AUGUST 2012
Directory of Advertisers
Inside AU GUST 20 1 2
1st Bank & Trust of Murphysboro ..........7
EMPLOYMENT LAW
INDICATORS
Learning the price of complacency: Common mistakes might lead to a costly discrimination charge for businesses that are too casual about the laws governing workers in matters of gender, race, age, disability, the Family and Medical Leave Act, workers’ compensation, whistleblowers and veterans status, among others. Employers need to be vigilant in documenting employment issues and addressing them in a timely manner, consistently applying policy and avoiding issues leading to discrimination claims. Page 6
Going in the wrong direction: Numbers for joblessness in the 18 southernmost Illinois counties moved in the wrong direction during May. For the region, unemployment jumped from 8.1 percent May 1 to 8.4 percent at month’s end. For the state, unemployment decreased 0.1 percent for the same period of time. Twelve of the region’s 18 counties reported unemployment increases, with the biggest jump being 0.8 percent in Massac County, followed by 0.7 gains in Alexander and Pope counties. Get the latest on gas prices, hotel and motel stays, air passenger travel and retail sales in our monthly compilation of Southern Illinois Indicators. Pages 12-13
ECONOMICS Heading off the fiscal cliff? Our nation’s money managers are concerned about the potential $7 trillion dilemma facing Congress this fall. It’s worth noting because Congress is better known for partisan warfare than ready cooperation. But without the right decisions, our economy could stumble into recession through a combination of federal budget cuts, the expiration of Bush-era tax cuts, the end of the payroll tax holiday and extended jobless benefits, and other recent stimulus measures. Page 9
ACHIEVEMENTS Who is in the news? Find out who has been hired, who has been promoted or who has received an award for efforts in business. Make sure you check out our newest ‘Faces in the News’ collection of business portraits and learn more of achievements and honors in regional businesses. If you know of a business or businessperson who deserves special recognition for advanced training, a unique honor or a business expansion, please let us know at sbj@thesouthern.com. Pages 16-19
Architechniques, Ltd. ........................ 10
Bill Ecker, State Farm Insurance ..........10
Datalock .......................................... 22
John A. Logan College ........................ 17
Modern Office Connections ................ 10
Pepsi MidAmerica .......................... 8, 20
Raymond James Financial Service ...... 9
SIU Credit Union .................................. 8
SIU Small Business Development ..........3
Small Business Growth Corporation ......5
Contact us The Southern Business Journal is a publication of The
Publisher: Bob Williams 618-351-5038
Southern Illinois Healthcare................ 24
Southern Illinoisan. Contact us via mail at 710 N. Illinois Ave., Carbondale, IL 62901, or at P. O. Box 2108, Carbondale, IL 62903. Also reach us on the Web at www.sbj.biz and via email at SBJ@thesouthern.com. The Journal is published 12 times per year monthly, and mailed to businesses, community development leaders, chambers of commerce members and other professionals in Southern Illinois. Copyright 2011 by
Editor: Gary Metro 618-351-5033 Advertising: Mark Dynis 618-351-5815
618-997-3356, or by visiting our website.
Williamson County Airport....................20
Online: JC Dart 618-529-5454, ext. 5183
The Southern Illinoisan, all rights reserved. A subscription may be obtained by calling 618-529-5454 or
Southern Illinois University ................ 15
Database Coordinator: Mark Doman 618-351-5042
Find more business news at www.sbj.biz.
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTER
Summer and Fall 2012 Workshop Schedule AARON EISENHAUER / SBJ
Giant City Lodge in Makanda is surrounded by 34 cabins available for rent.
Cover Story Rental cabins are private, secluded and close to Southern Illinois nature
Starting a Business in Illinois This two-hour informational seminar covers the basic requirements of starting your own business including: legal structure, start-up requirements, finding financing and business planning basics. An optional business start-up kit is available for $15. Our Business StartUp Kit, available in both print and electronic format, includes the following materials: a business start-up checklist, the presentation slides, financing questions and answers packet, a sample business plan, federal and state tax identification applications, and much more.
Wednesday, August 15 from 9am – 11am Marion, Man-Tra-Con* (3000 W. DeYoung St., IL Centre Mall) *Co-Sponsored by Man-Tra Con
Thursday, September 20 from 9am – 11am Dunn-Richmond, Room 150 Navigating the Hidden Perils of International Distribution This seminar reviews the various pitfalls a U.S. based supplier can run across and provides guidance and tips to use when selling products and services internationally. Guest Speaker: Jennifer Schwesig, Armstrong Teasdale LLP, St. Louis.
Thursday, September 20 from 11am – 1pm Dunn-Richmond, Room 150
BY LES O’DELL SBJ CORRESPONDENT
Tourism has been a buzzword for the Southern Illinois economy for years. Emphasizing the area’s natural resources, history, wineries and educational offerings, the region has worked to establish itself as a destination for visitors. In the process, a cottage industry has developed. A cabin industry, actually. Over the past decade, entrepreneurs across Southern Illinois have transformed rural properties into destinations of their own in the form of rental cabins. Today, more than 100
Find more business news at www.sbj.biz. cabin units are available in the region, ranging from rustic and somewhat primitive to elaborate and luxurious. The range of accommodations is wide enough that a definition is in order. “I don’t think of a cabin in terms of its structure as much as where they are located,” explains Jill Fager of Cabin on the Hill near Carbondale. Fager was among the first to rent out cabins in the area. Today, she has five rental cabins SEE COVER STORY / PAGE 4
TO REGISTER Workshop location is the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, 1740 Innovation Drive, Carbondale, unless otherwise noted. Pre-registration is required for all workshops.
To register for any of these workshops or for more information, please call 618.536.2424 or email sbdc@siu.edu or visit our website at www.siusbdc.com.
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SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL
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Cover Story ranging from a couple’s retreat to a larger structure for up to eight guests. “To me, a cabin is a place to go away from the hustle and bustle of regular life. It’s not a hotel or a condo, but it is private or secluded and close to nature.” That is exactly the appeal, says Mike Kelley of Giant City Lodge in Makanda. The lodge is surrounded by 34 cabins available for rent. “Cabins have their own personality,” he says. “Unless you stay in a really nice hotel, hotels are all pretty much the same; these are different and neat.” Jim Morgan of Woodland Cabins, southwest of Carbondale, says cabins draw people from all walks of life and have a wide geographic pull. “Probably 75 percent of our guests come from a day’s drive or shorter, places like St. Louis, Chicago, middle Illinois, but we’ve also had guests from West Virginia, California and Canada.” He adds that a sluggish economy and high gasoline prices have also made cabins perfect as a “staycation” alternative for people who live in Southern Illinois. Morgan describes his cabins as “romantic retreat cabins” since all are one-bedroom or studio two-person cabins. He says the units attract couples ranging in age from their 20s to senior citizens. “From a consumer’s standpoint, it’s a less expensive and sometimes less extravagant vacation, but still something people can afford to do,” he says. Less extravagant may not be the best word to describe many of the rental cabins in the area. Many feature amenities such as hot tubs, wine chillers, gas fireplaces, satellite television and queen-sized beds. Most of the cabins have fully stocked kitchens so guests only need to bring their food. “I hesitate to even call them cabins,” says Derek Ruph of Southern Wynds near De Soto. “We prefer to say log homes, because these are not the old rickety buildings some people think of when they hear the word cabin. We want people to feel like they’re staying somewhere luxurious.
AARON EISENHAUER / SBJ
Stone Creek Golf Course near Makanda has 11 rental cabins within a chip shot of the course.
Rim Rock’s Dog Wood Cabins near Elizabethtown was among the first to offer rental cabins in the area, nearly 10 years ago.
Cabin on the Hill near Carbondale has five rental cabins ranging from a couple’s retreat to a larger structure for up to eight guests.
Woodland Cabins of Carbondale has had guests from West Virginia, California and Canada.
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Cover Story These cabins are filled with everything guests will need as well as high-end furniture all the way to 800-threadcount sheets.” Many cabins offer outdoor amenities as well. Some have their own hiking trails; others invite guests to fish in stocked ponds. Stone Creek Golf Course near Makanda has 11 rental cabins within a chip shot of the course. Club pro Kenny Mason says the units are a big plus for Stone Creek. “A lot of people come because we offer cabins and golf at the same location. We get a lot of groups of couples who come for the weekend,” he says. “It’s been a bonus for us.” Costs for a night’s stay in the area’s cabins will range from $75 for one of Giant City’s historic units to up to $300 for a weekend night at some of the larger, more deluxe units. Most cabins are around $150 per night. Many take reservations months in advance. “We get lots and lots of repeat business and referrals,” says Dixie Dart of Rim Rock’s Dog Wood Cabins near Elizabethtown. Dart was among the first to offer rental cabins in the area, nearly 10 years ago. Originally, owners of rental cabins were taking advantage of the other attractions in the area. Guests would come to the area to visit wineries, to visit the Shawnee National forest, for meetings at SIU Carbondale or to hunt or fish and would choose to stay in a cabin because it was something different. Today, however, cabins are not just piggy-backing on the tourism industry; in some ways they are driving it. “I think we feed into the tourism now,” Rose Hogan of the Cabin at Mountain Glen near Cobden explains. “It used to be that people were just looking for accommodations when they came to do other things, but once they get these rental experiences, they come back. You can come and do whatever you want or do nothing at all.” Fager adds that once many of her guests check in, they don’t leave the property until their stay is complete. “They’re coming for the whole experience; they come and they don’t go anywhere. I think the cabins have definitely brought more tourism to Southern Illinois.” Guests like Scott and Shannon Nolte
of the St. Louis area often choose cabins for visits to the area. “When we look at the costs of motels compared to a cabin, what we get from a cabin is worth the little bit of extra cost,” Scott Nolte says. “We have an entire house to ourselves, and any extra cost of the cabin is offset by how much less we spend by not eating out.” The accommodations appeal to them, as well, Shannon Nolte adds. “The cabins are so quaint, peaceful and private. We adore them,” she says. Like the Noltes, visitors keep coming. Most of the cabin owners Southern Business Journal spoke to reported occupancy rates above 75 percent. Several are looking to add new cabins. Morgan says his units often are completely booked for the fall and early winter — often with repeat visitors. “I have to turn people away,” he says. Despite tremendous growth in the area’s number of cabins, many in the industry see room for more. Morgan says work is nearing completion on a new cabin at Woodland and Hogan says she has plans for two more in the coming years. “I think as an industry we can grow,” she adds. “I think that realistically we can double the number of cabins in Southern Illinois. The word is out that there are things to do and great places to stay.” Cabin owners say there is more to being in the rental business than just putting up cabins. “You have to be prepared to work,” Hogan explains. “There’s cleaning and prepping the cabins and you have to be ready to work with people all of the time.” Ruph adds, “It’s a big-time commitment. We have to coordinate everything and do everything from management and public relations to housekeeping and laundry.” He says all of the operators in the region have a desire to promote tourism and cabin stays. “We want people to come, stay and enjoy themselves,” he says. “We try to far exceed their expectations. I think that’s true for all of us.” LES O’DELL of Carbondale is a regular contributor to Southern Business Journal and The Southern Illinoisan.
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Employment Law Complacency makes businesses vulnerable to employment discrimination charges BY CHRIS BAILEY SBJ CONTRIBUTOR
Statistics from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) show that, despite a significant increase in the number of Bailey discrimination charges filed, the number of charges resulting in a “reasonable cause” finding is relatively unchanged. Last year, only 3.1 percent of an alltime high 99,947 charges resulted in a reasonable cause finding. Despite these numbers, the amounts employers paid to settle these charges continue to grow. In 2011, employers paid a record $364.7 million to settle EEOC charges; and, in the last decade, the amount paid grew to more than $2.7 billion. That’s more than $3,000 for every charge filed, regardless of merit. These numbers do not include amounts paid if the dispute proceeds to litigation. The most well-known protected classes from employment discrimination include gender, race, age and disability. But, there are also protections for leaves under the Family and Medical Leave Act and workers’ compensation, whistleblowers and veterans status, among others. With so many protected classes, missteps in compliance can be costly. Let’s take a look at common mistakes businesses make that might lead to a discrimination charge. The first mistake begins with the hiring and interview process. Employment applications (not just résumés) are encouraged as a means to get uniform information, allowing for objective comparisons of qualified candidates. During the application and interview process, questions should
Find more business news at www.sbj.biz.
focus on job-related topics. Questions about age, medical conditions or prior workers’ compensation claims should be removed from employment applications and avoided during interviews. Other seemingly innocent topics, such as questions about family and children, graduation dates or religious or ethnic clothing or apparel, might cause a rejected candidate to believe his or her protected status became a consideration in the hiring decision. Once an employee is hired, it is important to document and address any performance problems. Performance evaluations should contain honest and candid assessments of the employee’s performance. Specifically, identify areas of concern and include examples, rather than mere conclusions. Clarify job expectations, and allow for employee objections to the evaluation. Where permitted by policy or practice, performance improvement plans are valuable tools, allowing employees an opportunity to improve performance. They also can provide a future basis for termination should performance remain unsatisfactory. If discipline is warranted, it should be done as soon as practical after the conduct occurs. Where appropriate, gather witness statements and document specific reasons for discipline. Discipline weeks or months after the fact may raise questions as to whether the incident truly merited action or if the discipline served an unlawful purpose. Most importantly, businesses must avoid inconsistent administration of policies. When an employee within a protected classification is treated differently from an employee outside that protected classification, a jury may
The most well-known protected classes from employment discrimination include gender, race, age and disability. But, there are also protections for leaves under the Family and Medical Leave Act and workers’ compensation, whistleblowers and veterans status, among others. With so many protected classes, missteps in compliance can be costly. infer that the differential treatment occurred for nefarious reasons. An innocent bending of the rules sets a precedent for future consideration. Centralized oversight of discipline by a firm’s human resources department can serve as an important tool to ensure fair and even-handed administration of discipline. The receipt and handling of internal complaints opens a business up for a number of liability issues. The discrimination statutes include provisions prohibiting retaliation against a person who makes a good faith complaint of discrimination — even if the complaint ultimately proves unfounded. An employer may be judged on its response to complaints. Complaints should be investigated promptly, thoroughly and impartially. Interview all potential witnesses, document facts, and follow up with the complaining party to ensure that he or she understands the company has handled the complaint. Finally, if termination is warranted, it requires a thoughtful approach. Review applicable policies. Review past treatment of employees who have engaged in similar behavior and whether they were terminated or given a second chance. Consider the timing of the termination. Has the employee recently made a complaint of discrimination, taken a leave of absence under the
Family and Medical Leave Act or filed a workers’ compensation claim? Proximity to protected activity may lead to allegations of retaliation. In high-risk terminations, separation agreements may provide the best option for protecting the company. There are a myriad of ways for employees to pursue claims against an employer. While many lack merit, defending claims is a costly endeavor. Employers need to be ever vigilant in documenting employment issues and addressing them in timely manner, consistently applying policy and avoiding issues that can open a Pandora’s box of discrimination claims. CHRIS BAILEY is an officer in the Labor and Employment Practice Group of the St. Louis law firm Greensfelder Hemker and Gale, P.C., which serves Illinois businesses with offices in Belleville and Chicago.
ART SERVICES
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Entrepreneur’s Mailbag Looking for expert advice? The expert is you! BY CAVANAUGH L. GRAY SBJ CONTRIBUTOR
Last month’s passing of Stephen Covey, motivational expert and self-help guru, was a shock. His “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” served as one of the building blocks of my early, Gray small business efforts. One Covey quote that stands out to me is, “At the very heart of our Circle of Influence is our ability to make and keep commitments and promises.” Over the years, I went from seeking expertise to becoming a small business expert in my own right. The reality is that
we are all experts on one subject or another, and, if handled properly, we just might find individuals who are willing to pay for that expertise. This past year, I tried channeling my passion for the discipline of entrepreneurship into writing a book, “The Entrepreneurial Spirit Lives: 25 Tales to Help Entrepreneurs Start, Grow, and Succeed in Small Business.” Here are some of the things I learned in finishing my book, and I hope that it provides some insight for helping you get your own work completed.
Let’s give them something to talk about In the book, I quote a U.S. Census Bureau statistic that there are an estimated 27.9 million small firms operating in the U.S. Small businesses
have long been regarded as the engines driving our economy. Today, entrepreneurship has become the new American dream. Starting a small business can be intimidating; so, in writing “The Entrepreneurial Spirit Lives,” I wanted to accomplish the following goals: I wanted to choose relevant topics for small businesses that would be written in laymen’s terms and easy to follow. I wanted to offer entrepreneurs information that would serve as a resource for overcoming common management, marketing and financial obstacles. Lastly, I provided free downloadable exercises and interactive content as a companion to the book to make starting and growing a business easier and fun. In short, I wanted SEE GRAY / PAGE 23
PROVIDED
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Economics Can we avert the ‘Fiscal Cliff’? 2013 isn’t far off, yet both sides of Congress could end up far apart BY SCOTT MCCLATCHEY SBJ CONTRIBUTOR
Recently, you may have heard about the “looming fiscal cliff,” the “coming fiscal cliff” and so forth. What exactly is it? Briefly stated, the “fiscal cliff” is a potential $7 McClatchey trillion dilemma facing Congress this fall — a Congress not known for ready cooperation. If America goes over it, our economy could stumble. Will Congress act before 2013? Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke introduced the phrase, referring to an economic downfall he fears will result from a potential 2013 combination of federal budget cuts, the expiration of the Bush-era tax cuts, the end of the payroll tax holiday and extended jobless benefits and other recent stimulus measures. Bernanke told Congress that together, these changes could send the U.S. over a “fiscal cliff” and into another recession. How bad might the potential downturn be? Maya MacGuineas, president of the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, thinks the U.S. could see a recession “immediately.” Moody’s economist Mark Zandi thinks it could shave 3 percent of off America’s inflationadjusted GDP next year (read: zero growth). The hope is Congress will come together and help the economy avoid the cliff. It won’t be easy. Remember the big fight over the debt ceiling in Congress? Imagine it expanded to other issues, its magnitude amplified to a new level. What happens after the election? It will likely be November before Congress really starts to knuckle down and address this dilemma.
Find more business news at www.sbj.biz. Legislators have some options: They could punt again. The punt wouldn’t be as embarrassing as the one chosen by the ill-fated “super committee” that couldn’t agree how to reduce the deficit in 2011. It would be more like a handoff: The outgoing Congress could simply extend certain tax cuts or stimulus measures and leave the big and painful decisions for the new Congress. Many journalists and analysts believe this is exactly what will happen in Washington. Some think a credit downgrade could result. They could extend the Bush-era tax cuts again. If any political change in November is momentous, the stage could be set for another EGTRRA/ JGTRRA extension and the planned cuts to defense spending and other key programs might be undone. That would certainly boost the morale of Wall Street and the taxpayer. The consequence? The nation could really pay for it later. Extending the Bush-era cuts would cost the federal government anywhere from $5.35 trillion to over $7 trillion over the next decade, the Congressional Budget Office believes. They could do nothing. Even if the waning days of the 112th Congress aren’t as fractious as feared, some analysts think that lawmakers will likely let the Bush-era tax cuts, the 2 percent payroll tax cut and long-term unemployment benefits sunset, as the need for revenue on Capitol Hill has simply become too great. What can the Fed do? In Ben Bernanke’s assessment: Basically nothing. In fact, that is more or less what he told Congress this spring: “If no action were to be taken, the size of the fiscal cliff is such that there’s, I think, absolutely no chance that the Federal Reserve ... could or would have any ability whatsoever to offset ... that
The hope is Congress will come together and help the economy avoid the cliff. It won’t be easy. Remember the big fight over the debt ceiling in Congress? Imagine it expanded to other issues, its magnitude amplified to a new level. What happens after the election? It will likely be November before Congress really starts to knuckle down and address this dilemma. effect on the economy.” What could happen economically before we get to the edge? A June report from analysts at Bank of America expressed some fears: “As the cliff approaches, we expect first firms and then households to start postponing decisions, weakening the economy in advance of the cliff. When you are approaching a cliff, in a deep fog of uncertainty, you slow down.” This spring, Bernanke reminded Congress that “the brinkmanship last summer over the debt limit had very significant adverse effects for
financial markets and for our economy” and “knocked down consumer confidence quite noticeably.” He urged lawmakers not to “push us to the 12th hour.” Expect a pitched battle on Capitol Hill. Alan Simpson, who for many years served Wyoming in the Senate, recently told CNNMoney that this lame-duck session of Congress could wrap up with seven weeks of “chaos.” Yes, just seven weeks; if lawmakers wait to tackle this in earnest after the election, that is all the time they will have to consider what could be some of the most pivotal political decisions they will ever make. Some political theatre seems to be ahead — a drama with an uncertain ending, with the near-term fate of economy parked at the edge of a cliff. 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@alliance investmentplanning.com. He also provides investment, retirement planning, and insurance services to SIU Credit Union members through the SIU Credit Union Investment Services partnership. Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC.
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Workplace Communicating your expectations in the workplace: Is your message being received? BY ANGELA HOLMES-YOUNG SBJ CONTRIBUTOR
Communicating with your employees isn’t easy. You would think it would be easy. It sounds easy. In reality, it is actually very difficult. In the end, how do you know Holmes-Young the employee heard what you wanted the employee to hear? After all, we all have our unique style of communicating. Some of us are better listeners than others. Some people use more non-verbal communication. Frankly, some of us are easily distracted, while others are more dramatic. When you put this all together, I am amazed that anything gets communicated — especially in the workplace, where there are already lots of other things going on. How do you check for understanding when speaking to your employees? How do you know that your message is being received loud and clear? How do you know that the receiver is picking up the meaning that you intended? How do you know that you explained it in a way that someone else can understand? Were you truly clear in your explanation? No one likes to talk about communication skills. Kind of funny, isn’t it? My clients tell me they have had communication training and so have their employees. Maybe so, but it may not have worked so well. When it comes to successful communication, you need a sender and a receiver to get the message across. Also, what message are you really sending? Are you specifically communicating the expectations that you have for this employee? Does this employee truly know what he or she is supposed to be doing while at work? You might be surprised at the answer. If you have truly taken the time to think about what you are saying and how you are saying it, you are ready for
Find more business news at www.sbj.biz. the next step. How do you know that the employee was listening to what you said? Did you know that people often times select what they want to hear when someone is speaking? Also, the relationship between the people communicating plays a critical role in how receptive the receiver is to hearing the speaker’s true and intended message. Furthermore, don’t leave out the importance that cultural differences can make in the creation of barriers, either intended or not intended, in the communication process. Analyzing communication deficiencies and areas for improvement is a mainstay when I coach executives and work with them on their own professional development. I tell you this to drive home my point: We can all use some work and improvement in the area of communication. Even great leaders spend time honing and refining their communication skills. The importance of communication is paramount when leading successful teams. Great leaders know this; and, without honing these communication skills, their teams, and ultimately themselves, will not succeed. Communication is truly the glue that holds successful teams together and allows everything in our organizations to happen. Too many times, leaders are surprised when employees do not do what has been asked of them. Leaders get upset when employees do not do what they were told to do or they do not do it exactly as they were told to do it. It is easy to get caught up in the blame game. Ask yourself, did you ever really explain it to them? Were your expectations clear? Many times, we think that we communicated things a certain way, but the receiver may have heard the instructions differently. Does that mean that the problem is
with the speaker or the listener? Well, if you ask me, the problem is probably with both. What can you do to make sure that you are communicating effectively? How will you know that the employee heard what you said? What are some simple ways to communicate more effectively every day?
Richard Denny’s 10 simple steps for better communication 1. Speak to people. 2. Smile at people. 3. Address people by name. 4. Be warm, friendly and helpful. 5. Be enthusiastic about life. 6. Be genuinely interested in people. 7. Look for the opportunity to give praise. 8. Be considerate of other people’s feelings. 9. Be thoughtful and respectful of other people’s opinions. 10. Be a great listener. In the end, there are many barriers to successful communication that you should be aware of. Is the message you are communicating appropriate for the audience? I’m only saying that you should make sure the person that you are talking to knows the meaning of the words you are saying. Let’s face it, every industry and company these days has its own acronyms. Do your employees know them? I am sure management knows them and throws them around all day, but do your employees know them? Has anyone really explained these things? Make sure that the words you are using and acronyms are known by the receiver of your communication. Also, be aware of the level of the vocabulary that you are using. You don’t really need to use huge words from your master’s thesis when casually talking about the weather. Keep the words you are using relatable to the topic and to the audience. I find that employees are happy to do their job if they know what they are supposed to do. If they do not know what they are supposed to do, then they
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We can all use some work and improvement in the area of communication.
may just do nothing or find something that is not a priority in order to stay busy. This is not the best use of their time or your time or the company’s resources. Make the expectations clear. Make no assumptions. Everyone’s responsibilities should be clear. Take the time to make your expectations known. Communicate these expectations in a manner that is easily understood by your audience. Check for understanding after the conversation has taken place. Check back in a few days to review the conversation, even if it is in a casual way. If you have any doubt at all that the employees did not understand, then ask them. This is important stuff. Don’t leave it to chance. Your attitude is more important than your aptitude, according to Zig Ziglar. ANGELA HOLMES-YOUNG is vice president of Consulting & Human Resource Services for Your Professional Partners Inc. in Marion. She consults with clients of all sizes in a variety of human resource areas, while also offering executive coaching and public speaking. Angela can be reached by emailing angela@yourprofessional partners.com or calling 618-969-8800. Twitter: A_Holmes_Young
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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 May 2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
43.8 30.6 214.3 13.8 19.5 25.6 78.9 63.1 4.7 256.7 29.6 191.1 48.2 40.7 14.3 26.1 44.9 14.0 32.0 49.2 $1,241.1 $57,840.7
119.1 86.4 593.5 42.0 55.7 113.5 214.0 154.0 11.4 686.9 84.4 533.6 135.2 110.3 42.3 74.7 128.2 40.1 88.3 122.5 $3,436.1 $154,650.6
120.9 69.5 598.0 42.2 55.3 77.1 195.0 153.4 11.8 683.1 82.0 507.0 130.6 96.6 38.5 75.2 128.5 39.9 87.8 112.4 $3,304.8 $147,232.0
114.5 69.4 565.5 39.9 52.9 100.8 191.9 147.2 12.5 676.0 77.1 476.7 129.1 107.9 37.2 70.1 126.4 37.1 91.9 111.4 $3,235.5 $139,593.2
113.3 71.4 587.7 40.1 51.5 91.9 179.3 135.9 12.4 673.4 75.9 482.8 117.1 101.8 39.0 77.7 130.5 40.5 89.6 111.2 $3,223.0 $237,438.0
112.3 72.4 607.4 40.3 51.7 94.4 173.6 134.4 11.3 662.4 79.8 461.5 94.9 105.2 35.8 73.7 129.5 39.8 82.8 111.4 $3,174.7 $180,162.7
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N I L L I Chicago Fed Midwest % change 07-11 Manufacturing Index
6.1% 19.3% 2.3% 4.2% 7.7% 20.2% 23.3% 15.6% 0.9% 3.7% 5.8% 15.6% 42.5% 4.8% 18.2% 1.4% 1.0% 0.8% 6.6% 10.0% 8.2% 14.2%
Alexander Franklin Gallatin Hamilton Hardin Jackson Jefferson Johnson Massac Perry Pope Pulaski Randolph Saline Union Washington White Williamson .,REGION ILLINOIS U.S.
2,894 17,470 2,614 4,173 1,821 32,514 19,811 5,215 7,518 9,474 1,923 2,713 15,256 12,591 7,875 8,637 7,653 34,447 194,599 6,590,200 154,998,000
320 1,652 202 291 163 2,115 1,533 465 620 970 163 268 1,200 979 787 578 513 2,539 15,358 564,300 12,271,000
May 2012 11.1% 9.5% 7.7% 7.0% 9.0% 6.5% 7.7% 8.9% 8.2% 10.2% 8.5% 9.9% 7.9% 7.8% 10.0% 6.7% 6.7% 7.4% 8.4% 8.6% 7.9%
Apr 2012 10.4% 9.6% 7.6% 6.8% 8.8% 6.4% 7.8% 8.5% 7.4% 9.6% 7.8% 9.3% 7.7% 7.8% 10.1% 6.4% 6.7% 7.5% 8.1 % 8.7% 7.7%
104 103 102
IPMFG May 12 95.1
100 98 94 90 88 86 84
81 80
Unemployment rates for Southern Illinois counties, state and nation Jobless
105
82
SOURCE: LATEST STATISTICS AVAILABLE FROM THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. FIGURES ARE IN MILLIONS.
Labor force
The CFMMI is a monthly estimate by major industry of manufacturing output in the Seventh Federal Reserve District states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. It is a composite index of 15 manufacturing industries, including auto and steel, that uses electrical power and hours worked data to measure monthly changes in regional activity. It is compared here to the national Industrial Production index for Manufacturing (IPMFG). Base year is 2007. Starting in November 2005, the index excluded the electricity component.
May 2011 15.0% 10.1% 9.5% 7.4% 11.5% 6.5% 7.5% 8.9% 8.8% 9.5% 10.3% 10.5% 7.5% 8.6% 10.3% 6.2% 7.2% 7.7% 9.1% 9.7% 8.7%
SOURCE: ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. FIGURES ARE NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED.
Change month
0.7 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.4 0.8 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.1 0.2
78
Change year
76 74 72
CFMMI May 12 92.1
3.9 0.6 70 1.8 68 0.4 66 2.5 64O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M ’10 ’11 ’12 0.0 0.2 SOURCE: FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF CHICAGO 0.0 0.6 0.7 1.8 0.6 May 12 May 11 Change 0.4 0.8 MONTHLY TOTALS 0.3 949 881 7.7% 0.5 YTD TOTALS 0.5 0.3 3,972 3,530 12.5% 0.7 2011 2010 Change 1.1 ANNUAL TOTALS 0.8 9,682 7,478 29.5%
Williamson County Regional Airport passengers
N
O
I S I N Consumer credit score
D
C
A
686
Credit scores are numeric reflections of financial behavior and credit worthiness and they are based on information included in a credit report. Ranging from 330 to 830, a higher score means a lower credit risk. Scores are from July 2012.
T
693
Mount Vernon
Region
694
688
SOURCE: EXPERIAN
State
O R S U of I Flash Index
U. S.
Total cars, trucks sold based on title applications filed. Excludes motorcycles, trailers.
New vehicle sales Alexander Franklin Gallatin Hamilton Hardin Jackson Jefferson Johnson Massac Perry Pope Pulaski Randolph Saline Union Washington White Williamson REGION
I
May 12
May 11
9 108 31 28 10 122 86 33 24 54 10 11 84 100 33 39 46 208 1,046
11 98 13 11 9 121 69 37 25 44 7 15 76 65 43 42 50 166 9.2
Change
2011
18.2% 10.2% 138.5% 154.5% 11.1% 0.8% 24.6% 10.8% 4.0% 22.7% 42.9% 26.7% 10.5% 53.8% 23.3% 7.1% 8.0% 25.3% 16.0%
142 1,174 265 279 96 1,482 1,025 392 297 606 96 159 975 1,022 502 583 625 2,060 11,780
2010 126 965 222 236 97 1,320 848 327 269 558 73 129 844 793 486 446 571 1,796 10,097
Change
12.7% 21.7% 19.4% 20.8% 1.0% 12.3% 20.9% 19.9% 10.4% 8.6% 31.5% 23.2% 15.5% 28.9% 3.3% 30.7% 9.5% 14.7% 16.7%
Total units sold, including condominiums
Q1 12 Alexander Franklin Gallatin Hamilton Hardin Jackson Jefferson Johnson Massac Perry Pope Pulaski Randolph Saline Union Williamson ILLINOIS
1 67 2 2 3 58 57 10 25 21 1 2 31 34 15 109 23,112
Q1 11 6 54 2 3 4 58 45 16 15 19 1 0 19 28 26 83 19,081
SOURCE: ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS
Change 83.3% 24.1% 0.0% 33.3% 25.0% 0.0% 26.7% 37.5% 66.7% 10.5% 0.0% NA 63.2% 21.4% 42.3% 31.3% 21.1%
June 12 102.7
J
F
M
A
2011 16 283 12 6 14 325 258 66 82 86 10 11 117 148 89 539 103,294
2010 19 259 8 8 8 358 264 78 91 116 8 6 131 122 84 590 103,455
Change
15.8% 9.3% 50.0% 25.0% 75.0% 10.2% 2.3% 15.4% 9.9% 25.9% 20.0% 83.3% 10.7% 21.3 % 6.0% 8.6% 0.2%
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
’12
’11
’10
’09
SOURCE: INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
Hotel/motel stats
Consumer Price Index
Total amount of revenue generated in Carbondale by hotels and motels for room rentals only.
The CPI measures average price changes of goods and services over time, with a reference base of 100 in 1982-84.To put into context, a current CPI of 194.5 means a market basket of goods and services that cost $100 in 1982-84 now costs $194.50.
April 12 April 11 MONTHLY TOTALS $687,250
Change
$756, 813
9.2%
YTD TOTALS $2,339,083
$2,318,005
2010
0.9%
Change
$7,710,436 <0.01%
$25,000 $42,550 $18,250 $89,900 $50,000 $79,900 $70,000 $88,000 $80,000 $55,000 $38,000 $0 $74,500 $54,700 $110,000 $85,000 $130,000
226
224
U.S. city average June 12 229.5
222
MEDIAN SALES PRICE Q1 12 Q1 11 $17,500 $37,000 $79,375 $77,500 $18,000 $89,950 $75,000 $78,500 $55,000 $49,900 $279,000 $19,000 $65,000 $62,000 $68,200 $88,000 $125,000
230
228
2011 ANNUAL TOTALS $7,706,931
SOURCE: ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE. LATEST DATA AVAILABLE.
Home sales
108 107 106 105 104 103 102 101 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 D
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.
220
218
216
Change
30.0% 13.0% 334.9% 13.8% 64.0% 12.6% 7.1% 10.8% 31.3% 9.3% 634.2% NA 12.8% 13.3% 38.0% 3.5% 3.8%
214
Midwest urban June 12 219.0
212
210
208
J
J
A
S ’11
O
N
D
J
F
M A ‘12
M
J
SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Prices at the pump Average price per gallon of regular, unleaded gas as of July 27 and June 26, 2012.
July 12 June 12 Metro East Springfield Illinois U.S. SOURCE: AAA
$3.58 $3.47 $3.61 $3.49
$3.36 $3.23 $3.57 $3.40
July 11 $3.82 $3.75 $3.88 $3.70
S
O
U
T
H
E
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 May 2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
43.8 30.6 214.3 13.8 19.5 25.6 78.9 63.1 4.7 256.7 29.6 191.1 48.2 40.7 14.3 26.1 44.9 14.0 32.0 49.2 $1,241.1 $57,840.7
119.1 86.4 593.5 42.0 55.7 113.5 214.0 154.0 11.4 686.9 84.4 533.6 135.2 110.3 42.3 74.7 128.2 40.1 88.3 122.5 $3,436.1 $154,650.6
120.9 69.5 598.0 42.2 55.3 77.1 195.0 153.4 11.8 683.1 82.0 507.0 130.6 96.6 38.5 75.2 128.5 39.9 87.8 112.4 $3,304.8 $147,232.0
114.5 69.4 565.5 39.9 52.9 100.8 191.9 147.2 12.5 676.0 77.1 476.7 129.1 107.9 37.2 70.1 126.4 37.1 91.9 111.4 $3,235.5 $139,593.2
113.3 71.4 587.7 40.1 51.5 91.9 179.3 135.9 12.4 673.4 75.9 482.8 117.1 101.8 39.0 77.7 130.5 40.5 89.6 111.2 $3,223.0 $237,438.0
112.3 72.4 607.4 40.3 51.7 94.4 173.6 134.4 11.3 662.4 79.8 461.5 94.9 105.2 35.8 73.7 129.5 39.8 82.8 111.4 $3,174.7 $180,162.7
R
N I L L I Chicago Fed Midwest % change 07-11 Manufacturing Index
6.1% 19.3% 2.3% 4.2% 7.7% 20.2% 23.3% 15.6% 0.9% 3.7% 5.8% 15.6% 42.5% 4.8% 18.2% 1.4% 1.0% 0.8% 6.6% 10.0% 8.2% 14.2%
Alexander Franklin Gallatin Hamilton Hardin Jackson Jefferson Johnson Massac Perry Pope Pulaski Randolph Saline Union Washington White Williamson .,REGION ILLINOIS U.S.
2,894 17,470 2,614 4,173 1,821 32,514 19,811 5,215 7,518 9,474 1,923 2,713 15,256 12,591 7,875 8,637 7,653 34,447 194,599 6,590,200 154,998,000
320 1,652 202 291 163 2,115 1,533 465 620 970 163 268 1,200 979 787 578 513 2,539 15,358 564,300 12,271,000
May 2012 11.1% 9.5% 7.7% 7.0% 9.0% 6.5% 7.7% 8.9% 8.2% 10.2% 8.5% 9.9% 7.9% 7.8% 10.0% 6.7% 6.7% 7.4% 8.4% 8.6% 7.9%
Apr 2012 10.4% 9.6% 7.6% 6.8% 8.8% 6.4% 7.8% 8.5% 7.4% 9.6% 7.8% 9.3% 7.7% 7.8% 10.1% 6.4% 6.7% 7.5% 8.1 % 8.7% 7.7%
104 103 102
IPMFG May 12 95.1
100 98 94 90 88 86 84
81 80
Unemployment rates for Southern Illinois counties, state and nation Jobless
105
82
SOURCE: LATEST STATISTICS AVAILABLE FROM THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. FIGURES ARE IN MILLIONS.
Labor force
The CFMMI is a monthly estimate by major industry of manufacturing output in the Seventh Federal Reserve District states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. It is a composite index of 15 manufacturing industries, including auto and steel, that uses electrical power and hours worked data to measure monthly changes in regional activity. It is compared here to the national Industrial Production index for Manufacturing (IPMFG). Base year is 2007. Starting in November 2005, the index excluded the electricity component.
May 2011 15.0% 10.1% 9.5% 7.4% 11.5% 6.5% 7.5% 8.9% 8.8% 9.5% 10.3% 10.5% 7.5% 8.6% 10.3% 6.2% 7.2% 7.7% 9.1% 9.7% 8.7%
SOURCE: ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. FIGURES ARE NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED.
Change month
0.7 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.4 0.8 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.1 0.2
78
Change year
76 74 72
CFMMI May 12 92.1
3.9 0.6 70 1.8 68 0.4 66 2.5 64O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M ’10 ’11 ’12 0.0 0.2 SOURCE: FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF CHICAGO 0.0 0.6 0.7 1.8 0.6 May 12 May 11 Change 0.4 0.8 MONTHLY TOTALS 0.3 949 881 7.7% 0.5 YTD TOTALS 0.5 0.3 3,972 3,530 12.5% 0.7 2011 2010 Change 1.1 ANNUAL TOTALS 0.8 9,682 7,478 29.5%
Williamson County Regional Airport passengers
N
O
I S I N Consumer credit score
D
C
A
686
Credit scores are numeric reflections of financial behavior and credit worthiness and they are based on information included in a credit report. Ranging from 330 to 830, a higher score means a lower credit risk. Scores are from July 2012.
T
693
Mount Vernon
Region
694
688
SOURCE: EXPERIAN
State
O R S U of I Flash Index
U. S.
Total cars, trucks sold based on title applications filed. Excludes motorcycles, trailers.
New vehicle sales Alexander Franklin Gallatin Hamilton Hardin Jackson Jefferson Johnson Massac Perry Pope Pulaski Randolph Saline Union Washington White Williamson REGION
I
May 12
May 11
9 108 31 28 10 122 86 33 24 54 10 11 84 100 33 39 46 208 1,046
11 98 13 11 9 121 69 37 25 44 7 15 76 65 43 42 50 166 9.2
Change
2011
18.2% 10.2% 138.5% 154.5% 11.1% 0.8% 24.6% 10.8% 4.0% 22.7% 42.9% 26.7% 10.5% 53.8% 23.3% 7.1% 8.0% 25.3% 16.0%
142 1,174 265 279 96 1,482 1,025 392 297 606 96 159 975 1,022 502 583 625 2,060 11,780
2010 126 965 222 236 97 1,320 848 327 269 558 73 129 844 793 486 446 571 1,796 10,097
Change
12.7% 21.7% 19.4% 20.8% 1.0% 12.3% 20.9% 19.9% 10.4% 8.6% 31.5% 23.2% 15.5% 28.9% 3.3% 30.7% 9.5% 14.7% 16.7%
Total units sold, including condominiums
Q1 12 Alexander Franklin Gallatin Hamilton Hardin Jackson Jefferson Johnson Massac Perry Pope Pulaski Randolph Saline Union Williamson ILLINOIS
1 67 2 2 3 58 57 10 25 21 1 2 31 34 15 109 23,112
Q1 11 6 54 2 3 4 58 45 16 15 19 1 0 19 28 26 83 19,081
SOURCE: ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS
Change 83.3% 24.1% 0.0% 33.3% 25.0% 0.0% 26.7% 37.5% 66.7% 10.5% 0.0% NA 63.2% 21.4% 42.3% 31.3% 21.1%
June 12 102.7
J
F
M
A
2011 16 283 12 6 14 325 258 66 82 86 10 11 117 148 89 539 103,294
2010 19 259 8 8 8 358 264 78 91 116 8 6 131 122 84 590 103,455
Change
15.8% 9.3% 50.0% 25.0% 75.0% 10.2% 2.3% 15.4% 9.9% 25.9% 20.0% 83.3% 10.7% 21.3 % 6.0% 8.6% 0.2%
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
’12
’11
’10
’09
SOURCE: INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
Hotel/motel stats
Consumer Price Index
Total amount of revenue generated in Carbondale by hotels and motels for room rentals only.
The CPI measures average price changes of goods and services over time, with a reference base of 100 in 1982-84.To put into context, a current CPI of 194.5 means a market basket of goods and services that cost $100 in 1982-84 now costs $194.50.
April 12 April 11 MONTHLY TOTALS $687,250
Change
$756, 813
9.2%
YTD TOTALS $2,339,083
$2,318,005
2010
0.9%
Change
$7,710,436 <0.01%
$25,000 $42,550 $18,250 $89,900 $50,000 $79,900 $70,000 $88,000 $80,000 $55,000 $38,000 $0 $74,500 $54,700 $110,000 $85,000 $130,000
226
224
U.S. city average June 12 229.5
222
MEDIAN SALES PRICE Q1 12 Q1 11 $17,500 $37,000 $79,375 $77,500 $18,000 $89,950 $75,000 $78,500 $55,000 $49,900 $279,000 $19,000 $65,000 $62,000 $68,200 $88,000 $125,000
230
228
2011 ANNUAL TOTALS $7,706,931
SOURCE: ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE. LATEST DATA AVAILABLE.
Home sales
108 107 106 105 104 103 102 101 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 D
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.
220
218
216
Change
30.0% 13.0% 334.9% 13.8% 64.0% 12.6% 7.1% 10.8% 31.3% 9.3% 634.2% NA 12.8% 13.3% 38.0% 3.5% 3.8%
214
Midwest urban June 12 219.0
212
210
208
J
J
A
S ’11
O
N
D
J
F
M A ‘12
M
J
SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Prices at the pump Average price per gallon of regular, unleaded gas as of July 27 and June 26, 2012.
July 12 June 12 Metro East Springfield Illinois U.S. SOURCE: AAA
$3.58 $3.47 $3.61 $3.49
$3.36 $3.23 $3.57 $3.40
July 11 $3.82 $3.75 $3.88 $3.70
14
SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL
AUGUST 2012
Elder Law Long-term care in Illinois: Who’s on First? BY RICHARD HABIGER SBJ CONTRIBUTOR
The recent, multiple changes to the rules affecting eligibility for Medicaid-coverage of nursing home and other longterm care of seniors reminds me of the 1950s Saturday Habiger morning TV comedy routine “Who’s on First?” by Abbott and Costello. As Bud Abbott and Lou Costello bantered back and forth, the gag line always came back to “Who’s on First?” (Some seniors may remember the routine from the late 1930s, when it was performed live on the “Kate Smith Hour” radio program.) What does this comedy routine have to with something that isn’t funny? Follow the changes Congress and the Illinois Legislature have made to the Medicaid rules that govern eligibility for nursing home benefits and you just might ask “Who’s on first?” when trying to plan for nursing home or other longterm care for yourself, a loved one, or — if you are a non-elder-law-attorney or other professional — a client. On Feb. 8, 2006, Congress passed and President Bush signed into law the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA). Among the many Draconian provisions of this infamous legislation was a change in the starting date for calculating the date when a senior would be eligible for Medicaid coverage of their nursing home care. Under prior law, if the senior had made a gift, a period of ineligibility for Medicaid coverage would be imposed (“penalty period”), which began the month the gift was made. Thus, under prior law, when a senior had made a gift, for example, to their children, the resulting penalty period often had expired by the time the senior needed care in a nursing home. Under the DRA, however, the penalty period for a gift to children cannot begin until the senior: a) is in a nursing home; b) has made a Medicaid application; and c) has spent down his or her assets to $2,000.
Obviously, this change in the law was designed to force family members of seniors to give-back any gifts they may have received. In June 2006, at an Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education conference (at which yours truly was teaching other elder law attorneys about the new federal DRA law), the two assistant attorney generals who were responsible for drafting new rules to implement the DRA in Illinois, announced that the implementing rules had been drafted the prior month, and they had sent the new rules “up the line” for review and approval. Fortunately, those rules sat on someone’s desk until the spring of 2011, when someone decided to move forward with the implementation process. To become effective in Illinois, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, a bi-partisan arm of the Illinois Legislature, needed to approve the new rules. As soon as the new Illinois Medicaid rules were published for public comment, elder law attorneys from around the state and a coalition of senior organizations got involved and objected to many of the rules. Over time, many of the most-harmful provisions of the new rules were removed, and the new revised rules were approved by JCAR in October 2011. The new rules became effective Nov. 1, 2011, for some, and on Jan. 1, 2012, for everyone. At this point, the dust should have settled; but that was not to be the case. In the spring of 2012, the Medicaid bureaucracy, with the help of legislators hostile to senior issues, submitted new legislation, which did away with all of the hard work done at the JACR level less than six months before. On the issue of Medicaid coverage of nursing home care, the legislation is even more hostile to seniors than what was originally proposed to JCAR by the Medicaid bureaucrats in the spring of 2011. Indeed, the new legislation, called the “SMART” Act (“Save Medicaid Access and Resources Together” Act), was rammed through the legislative process in such a rush it conflicts with the federal DRA (which, by federal law, it cannot) and may even be
ART SERVICES
A scene from Abbott and Costello’s famous ‘Who’s on First?’ comedy routine.
unconstitutional in part. Of course, challenging the illegality of the SMART act would be an extremely timeconsuming and costly process; seniors who need care in a nursing home have neither the time nor the financial resources to pursue this path to protect themselves, their spouse or their meager resources. So, “Who’s on First?” The Illinois system for paying the cost of long-term care is at a crossroads. No one but the wealthiest among us can afford to pay for care in a nursing home. Under the SMART Act, if seniors and their families do not pre-plan for long-term care, they risk going broke paying for care; and, with all of the federal and state changes in the Medicaid laws and rules, how is one supposed to know which laws or rules apply to their particular situation, to know “What’s on first?” Despite all the twists and turns in the laws, by pre-planning with the help of a
knowledgeable and experienced elder law attorney, that is, one who has other tools in his Medicaid planning toolbox, the senior can still be protected. Be forewarned, however. While there are still strategies and techniques that can be used to assist seniors in a crisis to eventually qualify for Medicaidcoverage of their nursing home care, the best methods require the planning to be done in advance. Consequently, “smart” seniors take steps early on to protect their assets, and, most importantly, themselves, their spouses, and their loved ones. RICHARD HABIGER is the author of the Illinois edition of How to Protect Your Family’s Assets from Devastating Nursing Home Costs: Medicaid Secrets and is an elder law attorney, who focuses on asset protection, Medicaid and VA benefits. You may contact him at 618-549-4529 or info@HabigerElderLaw.com.
2012 Du Quoin State Fair
Illinois Food & Wine Products Show
AIR-CONDITIONED EXPO HALL
is o n i Ilglrown
s Illinaodie m
Celebrating our sixth consecutive year of showcasing Southern Illinois businesses, the SIUC Entrepreneurship Division is pleased to continue our partnership created last year with the Illinois Department of Agriculture to bring food and wine vendors together for this showcase event. Fairgoers visiting the Illinois Food & Wine Products Show will be able to see, sample, and purchase a variety of Illinois food products from all over the state.
FOOD & WINE EXPO
Illinoiss
Product
ILLINOIS SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER/ INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTER Southern Illinois University Carbondale Entrepreneurship & Business Development
Offering items for sample and sale
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1ST 12:00 Noon – 7:00 p.m. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND 12:00 Noon – 4:00 p.m.
Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center 1740 Innovation Drive, Suite 110 , Carbondale, IL 62903
sbdc@siu.edu www.siusbdc.com
618-536-2424
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.
www.agr.state.il.us
16
SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL
AUGUST 2012
Achievements
Overturf
Faces in the news
Overturf joins engineer design staff
Carter
Logan Overturf joined the professional design staff of Hurst-Rosche Engineers Inc. in Marion. A Marion native, Overturf has bachelor and master degrees from SIU in mechanical engineering. He will specialize in the heating, ventilation and airconditioning systems and focus on sustainable building strategies. He previously worked for NACCO Materials Handling Group in Danville.
Casteel
Sievers
Carter named Entrepreneur of the Year by ‘Big 4’
Wheeler
Snuffer
Rajamahanty
Ahrens
Steve Carter, president of Knight Hawk Coal LLC in Percy, was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the “Big 4” accounting firm Ernst & Young. Carter was cited in the industrial, manufacturing and mining division in E&Y’s central Midwest region that encompasses Southern Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska.
Casteel hired as agricultural sales rep
Schulte
Brown
Gates
Walker
Clint Casteel, a native of Harrisburg, was hired by Whayne Supply to fill the newly created position of inside agricultural sales representative for its store in Evansville, Ind. Casteel attended SIU.
Sievers receives NAELA award
Butler
Davis
Robinson
Stearns
Faces in the news
Alstat
Thompson
Have you been promoted? Send a photo. Has a colleague at work completed an intensive continuing education program? Send a photo. Others in the business community will want to know it, so please consider passing on your employment news and photos to the Southern Business Journal. Feel free to email the information to sbj@thesouthern.com.
Attorney Tiffanny H. Sievers, owner of SI Elder Law in Marion, was named as one of the 2012 National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys’ outstanding chapter members. NAELA is a professional association made up of more than 4,200 attorneys dedicated to improving the quality of legal services provided to seniors and people with special needs.
Aisin plants create native grass area Aisin Light Metals, Aisin Mfg. Illinois, and Aisin Electronics Illinois recently set aside almost 10 acres of their 80-acre Aisin Industrial Park to be planted as a natural prairie area. With the help of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Illinois Acres for Wildlife program, the area was planted in native prairie grasses and wildflowers.
These grasses and wildflowers help return the land to its original prairie state and will provide an excellent habitat for birds and other mammals.
WSIL-TV named IBA Station of the Year For the third straight year, WSIL-TV has won Station of the Year honors from the Illinois Broadcasters Association. The award is based on a station’s news operation, community service and production values. WSIL station manager is Steve Wheeler, and news director is Mike Snuffer. IBA also honored WSIL with a 2012 IBA Silver Dome award for Best Station Website. The awards were announced at IBA’s annual awards banquet June 20 in Normal. Other 2012 Silver Dome awards captured by WSIL employees include Kelly Burke, Best Sportscaster; Scott Foster, Best Use of Graphic Design; Robin Cox, Best Station Produced PSA; and Benjy Jeffords, Best Photojournalist. WSIL is owned by Mel Wheeler Inc., and is based in Carterville. It is the ABC affiliate serving Southern Illinois, western Kentucky and southeast Missouri.
Dr. Rajamahanty joins Marshall Browning staff Dr. Srinivas Rajamahanty, a board certified urologist, has joined the medical staff at Marshall Browning Hospital in Du Quoin. Rajamahanty is seeing patients once a month at the hospital. He has more than 20 years of experience in adult and pediatric urology.
Vogler Ford honored as top performer Ford Motor Co. awarded Vogler Ford in Carbondale with the 2011 President’s Award for outstanding customer service and sales performance. The award honors top-performing Ford and Lincoln dealerships. Vogler has won this award six times: 1990, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2011.
SEE ACHIEVEMENTS / PAGE 18
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AUGUST 2012
Achievements Great Shapes adds hair, nail salon
Parrish offering YogaFit, Spinning
Great Shapes Fitness for Women added a Molly Parrish is introducing YogaFit hair and nail salon with a separate entrance and Spinning classes at LHW Fitness in in the rear of the building, at 2121 S. Illinois Marion in a newly designed studio at 1000 Ave. N. Carbon St. in Marion. Kari Collins is owner of Revolution Hair For more information, call 618-922-1102. Salon, which offers women’s, men’s and children’s cuts, perms, color, manicures, B and A Travel receives pedicures, shellac and waxing. She can be Disney designation reached at 618-303-8200. B and A Travel Service of Carbondale and Marion has been re-designated by Disney Striegel Animal Hospital Parks & Resorts as an Authorized Disney welcomes Bailey Vacation Planner, based on its product knowledge and strong support in selling Lindsey J. Bailey, DVM, originally of Disney vacations. Nashville, began working for Striegel As an Authorized Disney Vacation Animal Hospital in Carbondale as an associate veterinarian. She is a graduate of Planner since 2004, the travel professionals at B and A Travel Service have gained University of Illinois College of Veterinary specialized knowledge on vacations to Medicine in Champaign. Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Formerly Lindsey Greten, Bailey is Resort, Disney Cruise Line and Adventures married to Darren Bailey of Cobden. She by Disney vacations. can be reached at 618-457-2133.
McGrath receives achievement award Tim McGrath of the financial services firm Edward Jones in Anna won the firm’s Jim McKenzie Award for his exceptional achievement in building client relationships. Headquartered in St. Louis, Edward Jones provides financial services for individual investors in the U.S. and, through its affiliate, in Canada.
Graham Family Medicine hosts grand re-opening Graham Family Medicine hosted a grand re-opening celebration June 29 at 4501 W. DeYoung, Ste. 107B, in Marion. The newly expanded office includes areas dedicated to providing services not only for general medicine, but for sports medicine treatment and aesthetics, as well. Dr. Eric Graham is president and family physician of GFM.
Jones chosen Mentor of the Year Family medicine physician Dr. Larry Jones was chosen Mentor of the Year by first-year medical students at SIU School of Medicine. A 1976 alumnus of the medical school, Jones is a founding physician of Primary Care Group in Harrisburg. He is a resident of Harrisburg.
Emerald Realty welcomes agents Four agents have joined Emerald Realty in Marion. They are Donna Ahrens, Shirley Schulte and Belinda Storey Cornett, all of Marion, and Jason Brown of Carterville. Ahrens specializes in residential sales. She retired from the Federal Bureau of Prisons after 25 years of experience in financial management. Schulte is a Southern Illinois native, who has been in the real estate profession for 35 years. A broker and Notary, she formerly owned real estate offices in Oregon and California, where she also was a general contractor. Cornett specializes in residential sales. She recently retired from the Illinois State Police after 27 years as a police officer. Brown has a master’s degree in business administration from Lindenwood University and specializes in residential and commercial sales.
Gates, Walker receive leadership award Two Carbondale obstetricians, Douglas Gates and Frank Walker received leadership awards. The awards are given to physicians who participate in the St. Louis Cord Blood Bank’s First Gift donation program and collect 100 or more cord blood units during the previous year. This is the first year for Walker to receive the award and the ninth year for Gates.
Butler named director of operations Western Baptist Medical Ventures has named Mark Butler its director of operations. Butler is responsible for managing operations of Western Baptist Medical Ventures, which employs 20 physicians in eight specialties to provide medical care for individuals and families in a clinical practice setting. It is affiliated with Western Baptist Hospital, part of Baptist Healthcare System.
McGrath wins performance award Phillip McGrath, an Edward Jones financial adviser in Murphysboro, won the firm’s coveted Zeke McIntyre Pioneer Award, which recognizes new financial advisors who achieve high levels of success early in their careers with the financial services firm. McGrath was one of only 267 of the firm’s more than 12,000 financial advisers to receive the award. He received the award at the Edward Jones Region 127 meeting in Nashville.
Hospital offers new online services Union County Hospital now offers its patients two online conveniences, online bill pay and registration services. Both of these features can be found on the hospital’s website at UnionCounty Hospital.com. When patients receive their statements from the hospital, they can visit the hospital’s website and take care of the bill there. The registration feature can be used for all inpatient and outpatient services. It is recommended that patients register at least three days before their scheduled procedure date.
Blue completes course for career agents Christopher Blue, a Farmers Insurance agent in Marion, has completed the career agents course at the University of Farmers training facility in Grand Rapids, Mich. The university is national in scope and offers training to Farmers’ agents and their staff, district managers and claims staff.
Davis elected chairman of IBA Marty Davis, president and CEO of Murphy-Wall State Bank & Trust Company in Pinckneyville, has been elected
chairman of Illinois Bankers Association for 2012-13. He was elected at IBA’s 121st annual Conference and Trade Show on June 21 in Indianapolis. Davis has 27 years of banking experience. He has been with Murphy-Wall State Bank for 15 years and is involved in various community activities.
Local dating coach joins JustAnswer Annette Vaillancourt, a Carbondalebased psychotherapist, recently joined JustAnswer as an expert dating coach. Vaillancourt helped couples for more than 20 years as a marriage counselor before honing in on her expertise as a dating coach. JustAnswer is an online expert questionand-answer website that connects visitors with verified experts in various categories, including medical, legal, automotive, veterinary and tech support.
Financial reps participate in Relay For Life Country Financial representatives Matthew Duffy and Martin Duffy both participated in Relay For Life of Jackson County Murphysboro on June 8 at Murphysboro High School. Their team raised $3,100, which funds cancer research and education. Country is a corporate sponsor of teams throughout Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon and Washington.
Faces in the news Have you been promoted? Send a photo. Has a colleague at work completed an intensive continuing education program? Send a photo. Others in the business community will want to know it, so please consider passing on your employment news and photos to the Southern Business Journal. Feel free to email the information to sbj@thesouthern.com.
Find more business news at www.sbj.biz.
AUGUST 2012
SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL
Achievements Three inducted in Million Dollar Round Table Betty J. Parton and Larry D. Roberts, both of Marion, and Peggy R. Richey of Pittsburg are part of a small percentage of life insurance agents worldwide to achieve membership this year in the Million Dollar Round Table. MDRT is an international, independent association of more than 35,000 members, or less than 1 percent, of the world’s best life insurance and financial services professionals.
Therapists complete vestibular rehab course Joyner Therapy Services’ Rob Robinson, physical therapist and director of the Marion clinic, along with Dr. Noah Stearns, director of the Harrisburg clinic, and Dr. Lucas Alstat, physical therapist, recently completed training in Springfield for vestibular rehabilitation therapy. This course focused on the practical management of the patient with dizziness and balance dysfunction. Joyner Therapy has clinics in Marion, Harrisburg and Golconda.
Thompson hired as office manager Cheryl Thompson of Simpson has been hired as office manager of United Country Exodus Realty of Southern Illinois. Thompson has more than 15 years of real estate management experience, including 13 years as a licensed real estate agent. United Country Exodus Realty is fullservice real estate company, specializing in unique residential, commercial and land properties. Thompson works in the Carbondale office, at 2250 Reed Station Parkway in the HBA Building. L’erin Ragon is managing broker/co-owner of the company.
Zieba accepts position with appraisal firm Gregory K. Zieba of Montgomery, Ala., formerly of Carbondale, recently accepted a position as head of the appraisal division of the Cleveland, office of O.R. Colan and Associates. Zieba was a commercial real estate appraiser in Southern Illinois for 25 years
before working in Memphis and, most recently, in Montgomery, Ala., for Real Estate Appraisers, LLC.
Parton completes FIC course John Parton of Marion, a Modern Woodmen of America representative, has attained the Fraternal Insurance Counselor designation. The FIC title is an educational designation that can be earned by career life insurance representatives associated with fraternal insurance organizations. Representatives devote more than one year to meet the examination and career development criteria.
Edward Jones Firm of the Year Financial services firm Edward Jones was named Advisory Solutions Firm of the Year by The Money Management Institute as the firm that most exemplified overall excellence and contributed to the long-term success and sustainability of the wealth management industry, according to Edward Jones financial advisors in Southern Illinois. The award was presented at the institute’s annual Gateway to Leadership Awards Dinner recently in Chicago. Edward Jones is headquartered in St. Louis.
Four complete leadership institute James “Rusty” Wanstreet, Julie B. Patera, Jeffery L. McGoy and Kevin Frost, all members of the Alabama Delta Leadership Class of 2012, have completed the Delta Leadership Institute, a leadership development program for regional leaders, sponsored by the Delta Regional Authority and The University of Alabama. They each received an award of completion June 14 during the graduation ceremony in the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Ala. Wanstreet is area director for USDA Rural Development, Patera is executive director for Southeastern Illinois Regional Planning and Development Commission, McGoy is director of student support for Shawnee Community College, and Frost is a financial advisor for Northwestern Mutual.
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Money Matters Streamlining your cash flow can make retirement easier BY MICHAEL P. TISON SBJ CONTRIBUTOR
Many things change in retirement, among them your cash flow. In a general sense, you’ve transitioned from a long period of building wealth to a new phase, where you begin to use your Tison accumulated assets and other sources of income to maintain your desired lifestyle. As part of that, your expense and income profile will shift, necessitating new ways of tracking your cash flow. One implication of this new chapter in your life is a tight focus on expenses, with needs and wants carefully considered and separated. Retirement requires a sustainable spending policy, one that you can live with for a long time and one that takes into account the inevitable ups and downs in the market, as well as changes in your personal situation. Along with this is the reality that your sources of income are likely to shift, making cash management an important priority. For example, once you leave the workforce, your regular paycheck is likely to be replaced by multiple sources of income that might include Social Security benefits, pension plan distributions, withdrawals from an IRA, 401(k) plan, dividends, rental property income, annuity payouts, asset sales, notes receivable or part-time work. The list goes on. While your specific picture will be unique, the key point is that managing your sources of income and cash on hand probably will be more complicated than when you were working. Not only is your income arriving from different sources, it’s arriving at different intervals and in different amounts. At the same time, you
need to be sure that regular and unusual expenses are being paid, that you have an emergency reserve set aside, and that anything left over is being invested for maximum yield consistent with reasonable liquidity. Because retirement is generally supposed to be about making life less complicated, the approach you take to managing your cash flow should be one that simplifies and streamlines your financial affairs. For this reason, many people who have accounts with a number of financial institutions consolidate them with one or two when the retirement phase of their lives arrives. In deciding where to concentrate your assets, be sure that you’re comfortable with the institution or institutions you choose and that they offer a wide range of options in terms of accessing, transferring and investing your funds. Accounts that automatically pay recurring bills can be useful. Your primary provider also should make it easy for you to move money from an IRA or other investment account into the accounts you use to pay your bills. You may want the option of setting up regularly scheduled withdrawals from an investment account so you transfer only what you need to pay bills, leaving the remaining assets to earn interest. A key component of managing your cash flow in retirement is creating a robust emergency fund that, to the extent possible, ensures you won’t have to sell assets in a market downturn for unexpected expenses. Selling securities to meet short-term cash needs in a down market can be devastating to your overall retirement plan. Opinions differ on how much you should set aside. Some experts believe three months of living expenses is an appropriate amount for an emergency fund, while others advocate having two SEE MONEY MATTERS / PAGE 22
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AUGUST 2012
Business Fine Print Building permits Herrin Joe Restivo, 1615 Dolan Lane, $94,000 Irl Eaton, 120 W. Stotlar, $125,000 Jeff Gusta, 1700 Dynasty, $2,200 Charles Longwell, 1413 W. Cherry St., $14,430 Steve Claunch, 2405 W. Cherry St., $30,000 Bob Newman, 13025/13027 Hafer Road, $100,000 John Crespi, 3206 Corsair Drive, $5,500 Roland McBride, 403 Insignia, $10,000 Brian Golden, 1801 Crown Road, $47,250 Dan Jennings, 815 S. 11th St., $45,000 Jack Anderson, 1612 S. 13th St., $72,000
Marion Panera LLC, West DeYoung, $801,000 Heath Welch, 1008 W. Boulevard, $12,000 Beverly Hazelwood, Warder and Madison, $170,000
Metropolis Edward Musselman, 500 S. Friendship Road, $5,800 Donna Burkhead, 906 E. 6th St., $7,000
Edward Musselman, 500 S. Friendship Road, $5,400 Linda Cremeens, 609 E. 15th St., $5,000 Ronald Konemann, 2008 Greenview Ave., $12,500 Gordon McIntosh, 15 Marberry Drive, $2,500 KCI, Inc., 618 Ferry St., $1,500 Mar y Stacey, 2085 Sharpe School Road, $42,350
Mount Vernon Steven Zelman, 4102 Watertower, $0 One Stop Flooring, 318 16th St. $0 Aspen Dental, 4201 Broadway, $0 Polished 2 Perfection, 2202 Broadway, $700 Neil Kurtz, 767 Fairfield Road, $0 Susan Staples, 4325 Woodglen, $250 Tena Dawson, 4301 Lilac, $41,000 Al and Alice Edwards, 1015 Oakland, $0 Ed Sprinkle, 102 33rd St., $11,941 City of Mount Vernon, 13 Doctors Park Road, $0 Jim Youroukos, 221 3rd St., $0 Neil Kurtz, 751 E. Fairfield Road, $0 Cusumano and Sons, 921 Harrison, $30,000 Tom Skinner, 17298 Angling Road, $50,000
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Business Fine Print Larry and Annelle Reummler, 8 Lincoln Drive, $10,000 Jefferson County Historical Society, 1400 Broadway, $0 Relay For Life, 1400 Broadway, $0 Steve and Rita Purcell, 4204 Woodglen Lane, $138,000 Rober t Huntman, 15846 Fairfield Road, $86,000 Harley and Betty Woods, 415 Hyde Park, $8,500 Family Dollar, 703 S. 10th St., $4,000 Melvin Sanders, 15185 Shiloh Drive, $0 Mount Vernon Church of Christ, 4304 Ilberry Road, $0 Eleven Group, 224 S. 10th St., $0 Terry and Laura Schaubert, 102 N. 9th St., $0
Murphysboro S.T.A.R.T., 20 N. 13th, $10,000
Bankruptcies Chapter 7 Purcells Flooring, 18967 N. U.S. Highway 51, Elkville Darryl and Donna Williams, 705 E. Board St., Elkville William R. and Julia A. Edmonds, 401 S. Green St., Anna Brad Leon and Jennifer Sue James, 8168 Illinois 14, Du Quoin Adam D. and Kendra D. Groah, 1122 Doral St., Mount Carmel Michael S. and Janice S. Whitt, 708 Country Road, Pinckneyville Elizabeth Mae Cagle, 1209 Anderson Drive, Marion Amy S. Delahunt, 715 E. Main, Apt. D., Marion Shanna Lee Sweet, P.O. Box 287, Jonesboro Vickie Sue Jacobs, 110 W. Church, Sparta Daniel C. and Shelly R. Helm, 809 N. 16th St., Herrin James M. Hall Jr., 100 N. State St., Ellis Grove Paula J. Hall, 100 N. State St., Ellis Grove Orien L. Drew, 701 W. Oak, Herrin Tammy K. Townley, 522 E. Orchard Lane, Du Quoin Herman D. and Anna M. Harrrelson, 969 County Road 650 N Donald L. and Melinda J. Samples, 1121 N. 10th, Herrin Crystal N. Campbell, 10631 Country Club Road, Apt. 3, West Frankfort Gale G. and Ellen R. Hunerkoch, 5285 Orchard Road, Metropolis Angela R. Galbraith, 1015 E. Eighth St., Apt. 1, Metropolis Jeffrey Lynn Simmons, 788 Waters Road,
Vienna David Owen and Evelyn Darlene Luton, 125 Carter Drive, Metropolis Tera B. Romines, 1516 S. Division, Apt. F, Carterville Deborah A. Grencik, 233 N. 13th St., Apt. 508, Murphysboro Barbie J. McCleary, 1251 E. Pleasant Hill Road, Apt. 3, Carbondale Blake A. and Susan L. Shelton, 1310 E. Eighth St., West Frankfort Victor A. and Emily M. Munoz, 10997 E. Old Hickory Court, Benton Jessie E. and Christina L. LaRoe, 203 Mound St., POB 135, Wayne City Amy R. Minton, 120 Maple St., Zeigler Alexander R. Turner III, 716 E. Davie St., Anna Joseph E. and Kelly R. Black, 811 S. Cockrum, Sesser Brian D. and Sarah Lashay Morgan, 116 Baggott, Zeigler Cary D. Brown, P.O. Box 260, Mount Vernon Tamara J. Price, 1516 Pace Ave., Mount Vernon Bobby D. and Michele R. Stagner Jr., 308 S. Meadow St., Royalton Stephen E. and Amanda J. Bowen, 904 Gent St., Johnston City Margaret E. Rodriguez, P.O. Box 42, Energy Jennifer Marie Dilley, P.O. Box 11, Bone Gap Susan R. Jenkins, 203 W. Lindell St., West Frankfort Amber R. Wright, 807 N. Market St., Sparta Katrina F. Dennis, P.O. Box 79, Tilden Michael Josiah and Lori Anne Delong, 638 Illinois 130, Albion Renee Georgette Purdom, 236 Light St., Chester Timothy N. Brown, RR 2, Box 370, Fairfield Emil R. and Eith C. Spees, 3925 Chautauqua Road, Carbondale Rickey E. and Karen S. Mayberry, 11802 E. Goshen Meadows Road, Mount Vernon Daniel H. Zimmerman, 316 S. Illinois St., Jonesboro Denise L. Young, 104 N. Violet Lane, Apt. B, Carbondale Michelle Jane Bilderback, 446 Warren Road, Carbondale Rosemarie Abele, 1010A Durham Drive, Johnston City Amanda R. Abbink, 301 Cooper St., West Salem Matthew T. and Ashley N. Lloyd, 1209 Bond St., Eldorado Hayley A. Tupper, 14893 E. Clearview Road, Mount Vernon Tonia M. McGibney, 1007 Liberty, Evansville James Bradley Grammer, 2769 Creeknation Blacktop, Mulkeytown Dewey S. and Crystal R. Eckleberry, 504 E.
Find more business news at www.sbj.biz.
Douglas, Fairfield Patricia Anne Ely, 1809 W. Main St., Number 125, Carbondale Patrick S. Haskell, 134 Fair St., Carmi Evelyn M. Reed, P.O. Box 324, Mounds Rebekeh J. Patton, 112 E. Lincoln, Harrisburg Daniel E. and Pamela L. Deig, 626 Oak St., Carmi Fran L. and Roderick E. Burnett Sr., Burnett, 211 S. 19th St., Mount Vernon Richard William Peterson, 17 Wildman Road, Golconda Harry L. and Myra J. Hogan, 1203 E. Bond, Benton Sarah Jaye Bates, 623 S. Wedgewood Lane, Carbondale Travis D. and Sarah E. Durham, 404 Bailey Lane, Benton Gary L. Hyslop Jr., 7378 Liberty Church Road, Ashley Scott D. and Chasity M. Rains, P.O. Box 153, Marion Jennifer L. Dill, 104 S. Division St., Mount Carmel Robert L. and Christina M. Walker Jr., P.O. Box 233, Fairfield Michael A. Mazzara Jr., 204 N. Monroe St., West Frankfort Shawn A. and Erin E. Crane, 403 Plum St., Mount Carmel Clifford L. and Paula R. Keelin, P.O. Box 83, Nashville Amy L. Veteto, 1307 E. Lindell, West Frankfort Hope R. Uhls, 23941 N. Carpenter Lane, Centralia Craig Alan and Kelly Renee Kerkemeyer, 503 S. Emma St., Christopher Frank M. and Molly K. Mulholland Jr., 702 N. Carico, Carbondale Stacey L. Deisher, 1230 N. Walnut, Apt. L4, Mount Carmel Dwight E. and Sunday A. Whitlock, 1270 Karel Park Road, Eldorado Michelle N. Marlow, 532 E. Monroe St., Du Quoin Darrell D. and Samira Kirk, 506 S. First St., Marion Roger S. and Tammy M. Stephens, 325 Marteeny St., Mount Vernon Heath Allen Taaka, P.O. Box 436, Mount Vernon Jeremy David and Shannon Nicole Myers, 409 S. Pine St., Zeigler Gina M. Doerr, P.O. Box 181, Red Bud Jason and Rachel Moss, 1521 W. Walnut, Herrin
Chapter 13 Jennifer L. Ames, 1115 Body Barn Road, Anna Cassie R. Bramlett, 700 N. 23rd St., Murphysboro Jennifer S. Wall, 816 E. Main St., Du Quoin Trevor L. Sr., and Kimberly J. Moore, P.O. Box 193, Pinckneyville Barrie E. Penninger, 612 N. 17th St., Herrin Mark A. and Lisa G. Rodgers, 760 Raleigh Chapple, Raleigh Sandra M. Crisp, 12708 Lake Benton Road, Number 3, Benton Matthew A. Norris, 15092 Harmony Church Road, West Frankfort Denver D. Powers Jr., 608 N. Oakland, Carbondale Gary S. and Debra L. Dees, P.O. Box 78, Mount Vernon Clyde Richard Chamness, P.O. Box 313, Creal Springs David W. and Christina L. Brooks, 4552 Perks Road, Ullin David W. and Paige E. Hammer, 101 West Drive, Apt. 1, Anna David E. and Denise L. Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Dell, P.O. Box 424, Brookport Jerry Ray and Darla Kay Johnson, P.O. Box 332, Goreville Bobby Lee and Barbara Kay Isaacs, 21834 Benton St., Thompsonville Tyler L. Parrish, 1803 Holms Drive, Marion Richard and Chelsea A. Rentfro, P.O. Box 12, Ullin Charles M. and Cheryl L. Church 14450 E. Lake Estates Road, Mount Vernon Ryan Dale and Jessica Gail Compton, 373 County Road 950 N., Albion Bernice Cohoon, 409 Charlotte Road, Marion Richard J. and Brandi K. Rude, P.O. Box 435, Coulterville Enos R. and Phyllis A. Paris, 409 E. Church St., Galatia Bradley M. and Jennifer M. Warhausen, 813 Windy Way, Steeleville Cassandra M. King, 321 W. Belmont St., Lot Number 3, Sparta Michael Leslie and Diane Ruth Lanterman, 808 Illinois 3, Rockwood Ian M. Copeland, 1701 Winchester Court, Marion Jeffrey W. Harmon, 701 S. Locust St., Sesser Jerrod M. Wagner, 304 E. Eighth St., West Frankfort William E. Housley, 1921 Mallard Lane, Carbondale Barbara A. and Danny L. Sawyers, 804 Pell Road, Brookport Jerry D. McCurdy, 309 S. Pecan St., Royalton SEE FINE PRINT / PAGE 23
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Calendar Aug. 15 Starting a Business in Illinois: 9 to 11 a.m., Marion Man-Tra-Con, 3000 W. DeYoung St., Illinois Star Centre. Free. An optional business start-up kit is available for $15. Call 618-536-2424 or email sbdc@siu.edu.
Sept. 20 Starting a Business in Illinois: 9 to 11 a.m., room 150, Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, 150 E. Pleasant Hill Road, Carbondale. Free. An optional business start-up kit is available for $15. Call 618-536-2424 or email sbdc@siu.edu.
MONEY MATTERS FROM PAGE 19
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years’ worth of expenses tucked away. Whatever amount you settle on, your investment holdings in this account should be highly liquid. Because you can’t manage what you don’t know, it’s important that you be able to monitor your cash flow and overall financial picture quickly and easily. You need to be able to see where you stand and easily generate up-to-date reports on your account balances, transaction history, upcoming disbursements and anything else required to be certain that your bills get paid and any excess cash is invested appropriately. The latter is especially important with interest rates at historic lows. In considering how best to manage your cash flow and where to concentrate your funds, be sure to ask yourself some “what if” questions and give some thought to the future. Bear in mind that your spouse or other loved ones may have to take over the management of your cash flow in the future, and be certain they know how to do so. This usually will require completing the appropriate documents with your financial provider. Take your time, be sure your approach to managing cash flow is integrated with your overall retirement plan, and then relax. You know where your money is coming from, where it’s going and that it’s working for you in between. MICHAEL P. TISON is an investment advisor and registered principal with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., with offices in Harrisburg and Marion. He can be reached at 618-253-4444 or michael.tison@raymond james.com.
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GRAY: Looking for expert advice? FROM PAGE 7 to leave readers with quality information that would give them something meaningful to ponder and discuss.
How to eat an elephant Writing a book of any kind is a massive undertaking and has given me a humbling respect for the process and for authors who have done it multiple times over. A famous sportscaster recalled that one of his books was written mostly in two months. He accomplished this by dedicating a little time every day to getting some quality writing done. If you work, have small children or have other social obligations, this might seem impossible. If this is the case, try developing a simple writing schedule that will afford you a number of dedicated writing hours in a week. The goal here is to make a schedule that works for you and then stick to it.
Try not to get overwhelmed Writing a book is not for the faint of heart. Never have I experienced such excitement and frustration as I have in writing “The Entrepreneurial Spirit Lives.” Looking back, I admit that I was a bit naïve and unrealistic about the process. I thought I could simply pencil in the
writing, layout and editing of the book in between growing a company and helping to raise two demanding boys. I quickly found out that writing a book can easily consume all of your time. So, be sure that you are ready for the constant incorporation of new ideas, layout issues, the never ending administrative to-do’s and the countless revisions and setbacks. Failure to factor in these things will lead to a bit more graying. Trust me. My hope here is to share my experiences in writing a book and encourage you to look in the mirror, see the expert in yourself and do the same. “The Entrepreneurial Spirit Lives” was written to help individuals gain a better understanding of small business concepts, for start-up entrepreneurs looking to better navigate the small business landscape and for entrepreneurs nurturing a dream. Special thanks to Mr. Darryl Jones and his staff at Splattered Ink in Murphysboro for the book’s cover art and amazing artistic direction. CAVANAUGH L. GRAY (cgray@ecafellc.com) is director of business development for The Entrepreneur Café, LLC, 877-511-4820. To read a chapter from the book, “The Entrepreneurial Spirit Lives,” log on to www.ecafellc.com. Follow The Entrepreneur Café, LLC on Twitter @TheECafe and on Facebook.
FINE PRINT FROM PAGE 21 Jim L. and Tammy L. Haseker, 5259 Stonefort Road, Creal Springs Judy Hughes, P.O. Box 461, Mounds Todd A. Auton, P.O. Box 273, Hurst Mark Anthony and Diana Marie Wittenbrink, 3950 Blackjack Road, Red Bud Susan Chartrau, 310 Blossom St., Carterville Rober t D. McGeath, P.O. Box 1175, Murphysboro Tija D. Blackweel, P.O. Box 224, Carrier Mills Joseph Wesley Higgerson, 225 Light Street, Chester Shannon Lee and Rachel Ruth Wimberly, 13127 Brushy Creek Road, Carrier Mills Daniel E. Henderson, 1 The Pine Creek Lane, Murphysboro Larry G. and Rebecca L. Crowell, 410 Four 1/2 St., Murphysboro Barbara A. Tapley, 317 Circle Dr., Vienna David A. Scott, 105 Cherry St., Unit L., Anna
Darren S. McCord, 814 N. Mulberry St., Mount Carmel Michael Edward Clutts, 650 Bradshaw Road, Anna Stephen Lee and Dawn Michele Bates, 22988 N. Baldridge Lane, Centralia David E. and Christen M. Jackson, 270 Big Creek Church Road, Anna David E. and Marilyn S. Terry, 402 Ohio Ave., Mound City Arthur W. and Mary J. Ackley, 112 E. Castleton, Mount Vernon Mandi R. Gualdoni, 1402 W. Chestnut, Marion Peggy K. Stewart, 1021 Southgate Drive, Apt. 5H, Mount Vernon Bradley W. and Amanda L. Bundren, 20 Blackberry Lane, Herrin Bradley Allen and Sandy Marie Lowery, 16608 E. Beal, Mount Vernon Raymond G. Regina T. Einig Jr., 864 School House Road, Carbondale