SBJ 02-01-10 by The Southern Illinoisan

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FEBRUARY 2010

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SBJ Community Leadersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Breakfast Thurs., Apr. 29, 2010 at John A. Logan College

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COVER STORY Love in the air: Some businesses in Southern Illinois look forward to Valentine’s Day as one of the year’s most important sea-sons for selling. As you might expect, the traditional day for sweethearts is a boon for card and gift shops, but it also can be a very important day for restaurants and for travel, especially when the holiday falls on a weekend. Get an overall perspective on the impact Cupid has on the regional economy in this month’s cover story from regular correspondent William Atkinson, a free-lance writer based in Carterville. Pages 4-5, 20

WORKPLACE How to pep up your presentations: Everyone in business benefits from strong presentation skills, no matter if the presentations are for one-on-one situations or for staff meetings, community events, sales calls, board meetings, budget updates or creative presentations. Fortunately, there are strategies just about anyone can use to add impact to almost every type of presentation. SBJ Contributor Jane Sanders recommends studying the requirements of the presentation, determining what must be accomplished and creating a high-impact introduction. Page 6

FINANCIAL OUTLOOK Safety is an elastic concept: Although safety might have different meanings to different investors, they agree that

20 10

for everyone it means staying away from scandalous investment scams that seem to plague unwary investors on a regular basis. Regular contributor Michael P. Tison advises there is no foolproof way to maintain purchasing power over the long term but advises that risks can be mitigated by making investment choices that historically outpace inflation while maintaining a relatively steady value. Page 9

INDICATORS Unemployment statistics looking better: Unemployment dropped by 0.5 percent from the prior year for the 18county Southern Illinois region in November 2009, the last month for which complete statistics are available. Hard-hit Franklin County’s jobless rate dropped by 0.9 to a still-too-high 14 percent. Nine counties saw their jobless rates decrease from October, while three other counties saw no change. Unemployment rose in six counties but at a slower rate than in previous months. Revenue generated by hotel and motel stays in Carbondale rose over the prior year. Pages 12-13

Corbell Telephone and Electronics .... 20 Dutch Guttering ................................ 20 Edward Jones ...................................... 9 Egyptian Electric Cooperative................ 5 Feirich, Mager, Green & Ryan.............. 20 Henry Printing ...................................... 6 Hyannis Air Service, Inc. .................... 15 Jackson and Gray Insurance .............. 16 Jim’s Mobile Offices & Homes ............ 9

ACHIEVEMENTS Catch up: Find out who has been hired, who has been promoted or who has received an award for their efforts in business. If you know of a business or business person who deserves special recognition for advanced training, a unique honor or an expansion of business, please let us know at sbj@thesouthern.com. Page 19

Contact us The Southern Business Journal (USPS #019988) 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 e-mail 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. Periodicals Postage Paid at Carbondale, IL. Copyright 2010 by The Southern Illinoisan, all rights reserved. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Southern Business Journal, P.O. Box 2108, Carbondale, IL 62902. A subscription may be obtained by calling 618-529-5454 or 618-997-3356, or by visiting our Web site.

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Publisher: Dennis M. DeRossett n 618-351-5038 Editor: Gary Metro n 618-351-5033

John A. Logan College .......................... 8 Midwest Backgrounds, Inc. ................ 20 Pepsi MidAmerica .......................... 3, 17 Property with TLC, LLC .......................... 6 Samron Midwest Contracting ........ 12-13 SchoolCenter .................................... 24

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FEBRUARY 2010

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Looking for ‘Leaders’ BY GARY METRO SBJ EDITOR

Do you know of an up-and-coming leader? We are seeking nominees for The Southern Business Journal’s “Leaders Among Us Class of 2010.” This year’s honorees will be Metro unique from many we saluted in the previous five years. We’re looking generally for younger leaders, though we may make exceptions for the young at heart. This is your invitation to tell us about those special people. Perhaps they are essential for volunteer efforts offered through churches, civic groups or schools. They may also be outstanding performers at work, but we’re looking for those who excel beyond their careers. Some may be well-known and recognized by many as leaders who will serve Southern Illinois through several generations. Others are likely to be behind-the-scenes stars, the

human engines who power great initiatives, who are both willing and able to serve as top leaders. Each spring for the past six years, we have honored a group of people from across Southern Illinois — a total of 102 outstanding people. It’s easy to help in this search for younger leaders. Look around your community for the folks who are leading and succeeding. Please e-mail your nominations to gary.metro@thesouthern.com and include the person’s name, occupation, a description of the person’s community work and a few sentences on why you believe that individual deserves this honor. Please include your telephone number, too, and submit the information by Feb. 20. Those chosen for the Class of 2010 will be featured in a glossy, full-color magazine to be published in late April. The Class of 2010 will be honored and given awards at the Community Leaders’ Breakfast on April 29 at John A Logan College. — Gary Metro is editor of The Southern Business Journal and The Southern Illinoisan. He can be reached at 618-351-5033.

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SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2010

Cover Story When love is in the air, the background music comes from cash register bells BY WILLIAM ATKINSON SBJ CORRESPONDENT

For some Southern Illinois businesses, the third busiest and most profitable time of the year is mid-February. According to Lois Fox, manager of Kirlin’s Hallmark Store in Carbondale, Valentine’s Day is the store’s third biggest holiday. “Christmas is first, and Mother’s Day is second,” she reports. In 2009, the store saw a 37 percent increase in business in February, compared to an average month. To prepare for the increase, the store obviously needs more inventory. However, the company has a corporate buying staff that makes purchases for the 100 or so stores nationwide. As such, Kirlin’s doesn’t have to devote time and resources to this part of the business. Besides receiving increased shipments of cards, the store also receives additional shipments of candy and “plush” (stuffed animals, etc.). In terms of staffing, the store doesn’t hire any additional help. However, all of its existing employees are scheduled full time during the few days before Valentine’s Day. A couple of days before the holiday, business is “extremely intense.” In fact, according to Fox, it is probably the most “last-minute” holiday of any during the year. “Some employees work the floor, helping customers identify just the right items for their loved ones,” she states. For employees working the cash registers, it is “non-stop ringing,” she adds. “They actually work up a sweat just scanning purchases, ringing them up and putting them in bags.” However, things tend to be a lot of fun, and everyone is in a cheerful mood. It is also a time for unique events. One year, the store had a giant teddy bear in its display window. A young man wanted to propose to his fiancé that weekend. He asked the store to print up a sign, “Will you marry me, Karen?” for the bear to hold. The bear was also holding the engagement ring in the box. “He then walked her by the store,”

recalls Fox. “When she saw it, she was so happy that she started crying.” Kirlin’s has seen an increase in business year-over-year at Valentine’s, but not necessarily because the holiday itself is becoming more popular. Rather, a lot of the increase, according to Fox, is the result of the closing of some other card stores in the area, making Kirlin’s a destination for some people who would have otherwise made purchases elsewhere. Etcetera Flowers & Fine Gifts in Marion also sees a huge spike in business. “Business definitely picks up around Valentine’s Day,” reports Mark Alexander, manager. “For us, it is the third busiest holiday, after Christmas and Mother’s Day. We see about a 25 percent spike in business that week.” In terms of inventory, Etcetera can usually predict what will be popular. For example, with flowers, tulips have tended to be the flower of choice in recent years, after roses. “We also study sales from the previous year, as well as market trends in general,” states Alexander. Chocolates are very popular, as well as fine keepsake giftware. In terms of staffing, everyone in the store can expect to be working double shifts. “We will have extra delivery people as well,” he adds. In recent years, Alexander has seen the holiday become much more popular. “I have been here 25 years, and I have seen a steady increase over the last 10 years,” he states. “I see no reason that it won’t continue to grow.” For some other product-related businesses, there is a slight increase in business, but not a lot. For example, around Valentine’s Day, Cartervillebased Your Jeweler doesn’t see a significant increase in revenue. However, volume is higher. If that seems confusing, Rob Bisching, owner, explains. “We see an increase in sales of lowerticket items,” he states. These include gold roses, little heart lockets, Cupid pins, etc. “We stock up on these items in

To heck with people! I love my pet! PETCO, a Carbondale-based pet supply shop, doesn’t see much of an uptick in business from people buying pet supplies for the pets that their significant others own. However, it does see a big increase in business from the pet owners themselves buying gifts for their own pets (primarily dogs and cats). On Valentine’s Day, the store sells special toys and gifts for pets, as well as Valentine’s Day decorating on dog treats. “We also offer edible Valentine’s Day cards that are addressed to the pets,” states Jackie Graff, assistant store manager. “These are made out of pressed rawhide and include non-toxic ink. We also have Valentine’s Day-specific apparel for pets.” One thing PETCO will be doing this year is offering combination manicure and “paw-i-cure” specials. The store will partner with a salon in town. The salon will do the woman’s nails, and PETCO’s

groomers and pet stylists will do the dog’s or cat’s nails in a color and polish that matches the woman’s. Over the years, the trend has been growing, according to Graff. “When the holiday is over, we don’t have very much of anything related to Valentine’s Day left over,” she states. Even though the store doesn’t sell dogs and cats, Graff knows that it is a very popular practice for people to give dogs and cats as gifts to each other on Valentine’s Day. As such, it partners with local animal shelters and humane societies, which come in on some weekends of the year that coordinate with holidays, so that customers can adopt puppies and kittens. “Since Valentine’s Day is a Sunday this year, we will probably have one of our adoption days that weekend,” she states.

advance. However, if someone wants something that is out of stock, we are usually able to get it within 24 hours.” Also, on occasion, the store will go to a florist to purchase some roses, and give these out as gifts to customers. Your Jeweler has been in business about 20 years. During that time, Bisching hasn’t seen a significant increase at Valentine’s Day year-over-year.

To staff up, the restaurant has at least one or two extra people working in every position. Ordering also gets bumped up. For Valentine’s Day in specifically, higher-end menu items, such as steaks, tend to be very popular, so the restaurant orders a lot more of these. “We also always have a special that we run that day, and it is usually a higherend item, such as filet steak or lobster tail,” states Lawrence. As to whether the popularity of the holiday is increasing or not, Lawrence is not sure. “However, it definitely isn’t getting any slower,” he points out. “It is always a day we can depend on to be really good.” Inclement weather does not put a damper on business, according to Lawrence. “People are pretty determined to go out on Valentine’s Day, regardless of the weather,” he explains. For the bed-and-breakfast industry in Southern Illinois, February doesn’t tend to be an active month, according to

Let’s go somewhere! What about service-oriented businesses? “We definitely see a spike in business on Valentine’s Day,” notes Bruce Lawrence, assistant general manager at Houlihan’s Restaurant in Carbondale. “It is the first big day of the year that we look forward to after the holiday season.” If Valentine’s Day falls on a weekend, the restaurant sees about a 25 to 30 percent increase in business. If it falls during the week, when the restaurant generally wouldn’t be as busy, it could easily double its business on that day.

— William Atkinson

FEBRUARY 2010

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Cover Story Andrea Dahmer, co-owner of Davie School Inn in Anna. “However, Valentine’s Day weekend tends to be busy for us,” she states. “The most popular rooms are our romantic suites, which have fireplaces, large Jacuzzis and other amenities.” In some cases, she finds, guests who stay at the Davie School Inn will also take the time to visit wineries. Paul Renzaglia, co-owner and general manager of Alto Vineyards in Alto Pass, the region’s first winery, sees an uptick in business around Valentine’s Day, but not specifically because it is Valentine’s Day. Mid-February tends to be the beginning of the “wine trail season,” according to Renzaglia. There is not only an increase in on-site business (people visiting the winery in person), but also in the sale of wine at the wholesale and retail levels. “To gear up for the increase, we try to run some specials,” he states. “We also increase our marketing around this time, such as buying ads in newspapers and other media. Much of this is because the wine trail has become more popular in general,” explains Renzaglia. “More people have the knowledge that we exist.”

Look at me! Mandy Pfeaster, owner of Uptown Styles beauty salon in SEE LOVE / PAGE 20

Think something big (or not) Certainly, flowers, chocolates, gifts and restaurant meals are popular fare for Valentine’s Day. But what about “thinking bigger?” For example, do people ever buy homes for each other? While such events have most certainly taken place somewhere at some time, Rich Davis, president and broker for Century 21 Real Estate, hasn’t personally experienced it. “Purchasing a home is definitely done with love involved,” he notes. “However, to say that a purchase was specifically tied to Valentine’s Day, I can’t say that I have had that experience.” OK, maybe not homes. But what about vehicles? Here, the answer is a definite yes. “We tend to see an uptick in business around most holidays or other events,” reports Aaron Fisher, Internet manager for Marion Toyota. These include Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and graduations. “We see an increase in sales not only with vehicles themselves, but also with accessories, where a husband might buy a GPS system for his wife’s vehicle, or someone might buy a DVD

player to be installed on their husband’s or wife’s van.” In most cases, the purchases aren’t a surprise for the person who is the recipient of the vehicle. Usually, they know ahead of time that they will be receiving the gift. However, there are some surprises. “I remember a couple of years ago, a woman came in, and her husband was under the impression that she was buying a car for herself,” he recalls. “When he came in after work on Valentine’s Day to sign the paperwork, he found out that she had purchased it for him. It was the car he had always wanted.” In other cases,the dealership has parked new cars in driveways, so when the people come home from work that day, they are surprised. “The surprise factor depends on how clever the person doing the buying wants to be,” he explains. In the last half a dozen years, Fisher has seen a bit more buying around Valentine’s Day than he has in the past. “People get tired of doing the same thing every year, such as buying flowers and candy,” he explains. “They want to be a bit more creative.” — William Atkinson

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2010

Workplace Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your presentations BY JANE SANDERS SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

Would you like to improve your confidence and reduce anxiety during presentations? Do a better job maintaining your audience’s attention? More Sanders effectively influence the audience to respond as you desire? Everyone in business benefits from strong presentation skills, whether for one-on-one situations or for staff meetings, community events, sales calls, board meetings, budget updates, creative presentations, etc. Following are some tips to help you improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your presentations. Future columns will continue with additional suggestions.

Analyze the requirements Do some homework in advance. This will help you focus on the task at hand and pull your attention away from your piledhigh in-box. Write the answers to these questions: Who or what group requested the presentation? Why was it requested? Who are the audience members? How many people? What are their positions, duties? What is important to them? What are their needs? What might keep them from responding as you wish? What is their knowledge of your topic? You will need to do a little research to get this

information, and don’t worry if you can’t get it all. Just learn as much as you can. The answers will help you better prepare. Abraham Lincoln once said, “If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I would spend the first six sharpening my axe.” For example, wouldn’t you like to know if members of your audience just experienced pay cuts or layoffs? This would tell you where to step lightly, to sincerely mention your understanding and empathy, and perhaps delay asking for donations. What is the date? What else is going on then? How long is your presentation? Will others be presenting, too? Where in the agenda do you fall? What resources are available to help you prepare — the Internet, an assistant or intern, the library, company files? Where will your presentation be, and what resources will be needed in terms of equipment, refreshments and room set-up? The room’s set-up can powerfully impact the energy during your presentation. Arrange tables and/or chairs so members of the group are close together. If you have to choose, it’s better to have a crowded room than a small group of people in a huge area. The energy in the latter situation literally gets sucked up to the ceiling and makes it difficult for the group members to connect with you or each other.

Determine your objectives What is the end result you want to achieve? The more specific you can be with this objective, the better. Complete this sentence: “Because of my

presentation, my audience will ...” Some examples include: sell more product, buy my service, approve my budget request, join the local industry association, communicate more effectively with the opposite sex, understand our company finances, implement my promotional ideas, etc. Remember, with any presentation, you are selling and performing! Keep this objective(s) in mind throughout the preparation and delivery of your presentation. Doing so will help keep you focused on appropriate and effective content and performance.

Prepare your introduction Grab attention! Hit them fast and hard. This is your chance to pull members of the audience into the program and persuade them to listen to you. Do something a little out of the ordinary. They are expecting you to say, “Good morning. Thank you for being here.” Don’t. It’s boring! Several opening ideas come to mind. Find a quote that relates to your topic. Open with a startling statement, some shocking information. For example, a teacher presenting to students about driving safety could start with a statistic, of course using accurate numbers, “620,000 lives were lost last year, unnecessarily, because of unfastened seat belts.” Wham! Then continue, “I’m Jane Doe, and I hope to convince you today of the great importance of wearing seatbelts. In fact, your life depends on it.” An eye-opening demonstration is very effective also. To open a local community watch meeting, a sheriff’s deputy once

walked to the front of the room, plopped a cardboard box on a table, and without saying a word, started pulling weapons out and dropping them on the table with a heavy clunk. You could have heard a pin drop in that room, and all eyes were glued on the deputy. His objective? To persuade the audience to become active in the neighborhood watch program. Another way to open is to ask the audience three questions, all relevant to your content and ultimate objective. Notice the way I started this article. Use humor, but be careful; just make sure the joke is funny, non-offensive to everyone and relative to the content of your presentation. Alternatively, your stories, quotes and questions can be funny, too. Create rapport during your introduction by smiling and looking people in the eye. Communicate to them why they should listen. Outline the content or tell them what you are going to tell them. Explain your purpose for being there. Use these ideas and notice how they increase the positive results of your presentations! — Jane Sanders is a speaker, trainer and facilitator in the areas of gender communication, recruiting and retention of women, selling to women, strategic business or life planning, presentation skills and authentic leadership confidence. Located in Mount Vernon, she is author of “GenderSmart: Solving The Communication Puzzle Between Men and Women,” available on her Web site. Reach her toll-free at 877-343-2150; jane@janesanders.com; www.janesanders.com.

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Now seeking nominations for the

Leaders Among Us C L A S S O F 2 010

We want to recognize LEADERS from your community for the great work they do.

2004-2009 Leaders Among Us 2004

2006

2008

GUY ALONGI PAT BAUER SHARON BRADHAM BRYCE CRAMER LEE CRISP ED CROW LARRY DIETZ DUTCH DOELITZSCH KAREN FREITAG GREG INGRAM CORENE MCDANIEL ROBERT MEES ELAINE MELBY CHRIS NAEGLE YOLANDA PETERSON GLENN POSHARD JERRY REPPERT GEORGE SHEFFER BARRY SMITH MARILYN STORCH JANET VAUGHT

GENE ALEXANDER TIM BLEYER RAY CUMMISKY VICKI CUMMISKY MONA DIEFENBACH REX DUNCAN BOB HALL KATHY LIVELY BART MANN BILL NIELSEN GOEBEL PATTON JAKE RENDLEMAN PAUL RESTIVO MIKE SHERRILL VANESSA SHERRILL NANCY STEMPER BLAINE STROCK SHERRY WILLIAMS DAVID WOOD

WAYNE ASBERRY BOB BUTLER DALE FOWLER LARRY GOOD DUANE HILEMAN LINDA HILEMAN MIKE JONES ANN KNEWITZ MIKE MCCLURE DON PATTON LARRY PETERSON JO POSHARD JULIA SCHROEDER BETTY SIRLES WAYNE SIRLES CATHY WOOD

2005 JOSEPH BROWN HARRY L. CRISP ROSEMARY CRISP BOB FERRARI JIM FRALISH KATIE FRALISH SAM GOLDMAN JERRY HICKAM DON NOLEN ALLAN PATTON MICHAEL TISON TED VAN ACKER DON WEDGE WALTER WENDLER

2007 DAVE BAUER DOROTHY BAUER BILL BECK BILL BONAN II SARA BOND BARB BROWN MYRTLE DELOACH JIM GENTILE JERRY KILL REBECCA KILL MARY MECHLER MARGARET NESBITT DARREN PULLEY SHAWN STEARNS WOODY THORNE GLORIA TISON

2009 LOIS MURPHY DORIS HEATON GALEN DAVIS ERNEST COLLINS DR. CARL PLANINC HARLEAN “TICKIE” MILLER MARLENE SIMPSON DON DENNY LARRY MIZELL LOUISE OGG DAVID CORACY HELEN CORACY ROBERT KOENEGSTEIN DR. CHARLES ROE ANGIE HAMPTON SUSAN KEIM

The Class of 2010 will emphasize the younger generations of leaders going above and beyond their jobs to make a positive impact for the region.

To nominate an individual for the Leaders Among Us Class of 2010, visit www.thesouthern.com/leaders or complete the nomination form below and submit it to The Southern Illinoisan by Saturday, Feb. 20. The Class of 2010 will be announced and honored on April 29 during the Community Leaders Breakfast at John A. Logan College.

NOMINEE INFORMATION: Name: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Occupation: _______________________________________ Daytime Phone: ___________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________________ City: _____________________________________________________________ State: __________ Zip:______________ Please briefly describe nominee’s community involvement: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ SUBMITTED BY: Name: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________________ City: _____________________________________________________________ State: __________ Zip:______________ Mail to:

Gary Metro, Editor The Southern Illinoisan & Southern Business Journal P.O. Box 2108 • Carbondale, IL 62902

Online submission available:

www.thesouthern.com/leaders

“One Region, One Vision” ™ COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Nomination deadline:

SATURDAY, FEB. 20

FEBRUARY 2010

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Financial Outlook When it comes to investing, the term ‘safety’ is an elastic concept BY MICHAEL P. TISON SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

Ask investors what “safety” means and you’re likely to get a stream of quite different answers. To one, there is no question that “safety” means preservation of Tison principal. You want your $1,000 always to be worth not less than $1,000, though it would be nice if, over time, it could produce a gain of some sort. To another, “safety” means preservation of purchasing power — today’s $1,000 won’t really be worth $1,000 for very long if five years later you actually need $1,165 (annual inflation calculated at 3.1 percent) to buy what the original amount would have purchased when you set it aside. “Safety” in investing is an elastic concept. Your idea of it may depend on your stage of life. What is “safe” to someone 65 may be regarded as far too conservative a definition by someone who is 40 and anticipates favorable long-term investment results in his or her future. “Safety” can be defined by attitude. A confident investor may be comfortable with a generous definition of the word, while a nervous investor may feel ill if anything at all threatens principal or purchasing power. No matter how you define “safety” in

investing, most agree that for everyone, it means staying away from the scandalous investment scams that seem to plague unwary investors on a regular basis.

problems, your actual inflation rate is probably higher. Also, TIPS are bonds, not cash, which means their market price fluctuates, adding another risk to “safety.”

‘Safe’ as the FDIC

Purchasing power

If preservation of principal is the goal, there is nothing safer than money invested in the broad range of U.S. Treasury instruments (backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government), or in bank accounts or certificates of deposit that fall under the insured limits of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). At least until Dec.13, 2013, accounts are insured up to $250,000 (double that for joint accounts and IRA funds). There is no reason not to seek the best yield you can find from the FDICinsured institutions, as long as you stay under the insured ceiling at each one. An unpleasant consequence of plowing your money into the most conservative, “safe” investments is that your funds face inflation risk. The safest instruments offer low interest rates and over time you could lose purchasing power value, even as the actual dollar amount slowly grows. You could invest in Treasury InflationProtected Securities, with prices and coupons adjusted to reflect inflation, though when you figure the “real yield,” the actual yield above inflation, they often don’t seem quite as attractive. Keep in mind that TIPS yields are based on the official inflation rates as produced by the Consumer Price Index, and, depending on your personal situation, that may not be enough; if you’re retired and have health

There is no foolproof way to maintain purchasing power over the long term, but you can try to mitigate the inevitable risks involved by making careful investment choices — investments that, at least historically, hold the promise of outpacing inflation while maintaining a relatively steady value. By adopting this strategy, you’re agreeing that you do not need the highest returns you could possibly get from your portfolio. Rather, you are perhaps satisfied with the size of your portfolio and require only the kind of modest growth that will likely keep you just ahead of inflation. Your goal is to be able to buy in 20 years the bag of groceries that today cost you $50. Given the average historic U.S. inflation rate of 3.1 percent, those groceries would cost you $92.08. Of course, there is no telling exactly what future inflation rates will be. A strategically designed conservative portfolio of thoughtfully chosen domestic and international dividend-paying common stocks and bonds might produce the relatively modest 4 or 5 percent annual return you would need. Inevitably, these investments all come with risks, which you’ve already shown you’re ready to accept when you decided to try to preserve purchasing power.

Beyond safety’s limits In general, the higher returns you seek, the farther away you move from even the most elastic definitions of “safety.” There is no mix that successfully marries the two concepts, although you can always attempt to protect yourself by choosing your investments judiciously and investing only after solid research and evaluation. Risk takes many forms that can undermine whatever safety you believe you’ve built into your portfolio. If too much of your wealth is based on your holding of your company’s or a “safe” company’s stock, for example, you may have too much concentrated equity. Finally, aside from making realistic assessments of where you stand on the scale of relative investing safety, ensure you’re not undermining your careful work by neglecting other hidden holes in your finances. No matter what risk you assume, your investments are unlikely to match credit card interest rates. And even mortgage or car or other loans can be a drag on your finances. If you’re approaching retirement, you may want to consider ridding yourself of these debts. Doing so could be the equivalent, in most cases, of getting quite a good, and safe, return on your funds. — 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.

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FEBRUARY 2010

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Formulas for Success 2010 resolutions for small business success – Start the decade right! BY CAVANAUGH L. GRAY SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

Last year was dominated by headlines of a struggling economy, unemployment numbers and credit crunches which overshadowed the fact the entrepreneurs Gray across the country and throughout the region have found ways to survive and thrive. Because entrepreneurs are by their very nature optimistic, I believe that many small business owners are looking at a glass half full for 2010. The following are some business tips for getting the new decade started on the right foot. Focus on goals. I like to encourage

owners to choose one time of the year to do a full review of their company’s business plan. However, juggling the day-today operations of a business often leaves little time for staying on top of this process on a regular basis. If this sounds like you, then try developing three strong business goals that you believe you can implement over the course of the year. Let’s say that one of your goals for the year is to crack the $250,000 sales barrier. With that achievement in sight, then it’s important to determine what obstacles may stand in your way, and what objectives need to be completed to reach that goal. It’s also important to chart your progress along the way, revising your plans as necessary. Get creative. A recurring question I often get is, “Where can I put my marketing dollars that will provide the most return and exposure for my company?” My response is to look

beyond the common marketing options in pursuit of some creative, low- to nocost marketing techniques that get attention. One of the more memorable pieces of marketing I have seen involved a 24-year-old, unemployed college graduate, David Rowe, who took to the streets of London armed only with a sandwich board over his suit. The sandwich board read, “Job Wanted, History Graduate, Interview Me, Prepared to Work First Month Free.” The sign caught the attention of a recruitment firm and landed him a job. Who says marketing has to be costly? Innovate quickly and often. A hallmark of the entrepreneurial community is the ability to generate great ideas and then figure out what sticks. But how does one manage the day-to-day operations while bringing fresh ideas to market? Depending on your line of business, try

not to let new ideas stray too far away from your core area business. Be sure to allow others to give their insight on future projects in order to determine early on if your new idea solves a large enough problem. Finally, try to get projects completed and ready to market in less time and under budget. This will ensure that you don’t invest too much time and money on a project that may not go far. Although there is no guaranteed recipe for small business success, by focusing on achieving a few key company goals, getting creative with your marketing and innovating new ideas quickly, you could be well on your way to a promising 2010. — Cavanaugh L. Gray is the director of business development for The Entrepreneur Café, L.L.C. in Carbondale. He can be contacted at cgray@ecafell.com or 618-206-7013.

Retirement planning calls for shift from wealth accumulation to wealth preservation BY SCOTT MCCLATCHEY SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

Time passes and priorities change. When you approach retirement, your investment mindset may have to be modified. If you are in your 30s or 40s, the goal is accumulation — McClatchey investing and saving to amass as much as possible for your future. When you are older, the goal changes to wealth preservation, the objective of making assets last through a combination of conservative investing, sensible cash flow, risk management and tax reduction. It’s a subtle shift. Committed investors who work with a financial consultant often receive guidance to help them adjust their investment approach to new phases of life. If you’re younger than 40, you will

almost always be encouraged to invest for growth for two reasons. One, you probably have a very longtime horizon until retirement (maybe as long as 40 years). Two, numerous studies have shown that the stock market has historically outperformed (in the longterm) fixed-rate investments and savings accounts. Also, as your earnings increase, you can potentially defer greater and greater amounts of salary for retirement savings. When people are in their 40s, they usually begin to approach their maximum earnings potential. This is when many portfolios start to shift toward a mix of growth-oriented and preservationoriented investments. For many people, this shift toward asset preservation gets more pronounced the older they get, though some growth investments usually remain in their portfolios because their retirement capital may have to last for another 30 or 40 years. In retirement, a financial consultant has to find an asset allocation that will encourage a regular income stream for you without discouraging your potential for

growth. It must also be an allocation that you are comfortable with. Still accumulating? Perhaps you started saving for retirement relatively late, or maybe you had a financial setback or two. This is not unusual. Many people in their 50s or 60s are still in the accumulation phase out of necessity. There are people in their 40s or 50s who have no retirement savings. Many are predisposed to “make up for lost time” and adopt an aggressive investment strategy. This can be dangerous. People may be tempted to invest the bulk of their assets in a “hot” sector of the market, crossing their fingers and hoping for double-digit returns. But as we have seen with the real estate market, what seems “hot” may turn cold. Diversification is just as important for late savers. There is a psychology of preservation. “Wealth preservation” is a broad term that can signify a number of financial steps. A good wealth preservation strategy addresses the things that have to be addressed for any mature couple or individual or maturing family.

It should outline how retirement plan savings will be reinvested and managed (asset allocation, investment objectives). It should establish a schedule of sensible income withdrawals. It should provide measures for tax efficiency (in investing) and tax reduction to potentially increase the after-tax return. It should incorporate an estate plan to permit the tax-efficient transfer of assets to heirs and/or favorite causes. Is preserving wealth on your mind? If not, it may need to be, particularly if you are in your 40s, 50s or older. Now might be the right time to confer with a qualified financial advisor and discuss a shift in emphasis from wealth accumulation to wealth preservation. — Scott McClatchey is a founder and LPL financial advisor with Alliance Investment Planning Group, a Carbondale-based investment firm at 115 S. Washington St. He can be reached at 618-519-9344 or scott@allianceinvestmentplanning.com. Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC.

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 Oct 2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

95.1 58.4 470.1 33.6 44.2 84.6 160.3 123.5 10.2 566.9 64.7 398.3 108.2 94.0 31.0 58.3 105.2 30.9 76.6 93.0 $2,707.1 $116,055.4

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

109.7 70.4 579.4 32.7 51.1 95.0 164.9 127.9 11.5 545.9 69.4 475.3 94.6 101.1 38.0 82.5 127.7 32.7 70.8 102.3 $2,983.0 $167,459.0

112.2 71.6 544.9 32.4 50.8 99.9 160.2 122.4 10.7 525.3 73.4 462.4 90.5 103.6 37.9 75.9 121.7 32.7 70.9 105.9 $2,905.3 $159,201.4

N I L L I Chicago Fed Midwest % change 04-08 Manufacturing Index

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

0.98% 0.28% 7.85% 23.77% 1.38% 8.01% 11.92% 11.03% 15.89% 28.19% 3.41% 4.41% 29.39% 1.74% 2.90% 2.37% 7.23% 23.85% 26.38% 5.00% 10.94% 49.14%

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

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 2002. Starting in November 2005, the index excluded the electricity component. 115 114 113 112 111 110

IPMFG Nov 09 100.2

109 108 107 106 105 104 103 102 100 98 94

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

3,416 17,218 2,673 4,002 1,753 32,109 20,180 5,060 7,309 9,185 1,903 2,957 15,113 12,498 8,413 8,016 7,632 34,634 194,071 6,644,016 153,720,000

Jobless 386 2,404 293 395 217 2,474 2,182 547 646 1,155 217 340 1,473 1,404 936 675 672 3,376 19,792 695,215 15,340,000

Nov 2009

Oct 2009

Nov 2008

11.3% 14.0% 11.0% 9.9% 12.4% 7.7% 10.8% 10.8% 8.8% 12.6% 11.4% 11.5% 9.7% 11.2% 11.1% 8.4% 8.8% 9.7% 10.2% 10.5% 10.0%

11.7% 14.9% 11.0% 9.7% 12.5% 7.8% 10.6% 10.7% 8.5% 12.6% 11.5% 12.0% 9.7% 11.5% 11.3% 8.3% 8.6% 9.9% 10.7% 10.5% 10.1%

8.1% 10.1% 8.4% 6.9% 9.2% 6.3% 7.2% 8.2% 7.9% 10.2% 9.0% 10.3% 7.1% 8.7% 9.2% 6.4% 6.6% 7.6% 8.2% 6.7% 6.7%

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

Change month q q

p q q p p p

q q

q q p p q q

0.4 0.9 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.5 0.0 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.5 0.0 0.1

90 88

Change year p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p

86 84

CFMMI Nov 09

3.2 81 84.2 3.9 80 2.6 3.0 78 3.2 76A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N 1.4 3.6 SOURCE: FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF CHICAGO 2.6 0.9 2.4 2.4 1.2 Dec 09 Dec 08 Change 2.6 2.5 MONTHLY TOTALS 1.9 520 242 p 114.9% 2.0 YTD TOTALS 2.2 2.1 2,750 2,636 p 4.3% 2.0 2008 2007 Change 3.8 ANNUAL TOTALS 3.3 2,636 2,521 p 4.6% ’08

’09

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 December 2009.

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

13 81 21 15 9 97 53 27 28 39 8 10 64 62 39 35 46 151 798

12 101 22 16 12 158 82 26 24 39 9 17 73 90 34 31 56 186 988

698

Carbondale

Region

699

692

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 Oct 08

694

SOURCE: EXPERIAN

Oct 09

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

Change

2008

8.3% 19.8% 4.5% 6.3% 25.0% 38.6% 35.4% 3.8% 16.7% 0.0% 11.1% 41.1% 12.3% 31.1% 14.7% 12.9% 17.9% 18.8% 19.2%

169 1,341 294 287 109 1,969 1,270 481 422 689 123 221 1,208 1,064 596 621 721 2,515 14,100

2007 195 1,247 225 260 135 1,622 1,105 419 407 638 111 199 1,126 920 534 595 664 2,292 12,694

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

Change 13.3% 7.5% 30.7% 10.4% 19.3% 21.4% 14.9% 14.8% 3.7% 8.0% 10.8% 11.1% 7.3% 15.7% 11.6% 4.4% 8.6% 9.7% 11.1%

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

Dec 09 91.2

Q3 09 Alexander Franklin Gallatin Hamilton Hardin Jackson Jefferson Johnson Massac Perry Pope Pulaski Randolph Saline Union Williamson ILLINOIS

6 67 7 1 4 128 81 16 13 23 2 2 34 28 27 186 32,460

Q3 08 4 84 6 2 1 137 98 22 27 36 3 3 34 33 26 168 32,358

SOURCE: ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

Change

p 50.0% q 20.2% p 16.7% q 50.0% p 300.0% q 6.6% q 17.3% q 27.3% q 51.9% q 36.1% q 33.3% q 33.3% 0.0% q 15.2% p 3.8% p 10.7% p 0.3%

2008 17 276 NA 7 0 383 332 78 112 126 10 13 149 80 101 639 107,075

2007 32 332 NA 8 0 467 381 92 128 149 9 4 136 78 91 705 140,378

q q

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

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.

Oct 09 Oct 08 MONTHLY TOTALS $768,913

YTD TOTALS $6,686,833

Change

$748,259 p

$6,517,990 p

2008 ANNUAL TOTALS

2007

2.8%

220

U.S. city average Nov 09 216.3

218

2.6%

Change

$7,330,504 p

Change

MEDIAN SALES PRICE Q3 09 Q3 08

46.9% 16.9% NA 12.5% 0% 18.0% 12.9% 15.2% 12.5% 15.4% 11.1% 225.0% 9.6% 2.6% 11.0% 9.4% 23.7%

$37,450 $59,500 $40,000 $142,500 $76,500 $104,500 $84,200 $44,000 $56,500 $42,500 $75,750 $47,500 $68,500 $54,200 $79,000 $98,750 $165,000

Total units sold, including condominiums

J ’09

216

214

212

2.6% 210

Home sales

’07 ’08 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS SOURCE: INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS,

$7,520,856

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

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.

$30,240 $48,000 $42,500 $117,450 $30,000 $104,500 $70,000 $86,250 $68,000 $56,500 $73,000 $75,000 $74,250 $35,000 $70,250 $99,500 $189,500

Midwest urban Nov 09 206.2

208

Change

p 23.8% p 24.0% q 5.9% p 21.3% p 155.0% 0.0% p 20.3% q 49.0% q 16.9% q 24.8% p 3.8% q 36.7% q 7.7% p 54.9% p 12.5% q 0.8% q 12.9%

206

204

200 N D ’08

J M ’09

SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Prices at the pump Average price per gallon of regular, unleaded gas as of Jan. 19, 2010 and Dec. 10, 2009.

Metro East Springfield Illinois U.S. SOURCE: AAA

Jan 10

Dec 09

$2.71 $2.69 $2.82 $2.74

$2.69 $2.60 $2.68 $2.63

Jan 09 $1.78 $1.94 $1.99 $1.84

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2010

Economic Conditions Economic prospects for 2010: The recession is over, so why aren’t we celebrating? BY J. FRED GIERTZ SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

By most accounts, the recession in the nation and Illinois is over, having ended sometime around midyear 2009. The question, then, is why aren’t we celebrating? The 2007-2009 recession Giertz will likely go down as the longest and deepest recession since World War II, earning the title of the Great Recession, but thankfully not the Great Depression II. Better times lie ahead, but the pain is not over. One reason why there is no celebration is technical. The end of a recession does not mean an instant return to prosperity. Recessions and expansions refer to the direction of the economy, not the absolute level of activity. A recession ends when the economy ceases to contract and begins to recover. Such a point represents the nadir of the business cycle when most economic measures are still unfavorable compared to previous good times. For example, unemployment tends to be a lagging indicator. The national unemployment rate reached 10.2 percent in October 2009, the highest of the recession compared with 6.6 percent a year earlier and 7.6 percent in January 2009. In Illinois, the October 2009 rate was 11.0 percent, up from 6.8 percent a year earlier and up from 7.8 percent in January. It will be years before the economy returns to the 4 and 5 percent unemployment rates that were taken for granted only a few short years ago. Forward looking measures such as stock market indices respond more quickly since they are based on expectations about the future. Note that the low point for U.S. equities occurred in March 2009, with a strong expansion through the remainder of the year. The recovery in the stock market began not because the recession was over, but because investors expected it to end later in the year, bringing an increase in corporate profits.

Looking forward to 2010, there is one marked improvement from a year ago — the financial crisis has ended. In the last few months of 2008 continuing into early 2009, a true financial panic occurred in the U.S. and globally. A panic or crisis differs from a recession in that it is not simply an economic downturn, but a widespread loss of faith in the banking and, this time, the broader national and world financial systems. Panics in countries like the U.S. are rare compared to recessions and add to the severity of an otherwise ordinary downturn, sometimes with disastrous consequences such as those in the Great Depression. The policy response to the crisis was the bailout that began in the last months of the Bush administration and continued in the Obama administration. The bailout was viewed as the top priority in dealing with the economic crisis and the most important step toward recovery. The bailout was highly controversial in that the government provided a huge infusion of funds to a variety of financial organizations. The goal was to shore up the financial system where systemic risk (where the failure of one financial institution can create general problems for the whole system) threatened an economic meltdown. Anecdotal reports that have come to light recently suggest that the economy was closer to the abyss than many people knew at the time. The overriding goal was to avoid an economic catastrophe similar to the Great Depression of the 1930s. In retrospect, the bailout appears to have been a relative success in that the financial panic has ebbed. The bailout policy was messy and inelegant, but it seemed to work. The bailout funds used to support the financial system are actually being paid back sooner than expected. Surprisingly, there was little difference between the Bush and Obama administrations in regard to the bailout. In fact, many of the same leaders during the beginning of the crisis under Bush remained at the helm under Obama. As a vote of confidence, Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke has since been renominated by the president.

After the panic subsided, the major economic focus has been on the recession and the creation of jobs. The prime element of policy to address the recession was the massive (nearly $1 trillion) Obama stimulus package that was approved by Congress in early 2009. This was actually a second stimulus package in that there was an earlier and smaller Bush stimulus program during early 2008. The results of the Obama-backed stimulus plan are still in question and subject of considerable debate. First, there are some who dismiss such a Keynesian-style stimulus as futile or even counterproductive. Even among those who support the idea of a stimulus in the abstract, there are concerns about whether the program as approved will be effective. One concern is that the stimulus plan was hastily drafted and, in the opinion of many, poorly targeted. In addition, there are the normal and expected issues with such programs as the ability to get the stimulus funds spent quickly enough. Despite the promise of “shovel-ready” projects, a majority of the stimulus funds are yet to be spent. Even though there is no final judgment about the success of the first Obama stimulus, some are advocating another successor program, possibly using the funds repaid by various financial organizations from the bailout program. This program would be more directly focused on creating jobs. As noted earlier, there is a natural dissatisfaction with the pace of recovery as evidenced by the continuing high unemployment rates. However, this is a usual occurrence during this stage of a recovery. There is much discussion about the strength of the recovery with some fearing a second (double-dip) recession similar to the early 1980s. While a double dip is unlikely, most observers dismiss the likelihood of strong “V-shapes” recovery because of the lingering structural problems from the financial crisis and recession. Often a sharp downturn, such as the one the U.S. economy experienced, is followed by a strong, rapid recovery. This is not likely this time. More likely is a moderate recovery of economic activity as

evidenced by output measures such as GDP and an even slower recovery in jobs. Surprisingly, productivity continued to increase at a relatively strong pace in recent years. This is a double-edged sword. In the long run, productivity growth leads to faster economic growth and higher wages. In the short run, however, increased efficiency means that businesses need fewer workers to produce the same output. Even when demand increases during the recovery, hiring will still lag. In summary, 2010 appears to be better than 2009, but this may be cold comfort because 2009 was an unusually weak year. The most positive news is that the financial crisis is over. This crisis turned the 2007-2009 recession into the Great Recession, one unlike any in the post-war era. The end of the crisis will provide sounder basis for recovery, but the expansion will be slow — in many people’s mind, painfully slow. The state of Illinois has not been the focus of the nation’s economic problems the last two years. It has not been at the center of the financial crisis involving the residential real estate market or distressed financial institutions. Nor has it been disproportionately impacted by the implosion of the automobile industry in the U.S. Nevertheless, the state eventually felt the brunt of the recession with unemployment rates rising significantly to 11.0 percent with the state rate about one percentage point above the national rate in October 2009. In such a widespread downturn, there is no place to hide. Illinois is traditionally a slow-growing state. Employment levels in Illinois failed to recover strongly from the 2001 recession before the most recent recession struck. With the promise of a slow recovery nationally and with Illinois likely to grow less rapidly than the nation, the recovery in Illinois will be slow and painful, not unlike other states. — J. Fred Giertz is a professor of economics within the University of Illinois’ Institute of Government and Public Affairs. He can be reached at 217-244-4822 or jgiertz@ad.uiuc.edu.

FEBRUARY 2010

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Your Business Looking for Lean: Many definitions, but process systematically targets waste BY TYNETTE M. JANSEN SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

Many in health care assume there must be a tradeoff between cost and quality: Better quality must cost more. While it is true that new technology, equipment and medication are Jansen increasing in cost, hospitals and other industries have the opportunity to examine processes in a way to both improve quality and reduce cost. Countless articles and books have been written about Lean, making it difficult to have a single definition. For our purposes here, Lean will be defined as identifying and eliminating waste. Most businesses and hospitals have eight types of waste,

which can be remembered using the mnemonic TIMWOODS: Transportation: Unnecessary movement of the product (patients, materials). Example: Poor layout, such as radiology located a long distance from the Emergency Department. Inventory: More than what is needed to do the job, increases cost due to storage and movement. Example: Expired supplies that must be disposed of. Motion: Unnecessary movement of employees. Example: Lab employee walking miles per day due to poor layout. Waiting: Waiting for the next part of the process when nothing is happening. Examples: Employees waiting because workloads are not level (heavy-scheduled Mondays, light Fridays) or patients waiting for appointment/tests. Overproduction: Doing more than what is needed by the customer or doing something much sooner than is needed.

Examples: Performing unnecessary diagnostic procedures or cooking menu items before an order is placed. Overprocessing: Work that is not valued by the customer or needed by the product, such as multiple signatures on a form. Defects: Time spent doing something incorrectly; inspecting for errors, fixing errors, anything not done right the first time. Examples: Surgical cart missing an item or wrong medication given. Skill level (under-utilizing): Watering down a job role with a “jack of all trades” approach, such as emergency physician transporting patient to radiology. Lean is not based on the concept of “working faster and harder with less.” In order to identify true waste, you must “walk” the process, actually going to the front line where the process occurs. In a hospital, this may mean going through all the steps of having lab work drawn. The start of the process would be when the

order is written and the end of the process would be the delivery of lab results to a physician. The process, including all subprocesses, is then walked and flowed out on paper. Involving your frontline personnel is crucial if you are to accurately identify all of the steps, including the “work-around.” After all of the steps are mapped out, then the waste within those processes is targeted for elimination. Lean has many more tools and methods such as Kanban, 5S, Kaizen, Value Stream, error proofing and visual management. Lean is a vital part of SIH’s core strategy and a way of performing day-to-day operations with the goal of improving the quality of health care delivered to our patients in Southern Illinois. — Tynette M. Jansen, RNC, BSN, CLC, is a process improvement black belt, Lean coach for Southern Illinois Health care System Office.

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SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2010

Elder Law Decisions for final years of life require expertise BY RICHARD HABIGER SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

Many elderly persons in Southern Illinois rely on their children, family members, friends or neighbors to help them. This dependence makes an older person Habiger more vulnerable to financial and other forms of abuse. Family members may need to take action to protect parents or other loved ones from making bad decisions or from being taken advantage of. Although we wouldn’t think a child could take advantage of his or her parents, there is no way to predict or anticipate what a child or other caregiver will do if he or she is desperate for money or feels entitled to an early inheritance. Consider the following: The health of Barry’s parents was declining and living alone at home was becoming a concern. Their daughter Sherry wanted to look into assisted living for them. Barry immediately became upset at Sherry for wanting to spend their money. He packed up his parents and brought them to his home. Being single and working, he was not available to them during the day, but left food and water on the table to sustain them until he returned home in the evening. Sherry lived more than 300 miles from Barry; and, when she could get to his house to visit, she found her parents’ care was not acceptable. They could not remember if they took their medications or if they had even eaten a meal that day. Barry was also draining his parents’ savings account. When confronted about it, he became angry and complained that he needed their money to pay expenses for their care. Sherry felt her brother’s care of their parents was abusive, but Barry argued that he was providing a good home for his parents and that Sherry was doing nothing to help with the care of their parents. Clearly, this family needs a professional adviser to help

them understand and clarify the issues concerning care of the parents. Making legal decisions about property, finances, powers of attorney and final wishes are important tasks to complete for the final years of life. Having legal documentation for a will, for medical treatment and for the person designated to be responsible for parents’ welfare can avoid family disputes, financial abuse, and help to conserve assets that are needed for care. Elder law attorneys specialize in legal issues affecting the elderly. Many, but not all, are knowledgeable about Medicare and Medicaid programs. They work with the elderly in assisting them and their families with all aspects of estate planning and implementing necessary legal documents for the final years of life. Some elder law attorneys help individuals apply for and possibly accelerate coverage from Medicaid; they also can help with disputes with Medicaid. A few elder law attorneys also can help with applications for benefits from the Veterans Administration. Experienced elder law attorneys know that planning for death is only part of the planning process. They ask, “What if you don’t die?” In other words, elder law and elder care attorneys help you deal with the more important part of the planning process: the period between today and your death. When considering an attorney, you will want to find one who has experience in the area of the law with which you need help. According to The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (http://www. naela.org/), ask lots of questions before selecting an elder law attorney. You don’t want to end up in the office of an attorney who can’t help you. Start with the initial phone call. It is usual to speak only to a secretary, receptionist or office manager during an initial call or before actually meeting with the attorney. If so, ask this person your questions: n How long has the attorney been in practice? n Does his/her practice emphasize a particular area of law?

n How long has he/she been in this field? n What percentage of his/her practice is devoted to elder law? n Is there a fee for the first consultation and, if so, how much is it? n Given the nature of your problem, what information should you bring with you to the initial consultation?

A good way to choose an elder law attorney is by referral from friends, family, clergy or other associations. Before you meet for your initial consultation, prepare the items you want discussed and taken care of. Bring pertinent documents and questions. Be sure you get clear answers and that you understand what your attorney is proposing.

Jackson & Gray Company, Inc 413 N. Market Marion, IL 62959

618-993-6337 S1141 Life Insurance not available in N.Y.

Two-way communication is the best way your attorney can understand your needs and concerns. Does the attorney listen to what you say and appear to really care about your concerns? If not, find another attorney. Most elder law attorneys sincerely want to help make you or your parent’s elder years a well planned for, peaceful experience for all involved. They want to help your parents get the care they deserve and the governmental benefits to which they are entitled. — Richard Habiger is an elder law attorney, who focuses on asset protection, Medicaid and VA benefits, Alzheimer’s and life care planning — all in collaboration with a multi-disciplinary staff. You may contact him at 618-549-4529 or info@habigerelderlaw.com.

FEBRUARY 2010

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Special Report R ESU LTS

R ESU LTS

Get ready for tax season: Learn what’s new for 2010 BY HARRIET JOHNSON BRACKEY SPECIAL TO SBJ

Last year, millions of Americans received unemployment checks, which make for millions of people with some tax-free income. Congress made the first $2,400 of unemployment benefits exempt from federal income tax for last year. And that’s just one example of what’s new this year for taxpayers nationwide. If you’re sending someone through college, bought a new home or a car last year, you may have some extra tax breaks waiting for you. “For the most part, new legislation was aimed at helping to spur the economy and those (laws) are designed to be helpful and to put money in people’s pockets and give people credits,” said Greg Rosica, an Ernst &

Young tax partner and a contributing author to the Ernst & Young Tax Guide 2010. For the 2010 tax season, here are a few things you need to know: College students and families The new American Opportunity Tax Credit is worth up to $2,500 — and 40 percent of that is refundable — for households with students in college, according to CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business that provides tax and accounting information. Even those who owe no tax can get a refund of up to $1,000 for each eligible student, the IRS says. This is more generous than the credits families had last year and it is available to more people in upper income brackets. Previously, families had to pick either a $1,800 per student Hope Scholarship Credit or a $2,000 per

taxpayer Lifetime Learning Credit. Home buyers First-time home buyers — those who didn’t own a home for the previous three years — who bought a home after Jan. 1, 2009, are eligible for a tax credit of up to $8,000. More good news: It does not have to be repaid so long as you live in the house for three years. This credit will be available this year, too, for home purchases that close by June 30. Here’s one snag: The IRS says that anyone who bought a home last year and wants to take this credit must use Form 5405 and attach a copy of the settlement statement, a document that shows who bought the home, who sold it and other details of the transaction. And that requirement to show proof means anyone wanting this credit for 2009 must file a paper return including the statement. If you were planning to

file electronically, claim this credit and get a quick refund, that won’t work. Not a first-time buyer? Tax law still has something for you, too. If you have lived in your home five of the eight years before you bought a new home and you purchased it after Nov. 6, 2009, there’s a credit of up to $6,500 for your 2009 taxes. This credit continues this year for homes that you agree to buy by April 30 and that you purchase through June 30. Car buyers If you received a cash-for-clunkers payment last year it is not taxable. The government doesn’t get any of that $3,500 or $4,500 voucher or payment. Homeowners in trouble Ordinarily, if you get a debt forgiven — such as your mortgage lender agrees to a short sale of your home — that forgiven SEE TAX SEASON / PAGE 23

FEBRUARY 2010

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Achievements AWA R DS

Murphy joins SSP Learfield Sports recently named Jon Murphy account executive for Saluki Sports Properties, the exclusive multimedia rights holder for Southern Illinois University Athletics. At SSP, Murphy will work with Will Patterson, the general manager, on various components of the Saluki-Learfield Sports relationship, including hospitality and corporate partnerships.

Bonds receives Towman Award

P RO M OT I O N S

Financial Advisors. Morse serves clients from his office at 116 N. Veterans Drive in Harrisburg.

Odum joins firm as partner Shawn Odum of Marion has become a partner in the firm of Dycus, Bradley & Draves, which has offices in Marion and Carbondale. Odum has a master’s degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and several years experience in many areas, including preparation of income tax returns, management services and general accounting services. He may be reached at 618-993-8724 or by e-mail at shawnodum@gmail.com.

R E T I R E M E N T

Ashton earns top credential Becky Ashton, administrator of Herrin Hospital, recently became a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the nation’s leading professional society for health care leaders. Fellow status represents achievement of the highest standard of professional development. Only 7,500 health care executives have this distinction.

Unimin Corp. recognized

The company continues to serve the counties of Jackson, Williamson, Franklin, Perry and Johnson. Owners Guido and Audrey Bernstein can be reached for estimates at 618-596-8128 or via e-mail at gbbernstein@gmail.com.

Two attend conference Stephanie Natyshok and Melody Hof, physician’s assistants with Southern Illinois Dermatology, recently attended the 28th annual Clinical Dermatology Conference. Topics included the newest melanoma treatments and updates on ALA-PDT treatments for pre-cancers and acne. For information call Southern Illinois Dermatology at 618-942-3344.

Employees at Unimin Corporation’s Tamms/Elco Plant received international recognition for their contributions to wildlife habitat conservation at the Wildlife Habitat Council’s 21st annual Symposium, “Evergreen: A Celebration of Couple opens advertising business Conservation in a Changing World.” Two veteran Southern Illinois Unimin demonstrates its commitment to USDA honors Banterra Bank Banterra Bank recently was recognized broadcasters have established a new environmental stewardship and increasing advertising business. native biodiversity by achieving Wildlife at as one of the state’s top lenders in utilizing guaranteed home loans to make home Dale Adkins and Nancy Engel Work recertification at the Tamms/Elco purchases more affordable in rural Illinois. Adkins, who recently sold radio station Plant. The U.S. Department of Agriculture WINI, opened Business Relations Rural Development annually honors Specialists. The business produces and Chief operating officer named lenders that excel in using the federal voices commercials, and supplies print and Delia Imhoff, president of KWS Inc. agency’s guaranteed loan program to visual media advertising, including has announced the appointment of Gus newsletters, press releases and invoice Maroscher as chief operating officer of its increase home ownership. Information on eligibility for guaranteed inserts. Tulsa, Okla., and Marion-based American home loan financing is available by calling Services such as managing effective Extra Help Inc. earns recognition subsidiary. Ronnie Waldron at Banterra Bank at 618news conferences and employee incentive The St. Louis Business Journal has KWS Inc. is a member of the THIELEtraining are also offered. recognized Extra Help Inc., which has Group, a leading German manufacturer of 549-4445, ext. 4212. The Guaranteed Rural Housing program is administered through The business is based at 1677 Business offices in Marion and Edwardsville, as the bulk-material conveying systems, the Rural Development office in Marion. 17th largest women-owned business in the Illinois 13 in Murphysboro. For more material-handling chains, forgings, information, call 618-534-1881 or e-mail St. Louis Metro and Metro East area. material-handling components and lifting Middleton earns certification brs@gotblip.com. Extra Help Employment Services was chains. Steve Middleton, certified athletic established in 1994 and specializes in Maroscher has been representing Hughes completes training direct hires, temp-to-hire and temporary THIELE’s products for more than 10 years trainer for Woodard Wellness Group in Dr. Christopher H. Hughes of Herrin and has held several executive positions Carbondale, recently completed 37 hours positions. recently completed 600 hours of surgical of continuing education and has been with both U.S. and European-based training from the Advanced Dental Implant corporations. certified as a corrective exercise specialist Gill presented President’s Award through the National Academy of Sports Dr. Ronald Gill of Gill Veterinary Clinic Institute in conjunction with the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Bernstein Decorative Medicine. in West Frankfort was presented with the Appointments can be scheduled Monday Finishes moves President’s Award at the 127th Illinois State Medicine in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Hughes performed surgery at the through Friday by calling 618-529-4545. Bernstein Decorative Finishes has Veterinary Medical Association meeting institute under the supervision of Dr. Hilt relocated to 3428 Creek Nation Blacktop in Nov. 14 in Peoria. Tatum and Dr. Jose Pedroza. Tatum is Mulkeytown. The new Franklin County Gill was selected for the award because Let the region know internationally recognized as one of the facility includes a fully equipped paint of his sustained dedication to the foremost leaders and surgeons in the field shop. advancement of veterinary medicine. Have you been promoted? Has a of Oral Implantology and is the originator Work that can be completed in the shop colleague at work completed a of the Maxillary Sinus Graft procedure. Morse receives award includes, but is not limited to, custom continuing education program? Others in The training covered all aspects of dental painting and/or staining of windows, the business community will want to Country Financial representative David doors, trim, furniture and cabinets. The know it, so please consider passing on Morse of Harrisburg recently received the implant surgery, along with techniques in your milestone employment news to the company’s list of services also includes National Quality Award for helping clients administration and monitoring of I.V. sedation. Southern Business Journal. interior and exterior painting and staining secure the right insurance to cover their For more information, call at 618-993Feel free to email the information to of new work, residential re-paints, deck financial risks. 3100. sbj@thesouthern.com or fax a written pressure washing and staining, concrete The NQA is presented annually by the update to 618-457-2935. cleaning and staining and more. National Association of Insurance and Charles Bonds from American Towing of Cambria has received the American Towman ACE Award for achievement in service performance. Recipients were nominated by the nation’s major motor clubs and dispatch centers. The ACE Award was commemorated with an originally designed belt buckle. The buckles were presented to the towing professionals during the ACE Award ceremony Nov. 22 in Baltimore, Md., at the American Towman Exposition, the world’s largest trade show and convention for emergency road service providers.

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2010

LOVE: Cash register bells make music FROM PAGE 5

F M G R Feirich / Mager / Green / Ryan

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Murphysboro, reports definitely being more busy than usual just before Valentine’s Day each year. She can always handle the increase in volume. “I just end up working more hours,” she explains. Most of the appointments tend to be within three or four days before Valentine’s Day.” Becky Eaton, office manager at French Studio, a photography studio in Herrin, doesn’t tend to see much of an uptick in business. She believes this may be because of the fact that people are often getting photos taken for other purposes. “For example, that time of year tends to be popular for church directories, so husbands and wives come in to have their photos taken with children for that purpose,” she explains. “We don’t take many photos of just couples for Valentine’s Day.”

Let’s get away! According to David Coracy, president of B and A Travel Service in Carbondale and Marion, things get pretty busy before

and around Valentine’s Day. Part of the reason is the holiday itself. However, part of the reason is because February tends to be a very popular time of the year for people to be vacationing anyway. “Many people take a winter vacation to a warmer destination,” he explains. “Others take advantage of the long President’s Day weekend to take a short vacation, which usually falls around Valentine’s Day.” In fact, the Valentine’s Day theme is sometimes the catalyst for them to start thinking about a vacation during this long weekend. One very popular destination is Las Vegas, because it tends to lend itself to a long weekend vacation. “We also book a lot of short trips to Mexico, especially Cancun,” states Coracy. If travelers take week-long vacations at that time, cruises tend to be very popular, as are other Caribbean destinations. Coracy hasn’t seen the popularity of travel at this time of year increasing over the years. “It tends to stay rather steady,” he observes.

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FEBRUARY 2010

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Business Fine Print PERMITS | BANKRUPTCIES

Building permits

$20,000 Larry Edgarton, 1201 W. Walnut St., $65,850

Bankruptcies

Carbondale

Herrin

Chapter 7

John Hoke, 201 W. Park Lane, $25,000 Anh Duyen Luong, 110 Archelle Drive, $4,100 Reginald Wilson, 1038 N. Robert A. Stalls Ave., $32,000 Monica Spiegel, 516 N. Oakland Ave., $2,500 James May, 606 N. Almond St., $10,000 Marguerite Bowen Trust, 207 N. University Ave., $700 E.H. Shay, 1601 E. Walnut St., $500 Lucien Emery Dervan, 1608 Briarwood Drive, $15,000 Cathy A. Loomis, 614 S. Glenview Drive, $7,000 Robert J. Brown, 404 W. Pecan St., $1,000 Bud Goeke, 504 W. Mill St., $500 The Quads Apartments, 1207 S. Wall St., $69,000 TP MP LLC, 509 S. Illinois Ave., $60,000 Lloyd Hinton, 908 N. Connor St., $5,000 Royal Plaza Inn, 2400 W. Main St., $50,000 Doctor Donut, 2300 W. Main St., $80,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 519 E. Burke St., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 521 E. Burke St., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 523 E. Burke St., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 204 E. Oak St., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 206 E. Oak St., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 213 E. Walker Ave., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 215 E. Walker Ave., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 217 E. Walker Ave., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 219 E. Walker Ave., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 524 E. Archie Jones St., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 526 E. Archie Jones St., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 528 E. Archie Jones St., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 530 E. Archie Jones St., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 1310 N. Robert A. Stalls Ave., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 1312 N. Robert A. Stalls Ave., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 1314 N. Robert A. Stalls Ave., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 1400 N. Robert A. Stalls Ave., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 1404 N. Robert A. Stalls Ave., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 1408 N. Robert A. Stalls Ave., $160,000 Carbondale Neighbors LLC, 1412 N. Robert A. Stalls Ave., $160,000 Enterprise Rental Car, 219 S. Lewis Lane, $12,000 Monah’s International, 1715 W. Main St., $7,000 Dona Casmilla Grocery, 100 W. Jackson St.,

Dianna Kent, 400 Eric Drive, $150,000 Steve Seever, 1516 Laura Lane, $140,000 Beth and Susan Clavenna, 509 E. Cherry St., $110,000 Pine Lakes Golf Course, 2705 S. Park Ave., $80,000 Mary Childress , 200 Sassie Lane, $75,000 Bob Witherspoon, 1109 and 1111 S. 16th St., $18,000 Neil Black, 213 Newman Drive, $92,959 Kathleen DuVall, 1004 S. 10th St., $15,000 Tom Tanner, 1515 Laura Lane, $169,000 Kenner Construction, 3216 Mustang Ct., $110,000 Steven Claunch, 2405 W. Cherry St., $48,000

Marion Heartland Regional, 3300 W. DeYoung, $25,000 Courtney Hanks, 1601 Picket Lane, $10,000 Dennis Stove, 1300 Fosse Road, $2,000 Shelia Norris, 1601 Peabody Road, $855 John Connell, 206 Boswell Road, $7,800 Roof Bolt Express, Inc., 800 Skyline Drive, $75,000 R.C. Trust, 1407 Danielle Court, $85,000

Metropolis Noble Shinn, 4031 Jonesboro Road, $1,000 Larry Burnham, 20 Hilanoa Drive, $1,500 Bill Souders, 2 Joann Drive, $2,500 Bill Souders, 2 Joann Drive, $65,000 Kimberly Hille, 6 Hilanoa Drive, $10,000 Joel Birney, 709 E. 6th St., $0 Jesse Turner, 407 Butler St., $5,000

Mount Vernon Phoenix Modular Elevator, 912 S. 19th St., $147 Phoenix Modular Elevator, 912 S. 19th St., $600 Stan the Tire Man, 1213 Broadway, $600 Joe Brown, 828 Fairfield Road, $23,000 Kreihbel’s & Assoc., 125 11th St., $10,300 Kenneth Hails, 1508 North St., $0 Kenneth Hails, 1100 12th St., $0 Kenneth Hails, 17th and Casey, $0 Continental Tire, 11525 N. Illinois 142, $100,000 Kim Loker, 308 10th St., $0 Intermountain Electronics, Inc., 300 Shiloh Drive, $5,000 Verizon Wireless, 101 A Davidson, $3,000 Bugsy’s Chicago Dog, 311 E. Broadway, $30,000 Kenneth Keller, 600 S. 20th St., $0 Lee Cooper, 615 Perkins, $1,500 Don Sol 2, Inc., 300 S. 44th St., $120,000

Murphysboro Donald Harris, 317 N. 21st St., $800 Paula K. Lerous, 617 N. 14 St., $5,800 Kevin Reeves, 811 N 14 St., $2,100 Christine Hines, 2132 Wall St., $6,350 Bruce Dallas, 2132 Raines St., $5,000 Ed and Doris Hill, 1049 Roberta Drive, $4,500 Elm Street Baptist Church, 1907 Elm St., $879,250 Cindy Norris, 919 Keough Drive, $9,000 First Christian Church, 1501 Pine St., $1,000

Gerald Gooden, 502 Missouri Ave., Carterville Barry Wink and Linda Wink, 7266 Mulkeytown Road, Mulkeytown Mildred Kerens, 3 Eagle Drive, Sparta Charles Harrington and Mary Harrington, Box 274, Crossville Jerry Gogue Sr. and Annarose Gogue, P.O. Box 851, Carrier Mills Fred Elliott and Sarah Elliott, P.O. Box 183, Cypress Robert Worthen and Carolyn Worthen, P.O. Box 394, Golconda Judith Bennett, P.O. Box 216, Percy Darlene Donagher, P.O. Box 42, Chester Ronnie Davis, 403 Washington St., Carterville Elizabeth Merideth, 8541 Bradford St., Sparta Gerald Wallace, P.O. Box 21, Dowell Hilda Boyd, P.O. Box 335, Jonesboro Beth Eubanks, 804 E. Clark St., West Frankfort Robert Lane, 165 Grimes Road, Harrisburg Nancy Mitchem, 1004 Newton Ave., Johnston City Jesus Olds, P.O. Box 803, Metropolis Lesley Wood, P.O. Box 442, Rosiclare Cynthia Wilson, 1009 Main St., Prairie Du Rocher Javan Androff and Leishi Androff, 401 N. Horrell Ave., West Frankfort Calvin Johnson and Deborah Johnson, 1503 Colin Bradley Drive, Marion Loyd Neighbors and Gladis Neighbors, 3925 New Saratoga Road, Anna Christopher Clymer, 7302 E. Richview Road, Mount Vernon Jennifer Clymer, 10735 E. Bakerville Road, Mount Vernon Kenneth Milligan and Angel Milligan, P.O. Box 104, Galatia Jerry Hansen and Colleen Hansen, 1011 S. Buchanan St., Marion Larry Shea and Shirley Shea, 716 Panama St., Eldorado Crystal McManus, P.O. Box 2931, Carbondale Frank Byrd and Lisa Byrd, 2139 Herbert St., Murphysboro Aaron Wetzel and Lynette Wetzel, 37 Willow Drive, Chester Patsy Etherton, 45 Cates Lane, Anna Terry DeLaval, 1101 S. Victor St., Christopher Carolyn DeLaval, 602 E. Washington St., Christopher Kimberla McDaniel, 719 N. Bridge St., Carbondale Nancy McKinney, 413 Barr St., Carterville James Cripps, P.O. Box 424, Carterville Melody Morgan, P.O. Box 395, Dowell Michellenea Futrell, 804 Hickory St., Murphysboro Steven Howell, 411 E. 8th St., Metropolis Damon Impastato, P.O. Box 287 B, Elizabethtown Larry Simmons and June Simmons, 1218 Stewart St., Carmi Arthur Keene and Rose Keene, 7185 Illinois 152, Du Quoin Donald Durkota and Helen Durkota, 8533 Emling Road, Du Quoin Frederick Welge Jr. and Kimberly Welge, 5036 Old Illinois 13, Carterville

John Palmer, 157 E. No Name Road, Carbondale Cole Brown and Terri Brown, 11306 Loudoun Trace, Louisville, Ky. Brett Stayton and Nancy Stayton, 2 W. Lincoln St., Harrisburg Mollie Foss, 26 Tyler Lane, Metropolis Delaine Keasler, 1014 N. Main St., Carrier Mills Norvel Avant, P.O. Box 414, Johnston City Kirk Pirtle and Angela Pirtle, 404 A. Washington St., Carterville Sean Gwaltney, 17801 New Mexico Road, Nashville Melanie Gwaltney, 1730 Washington St., Carlyle Paula Adams, P.O. Box 9, Bonnie Jeffrey Chapman, 107 E. Main St., Apt C, Steeleville Jeremy Kollak, 903 A. SW 6th, Fairfield Gary Kraft, 17664 Ross Briley Road, Thompsonville Miranda Kraft, 10413 E. Bakerville, Mount Vernon Shelby Etheredge, 319 E. 7th St., Mount Carmel Jeffrey French and Angela French, 108 Marshall Place, Carmi Joe Dunbar, 1004 Lickliter St., Benton Brian Elder and Candice Elder, 118 N. Railroad St., Du Bois Eva Strough, 100 Wild Turkey Lane, Jonesboro Steven Nelson, 320 W. Walnut St., Carbondale Steve Laird and Tammy Laird, 2783 North Ave., Metropolis Paul Frazier and Tammy Frazier, P.O. Box 115, Wayne City David Rich, 405 E. Lindell St., West Frankfort Jonathan Fricks and Juanita Fricks, P.O. Box 262, Raleigh William Holloman and Brenda Holloman, 508 Smith St., Carmi Rick Keele, 705 Dewey Ave., Mount Vernon Garry Ivie and Sandra Ivie, 701 W. Fitzgerrell St., Sesser

Chapter 13 Joseph Soldan and Barbara Soldan, 4972 U.S. 51, Tamaroa Tiffiney Palmer, 1004 E. Griggs 5, Marion Geri Herschbach, 1906 High St., Chester Diana Becker, 813 W. Monroe St., Herrin Anthony Zaranti Jr. and Misty Zaranti, P.O. Box 82, New Burnside Jared Smithson, 314 E. Lindell St., West Frankfort Everett Grant, 112 S. 21st St., Herrin Timothy Clarida, P.O. Box 464, Galatia Herschel Coleson Sr. and Wendy Coleson, P.O. Box 245, Olive Branch Bernie Elliott and Paula Elliott, 307 W. Webster St., Benton Antoinette Furlow, 705 N. Fair St., Marion Michelle Gerler, 603 W. George St., Ava Francisco Hernandez, 2110 Partridge St., Carbondale Donald Hammann, 600 W. Ford St., Energy James Bryant, 8 S. Maple St., Tamaroa Christopher Tow and Lori Tow, 23196 Illinois 127, Vergennes Adam Hampton and Brandi Hampton, 1006 S. Pope St., Benton Charles Todich, 604 N. Gardner St., West Frankfort Tyler Gray, 615 W. South Ave., Bluford

FEBRUARY 2010

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Mark Your Calendar EV E N TS

Feb. 1 Beginning Access 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Carterville.

Feb. 2 Beginning Excel 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Carterville. Starting A Small Business Workshop: 1 to 3 p.m., Shawnee Community College, 8364 Shawnee College Road, Ullin. Free. Registration required. Call 618-634-3254.

Feb. 3 Intermediate Publisher 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F111, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Carterville. Beginning Access 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Carterville.

Feb. 4 Advanced Access 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Carterville. Beginning QuickBooks 2009: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F111, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Carterville.

Feb. 5 Beginning Outlook 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F111, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Carterville.

Business Fine Print

M E E T I N G S 8364 Shawnee College Road, Ullin. The $25 registration fee will be refunded upon successful course completion. Pre-registration required. Call 618-634-3309.

Feb. 17 Intermediate Access 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Carterville. Stress & Time Management: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F110, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Carterville.

Feb. 18 Intermediate QuickBooks 2009: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F111, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Carterville. Starting A Small Business Workshop: 9 to 11 a.m., SCC Metropolis Extension Center, 5385 Industrial Park Road, Metropolis. Free. Registration required. Call 618-634-3254.

Feb. 19 Beginning Word 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F111, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Carterville.

Feb. 22 Intermediate Word 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F111, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Carterville.

PERMITS | BANKRUPTCIES Samuel Rakestraw, 40 Pine Hill Lane, Harrisburg Donna Gass, 1024 Pershing Road, West Frankfort Sheri Nicholson, 1325 Ritchey St., Marion Charles Detomasi, 407 S. Mason St., Benton Linda Detomasi, 407 S. Mason St., Broughton Greg Kerrigan, 2602 N. Park Ave., Herrin Crickett Hoffman, 218 W. South St., Du Quoin David Bogdajewicz, 2116 N. 11th St., Herrin Donald Eldridge and Emily Eldridge, 2353 White Oak Lane, Marion James Cselosky, 2270 Bonklick Road, Galatia Timothy Smith and Traci Smith, 1221 N. Park Ave., Herrin Ronnie Starr, 23312 N. Harmony Lane, Texico Kevin Sieveking and Rachel Sieveking, 907 Fairlane Drive, Marion Sharon Hampton, 314 Crestview Lane, Carbondale Travis Stipe and Anna Stipe, 509 E. Chestnut St., Percy Rory Boldrey and Cindy Boldrey, 8389 E. Boyd St., Woodlawn Gary Angus, 206 E. Lindell St., West Frankfort Tildon Van and Mary Van, P.O. Box 814, Shawneetown Angela Meyer, 1412 N. Della, Apt. 1, Benton Charles Dillman and Janet Dillman, P.O. Box 354, Jonesboro Shawn Poole and Shana Poole, 18779 E. Lighthouse

Road, Opdyke Vickie Williams, 124 S. 6th St., De Soto Kevin Commean and Cheryl Commean, 8458 S. Stuyvesant St., Benton Connie Hurd, 140 Alexandria Lane, Creal Springs Noel Morgan, 116 S. Pine St., Zeigler Daniel Dusch and Judith Dusch, 1594 Springs Road, De Soto Michael Childress and Christi Childress, P.O. Box 318, Johnston City Bonnie Snyder, 800 N. McLaren St., Marion Steven Baine and Sara Baine, 27171 Hummingbird Lane, Tamms Ronald Dodson and Lana Dodson, 1209 N. 14th St., Murphysboro Michael McWilliams and Vicki McWilliams, 1118 Monroe St., Johnston City Donna Eklund, 204 Prairie Road, Carterville Richard Acton and Helen Acton, P.O. Box 591, Coulterville Nedra Wright, P.O. Box 140, Harrisburg Tlisa Cargill, 370 Wayside Lane, Makanda Curtis Stofferahn and Deborah Stofferahn, 21690 Walnut Hill Road, Hoyleton Christian Andreae, 119 S. Marshall St., Harrisburg Chris Hubbard, 1906 College Drive, Mount Carmel

TAX SEASON: Learn what’s new for 2010 FROM PAGE 17

Feb. 23 Team Building: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F110, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Carterville. Cost is $90.

amount could become taxable. But not right now, in certain circumstances, on your residence. If your lender forgives up to $2 million Feb. 8 Feb. 24 in debt on your principal residence, that Beginning Word 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Advanced Access 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., can be excluded from your income if this Room F111, John A. Logan College Center for Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, happened or happens between Jan. 1, Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Carterville. 2007, and Dec. 31, 2011. Carterville. The unemployed Feb. 9 Feb. 25 Intermediate Excel 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 The biggest benefit — the $2,400 taxAdvanced Excel 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center free unemployment compensation — is Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Business & Industry, 700 College Road, for 2009 only. If you are receiving Carterville. Carterville. unemployment benefits in 2010, you Advanced QuickBooks 2009: 8:30 a.m. to 4 Feb. 10 should have tax withheld or you should p.m., Room F111, John A. Logan College Center Beginning Excel 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., begin making quarterly estimated tax for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for payments. Carterville. Business & Industry, 700 College Road, Level 1 QuickBooks Pro 2009: Deadline to Your health insurance premiums, if Carterville. register is today. The four-night course meets you are paying for continuation of your from 6 to 9 p.m., Thursdays, March 4 to 25, Feb. 12 coverage under COBRA, generally are Room K1134A, Shawnee Community College, Intermediate Publisher 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 8364 Shawnee College Road, Ullin. Cost is $75. not tax deductible, says CCH. p.m., Room F111, John A. Logan College Center The only way they can be deducted is Pre-registration required. Call 618-634-3254. for Business & Industry, 700 College Road, you can take them as part of a medical Carterville. Feb. 26 expense deduction and you itemize your Beginning/Intermediate Adobe Acrobat: 8:30 Feb. 16 taxes. If your premium cost plus other a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F111, John A. Logan Build Your Own Business in Southernmost medical expenses exceed 7.5 percent of College Center for Business & Industry, 700 Illinois: 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 16 to April College Road, Carterville. 20, River Room, Shawnee Community College, your adjusted gross income, that would For more information on John A. Logan or to register for classes, call 618-985-2828, ext. 8510 qualify. But, because many unemployed are getting subsidies from their former or e-mail cbi@jalc.edu. Cost is $55 unless otherwise noted.

employers to limit their costs, they may not have expenses high enough to qualify for this deduction. Roth IRA conversions 2010 is the first year that anyone can convert an individual retirement account or IRA into a Roth IRA. The big difference is that withdrawing your money from a Roth IRA is tax-free. With a traditional IRA, you’ll pay federal income taxes on withdrawals. Previously, you could not make this conversion if your modified adjusted gross income was $100,000 or more. The snag to this item is the possibility of owing tax on the amount in your IRA that you convert. The twist is that if you convert during 2010 you can spread that tax bill over the tax years of 2011 and 2012. Each one of these tax provisions has more details than can be explained here. So be sure to check for income limits and other details as you begin the annual tax calculations. The best place to go is IRS.gov and use the “Forms and Publications” tab to read the full rules. — Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.