Southern Business Journal

Serving 18 Illinois counties • www.sbj.biz • March 2015

To shop, or not to shop, online?

Internet sales make up about 13 percent of all retail purchases COVER STORY BEGINS ON PAGE 4

Directory of Advertisers

Inside MARCH 2015

WORKPLACE

ECONOMICS

The Professional Downward Spiral: It takes no prisoners. It’s where a highly effective manager becomes suddenly ineffective. This disease can strike even the best and brightest leaders at your organization. Do beware, because, at first, you don’t even realize what is happening. Before you know it, the downward spiral has begun.

Plunging oil prices: Oil prices, which are down nearly one-third since last summer’s peak, have come under pressure due in large part to new energy supplies, notably from the United States, which are tipping the balance of supply and demand. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

ENTREPRENEUR’S MAILBAG

ACHIEVEMENTS

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MONEY MATTERS Bond prices, interest rates: Although the bond market is less volatile than the stock market, bonds also fluctuate in terms of price. There is an inverse relationship between bond prices and bond yields, or interest rates. If interest rates fall, bond prices rise. If interest rates rise, bond prices fall.

Who’s in the news: Find out who has been hired, promoted or received honors for efforts in business. Be sure to check out our latest Faces in the News collection, too.

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FINE PRINT What’s happening: See who’s on the move with new building permits, as well as those who haven’t been so fortunate.

Pepsi MidAmerica................... 20 SIU Credit Union ....................3, 5 SIU Business & Administration ............................................. 10, 11 Southern Illinois Healthcare ...18

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Southern Illinois University ...... 8 Williamson County Airport ......15

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The Southern Business Journal is a publication of The Southern Illinoisan. Contact us via mail at 710 N. Illinois Ave., Carbondale, IL 62901, or at P.O. Box 2108, Carbondale, IL 62903. Also reach us on the Web at www.sbj.biz and via email at SBJ@ thesouthern.com. The Journal is published 12 times per year monthly and distributed by The Southern Illinoisan and www.thesouthern.com. Copyright 2015 by The Southern Illinoisan, all rights reserved.

A subscription may be obtained by calling 618-5295454 or 618-997-3356, or by visiting our website.

John A. Logan College ............. 13

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How Super Bowl ads teach us: Now that the Super Bowl is over, there’s more to be learned – about advertising, that is. Here are seven advertising lessons you might have missed while you were watching the game.

Futiva........................................16

Publisher John Pfeifer 618-351-5038 Advertising Kim Fowler 618-351-5035 Design and Layout Rhonda May 618-351-5077

March 2015

Southern Business Journal

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From the publisher

‌I

Let’s go shopping

like to shop. My wife can take it or leave it, but I actually like to meander in and out of stores to see what I’m missing out on. When we visit any “touristy” type of town, I just love to walk in and through all of the shops and galleries that each town has.

Right after I find the local bakery and coffee shop.

I love to walk into a book store and peruse and, inevitably, buy something.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a local secondhand establishment or Barnes & Noble.

Looking through books, actually holding them in my hands and leafing through

them, is far more enjoyable than logging onto amazon.com just to save a buck or two.

Quite obviously, retail has changed and continues to change. BrickPfeifer and-mortar stores close either on Main Street or in shopping malls and we rush to interpret this as the death of downtown, the death of

malls, the death of retail.

Not so fast.

Like any business, retailers are challenged not only with responding to changes in consumer behavior, but anticipating just what those changes are going to be. Brick-and-mortar retailers have to figure out when and how, and in what circumstances, they need to be an e-commerce retailer. Can they exist solely in a physical store? Perhaps, if the items offered are specialized enough (not a commodity) and the service experience is quantifiably excellent.

That’s right, quantifiably excellent.

Store owners who think they need to provide “good” customer service are just kidding themselves. Although probably not for very long. Today’s retail consumers want to feel like they’re the only ones in the store, even on Black Friday. They want advice, they want to be recognized and remembered, and they want to feel great about their purchase and the (higher) price they paid to have it. They don’t just want to buy; they want a wonderful buying experience.

Provide that to your customers and retail will continue to thrive.

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Southern Business Journal

March 2015

Cover story

To shop,

Internet sales make up about 13 percent of all retail sales

or not to shop, online?

DUSTIN DUNCAN THE SOUTHERN‌

‌In today’s retail world, shoppers have options when deciding how to spend their money.

They can go to the Internet, or they can physically go to the store and purchase their items.

For some, it is a matter of convenience, especially for the single parent who shops online after the children go to sleep. Others, however, enjoy the act of being in the store, touching the product and interacting with the salesperson.

Either way, the reality is there were national chain retail stores that announced they will be closing several of their brick-and-mortar stores in 2014.

JCPenney announced it will be closing 39 stores nationwide and laying off 2,250 people, while Macy’s will shut down 14 stores.

More and more shoppers are going to the Internet, looking for better deals and attempting to save time. Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, told CNBC in January that for the merchandise category, online sales account for about 13 percent of all retail sales.

Mavis Adjei, interim chairwoman and associate professor of marketing at Southern Illinois University, said convenience is no doubt one of the factors in play for shoppers going online.

“When you go to shop online, you can do that any time of the day,” she said.

“There are more people working outside the home, mainly more women, so they wait until everybody goes to bed to try and shop, or they just go online.”

She said the online shopping experience can be appealing if you know you are getting a good deal and spending less time to

Byron Hetzler, The Southern‌

The RadioShack store in the Murdale Shopping Center in Carbondale is currently not on the list of RadioShack stores that will be closing.

She said there are strategies that can be more expensive, such as hosting an event or fundraiser at the stores, with the hopes of attracting a big crowd.

However, even for the smaller business, the key is to build a close, long-term relaThe Southern File Photo‌ tionship with the customer.

“Even if the customer does shift their Ellen (left) and Nancy Esling shop on November 15, 2012 at Macy’s in Carbondale. purchases to online, it will be with the same company,” Adjei said. “The custhe brick-and-mortar sales; they are get it. tomer is looking for value, so if you offer “Within 10 minutes, you can check out supplementing those sales.” it to the customer, and attempt to build a Adjei said having an online presence is prices from five stores, instead of havvital, and giving the customer a reason to long-term relationship, that company will ing to walk or drive from store to store,” walk into the brick-and-mortar store can typically stay successful, regardless if the Adjei said. be the key to picking up a few extra dollars customer shifts to online, because it will She said the bottom line of companies be with that company.” in sales revenue. such as Macy’s and JCPenney, which While some of the stores may have She said companies send out emails announced the closure of several brickplans to combat the shift of the shopper to and-mortar stores, most likely will not be with special deals that can be redeemed the Internet, municipalities could feel the affected because they still have the online only in the store, with hopes of getting pain unless federal legislation gets some customers through their doors. Also, presence to fall back on. of the money back that is usually lost “It is not like they are losing sales com- companies have the pick-up-in-store to online sales, where sales tax may not pletely. People are just choosing different option after consumers complete a purbe charged. chase online. With this feature, compaavenues to buy the products,” Adjei said.

Carbondale City Manager Kevin Baity “Stores like Macy’s are basically cannibal- nies are trying to get online customers said Carbondale has seen a decline in through their doors to entice them to izing themselves and making the shift sales tax over the past few years. He buy more. from the brick-and-mortar to the online said it is considerable enough that it is “Even if it’s a candy bar, that is extra stores. If that is the case, and for most it causing problems with the city’s general is, then the online stores are not replacing revenue for that company,” Adjei said.

March 2015 fund.“Just by looking at the sales tax revenue that is generated, there has to be a decline in the amount of revenue that is coming into those brick-and-mortar sales,” he said.

At the Carbondale State of the City address in December, Baity said the city failed to receive about $1.5 million because of Internet sales.

Carterville Mayor Brad Robinson said he doesn’t want to tell business owners that they shouldn’t expand their businesses any way they can — i.e., an online presence — but sales tax revenue is what is used to operate water and sewer systems, keeping salt on icy roads and other essential city services.

“Even though the times are getting leaner, we are expected to provide the same services and infrastructure,” Robinson said. “Even though I am not excited about any kind of taxes, but from a municipal standpoint, we have to continue to find a way to provide services that are expected by the citizens that live here.”

Murphysboro Mayor Will Stephens said he sees the consumer shift happening and understands municipalities have hard decisions to make with less revenue coming in.

Southern Business Journal to run departments,” Stephens said.

He said it is important for residents to shop locally, but it is also important for local businesses to market themselves online.

“If our local retailers get dynamic and market themselves online, that money can move around in our community as well,” Stephens added. “It is a doublebladed ax.”

Carbondale Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Les O’Dell said the shift of the consumer is all the more reason for local retailers to provide what he calls “super service.”

He said that involves going “above and beyond what customers expect and to give them totally outstanding, unexpected levels of service because people are not going to get that online.”

This is the reason local chambers are putting on shop-local programs, O’Dell The Southern File Photo‌ said, because it reminds residents that one Emily Voorhees and Zach McLaughlin (right) sale isn’t just one transaction. of Murphysboro are Christmas shopping at “Money spent locally multiplies out six University Mall in Carbondale in November 2014. or seven times,” he added.

Baity has been an advocate for the Mar“We are only given a certain amount of ketplace Fairness Act, a bill that requires dollars to run departments, and, when you online retailers to collect sales taxes have less of those dollars, it is even harder from out-of-state customers, even if the

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retailers don’t have a physical presence in the customer’s state.

If the bill is passed, he said there would be some tax collected and distributed to the state and municipalities.

“It is better than getting nothing at all,” he said.

Robinson said he would support the legislation, but only if it is a fair bill.

“I think if done properly and for the right reason, I think it will be beneficial,” he said. “It is kind of scary for me to think about, as mayor, the days ahead and if there are any type of revenues potentially down the road that are fair. I think that is something that we are interested in.”

Stephens said he would support the legislation, as well, especially if it creates equal footing for all businesses.

“People need to be on a level playing field, whether that is a local start-up business in Murphysboro or an international business like Amazon,” he said.

“If we don’t have a level playing field for businesses as best as we can, then I don’t think we will be able to grow as a city, state or country and stay strong.” dustin.duncan@thesouthern.com 618-351-5823 on twitter: @zd2000

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MARCH 2015

Workplace

Are you on a professional downward spiral?

Become aware before it happens

This never seems to go away, and soon you notice that he is also beginning to become ineffective. You start to see him become unable to help himself.

These are all signs. Now, this may not ANGELA HOLMES-YOUNG be limited to managers and leaders.

SBJ CONTRIBUTOR Anyone can get this. While watching out for others, don’t forget to watch out I think I am calling this the Profesfor yourself. Don’t let this happen to sional Downward Spiral. You know it. your co-workers, direct reports, friends You have seen it. Let’s hope that you have not fallen victim to it. The Profes- or even your enemies. Better yet, if sional Downward this begins to happen, get a handle on it quickly.

Spiral takes no Be on the lookout for these recognizprisoners. It’s able symptoms: where a highly  Loss of focus effective manager  Slipping attendance becomes suddenly  Unmet deadlines ineffective. This  Cancelled meetings disease can strike  Targets not set even the best and  Decisions that should come brightest leaders at your organiza- easy now taking additional time and seem labored tion. Do beware, Holmes-Young because, at first,  Inability to answer questions you don’t even realize what is happenand sometimes fining. Before you know it, the downward ish sentences spiral has begun.

Here is an examDo yourself a favor and begin the ple. (As they say, diagnosis here. If there is an early diag- this example is nosis, you can seek treatment and cure purely fiction this awful plague. Do you know someand is not one that this has happened to? It all can seem harmless enough in the beginning. Your friend or coworker seems overwhelmed.

based on true events.) Let’s say that we have a manager who is overloaded. I say, who isn’t? If you are not overloaded, then you are not doing it right. Management and leadership roles are stressful.

Well, in our story here, this manager has an open position. One of his direct reports quit unexpectedly because she was not getting the guidance that she needed in order to do her job. With this position open, the workload began to pile up. This caused our manager additional stress. How long can he continue to do his work and the work of the person who quit? What should he do? What would you do? Here are some options: A. Grab someone else and fill the job yourself ASAP. Fill the role with someone, whether or not this person has the skill or ability, and just make do.

B. Wait for HR or someone to come to you to tell you what to do. We all know that could take forever.

C. Do nothing, but stay positive and tell everyone that things will be fine.

D. Try to do it all yourself without complaining as any good leader would.

In my opinion, none of these options are good. Yes, some are more proactive then others. I think this manager needs to quickly get a hold of everything before the department starts to sink. Try doing the following:  Call a department meeting and ask for teamwork and collective support.  Reassign tasks to cover the hole in the department.

This is a great way to allow your team to stretch into new roles.

Your employees can try out new tasks, learn new skills and grow their abilities. You just might be surprised with what you find.  He should NOT take on more for himself; he is the leader. He needs to focus on leading and managing the

work — working toward the future and ensuring that the group is meeting its deadlines. This is a business, after all.

Surely there is work that must get done.  Make sure he is frequently touching base with the team to ensure that deadlines continue to be met.  Stay in continuous communication with Human Resources and/or management to make sure that the open position is being filled.

What about filling the position? What should he do? What should you do?

Take this advice:  Take the initiative and get with HR or the recruiter to start the hiring process.  Understand the process, so you can be involved.  Determine how involved you can and want to be in this process.  Each situation is different, and sometimes approvals and paperwork can take time.  Be supportive, helpful and available to assist with information needed.  Give input and opinions on recruiting techniques, and be available to review resumes and/or interview candidates.

We all get overwhelmed in our jobs.

We are all asked to multi-task and manage change each day. As we work to do this, remember, you are not alone in your task here. Others are doing the same. Today’s leaders must stay calm and focused. Please set the example. Be the professional. Stay out of the spiral.

— Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth, GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU’VE GOT ANYWAY. (Excerpt from a sign on the wall of Shisu Bhavan, the children’s home in Calcutta. From Mother Teresa) ANGELA HOLMES-YOUNG is author of “Bring It On: The Aspiring Professional’s Guide to Getting a Leg Up on the Competition.” Her book is available at Bookworm, iTunes Store, amazon. com and barnesandnoble.com. Angela is also the corporate recruiter for National Railway Equipment Co. (NRE). She can be reached at ang_holmes@yahoo.com or @A_Holmes_Young.

MARCH 2015

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Entrepreneur’s mailbag

advertising lessons you may have missed from this year’s Super Bowl

distractions look to pull us away. Going forward, how can marketers get consumers to pay attention to the message, have it received as it was intended, and have By now, every aspect of the 2015 the message retained until it is needed Super Bowl has been analyzed, from the to make a purchase? Anyone looking to controversy to the play calling to the advertise, going forward, should be prehalftime show, and, of course, the pared to roll up his sleeves.

Lesson 2: Consumers are naturally ads. I didn’t pay drawn to messages that speak to their much attention needs and wants. During my Super Bowl to the commerad apathy, there was one commercial ciaIs this year as Super Sunday has that managed to cut through the clutter. Nissan ran a spot, “With Dad,” that become a somber was everything I could have wanted in event for me. a 90-second commercial. As a car guy, During the game, it had race tracks, race cars moving fast, I usually dust off intense car crashes, and a son wanting my old copy of Gray to grow up to be like his father. For me, The Super Bowl it was like watching my favorite movie Shuffle, assume the fetal position and trailer, and I immediately declared it the weep, thinking of the Chicago Bears Super Bowls that will never be. So, by the greatest ad since Apple’s 1984. The reality is that I am a lifelong fan of the Nissan end of the game, I might have been able brand and also a loyal owner of Maxima, to give you details from one of the ads which debuted its next generation of the aired. Fearing that I might have missed something and not wanting to be left out vehicle at the end of the commercial. As consumers, we simply know what we like. of this year’s conversation, I decided to go back and watch each marketers’ ads in (http://ow.ly/IpImm) Lesson 3: Marketers should look to creorder to make my own recommendations.

My goal in watching was not for the pure ate brand equity or affective association. entertainment value, but to pass on what This year, Coca Cola ran the commercial, I saw to my fellow small business owners. “Make It Happy,” pulling off one of the feel-good moments of the Super Bowl. By The following are seven advertising lessons that you might have missed from the turning what can, at times, be a negative environment (social media) into a positive 2015 Super Bowl ads. one, the beverage giant managed to send Lesson 1: Marketers should be preout some much-needed social love. But pared to face more resistance. How is it this is nothing new for Coke, which aired that a marketing guy, who has watched its ground-breaking Hilltop commercial the Super Bowl for years just for the ads back in 1971. The ad featured a sort of alone, can completely tune out? Today, United Colors of Benetton group of Coke viewers have more things competing for their attention. Mobile phones, real time drinkers singing verses like, “I’d like to buy the world a home and furnish it with social media, DVR and a host of other CAVANAUGH L. GRAY SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

love.” How can anyone not feel good after hearing lyrics like that? As in the case of this year’s Make It Happy ad, Coke continues to tap into the good vibrations by getting consumers to feel good about their brand — something that is not easy to do. (http://ow.ly/InMSq) Lesson 4: Marketers should look to promote brand recall. Brand recall is a company’s ability to have its brand name remembered easily. It has been done successfully in the past through repetition, crafty slogans and/or catchy jingles. Two companies that have done it well from Super Bowls past include the Budweiser Frogs and AFLAC Duck. This year, Avacados from Mexico produced Ever,” that a creative spot, “First Draft Ever,” I believe was a brand recall winner. In the ad, NFL Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice and QB Doug Flutie are in suits, sitting next to a caveman for the first draft in human history. What you are left with is a very simple tagline, “Grown with love since the beginning of time,” followed by a simple jingle “Avacados from Mexico.” I won’t be forgetting that any time soon. (http://ow.ly/Iq4lW) Lesson 5: Marketers should use competitive positioning in crowded, well established categories. With the dominant cellular carrier being Verizon, all other competitors seem to be fighting for recognition as a second or third option. The goal here is to use an explicit reference to an existing competitor to help define precisely what your brand can do for the consumer that the competition can’t. This year, I

think T-Mobile did a good job in its ad, “Kim’s Data Stash.” In it, Kim Kardashian does well pulling off the commercial to the point that I almost thought she was championing a real cause. In a very creative way, T-Mobile manages to deliver its unique message of salvaging expiring rollover data in a crowded segment that is dominated by bigger carriers. (http://ow.ly/IqEgy)

GRAY, 9

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Southern Business Journal

March 2015

expOrTing yOur illinOis FOOD prODucT getting the international recipe right

Details: When: TuesDay, april 14

exporting your illinois Food product: succeeding internationally

Where:

This informational workshop will map out the export resources and opportunities available to food and beverage industry companies, including specialized market entry assistance and grant programs. Guest speaker, Kim Hamilton, International Marketing Representative from the Illinois Department of Agriculture, will provide you with industry-specific resources to expand your sales into the global marketplace. Registration is free; however, RSVP is required by April 10, 2015.

sOuThern illinOis universiTy Dunn-richmond economic Development center 1740 innovation Drive, carbondale, il 62903

To register, or for information, call 618/536-2424, go online at sbdc.siu.edu, or register by email at sbdc@siu.edu.

10:30 a.m. TO nOOn: WOrkshOp nOOn TO 1 p.m.: lunch

register: nO laTer Than april 10, 2015 rsvp to illinois small Business Development center at southern illinois university 618/536-2424 or sbdc@siu.edu

cost: There is no cost to attend. preregistration is required.

The Illinois Small Business Development Center/International Trade Center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and hosted by Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

March 2015

Southern Business Journal

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Money matters Understanding the relationship between bond prices and yields MICHAEL P. TISON SBJ CONTRIBUTOR‌

‌It is important for investors to understand the inverse relationship between bond prices and their respective yields.

Although the bond market is less volatile than the stock market, bonds also fluctuate in terms of price. This image illustrates the inverse relationship between bond prices and bond yields, or interest Tison rates. If interest rates fall, bond prices rise. If interest rates rise, bond prices fall. A simple example illustrates this concept.

This graph shows that interest rates payment of principal and interest. have historically moved in long cycles.

Interest rates have been declining since 1982, and they seem to be in the process of bottoming. Today, the 10-year interest About the data Government bonds, in this example, are rate is at 1.86 percent. This also shows that as interest rates decline, the cash flow represented by the 20-year U.S. governof the coupon is worth more. As interest ment bond. Bond price is represented rates increase, an investor is able to go out by the capital appreciation index of and buy a market-rate coupon that makes the 20-year U.S. government bond. An a less current, lower coupon worth less. investment cannot be made directly in That is why investors need to realize that an index. bonds are not risk-free either.

Government bonds and Treasury bills As an example, suppose an investor are guaranteed by the full faith and credit purchases a 20-year $1,000 bond with of the U.S. government as to the timely

a yield of 8 percent and interest payable annually at year-end. One year later, interest rates rise to 10 percent. Anybody in the market for a bond can now buy one with a yield of 10 percent. If the investor tried to sell the bond with an 8 percent yield for the original price of $1,000, nobody would buy it; the same amount of money could purchase a bond yielding 10 percent. In order to find a buyer, the investor would need to discount the bond price enough to compensate the buyer for the lower interest or coupon payments (10 percent – 8 percent = 2 percent

less per year in interest payments). This would result in a capital loss. Conversely, if interest rates fall, the investor would experience a capital gain. Again, this is due to the inverse relationship between bond prices and yields.

There are other types of bonds, and they have different risks. Corporate bonds, for instance, have credit risk. A corporation with a very strong balance sheet and income statement would have a higher corporate rating than a company with more debt or one that is less profitable. There are agencies, such as Moody’s and S&P, that rate corporate bonds. Whether it is government bonds, corporate bonds, mortgage bonds or international bonds, it is important to understand the different risks these securities have.

This material is being provided for information purposes only, and it is not a complete description, nor is it a recommendation to buy or sell any investment.

Investing involves risk, and you may incur a profit or loss, regardless of strategy selected. Any opinions are those of Michael P. Tison and not necessarily of Raymond James.

MICHAEL P. TISON is a registered principal/ financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/ SIPC. He can be reached at mptison@ clearwave.com or 618-253-4444. Raymond James has offices in Marion and Harrisburg.

GRAY: Seven advertising lessons you may have missed from this year’s Super Bowl have $600 million to buy a bomber, but, if I did, I would gladly expand my garage Lesson 6: Marketers should look to bet- to accommodate. Upon second review, it became clear that the company did not ter serve their market niches. Niches are relatively small groups of consumers who participate for masses, but instead as a way to reach out to the niches the comhave a very unique and specialized set of needs and are willing to pay a premium to pany serves: Aerospace Systems, Electronic Systems, Information Systems, and have those needs met. Often the size or level of expertise needed to service a niche Technical Services. (http://ow.ly/Iqfjg) Lesson 7: Marketers should clearly idenmakes it unprofitable or unrealistic for many organizations to compete in. When tify their advertising goals and objectives.

I am all for entertainment, but I would defense contractor Northrop Grumman ran its “Hanger” commercial at this year’s want my budget to do more than make the audience laugh. I would personally game, my first thought was . . . what are like to see my message communicated and they doing here? As a consumer, I don’t

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received well, and I would like to see some significant sales or return on my $4 million investment. In the “Made In America” ad, WeatherTech delivers a brilliant message from start to finish. In the commercial, you get a chance to see American industry at work. You get to visit WeatherTech’s facility, see its employees going about their day-to-day jobs, and you see the product being made. The best part of the commercial is that the company manages to tell you exactly what it does, so you walk away with a lasting message firmly tucked away, “All we do is create the highest quality automotive

accessories.” I plan on purchasing a set of this company’s floor mats for my car next week. (http://ow.ly/IrIqq) CAVANAUGH L. GRAY (cgray@ecafellc.com) is director of business development for The Entrepreneur Café, LLC, 877-511-4820. To read a chapter from his book, “The Entrepreneurial Spirit Lives: 25 Tales to Help Entrepreneurs Start, Grow, and Succeed in Small Business,” log on to www.ecafellc. com. For more information on how to start, grow and succeed in small business, join The Entrepreneur Cafe, LLC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

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Southern Business Journal

March 2015

Special Report Meaning of 4 words at center of high court health law fight MARK SHERMAN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS‌

‌WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court next week hears a challenge to President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul that hinges on just four words in the massive law that seeks to dramatically reduce the ranks of the uninsured. The argument threatens subsidies that help make insurance affordable to consumers in about three dozen states.

The lawsuit focuses on the health insurance marketplaces, or exchanges, that have been set up to allow people to find coverage if they don’t get insurance through their jobs or the government. The challengers argue that the health law provides subsidies only to people who get their insurance through an exchange “established by the state.” But most states have not established their own marketplaces and instead rely on the federal healthcare.gov.

The administration says that consumers in all 50 states are eligible for subsidies and that Congress would not have passed a law that omits help for so much of the nation.

Q. Why is the eligibility for subsidies such an important part of the law?

A. Aware of failed efforts on the state level to reduce the number of uninsured, the architects of the health law included three related requirements: Insurers can’t deny coverage because of “pre-existing” health conditions; almost everyone must be insured, in order to get enough healthy people into the system; and consumers who otherwise would spend too much of their paycheck on their premiums get financial help in the form of tax credits.

That last piece, the subsidies, is designed to keep enough people in the pool of insured to avoid triggering a so-called death spiral of declining enrollment, a

growing proportion of less healthy people and premium increases by insurers.

Q. Would Congress have distinguished between consumers based on whether they get insurance through the federal government or the states?

A. The opponents say Congress could have made such a distinction, and did.

Congress wanted two things — nationwide subsidies and state-run insurance exchanges. So in the challengers’ view, the availability of subsidies was conditioned on states setting up their own exchanges.

They say the case is “extraordinarily straightforward” because the phrase “established by the state” cannot refer to exchanges established by the Health and Human Services Department, which oversees healthcare.gov. There is no other way to read the law, they argue. One piece of outside evidence in their favor is a talk in 2012 by former administration health care adviser Jonathan Gruber in which he said states risked losing billions of dollars if they did not create their own exchanges.

Q. That seems pretty convincing. Has the administration given up?

A. No. The administration says the law’s own “text, structure, design and history” refute the other side’s arguments.

Attempting to divine the meaning of four words in isolation from the rest of massive law is foolhardy, the Justice Department says. Several portions of the law indicate that consumers can claim tax credits no matter where they live, and that a central purpose of the law was to make health care affordable to all Americans. No member of Congress indicated that subsidies would be limited, and several states argue in a separate brief to the court that they had no inkling they had to set up their own exchange for their residents to get tax credits. The administration also says it is

nonsensical to think Congress would have set such a “self-defeating scheme.” The only possible reading of the law allows subsidies nationwide, the administration says.

Q. What if the court concludes the language isn’t as clear as each side says?

A. That should produce a win for the administration because Supreme Court precedent holds that federal agencies get the benefit of the doubt when the meaning of a law, or part of it, can’t be definitively determined from the text. The administration would rather not win in that fashion, however, because it leaves open the prospect of a future administration changing its view. That’s much harder to do when a law has been interpreted as having a clear meaning. Then, only Congress can make changes.

Q. How many people would be affected and in how many states?

A. Independent studies by the Urban Institute and the Rand Corporation estimate that 8 million people would lose insurance if the court rules for the challengers. Subsidies appear to be safe for people living in the 13 states and the District of Columbia with their own markets — California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington — and perhaps in three others — Nevada, New Mexico and Oregon — that set up their own exchanges, but rely on the federal government for eligibility determinations.

Q. How have courts ruled so far?

A. A three-judge panel in the federal appeals court in Richmond, Virginia, unanimously sided with the administration.

That is the case on appeal to the Supreme Court. A second appeals court, in Washington, D.C., initially ruled 2-1 in favor of

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challenges. The full court, however, threw out that opinion and agreed to rehear the case. The Supreme Court’s intervention put that rehearing on hold. The Supreme Court rarely takes cases without differing opinions in the lower courts. But as Justice Antonin Scalia told a Swiss interviewer in December, the case poses “a very, very significant question” that should be decided by the Supreme Court.

Q. Is there a partisan or ideological slant apparent?

A. As with everything else involving Obama’s health overhaul, the answer is a resounding yes.

This latest lawsuit is part of a longrunning political and legal campaign to try to kill the Roberts overhaul that passed Congress without a single Republican vote and President Barack Obama signed into law in 2010. Of the six appellate judges who have ruled, four who were appointed by Democrats upheld the provision at issue and two Republican appointees voted to strike it down. The Supreme Court does not reveal how justices vote when they decide to hear a case. But in the two earlier cases involving Obama’s health care law, the pattern held, with one important exception — Chief Justice John Roberts’ vote in 2012 to uphold the law against a challenge to its constitutionality. The other four Republican appointees would have struck it down in its entirety. Last year, the court by a different 5-4 majority said businesses with religious objections don’t have to pay for contraceptives for women covered under their health plans.

March 2015

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Economics

Plunging oil prices: A good news/bad news story In a broader economic context, lower oil prices reduce the cost to manufacturers of producing and transporting their ‌Oil prices, which are down nearly one- goods, and to airlines of operating their third since last summer’s peak, have come aircraft, thereby improving profit margins and investor sentiment. under pressure due in large part to new On a global scale, lower oil prices energy supplies, notably from the United should boost consumption and lower States, which are tipping the balance of supply and demand. Over the past several manufacturing costs in oil-importing economies, particularly in Europe, where years, U.S. oil sluggish economic growth has much of production has the continent teetering on the brink of increased more recession. Yet the immediate positive than 70 percent effects of lower oil prices in Europe need and, according to be tempered by longer-term realities — to The New York Times, “the United namely, weak economic fundamentals and States is poised to the specter of deflation — an extended surpass Saudi Ara- period of falling prices. bia as the world’s top producer, pos- The deflation factor McClatchey sibly in a matter When prices fall across the board, conof months.” sumers put off making major purchases on the hopes that prices will fall even farther. When spending stalls, companies’ Cheap oil: Good medicine revenues suffer and pressure mounts to or economic malaise? cut costs by laying off workers, freezing or reducing wages, or raising the price of Do lower oil prices have a positive or the goods they product, all of which can negative effect on the global economy? further stymie consumer spending and The answer is “yes.” Generally, cheaper deepen the deflationary cycle. oil is good for the American economy. It The good news/bad news nature of is estimated that savings from tumbling deflation has everything to do with what gas prices represent the equivalent of a is driving the drop in prices of goods and $75 billion tax cut for U.S. consumers, or services. For instance, if it is a lack of roughly $1,100 per family on an annual demand, as many economists say is curbasis if prices remain at current levels rently the case in the Eurozone, deflation (as of December 2, 2014). More disposable income in the hands of consumers is could be damaging. If, however, it is due likely to boost consumer spending, which, to a boost in supply, such as the oil and gas boom in the United States, it can prove in turn, feeds economic growth. Case in point: Automakers reported total sales for beneficial to economic growth. the month of November were up 4.6 percent to 1.3 million, the best monthly finish Takeaways for investors since 2001.

Similarly, from an investment SCOTT MCCLATCHEY SBJ CONTRIBUTOR‌

perspective, lower oil prices present a double-edged sword. On the positive side: zz Low-priced oil should help to buoy U.S. stocks by strengthening the economy and by extending the period of extraordinary monetary policy established by the Federal Reserve.‌ zz The revelation that the United States may be poised to eclipse Saudi Arabia as the world’s leading oil producer may spell good news for U.S. equities in general — and strengthen the dollar against other world currencies.‌ On the downside: zz In the short-term, investors in the energy sector, and commodities markets in general, should prepare to see the plunge in oil prices reflected in the price of the securities they own.‌ zz Should oil prices remain depressed indefinitely, energy companies will likely slash research and development budgets, which could curtail innovation and stunt longer-term growth potential within the sector, particularly in the area of environmentally-friendly, alternative energy sources.‌ Contact your financial advisor to learn more about oil price trends and the affect they may have on your financial situation.

SCOTT MCCLATCHEY is a certified financial planner with Alliance Investment Planning Group, a Carbondale investment firm located at 115 S. Washington St. He can be reached at 618-519-9344 or scott@ allianceinvestmentplanning.com. He also provides investment, retirement planning and insurance services to SIU Credit Union members through the SIU Credit Union PROVIDED BY DRAEDEN KREGER‌ Investment Services partnership. Securities A Road Ranger station in Okawville was chargoffered through LPL Financial, member ing $1.69 for regular unleaded on Saturday, FINRA/SIPC. Jan. 3.

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March 2015

Special report

Republicans critical of Obama’s ‘amnesty bonuses’ STEPHEN OHLEMACHER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS‌

‌WASHINGTON — Millions of immigrants benefiting from President Barack Obama’s executive actions could get a windfall from the IRS, a reversal of fortune after years of paying taxes to help fund government programs they were banned from receiving.

Armed with new Social Security numbers, many of these immigrants who were living in the U.S. illegally will now be able to claim up to four years’ worth of tax credits designed to benefit the working poor. For big families, that’s a maximum of nearly $24,000, as long as they can document their earnings during those years.

Some Republicans are labeling the payments “amnesty bonuses,” one more reason they oppose Obama’s program shielding millions of immigrants from deportation.

“I represent hard working, law-biding Texans,” said Rep. Sam Johnson, a senior Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee. “I think these amnesty rewards, and that’s what they are, need to be stopped.”

Advocates argue that many of these immigrants pay taxes, so they should be able to claim the same tax credits as anybody else. Over the past decade, immigrants in the U.S. illegally have paid an estimated $100 billion in Social Security payroll taxes, even though few will ever be able to collect benefits, said Stephen Goss, Social Security’s chief actuary.

Obama has issued executive orders shielding about 4 million immigrants from deportation. Some were brought to the U.S. as children; others are parents of children who are either U.S. citizens or legal residents. Although a federal judge in South Texas has temporarily blocked Obama’s action, the Justice Department is appealing the ruling. The White House contends the executive orders are within the president’s legal authority.

Republicans in Congress oppose Obama’s actions and are trying to use a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security to overturn them.

Democrats are resisting, resulting in a stalemate that is threatening to shut down

the department.

Funding for the department, which oversees immigration enforcement, runs out Feb. 27.

The dispute over tax credits illustrates the complicated relationship that many immigrants have with the U.S. tax system.

Social Security estimates that immigrants living in the country illegally work at about the same rate as the rest of the population, even though federal law bars them from employment.

In general, they are less likely to pay federal taxes. Those who do have been boosting Social Security’s finances for years.

How does Social Security know when it receives taxes from immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally? There is no foolproof method, Goss said. One way is by tracking reported wages in which the Social Security number does not match the name the agency has on file.

Some of these are clerical errors or unreported name changes, but Goss estimates that a majority of these wages come from immigrants who have made up Social Security numbers or used someone else’s.

The numbers are huge.

From 2003 to 2012, the total was nearly $750 billion in wages. Tellingly, only 7 percent of these wages are ever claimed and credited to an actual worker, Goss said.

There are an estimated 11 million to 12 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

By law, you must have a Social Security number to work in the U.S. But millions of people work without them.

Some work in the underground economy and do not report their income to the government. For those who work and pay federal income taxes, the IRS provides them with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).

Since 1996, the IRS has issued 21 million of these numbers. About one-quarter of them are still in use, the agency says.

The IRS accepts these tax returns without reporting the taxpayers to immigration authorities, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said. That encourages the workers to pay taxes.

“We don’t enforce the Social Security laws, we don’t enforce the immigration

AP‌

A supporter holds a tablet in front of the White House in Washington on Nov. 20, 2014 during a demonstration before President Obama’s immigration address.

laws,” Koskinen said of his agency.

“In fact, the reason illegal immigrants file taxes with us is they know we aren’t sharing that data with anybody.

We treat it as taxpayer-protected information.”

Koskinen Even if these immigrants pay taxes, they are ineligible for most federal programs. They cannot legally get food stamps, unemployment benefits, Pell grants or federal student loans. They cannot get Medicaid, except for emergency medical services, and are ineligible for subsidies under Obama’s health law.

They can claim some federal tax breaks, if they file tax returns.

But until now, they were not eligible for Social Security, Medicare or the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), one of the government’s largest anti-poverty programs.

Obama’s executive actions will offer Social Security numbers to these immigrants, something that eventually could make them eligible for Social Security and Medicare. For Social Security, workers generally have to work and pay payroll taxes for 10 years before they qualify for retirement benefits.

More immediately, they can take advantage of the EITC. Last year, the credit provided low-income workers with about $70 billion.

This credit is popular among

conservatives because it rewards work — the more you work, the bigger your credit, as long as your income does not exceed certain limits. It is popular among liberals because it provides cash payments to lowwage workers, even if they do not make enough money to pay federal income tax.

It is, however, a complicated program to administer that generates a significant amount of improper payments, according to the IRS’s own estimates.

Once the immigrants in Obama’s program get Social Security numbers, they can file tax returns claiming the EITC, as long as they meet the income requirements and can document their earnings.

There’s more.

They also can file amended tax returns for up to three years after they were due, which means these immigrants can claim tax credits going back as far as 2011. (Tax returns for 2011 were due in April 2012).

The maximum credit for families with three or more children is about $6,000, so some families could get as much as $24,000 in credits.

Koskinen said these tax returns would be processed just like any other.

“You have to do the same thing any taxpayer would do, which is you’re going to file a return, say this is what I earned, these are my expenses, deductions, whatever it might be,” Koskinen said. “You have to have the supporting documentation.”

Some in Congress are outraged.

“The administration may have blown open the doors for fraud with amnesty bonuses of more than $24,000 to those who receive deferred action,” said Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb. “This program severely undermines the White House’s lip-service to enforcing the law and would increase the burden on law-abiding taxpayers.”

Advocates for immigrants say that if these workers are paying taxes, they should get the same benefits as other taxpayers.

“Let’s not forget that these workers receive the lowest wages for what they contribute to their communities and local economies,” said Ellen Sittenfeld Battistelli, policy analyst at the National Immigration Law Center. “What do we as a nation gain by further impoverishing them?”

March 2015

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March 2015

Special Report

Used cars often sold with unfixed defects, despite recalls THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

‌ ETROIT — It’s a case of D buyer beware, with potentially dangerous consequences.

More than 46 million cars and trucks on the road in the U.S. — about one-fifth the total — were recalled because of safety defects but never repaired, according to a study by Carfax, a company that sells vehicle history reports.

Some of those defects have the potential to cause a crash, injury, even death.

Last year, around 5 million of those cars were sold to new owners.

That’s because there is no legal requirement for dealers or individual sellers to get the repairs done before a used car is sold. They are not even obligated to tell buyers if a car is subject to a recall.

“It’s a very major public safety problem,” says Chris Basso, a used-car specialist for Carfax, which analyzed state registration data to determine that one-fifth of the 238 million cars on the nation’s roads has an unrepaired problem that was the subject of a recall. “When those recalled cars go unfixed, they compound over the years, and it increases the chance of those parts failing.”

Federal regulators are pushing for legislation that requires dealers to fix recalled used cars.

Independent dealers oppose such a measure but say they might go along with a requirement to disclose recalls to buyers because a new government database makes it easier to tell if a car on their lot has been recalled.

The number of unfixed cars is certain to rise because automakers recalled nearly 64 million vehicles nationwide last year, double the old record set in 2004.

Government data show that 25 percent of car owners never get recall repairs done.

No one is sure how many crashes or injuries happen

UNFIXED RECALLS Carfax, a company that sells vehicle history reports to dealers and car buyers, searched recalls and state registration databases and found that more than 46 million cars on U.S. roads have recalled parts that have yet to be repaired.

AP‌

Eri and John Castro pose in front of their 2011 Toyota Prius on Feb. 14 in Glen Burnie, Md.

because of unheeded recalls. But buying an unrepaired car cost Carlos Solis his life. The 35-yearold father of two died Jan. 18 when shrapnel from the driver’s air bag in his 2002 Honda Accord tore into his neck after a minor accident near Houston.

Solis’ Accord had been recalled in 2011 to fix a faulty air bag inflator made by Takata Corp. that can explode with too much force. But neither the two previous owners, nor the independent dealer in Houston who sold Solis the car last April, had the repair done.

Solis had no other injuries, says Rob Ammons, an attorney representing his family in a lawsuit against Takata, Honda and the dealer. “You fix the defective air bag and he doesn’t die,” Ammons says.

Federal law requires car companies to notify owners of a recall within 60 days of finding a safety defect, which Honda did in 2011.

But there’s no legal requirement that companies contact the new owner if a car changes hands.

John Castro, 36, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, traded a pickup truck for a 2011 Toyota Prius in March of last year at Koons Ford in Baltimore.

Shortly after he took the car home, he read a dealer-provided Carfax report and found that his car had been recalled in February 2014 to fix a hybrid component

that could malfunction and cause stalling. Koons had not done the repair, and no sales person mentioned the recall, Castro says.

“You think when you buy something, it’s been checked and cleared,” he says.

Dennis Koulatsos, Koons Ford general manager, says Castro’s car should have been fixed because there was a safety issue.

All dealers, he says, have incentives to fix recalled cars. They could lose customers to dealers who do, or they could be sued if something goes wrong.

But he also thinks dealers should be able to sell cars with open recalls if the problems don’t affect safety or drivability. “Used cars are hard to get, and they depreciate by the day when they sit on the lot,” he says.

A number of attempts to pass laws requiring dealers to fix recalled cars or disclose problems have stalled under opposition from carmakers, auto dealers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Mark Rosekind, the new head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx are making another push.

“We cannot allow vehicles with potentially dangerous defects to leave used-car lots without the necessary repairs,” Rosekind says.

State Cars with unfixed recalls California 4,923,308 Texas 4,102,575 Florida 2,778,369 New York 2,116,136 Pennsylvania 1,997,334 Illinois 1,917,440 Ohio 1,898,505 Michigan 1,579,969 Georgia 1,482,696 North Carolina 1,327,578 New Jersey 1,284,260 Virginia 1,225,118 Indiana 999,964 Arizona 983,363 Massachusetts 954,570 Washington 949,641 Tennessee 944,972 Missouri 923,443 Wisconsin 894,650 Maryland 878,308 Minnesota 855,222 Colorado 817,869 Alabama 806,456 South Carolina 755,874 Oklahoma 707,367 Kentucky 692,582 Used-car dealers fought past legislation because they didn’t have access to a national database to check for recalls, says Steve Jordan, CEO of the 16,000-member National Independent Automobile Dealers Association.

That changed in August when the government set up a website for dealers and drivers to check recalls by keying in the 17-digit vehicle identification number.

Now, Jordan says the association may support a disclosure law, as long as the database allows dealers to check multiple numbers at a time to save time and labor.

The association still opposes a repair requirement because independent dealers would be at the

State Cars with unfixed recalls Louisiana 682,206 Iowa 513,600 Oregon 506,337 Connecticut 499,074 Mississippi 496,480 Arkansas 453,421 Kansas 449,270 Utah 427,741 New Mexico 343,956 Nevada 337,990 Nebraska 297,006 West Virginia 295,709 Idaho 232,936 New Hampshire 222,560 Maine 204,143 Hawaii 196,880 Montana 177,425 Delaware 143,964 South Dakota 143,704 Rhode Island 137,479 Alaska 119,581 North Dakota 117,246 Wyoming 114,133 Vermont 100,904 Washington, D.C. 52,398 Source: Study of 2014 state registration data by Carfax.

mercy of competitors franchised by automakers. Those dealers are the only ones authorized to do recall repairs.

The National Automobile Dealers Association, which represents new-car dealers that sell used cars, hasn’t taken a position on the repair requirements. It is waiting for the government to estimate the cost, the effect on sales and whether the measure would save lives.

Individual sellers won’t face any repair or disclosure requirements. Individuals sold just under one-third of the 42 million used cars in the U.S. last year, according to the Strategic Vision research firm.

March 2015

Last year, a Honda executive floated the idea of requiring recall repairs before license plates can be renewed. That’s similar to the practice in Germany, where the government can revoke registrations of cars with outstanding recalls.

U.S. federal law does require dealers to make recall repairs on new cars before selling them.

CarMax, the nation’s largest used-car dealership chain, says it informs buyers of open recalls, but it does not get the vehicles repaired. AutoNation, the largest dealership group in the U.S., says it repairs recalled used cars before selling them when parts are available. If there are no parts available, it discloses that to buyers and tells them of any danger.

AutoNation CEO Mike Jackson says he favors laws requiring disclosure.

“The recall situation is a mess. It’s a disgrace and it’s a black eye for the industry,” he says.

How to find out if a used car has an unrepaired recall THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

If you’re shopping for a used car, you want to make sure a recalled part has been repaired. Here’s how to protect yourself: Find out if there’s a recall: Get the 17-digit vehicle identification number from the seller, or copy it down from the left side of the dashboard near the windshield. Go to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s VIN lookup site at https://vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/ and key in the number. The site will tell you if there are any open recalls.

Get a vehicle history report: You can pay a third party such as Carfax or Experian’s AutoCheck for a vehicle history check. It will show the car’s ownership history, if it’s been in a crash, and if there are open recalls.

Ask the dealer: Many dealers will check used cars for open recalls. Ask them to do it while you’re watching. Many have policies of repairing recalls before selling cars, and others will give you a vehicle history report at no charge.

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Achievements Franklin Hospital welcomes new mid-level practitioners ‌Michelle Burwell, PA-C; Kayla Kimmel, FNP; and Alisa Morgan, FNP, have joined Franklin Hospital as mid-level practitioners.

Burwell of Mount Vernon will work in the Family Healthcare Clinic on the third floor East from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. She will visit nursing home patients Monday mornings and Friday. She will assist Dr. Robert Parks in his nursing home practice and is certified to perform Department of Transportation physicals. To make an appointment, call 618-439-3161, ext. 681.

Kimmel of Benton will work in the Family Healthcare Clinic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dr. Richard Rethorst will be her collaborative physician. Kimmel specializes in women’s health and pediatrics. To make an appointment, call 618-4393161, ext. 685.

Morgan of Du Quoin will work in the Morthland College Health Services Clinic in West Frankfort from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Her specialty is family practice. Dr. Timothy Morthland will be her collaborative physician. To make an appointment, call 618-932-2200, ext. 201.

Caritas’ therapy team recognized Kickboxing academy opens ‌Caritas Family Solution’s Multisysfacility in Marion temic Therapy (MST) counseling team has been awarded a certificate of recognition by MST Service’s “Whatever It Takes” program for work and dedication to the youth of Southern Illinois.

This recognition is given to individuals within the MST community that have demonstrated outstanding and meritorious service. As a recipient of this honor, the Caritas team is also a nominee for the annual MST “Whatever it Takes” Award that will be presented at the next MST conference in April.

Multisystemic therapy is an intensive family and community-based treatment program designed to serve troubled youth in the communities throughout Southern Illinois.

‌Southern Illinois Kickboxing Academy (SIKA) recently opened its new facility inside Illinois Star Centre Mall in Marion.

SIKA is one of the largest Martial Arts and Combat Centers in the United States, housing the Southern Illinois Wrestling Academy. SIKA offers workout equipment, a boxing ring, wrestling mats, instruction in boxing, self-defense, grappling and cardio. Classes will be designed for youth, adults and seniors.

The facility has two party rooms available for birthdays or special occasions.

For more information about Southern Illinois Kickboxing Academy, contact Mike Benavi at 618-531-1867.

Shupe completes FIC course

Simply David’s Bakery

opens in Marion ‌ athanial D. Shupe of Du Quoin, a N Modern Woodmen of America represen‌Simply David’s Bakery and Catering tative, has attained the Fraternal Insur- recently opened in Marion. ance Counselor (FIC) designation.

Simply David’s, located at 113 S. RusThe FIC title is an educational dessell St., offers cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, ignation that can be earned by career muffins and cookies, as well as other life insurance representatives associdesserts throughout the week. Specialty ated with fraternal insurance societies. cakes are also available to order for any Representatives devote more than one special occasion. year to meet the examination and career Specialty breads available include development criteria set by the Fraternal tomato basil, spinach parmesan Field Managers Association. and onion walnut, as well as white Founded in 1883, Modern Woodmen and wheat.

Egyptian Electric of America touches lives and secures David Pulley, owner and pastry chef, Cooperative awarded futures. The fraternal financial services graduated from the International Center organization offers financial products for Hospitality Studies in Louisville, ‌Egyptian Electric Cooperative and fraternal member benefits to indiKentucky, with a baking and pastry arts Association received the Certificate viduals and families throughout the degree and a bachelor’s degree in hospiof Safety Achievement on Feb. 11 at tality management. the Rural Electric Safety Achievement United States.

Program Roundtable in Bloomington.

RESAP is a service of the National Rural Electric Cooperative AssociaWilliamson County tion and strives to promote the highRegional Airport to est standards of safety among electric Lambert International Why drive? Instead, connect on a fast cooperatives. Twenty-four Illinois and easy flight from Marion to St. Louis. * cooperatives currently participate in RESAP. from The program is based on two funeach way Williamson County damental guiding principles. The first including all taxes and fees Regional Airport principle is a commitment to safety at all levels of the cooperative. Leaders accept responsibility for a culture that drives safety performance. The second is that leaders and employees Enjoy the ride. take ownership of the systems and processes that create a safe working capeair.com 800-CAPE-AIR environment. *Fares are subject to availability and other conditions. Fares may change without notice, and are not guaranteed until ticketed.

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Southern Business Journal

March 2015

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Achievements Boys and Girls Club of Carbondale Business of the Month

Camarato attends statewide REALTORS meetings ‌Teresa Camarato, owner of Property with TLC real estate in Herrin, recently participated in the Illinois Association of REALTORS public policy meetings in East Peoria.

The invitation-only meetings, which were Jan. 19-22, are a place to discuss local, state and federal policy issues affecting the industry.

The Illinois Association of REALTORS is a voluntary trade association with 43,000 members, and works to protect the rights of private property owners by recommending and promoting legislation that safeguards property ownership.

Blacklock attends Top Women Advisors Summit ‌Barbara J. Blacklock, managing director-investments at Wells Fargo Advisors in Carbondale, attended the ninth annual Barron’s Top Women Advisors Summit, hosted by Barron’s magazine to promote best practices in the industry and the value of advice to the investing public. The invitation-only conference was Dec. 3-5 at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida.

Blacklock was one of about 500 financial advisors who were selected by their firms to participate in the conference.

Burwell

Kimmel

PROVIDED‌

AIEC President/CEO Duane Noland (from left), Egyptian Electric Cooperative Forestry Supervisor Travis Deterding and AIEC Manager of Regulatory Compliance Steve Davis pose for a photo with their award.

For more information, contact Wells Fargo at 618-351-7845.

Zimbro celebrates 15 years with Wells Fargo ‌Dana Zimbro, a financial consultant with the Carbondale-Blacklock branch of Wells Fargo Advisors, is celebrating her 15th year of service with the firm.

Zimbro has a degree in finance from SIU and lives in Carterville with her husband and their two children.

With $1.4 trillion in client assets as of Sept. 30, Wells Fargo Advisors provides investment advice and guidance to clients through 15,163 fullservice financial advisors and 3,609

Morgan

Shupe

FACES IN THE NEWS Have you been promoted? Send a photo.

Others in the business community will want to know it, so please consider passing on your employment news and photos to the Southern Business Journal. Feel free to

email the information to sbj@thesouthern.com.

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz Thomson

The Boys & Girls Club of Carbondale is pleased to announce KFVS-TV as their Business of the Month for February 2015!

licensed bankers.

Thomson joins Centerstone as senior clinician ‌Centerstone welcomes Stella Thomson, MSW, LCSW, as a senior clinician.

Thomson, formerly of Associated Psychotherapists, will provide counseling services in Centerstone’s Carbondale and Marion offices with a holistic approach to therapy. She will often be accompanied by her therapy dog, Sophie.

Centerstone, formerly The H Group, provides comprehensive behavioral health services in Franklin, Jackson and Williamson counties.

Carbondale nursing center under new ownership I‌ ntegrity Healthcare Communities has acquired Carbondale II Rehab and Nursing Center, 500 S. Lewis Lane.

Carbondale II Rehab and Nursing Center joined the family of Integrity Healthcare Communities on Jan. 1, and has sister facilities in the area, including Marion Rehab and Nursing Center; Herrin Rehab and Nursing Center; and

Carbondale Rehab and Nursing Center on Tower Road.

Shelton’s Towing and Recovery opens in Carbondale ‌A new towing business has started in Carbondale.

Shelton’s Towing and Recovery, LLC, located at 325 W. Industrial Park Road, is owned by Matt Shelton. The phone number is 618-534-3973.

Shelton has worked in the towing business since 1996 for various companies. He is available for jump starts, unlocks, tire changes and other towing services.

Sandgren-Kempf completes educational trip to Branson ‌Carolyn Sandgren-Kempf recently returned from Branson, Missouri, completing an extensive three-day, fournight inspection and tour of the town.

She inspected local hotels to ensure they meet the standards for recommendations by Elite Travel Inc. in Cape Girardeau. For more information, call 573-334-1234 or visit www.elite-trips. com.

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March 2015

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Fine print Building permits Carbondale‌

Hector Campos, 422 E. Willow St., $5,000 New Day Healthcare Inc., 310 E. Birch St., $2,500 Braiger O’Neal, 413 E. Ashley St., $29,300 Fomestee Rowe, 905 N. Connor St., $32,500 Wabash Properties, 700 S. Dixon St., $2,500 Faulk and Foster, 601 S. Lewis Lane, $30,000 Carbondale Muslim Center, 510 E. Chestnut St., $20,000

Marion‌

Mew Ventures LLC, 3415 Office Park Drive, $150,000 Electrical Specialist, 401 W. Boyton St., $5,000 Sonic, 2710 Walton Way, $400,000

Metropolis‌

Liberty Signs, 201 W. 10th St., $23,795 Don Beckley, 704 E. Fifth St., $3,071.72 Melissa Watts, 113 E. 20th St., $47,000 Bill’s Bar B Que, 1215 E. Eighth St., $65,000 William Hertter, 1227 E. Seventh St., $3,000 Wilma Flemister, 608 Pearl St., $3,000 A & K Construction, 1811 E. Fifth St., $4,265,000

Mount Vernon ‌

Rick Pigg, 716 Lake Park, $0 Auto Credit, 3110 Broadway, $1,700 Times Square Mall, 3917 Broadway, $5,250 Community First Bank, 109 N. 10th St., $28,000 Sam Shillingburg, 1922 Richview Road, $0 Rita Sanders, 1120 S. 15th St., $0 Huck’s, 1801 S. 10th St., $55,000 Warren Gholson, 2704 Richview, $16,000 Ferrell Pucket, 611 N. Seventh St., $0 King City Chrysler, 1603 Broadway, $171,298 H & R Block, 2413 Broadway, $2,000 Bennett Metals, 700 Rackaway, $8,600

Barbara A. Balow, 309 Washington St., Carterville Christopher P. and Angelina M. Cheatham, Murphysboro‌ Chambers, Bob, 1906 Hortense St., $10,000 2301 Faith Drive, Herrin Pamela S. Jeralds, 406 Missouri Ave., Kevin Ditto, 377 Fiddler Ridge Road, $500 Carterville Mike Marten, 9127 Pine St., $0 Billy K. and Melissa A. Wheeler, 10259B N. Nagel Lane, Opkyke Heidi L. Moonier, 301 N. John St., Steeleville Paul W. Brazell, 109 Grove Ave., Anna Larry Junior Wilkerson, 1876 County Road ‌Chapter 7 150 N. Barnhill Aaron Anthony Mitchell, 312 N. St. Louis St., Alice M. Thompson, P.O. Box 383, Herrin Sparta, and Courtney Lynn Mitchell, 312 Breese Jerome C. and Sonya M. Wood, 1403 S. 34th St., Centralia St., Apt. 218, Mount Vernon Audra R. Ruphard, 2212 Upchurch St., Betty L. Myers, 112 Douglas St., Anna Eldorado Bridget Marie Fulkerson, 3906 W. Lake Road, Earl L. Wahl Jr., 7723 Shawneetown Trail, Ellis Pinckneyville Grove Joseph A. and Vickie K. Cline, 703 George St., James T. and Ashlie D. Hughes, 1662 Carbon Fairfield Lake Road, Murphysboro Pamela G. Reed, 1208 Lincoln Drive, Marion Roy A. Presutti, 4891 N. Mudline Road, Charles Alan Barnett, 304 McKinley St. Pinckneyville Karnak Adam Wayne Vaira, 205 N. Division St., Robert Eugene and DeAnna Rae Healy, 317 S. Allendale Park, Herrin Emma Nadine Roberts, 789 Bucher Road, Jessica N. Sayer, 24 Steven Drive, Mounds Murphysboro Aaron H. Murphy, 603 Kieffer Ave., Mount Shawn C. and Lisa M. Tindall, P.O. Box 174, Carmel Willisville Brice A. and Stephanie D. Stoffel, 2700 Kenneth W. and Jennifer R. Graves, P.O. Box Mannen St., Mount Vernon 172, Willisville David L. and Christine M. Shirley, 916 Zion John R. Harp, 13231 Bowling Alley Road, Road, Carbondale Benton Salvador Duran, 525 San Francisco Road, Albert C. and April J. Burgess Jr., P.O. Box Carbondale, and Shawna Duran, 1003 N. 1425, Vienna Chasity M. Rains, 1402 E. Cleveland St., West Whitman Drive, Marion Frankfort Terrie Lee Nevarez-Allen, 500 S. Marshall Chapter 13 Ave., Apt. 59, McLeansboro Joe L. Evans, P.O. Box 329, Ullin, and Cynthia Kenneth E. and Shelby K. Rushing, 409 E. Evans, 391 Israel St., Ullin Cross St, Dongola William L. Bailey, 531 Cedar Grove Road, Leslie L. Smith, 2316 McCord St., Simpson Murphysboro Gary D. Gibbs, 105 Coffee Road, Harrisburg Brenda L. Warren, 302 S.W. 12th st., Fairfield Shandra E. Spicer, 1509 W. Copeland, Apt. B, Bradley Scott Campbell, 400 N. Eighth St., Marion Mount Vernon Linda R. Wright, 1827 Pulltight Ave., Carterville

Timothy R. and Joy Griffith, 13477 Ruembler Crossing, Benton Joyce Reach, 705 W. Ninth St., Johnston City Donald R. and Patricia A. Oakley, 1209 W. Mack Ave., Apt. 9C, Marion Anthony M. Rinaldi, 1102A Bevabeck Drive, Marion Gabriel M. Portee, 8170 Illinois 13 West, Carrier Mills Melissa A. York Ladd, 5206 Sycamore Road, Carterville Gary D. Loucks, 5714 Country Club Road, Murphysboro Leslie I. Stoops Sr., 1681 Finney Road, Murphysboro Matthew B. Studie, 805 A N. Monroe, Marion Christopher Charles and Brandi Nichole Brockmeyer, 1202 Olive St., Evansville Terie S. Brewer, 404 W. Church, Campbell Hill Del G. and Caroline L. Fletcher, 3632 Saraville Road, Creal Springs Martha J. Richey, 710 S. Skelton St., West Frankfort Carolyn Jones, 614 Elmwood Place, Apt. 614, Cairo Jerry M. and Mary H. Parsons, 2012 Illinois Ave., Apt. 5, Murphysboro Charles R. and Amadita Morris, 600 N. Hamlet, Marion Joseph C. and Patricia A. Myers, 201 N. Walnut St., Sesser Tracy E. and Barbara L. Jones, P.O. Box 785, Shawneetown Denise Madden, 203 N. State St., Christopher Timothy M. Reed, P.O. Box 334, Johnston City Timothy W. and Shelly E. Whatley, 208 N. Third St., Vienna Jason L. and Miranda D. Grant, 355 W. Vienna St., Boles Phillip A. Wright, 1030 Bridwell Lane, Cobden Joseph Alva and Jo Ann Siefert, P.O Box 310, Du Quoin James C. and Deborah A. Boaz, 605 Sneed Road, Carbondale John Jacob Copen, 23251 N. Illinois 37, Dix

on Mondays, March 16 through April 20, and “Intermediate Microsoft Powerpoint” from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. March 25 in room 338 at RLC MarketPlace in Mount Vernon. To register or for more information, call the SBDC at 618-2425813 or email lemayn@rlc.edu or mowrer@rlc. edu.

March 25: Rend Lake College will offer “Intermediate Microsoft Powerpoint” from

information, call the SBDC at 618-242-5813 or email lemayn@rlc.edu or mowrer@rlc.edu.

April 4: Rend Lake College will offer a free “Starting Your Business in Illinois” workshop from 9 a.m. to noon April 4 in room 338 at RLC MarketPlace in Mount Vernon. To register or for more information, call the SBDC at 618-2425813 or email lemayn@rlc.edu or mowrer@rlc. edu.

Schultes Industries, 2610 Benton Road, $554

Bankruptcies

SBJ Calendar ‌March 11: Rend Lake College will offer a free “Starting Your Business in Illinois” workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. March 11 in room 338 at RLC MarketPlace in Mount Vernon. To register or for more information, call the SBDC at 618-2425813 or email lemayn@rlc.edu or mowrer@rlc. edu.

March 16: Rend Lake College will offer “Computer Basics” from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. March 25 in room 338 at RLC MarketPlace in Mount Vernon. To register or for more information, call the SBDC at 618-2425813 or email lemayn@rlc.edu or mowrer@rlc. edu.

April 1: Rend Lake College will offer “Intermediate Microsoft Excel” from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 1 in room 338 at RLC MarketPlace in Mount Vernon. To register or for more

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Southern Business Journal

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