. And, three, American consumers might buy fewer Chinese-made products due to the increased cost in U.S. dollars. None of this can be done overnight; so, in this scenario, our trade balance with China could worsen before showing any long-run improvement. A fast-appreciating yuan would mean more purchasing power for the rising Chinese middle class, less emphasis on exports in China’s economy and some deflation. A little price deflation might be welcomed by China’s citizenry. However, a gradually appreciating yuan (on the level of 2 to 3 percent annually) might amount to the best-case scenario for the global economy and investors. What if the yuan depreciates? China is poised for political change in late 2012. A Communist Party congress will occur and Vice President Xi Jinping is in line to become the nation’s new leader. Will the new administration elect to reverse any yuan appreciation? For some time, China has bought dollars in the forex markets to keep the yuan undervalued, and that has served as a tonic to its export-driven economy. A weak yuan policy (and low labor costs) also helped to encourage direct

ART SERVICES

The cloudy near-term future of the yuan makes investing in China something of a wild card.

foreign investment in China. Weakening the yuan again would drive up the cost of imports for the Chinese consumer, and China would be prompted to boost exports anew, implying more economic growth, less unemployment and renewed price advantage in global markets — in other words, an antidote to a slowdown. The cloudy near-term future of the yuan makes investing in China something of a wild card. While some economists think a stronger yuan would be good for the world economy in the long run, the fear of a hard landing (and its impact not only on the Chinese economy, but the world economy) may prompt the nation’s leaders to move in a different direction. Chinese government researchers have told Reuters that the PRC has set a target of 7.5 percent growth for 2012; the PRC usually sets GDP targets it can comfortably meet, so results might exceed projections. Even so, growth might not approach the 9.2 percent GDP China saw in 2011. In February, Standard & Poor’s gave China a 10 percent chance of a hard landing in 2012 (5 percent GDP) and a 25 percent chance of a medium

landing (7 percent GDP). Which way in? If you are thinking about investing in China, keep in mind that its economy has a relatively high inflation rate. This may encourage Chinese companies to overstate or overestimate factors like sales growth, operating margins, debt-to-asset ratios and fixed asset turnover. So, while an individual investor may at first be enticed by a large-cap international Chinese company, he or she may opt for a mutual fund or ETF investment after further consideration. Quite a few stock market analysts think these vehicles provide sensible entry into China for the small investor. SCOTT MCCLATCHEY is a certified financial planner with Alliance Investment Planning Group, a Carbondale investment firm located at 115 S. Washington St. He can be reached at 618-519-9344 or scott@allianceinvestmentplanning.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.

APRIL 2012

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Entrepreneur’s Mailbag Business owners should know the value of their time BY CAVANAUGH L. GRAY SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

A few years ago, my wife and I had an amazing landscaping project completed for our home. The finished product involved the leveling of a huge hill, installing a massive retaining Gray wall and reseeding the front and back lawns. The result was an amazing yard with some of the greenest, thickest grass around. I took a lot of pride in that yard. I would pour countless hours into my yard in hopes that my efforts would land me on the cover of Manly Yards Magazine. My wife would routinely suggest that I hire a service to relieve me of some of these duties. It wasn’t until I began to feel the increasing demands on my time that I asked the question, “How much more productive could I be if I shifted some or all of that yard work to a professional?”

Yard work by the numbers On Saturday, I would start on my lawn around 8 a.m. The entire process involved cutting the grass, edging the entire lawn, pruning flowers and shrubs and, at times, watering. The process

usually would conclude with me standing in front of the house in my Captain Morgan pose, admiring my handy work. I looked forward to the boys riding their bikes while I worked, the smell of freshly cut grass and some downtime in what was surely a busy week. This took place week after week, and I never thought anything of it; but, in the end, numbers don’t lie. When I sat down with my calculator to determine how much cutting my own lawn was costing me, this is what I came up with (using a $100 average hourly project rate). l Cutting the grass: two hours at $100 per hour ($200) l Edging the yard: 90 minutes at $100 per hour ($150) l Clean-up, flower/bush trimming, watering: 90 minutes at $100 per hour ($150) l Five gallons of gas at $4.26 per gallon with one-fourth usage ($5.33 spent each time grass was cut) When I finished crunching the numbers, I found out that a job, which would have cost me $50 on the high end, was actually costing me about $505.33 when I factored in opportunity cost.

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SEE MAILBAG / PAGE 23

Friday, April 13 7:30am to 4:00pm John A Logan College Carterville, IL

The Illinois Department of Employment Security – Make it Work for You For More Information: www.sipma.org 618-998-7910 Register online at www.imec.org under “Events”

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

APRIL 2012

Achievements ticket booths, a synthetic surface running track, new home grandstands at the football field, new softball field and an artificial turf football field.

Faces in the news

Resource available for seniors

Boyt

Gajewski

Hammack

Biggerstaff

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

Ramsey

Fuller

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.

Local seniors now have a new resource to help them age successfully. Bonnie Brackett, with Brackett Insurance Consultants, recently completed a comprehensive course through the Society of Certified Senior Advisors and earned the designation of Certified Senior Advisor. SCSA is an international organization that has trained more than 30,000 professionals to meet the changing needs of a growing senior population. As a CSA, Brackett will participate in continuing education that emphasizes ethical consultation, business practices and volunteer service specific to seniors.

Hospital constructors certification obtained Benjamin Boyt, owner of Boyt Engineering in Marion, recently obtained a Certified Hospital Constructors certificate from the American Hospital Association. This certification puts Boyt in an elite class in Illinois. Only 10 people in the state have the certification, with only 302 throughout the nation.

Brackett named Club Qualifier

Burns achieves honor

Lee Brackett of Mass Financial Group Inc. has achieved the MassMutual Leaders Club Qualifier award for 2011. Leaders Club recipients are the top annual producers of more than 5,000 agents, and they are considered the pinnacle of MassMutual’s sales force. Brackett has served the Carbondale market for 29 years.

John P. Burns of Marion, a Modern Woodmen of America managing partner, has earned membership in the organization’s 2011 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 it is based on high achievement in life insurance sales.

Gajewski earns certification

Renovated athletic complex

Teller of the Year awarded

Holland Construction Service began work just after football season ended on the $5.3 million Johnston City High School sports complex. Set for completion in late summer, in time for the start of the 2012 football season, the project involves razing the existing high school football and softball fields, weight room and concessions, and the construction of a new concession stand and locker room building, press box,

Murphy-Wall State Bank and Trust Company recently awarded Mary Hammack of Pinckneyville with the bank’s Teller of the Year Award for excellence in teller services for 2011. Each teller’s performance is measured to quality and quantity standards of work that create the teller’s efficiency ratio. Hammack earned the highest quarterly ratio twice during 2011, performing her duties while working at the drive-up,

Three complete certification Paul M. Olexa, DeWayne D. Pyatt and Bobby D. Hazen, who are involved with the Olmsted Dam project, have all recently received certification through the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. Olexa completed the requirements for national certification as a Safety Trained Supervisor. Pyatt completed all requirements for certification as a Construction Health and Safety Technician. Hazen completed all requirements for certification as a Certified Safety Professional.

Christie Gajewski of Nashville, the director of human resources for Pinckneyville Community Hospital, recently earned certification as a Professional in Human Resources. Gajewski has been with PCH since March 2010. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in human resources development from Indiana State University.

typically one of the busiest teller stations. She has been employed with the bank since 1990.

Water Operator of the Year named The Illinois Rural Water Association selected Dale E. Biggerstaff of McLeansboro as its Water Operator of the Year at the 30th annual Technical Conference recently in Effingham. This award is given to an individual dedicated to the water industry. Biggerstaff works as water superintendent for Hamilton County Water District, providing potable water to consumers. He has been with Hamilton County Water District for 16 years.

Neal Tire and Auto new manager Chris Eisenhauer has been named manager of Neal Tire and Auto Service in Herrin. He joined the company in January, and brought with him more than 20 years of auto service experience in Southern Illinois. Eisenhauer grew up in Pinckneyville and now lives in Du Quoin. Neal Tire and Auto Service opened in 1997 as a fullservice automotive repair shop offering on-the-road and on-the-farm tire service.

International president’s elite Wanda Cain, a broker with Coldwell Banker J. David Thompson, has been named to the corporation’s International President’s Elite. Only the top 2 percent of all sales associates/representatives worldwide in the Coldwell Banker system qualified for this group.

Country Inn & Suites receives awards Country Inn & Suites in Marion, which is locally owned and operated by James Zeller of Marion, has won the President’s Award for the second year in a row, as well as the Be Our Guest Award. Both awards were presented by Country Inn & Suites corporation.

Gossett recognized as top adviser Rich Gossett, an LPL Financial adviser at Old National Investments, recently was recognized as a top adviser and named to the Director’s Club. LPL Financial provides investment services to the

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APRIL 2012

Achievements customers of Old National Investments. The top adviser distinction is based on an annual production ranking of all Old National’s registered advisers supported by LPL Financial.

foundation to ensure that monies raised at Bombardier stayed in Southern Illinois. The funds will be earmarked for breast cancer education and awareness initiatives, according to SIH Director of Fund Development Gene Honn.

Katubig honored with award Teresa Katubig, president and CEO of Extra Help Inc., one of the region’s largest employment, payroll and workforce services companies, has received the Tallerico Leadership Award. The award recognizes an individual who mentors others and provides a role model to encourage women to achieve their full leadership potential. Earlier this year, Extra Help Inc. was named Business/Industry of the Year by Marion Area Chamber of Commerce, and was recognized as the best in customer service by St. Louis Small Business Monthly.

Tedrick offers new services The Tedrick Group, an outsource risk management company and independent insurance agency, recently announced its membership in an exclusive risk management program, the Certified Risk Architect designation. As of January, the firm had five CRA business risk managers on staff to serve current and prospective clients, plus an additional risk architect in training. The CRA program is comprised of a rigorous risk management training curriculum, designed to teach attendees how to conduct risk management audits, identify specific exposures, design and build comprehensive risk mitigation plans, and to continuously monitor and update the plan based on the client’s needs or changes to their operations.

Two promoted Kara Bevis has been promoted to manager of the Marion office of Kemper CPA Group, LLP, and Lance Roye has been promoted to senior accountant. Bevis, a graduate of McKendree University, has been employed with Kemper CPA Group since 2010. She specializes in auditing. Roye joined the firm in 2009 after graduating from SIU, and he specializes in accounting and tax.

Holland Construction completes project Johnston City School District’s new Lincoln Elementary School addition and renovations, completed by Holland Construction Services Inc., provides students with a number of improvements, including their first computer lab and library. The $2 million project added more than 5,000 square feet of new space and the remodel of nearly 6,000 square feet. Holland Construction Services is a fullservice contracting and construction management firm based in Swansea.

Accu-Grow technicians undergo training

Evan Byassee, employee of Accu-Grow Lawn and Tree Care in Marion, recently completed the 2012 certification for turf pest control and ornamental pest control sponsored by the Illinois Department of Agriculture and the University of Illinois Extension. Bombardier donates Owner Tim Arnold completed the 2012 to SIH Foundation certification for commercial operator, turf Christy Carroll, the human resources pest control and ornamental pest control, coordinator for Bombardier Recreation and Damian Rhyne completed training Products in Benton, recently presented for turf pest control and ornamental pest $4,500 to Southern Illinois Healthcare control. Although the state doesn’t require Foundation on behalf of Bombardier and annual retraining, Accu-Grow technicians her colleagues. Carroll has fought to raise awareness for the need for early and regular do this each year to stay current on all products and procedures in the lawn care mammograms ever since her mother died industry. eight years ago from breast cancer. As part of her advocacy, Carroll started a Grand opening celebrated breast cancer awareness and fundraising Chill Yogurt, featuring a product only effort at work that culminated in the major 20 to 35 calories per ounce, celebrated its gift to SIH Foundation. She chose the

grand opening recently with a ribboncutting ceremony at 1350 E. Main St. in Carbondale. Owners Michelle and Scott McDowell and store manager Samantha Cook invite the public to stop by any time from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Bailey receives award Angie Bailey, health education director for Jackson County Health Department, was awarded the Stephen Westbrooks Excellence in Rural Public Health Award at the eighth annual Rural Public Health Institute meeting March 14 in Effingham. This award recognizes outstanding performance and consistent dedication, initiative, motivation, positive attitude and leadership in the area of rural public health. To qualify for the award, the recipient had to work for a county, state or federal public health agency, faith-based organization or community-based organization.

General Dynamics employee receives award Tim McAuliffe, vice president and general manager of Medium Caliber operations for General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, was presented the 2011 William R. Moseley Award at the 2012 National Defense Industrial Association Munitions Executive Summit on March 1 in Phoenix. McAuliffe received the prestigious award in recognition of his contributions to the overall readiness and responsiveness of the U.S. military industrial base in 2011. Specifically, McAuliffe and his Marion team designed, installed and qualified a new 30mm Apache ammunition production line. Also, in 2011, the Marion team designed and installed an innovative 120mm tank production line capable of producing all natures of 120mm tank ammunition on a single production line.

Hospice partners with veterans’ campaign Hospice of Southern Illinois has become a national partner of We Honor Veterans, an awareness campaign developed by National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in collaboration with the Department of Veteran Affairs.

Education, organizational policies and developing partnerships are the three main criteria for We Honor Veterans partners to partake in to achieve higher levels of partnership, which help improve end-oflife services for veterans and their families.

Ramsey qualifies as agent Tyler Ramsey of Carterville recently passed the Illinois Life Insurance Exam, and he is now qualified to sell life insurance for the state of Illinois. Ramsey has obtained a position with Alliance Wealth Management, LLC, a registered investment advisory firm in Carbondale.

Fuller wins Award WSIU Public Radio reporter and morning news anchor Jennifer Fuller, host of Morning Conversations, has been named Best Radio Reporter in downstate Illinois for 2011 by the Illinois Associated Press Broadcasters Association. Fuller also won awards from the Illinois AP in 2009 and 2006. A native of Carterville, Fuller graduated from SIU in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in radiotelevision and earned a master’s degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois-Springfield in 2001.

Sanders earns international designation Sally J. Sanders, a broker at Coldwell Banker, J David Thompson Realty, in Marion recently earned membership into the International Diamond Society for 2012. Her performance and production was among the top Coldwell Banker sales associates worldwide and earned her this distinguished designation.

RSP receives certification RSP Heating and Cooling recently received certification from the Building Performance Institute. Owner Jim Weihl and sales consultant Lisa Gentz each have been awarded BPI building analyst certification. The Building Performance Institute is a credentialing organization for residential energy efficiency retrofit work. Weihl and Gentz are now BPI certified energy auditors. They are available to perform home performance inspections for those who are interested in making their home more energy efficient.

APRIL 2012

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Workplace Wellness in the workplace: How can you not afford it? BY ANGELA HOLMES-YOUNG SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

Let me start by saying that workplace wellness programs do not have to cost a lot of money. When done correctly, they can and should save you money. These programs do not Holmes-Young have to be elaborate. The programming options are truly endless. Many programs are free. Let me stop here. This is truly a large topic, so I plan to give you a basic introduction to some easy and cheap wellness activities that you can use as a starting point. Don’t get overwhelmed. Just pick one and try it. Let’s backtrack a minute, though. Let’s discuss why your employer would want to consider adding another program to the organization. We all know that another program means more work on the administration side, no matter what the cost or cost savings. Here is my advice: Find individuals in your organization who have already made some healthy changes in their lives. Oftentimes, they are happy to help you launch a wellness activity. They probably have some great ideas, as well. Check out this list provided by Society for Human Resource Management. The following items are actual benefits to employers who have offered workplace wellness programs: l Lowered health care costs l Reduced absenteeism l Higher productivity l Reduced workers compensationrelated costs l Reduced injuries l Improved morale If you are considering implementing a program, don’t forget to start at the beginning. Start small and remember that there is no reason to reinvent the wheel.

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz.

The purpose of your program should be understood; management and your employees should have a clear understanding of why you are embarking on this activity and the results you hope to achieve. This comprehension piece is important because it connects healthy changes with their impact on the workplace, as well as the benefits to employees in their personal lives. Educating today’s workers on the importance of health and wellness is a responsibility without an owner. A smart employer will take on this task as much as possible and will see benefits in the future, if not sooner. Remember, you don’t want your employees to feel overwhelmed. Whatever activity or program that you launch needs to have realistic goals. Set goals that are actually attainable. For example, you cannot expect everyone in your workplace to participate, but you can set a reasonable participation goal. Plan for creative ways to interest and engage those who are not interested. Don’t push. Take it slow on your end and also on what you are expecting from the employees. Here is my list of easy wellness activity options that can be stand-alone events or incorporated into a larger wellness program. I have seen many of these work very well at other employers. The options are truly endless. Form a team to do a local fundraising walk. For example, American Cancer Society hosts Relay For Life events in communities throughout Southern Illinois. Create a walking path on the company property. Make sure it is a safe and hazard-free place to walk. Quit buying doughnuts and cookies for SEE WORKPLACE / PAGE 23

APRIL 2012

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Business Fine Print Building permits Marion Andy Roberts, 1900 Colonial Drive, $4,000 Jerry Webb, 1503 W. Central, $260,000 Vickie and Alan Lenz, 1706 Chestnut, $30,000

Metropolis James Griffey, 813 Filmore St., $2,500 Shirley Harrison, 110 E. 19th St., $600 Gladys Foote, 614 E. 9th St., $1,500 John Tanner, 410 E. 3rd St., $300 Howard Sutton Sr., 821 Broadway, $10,000 Michael and Lori Bruce, 1601 Filmore St., $1,000 Glenda Dean, 6752 S. U.S. 45, $2,000

Mount Vernon Cort Jones, 1401 25th St., $0 Taste of Mount Vernon, 1400 Main, $0 Martin and Connie McCluskey, 909 7th St., $95,000 Agracel, Inc. 1 Eagle Court, $800,000 AT&T Mobility, 7 Cusumano, $10,000 AT&T Mobility, 1900 8th St., $10,000 AT&T Mobility, 123 10th St., $10,000 Holloway Heating & Air, 1001 Shawnee, $10,000 Donnie Brown, 334 3 rd St., $1,000 St. Mary Church, 1400 Broadway, $0 Corinthian Baptist Church, 1026 Newby, $0 Farm Credit Services, 410 Potomac, $24,448 Farm Credit Services, 410 Potomac, $955 Farm Credit Services, 410 Potomac, $3,088 Swans Industrial Center, 800 Dogwood, $260,000 Jefferson County Historical Society, 1400 Broadway, $0 Aaron Walding, 707 10th St., $0 Premiere Dental, 9 Cusumano Drive, $1,000 Bandanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant, 308 44th St., $200,000 Old Homestead, 618 42nd St., $5,600 Agracel, Inc., 1 Eagle Court, $0 Joyce Sprehe, 2521 Colelge, $0 Stephanie Belmont, 717 Salem Road, $13,700 Pizza Man, 416 Main, $3,000 Panda Express, 4201 Broadway, $320,000 Aspen Dental Management, Inc., 4201 Broadway, $185,000 Ed Skelton, 1300 13th St., $0 PFS Properties, 1415 Broadway, $0

Bankruptcies Chapter 7 Jeffrey B. Moore, 203 E. Allen St., Marion Joanne Varney, 711 S. Mulkey, Christopher JoAnn Elizabeth Oliphant, 613 Hadfield, Marion Darlene Thompson, P.O. Box 131, Energy James Leroy Hudson, 71 Long Lane, Carbondale Kyle L. Kelley, 210 N. Illinois Ave., West Frankfort

Amy M. Howell, 4000 Apache Circle, Pinckneyville Nicole L. Vance, 510 S. Bentley St., Marion William E. and April C. Malone, 500 Charles Road, Lot 22, Carbondale Anita J. Gulley, P.O. Box 26, New Burnside Kelley Braca, 815 S. Park Ave., Herrin Terry L. Groves, 2603 Ingersoll Lane, Marion John W. and Dorothy A. Thomas, P.O. Box 361, Cisne James A. and Diana L. Akins, P.O. Box 853, Energy Jessica R. Kopacz, P.O. Box 23, Logan Vicki L. Ayers, P.O. Box 394, Energy Marcia M. Eason, 207 Old Golconda Road, Apt. 60, Golconda Stephanie A. Waller, 6176 Stephanie Lane, Tamaroa Robin F. and Juni C. Avery, 401 N. Commercial, Benton Tameria L. Wheeler, 18868 Crab Orchard Road, Marion Terry R. and Barbara A. Johnson, 380 Tunnel Hill Road, Tunnel Hill Kimberly R. Hopkins, R.R. 1, Box 72C, Rosiclare Glen W. and Rebecca I Elder, 326 Hamburg Road, Golconda Carol A. Bostic, 1302 W. Oak, Carmi Rachel L. Patton, 427 Stacy Ave., Du Quoin Janice R. Bradley, 103 Kohler Ave., Anna Anita L. Womack, P.O. Box 183, Equality Keith W. McCoy, 1008 Benton St., Eldorado Gary Estol Perry Jr., 130 N. Division St., Mount Carmel Tanya R. Watson, 904 W. Boulevard, Marion Vincent Scott and Mary Jane Darnell, Rt. 1, Box 138 AAA, Cave-in-Rock John J. Trent, P.O. Box 141, Raleigh Janet K. Brown, P.O. Box 565, Herrin Kimberly S. Short, 323 E. Lewis St., Anna Kathleen J. Dubec, 2309 E. Elm St., West Frankfort Ryan J. and Stephanie M. Luton, P.O. Box 194, Carterville Joshua Noah and Kimberly Louise Wright, 506 N. John St., Jonesboro Kerry A. and Ellen J. Shreve, Rt. 2, Box 166, Wayne City Patricia A. Morgan, P.O. Box 45, Johnsonville Dianne L. Holloway, 1102 Fairland, Benton Clint A. and Elizabeth Ramsey, 12 Links St., Ewing Carl L. Jr. and Stephanie L. Hosick, P.O. Box 105, Sesser Michael T. Steinmetz, P.O. Box 3297, Carbondale James E. Sr. and Naomi R. Tolbert, P.O. Box 32, Harrisburg Jessica L. Allgood, 405 Palestine Road, Stonefort Bradley G. Terry, P.O. Box 435, Tilden Christopher A. and Bambi L. Eaton, 918 Dale Hollow Drive, Steeleville Michelle A. Johnson, 6668 Blue Jay Lane, Carbondale

Johnnie L. and Barbara L. Cox, P.O. Box 236, New Haven Carole L. Scruggs, 106 Easter St., Marion Connie S. Heflin, 1007 E. Sixth St., Metropolis Jimmy A. Harber, 5260 Brentwood Road, Karnak Michele D. Peyton, 205 W. Eighth St., Belle Rive James L. Miller, P.O. Box 113, Herrin Connie Diane Morgan, 205 E. Parker Ave., Du Quoin Robert Earl Key Sr., P.O. Box 292, Benton Lois LaVern Key, 18754 Mount Zion Road, Benton Meeka Kay Pennington, 12786 Hafer Road, Carterville Arthur DeBran Sr. and Elena Hope Sudduth, 825 Charles St., Cairo Lanel D. Love, 1015 W. Laurel St., Carbondale Jeremy L. Stevens, 323 Dobson, Carterville Virgil F. Dardeen, 215 Hargrave Road, Harrisburg Josey F. Varnum, 237 Leon Lane, Ava Waymon W. and Barbara K. Johnson, 212 S. Main St., Cutler Eric J. Hartmann, 4 Bradley Court, Red Bud Hubert and Jacqueline Lynn Eugene Casteel, 41 Old Cain Road, Harrisburg William and Janice K. Russell Jr., P.O. Box 103, Broughton Laurie A. Tate, 2805 Mannen, Mount Vernon Edward Lacy and Sharon Kay Snyder, R.R. 1, Box 97, Herod David James and Tina Marie Riddle, 4648 E. Houston Road, Woodlawn Beverly Y. Sims, 126 Pullett Lane, Pulaski Brook L. Shepard, P.O. Box 157, Herrin Elizabeth R. Fairbanks, P.O. Box 1061, Marion Catherine M. Downs, 201 Water St., Grayville Leanne Lynn Corbett, 13560 E. VanDoren Road, Mount Vernon Paul Rametta, 290 Greentree Drive, Goreville

Chapter 13 Janet Pauline Hanna, 10538 Modeste Road, Carbondale Douglas E. and Lesa A. Lefler, 3343 Creek Nation Blacktop, Mulkeytown Stephen G. Will, 206 Flanigan Road, Murphysboro Gerald R. and Kimberly E. Goines, 780 Crescent Loop, Vienna Michael K. Brown, P.O. Box 904, Cairo Lee Ann Hutson Cook, P.O. Box 54, Nashville Gregory Allen and Charity Maria Bathon, 802 Murphy Road, Pinckneyville Vickie A. Newton, 127 N. Pine St., Zeigler Roger K. Duncan, 1001 California St., Carterville Michael L. McCurdy, 10667 Grassy Road, Marion John L. and Beatrice Jane McCaleb, 1205 Market St., Johnston City Ralph E. and Tracy R. Jedamski, 117 Park St., Gorham Mark W. Williams, 106 N. Fifth St., Elkville Trevor D. and Robin R. Cardwell, 3636 Third St., Thompsonville

Lulu E. Jennings, 813 Jodi Lane, Marion Paula J. Presswood, 100 N. State St., Ellis Grove Ronda S. Langley, 102 N. Lear, Marion Myra E. Henson, 6822 Robin Road, Du Bois Valerie L. Owens, 8 B Lane, Herrin Bill W. Boomer, 602 John Allen Court, Marion Pamela J. McCormick, 602 John Allen Court, Marion Jamison M. Frazer, 1261 Cole Place Road, Chester Cheryl Lynn Powell, P.O. Box 142, Eldorado David B. Anderson, 3869 Thompson St., Thompsonville Laurie A. Turner, 428 S. Front St., Apt. 105, Cobden Cory Dean and Pamela Ann Yaeger, 308 N. Crawford St., West Frankfort Mandi R. Gualdoni, 1402 W. Chestnut, Marion Ronald R. Jr. and Teri L. Stout, 1012 W. Elm St., West Frankfort Garry Ray Monroney, 107 Wagon Wheel Drive, Ellis Grove Lance and Luciana Avery, 1206 Creal Springs Road, Creal Springs Kyle Glen Schwartz Sr., 295 Ledford Road, Harrisburg Billy D. Jr. and Linda J. Spraggs, 214 S. Third St., Mound City Dorothea S. Pullett, 109 S. McKinley St., Mounds Joyce L. Marshall, 310 W. Sixth St., Metropolis Brooks M. Burr and Ingrid M. Hansen, 203 S. Wedgewood Lane, Carbondale Tracey L. Talley, 310 N. Fair, Apt. A., Marion Rebecca R. Poole, 213 Grand Ave., Anna Brandy J. Herron, 23949 Ridgeway Road, Thompsonville Sherry A. Cerutti, 2571 S. Illinois Ave. 136, Carbondale Daniel L. and Sheila A. Scott, 3090 Stewart Lane, Marion Mark A. and Lauri A. Gates, 901 E. Olive St., Du Quoin Kerry A. Arnold, 100 N. Jasper, Jonesboro Seth D. Sanders, 705 N. Seventh St., Murphysboro Stanley J. and Rosalie M. Kostecki, P.O. Box 71, Du Bois Carol Anthony, 1506 B Cornerstone Court, Marion Chad Ryan Reams, 8409 Emling Road, Du Quoin Kimberly Clemons, 15665 N. Angling Lane, Mount Vernon Douglas C. and Sandra Brown, 2213 Jennifer Lane, Marion Danny Theodore McBride, 2711 Beaucoup Road, Vergennes Jerry B. Buckelew, 3189 Charley Good, West Frankfort John K. Harland Jr., 336 Springdale Road, SEE FINE PRINT / PAGE 23

We’re working to help build your business.

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618-549-8631 Membership required. All loans subject to credit approval. Federally insured by NCUA. Equal Housing Lender. Contact SIU Credit Union for additional information.

APRIL 2012

MAILBAG FROM PAGE 15 that translates into the foregone cost of choosing one action over another. Simply put, what is it that you would have done with that time if you didn’t make a particular choice? Depending on the weather, I would race home to beat an impending storm that would have surely made my job more difficult. If I weren’t out cutting the grass at that time, I would have been working on something related to growing The Entrepreneur Café, LLC. The opportunity cost associated with me cutting the lawn at that time translated into an estimated $505.33. There are two important lessons I think a business owner can take away from my lawn dilemma. For starters, I think many entrepreneurs lack a true value of what

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL their time is worth. If they did, I believe there would be a dramatic shift in how they used their limited time and resources. Instead, there would be a greater focus on those areas of the business that help their companies see the greatest possible return. Secondly, entrepreneurs should look to identify what their core competencies are or what it is that they do better than anyone else in their organization. Then, they have to be comfortable with leaving all secondary tasks to those individuals on their teams who can handle those tasks better than they can. CAVANAUGH L. GRAY is director of business development for The Entrepreneur Café, LLC. For more information on how to start, grow and succeed in small business, be sure to follow The Entrepreneur Café, LLC at www.ecafellc.com or on Twitter @TheECafe.

Mark Your Calendar April 3

April 18

Beginning Access 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

Advanced Excel 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Starting a Business in Illinois: 1 to 3 p.m., room 150, Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, 150 E. Pleasant Hill Road, Carbondale. Free. An optional business start-up kit is available for $15. Call 618-536-2424 or email sbdc@siu.edu.

April 4 Beginning Excel 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

April 5 Beginning Access 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. iPad 101: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F119, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

April 10 Beginning Excel 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

April 11

WORKPLACE FROM PAGE 19 every meeting. Switch it up! Bring fruit in or another healthy alternative. Designate a free fruit day and bring in a piece of fruit for everyone. Check with your insurance company to see what kind of smoking cessation programs it offers and publicize those programs to your employees. Offer a reward from the company to someone who can quit and remain smoke-free for a year. Post a wellness bulletin board and update it monthly. Rotate the person who is responsible for the content. Coordinate the content with special months or healthy events. For example, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. October’s bulletin board could give information on that topic. Host speakers. Look for free health/wellness speakers willing to speak to your employees without including a sales pitch or solicitation. Work with your vending provider to have the vending machines labeled. Find a way to identify healthy snacks versus not-so-healthy snacks. Make copies of exercises with instructions and photos. Offer them to employees to take home and use. Create a contest with prizes that rewards positive and healthy changes. I know that American Cancer Society

offers the free program, Active for Life, which emphasizes the importance of exercise, drinking enough water and eating fruits and vegetables. ACS is a great resource. Contact the organization today. Make sure to document your success so you can compare with later attempts at wellness programming. Don’t forget to encourage and/or reward good behaviors as your employees make positive changes. Maybe you are not ready for a huge program, but you can take small steps to ease into positive and healthy change. Try to set the example and ask your fellow leaders to do the same. Management is not exempt from participation. Honestly, I know we are all busy. Commit to offering one wellness activity this year for your employees. No matter what your size, I guarantee that there is a program that can start some positive and healthy changes in your workplace. Good luck and don’t forget to make it fun. 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, including executive coaching. You can reach her at angela@yourprofessional partners.com, 618-969-8800 and Twitter: A_Holmes_Young.

Beginning Publisher 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H125, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

April 12 iPad for Educators: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F118, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

April 13 Intermediate Excel 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Beginning QuickBooks 2009: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

April 16 Intermediate Excel 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

April 17 Beginning Access 2010: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

April 19 Intermediate Access 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Beginning Outlook 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Time & Stress Management: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F110, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Cost is $90.

April 20

Beginning Excel 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

April 23 Beginning Publisher 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

April 24 Intermediate Access 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Team Building: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F109, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Cost is $90.

April 25 Advanced Access 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

April 27 Intermediate Excel 2010: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

For more information on John A. Logan or to register for classes, call 618-985-2828, ext. 8510 or email cbi@jalc.edu. John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry is at 700 College Road, Carterville, and cost is $55 unless otherwise noted.

FINE PRINT FROM PAGE 21 Murphysboro Renata J. Lane, P.O Box 172, Mounds Courtney M. Cast, 411 W. Mississippi St., Jonesboro John P. Smith, 705 McKinley St., Anna Suzanne K. Penland, 301 E. Lincoln St., Karnak Mark E. Lefler, 707 S. Pine St., Zeigler Peggy D. Jackson, P.O. Box 69, Grand Chain

Lynette M. Dixon, 523 N. Bill Drive, Lot 59, Murphysboro Bradley K. Ridenhour, 102 Wilson, Anna Charles L. and Kathy J. Edgar, 1942 Camp Cedar Point Lane, Makanda Gerald Elvin Clements, 104 Second St., Johnsonville Anitra L. Parrish, 420 S. Central St., Benton William Bradley and Dawn Marie Melvin, 425 Old Marion Road, West Frankfort Jana L. King, 1501 W. Monroe, Herrin Leon D. and Lisa A. Crane, 1725 Glendale School Road, Murphysboro