SBJ 12-2011 by The Southern Illinoisan

DECEMBER 2011

Directory of Advertisers

Inside D EC E M B E R

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STATE FOCUS

INDICATORS

More ‘kick-the-can’ strategy: When the state’s General Assembly met in November’s veto session, there were hopes of pension reform moving Illinois beyond the severely underfunded mess that is most-kindly described as the nation’s worst. Instead, lawmakers used their favorite alternative to hard and meaningful work. They kicked the problem far into the future. Expect nothing to be done on pension reform in 2012, when lawmakers will focus their attentions on getting re-elected, which leaves the pension time bomb ticking until 2013, at the earliest. Page 7

Jobless rate drops: The unemployment rate is a key measure of economic health – and the only measure that matters for workers seeking jobs. September was encouraging across Southern Illinois; the jobless rate dropped in 17 of 19 counties and stayed flat in two more. The region’s average unemployment rate dropped 1 percent, with Alexander and Williamson counties reporting the biggest improvements of 2.4 and 2 percent decreases, respectively. Per-gallon gas prices dropped by 19 cents from October to November, but remained 44 cents higher than at the same time one year ago. Check the rest of the data in Southern Illinois Indicators. Pages 12-13

FORMULAS FOR SUCCESS It takes time to get marketing right: Too many companies rush into communication instead of following the study, study, study example of Toyota preparing to enter the U.S. auto market. Before launching even a simple newsletter, decide what it is you want your business to accomplish. Are you looking to be the voice of your industry? Do you want to offer insight into your company in order to create a dialogue and build your brand? Or, does your newsletter exist to drive sales? The key is to try to zero in on one goal. Page 11

Architechniques, Ltd. .......................... 3 Bill Ecker, State Farm Insurance ..........15 Carbondale Civic Center .................... 18 Cenury 21 House of Realty..................15 Country Financial, Dennis Woodside .... 7 Datalock .......................................... 20 Feirich, Mager, Green & Ryan.............. 15 Health Alliance ....................................15

ACHIEVEMENTS Who is in the news? Find out who has been hired, who has been promoted or who has received an award for efforts in business. Make sure you check out our newest ‘Faces in the News’ collection of business portraits and learn more of achievements and honors in regional businesses. If you know of a business or business person who deserves special recognition for advanced training, a unique honor or a business expansion, please let us know at sbj@thesouthern.com. Pages 14-18

Hyannis Air Service, Inc. .................... 20 Jackson & Gray Insurance......................7 John A. Logan College .......................... 5 Modern Copier, Inc. .......................... 15 Mutual Medical Plans, Inc. ................ 10 Oliver and Associates, Inc. ................ 17

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

Pepsi MidAmerica .......................... 3, 17

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

DECEMBER 2011

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Cover Story Local business leaders project what 2012 will bring BY LES O’DELL SBJ CORRESPONDENT

What are the feelings of Southern Illinois business leaders as they look to a new year? Will it be a year of growth or challenges? Are owners and managers eager or anxious about 2012? Southern Business Journal invited 10 local business leaders, each representing a different sector of the region’s business community, to peer into their crystal balls and tell us what they expect 2012 will bring for them and their industry.

Manufacturing and industry

“My initial feeling is that we’re going to see more of the same in the coming year,” says Greg Sprehe, founder and president of Com-Pac International, a Carbondalebased manufacturer of medical and food

packaging products. “I based that on two factors. One, it’s an election year and that means uncertainty. Two, the state is broke with one of the largest deficits in the country. I think the state will continue to look for ways to generate more revenue.” Sprehe says many of the state’s “revenue enhancement” efforts may come on the back of Illinois businesses. “That’s going to make it challenging for us to be competitive, even with manufacturers in other states,” he says. He added that the November elections most likely will give insight to the future. “I think the election will tell the tale of what things will look like in 2013 through 2015. That’s when our economy has to turn around or we’ll be facing even more serious challenges.”

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz.

SEE COVER / PAGE 4

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COVER FROM PAGE 3

Sprehe added that even with the somewhat stagnant economy, Com-Pac is looking for moderate growth in the coming year. “We’ve invested in technology to produce new products for customers. Our outlook is good.”

Financial markets

“Any time anyone has tried to accurately project where the market will be in 12 months, it has not been very effective,” says John Forbes, president of Forbes Financial Group in Carbondale. “However, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if we have a little bit better average return with the stock market because of the historic average 9 percent return. The last decade has been anything but that, so just to revert to the mean would mean that we should see some better returns.” Forbes says market reactions to worldwide economic news are not just a recent development. “Whether it’s Greece or Italy or Spain or Portugal or the election or fill-in-theblank, there’s always something that someone can look at and wring their hands and say until this changes, the market isn’t going anywhere, but we’ve always had those things,” pointing to the Cuban Missile Crisis and 1970s inflation as two examples. He recommends Southern Illinois businesses follow the examples of Fortune 500 companies during lean times. “If you look at big companies, they have, during this slow period, really cleaned up their balance sheets, getting rid of debt and making sure they have cash on hand for the what-ifs. Small businesses need to do the same. Those steps are the seeds you plant for growth, so that when the opportunity comes — and it will — you’ve got the flexibility and the capital to respond.”

Retail

Many Southern Illinois retailers, such as Mike Wicoff, owner of Sterling Mattress Factory in Herrin, are just slightly optimistic about 2012. Wicoff says he expects the next 12 months to be much like 2011. “I think it will be a mixed bag, just like 2011,” he says. “I expect steady business, but I don’t see any real increases in sales outside of a percentage or two. I think we’re in this for a while.”

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTOS

Unlike many of the sectors in the Southern Illinois economy during recent years, agriculture has done relatively well and the 2012 tourism outlook for Southern Illinois also is bright.

Wicoff says that a boost in consumer confidence is needed nationally. In the meantime, he recommends that businesses do their best to reach consumers. “You have to choose your target audience and then craft a very finely honed message to them. Naturally, you also have to provide competitive value and outstanding service. They all go together.”

Health care Stephen Lunn, CEO of Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion, sees more of the same for health care providers in the coming year. “The last few years have brought fear of health care reform and physician shortages, as well as payment shortages from the state and insurers,” Lunn says. “We’re also seeing more responsibility put on patients in the way of higher deductibles. That’s meaning less and less preventative medicine, which is a horrible outcome of all of this.” He says providers are trying to manage all of the changes, and that he thinks change will be a constant. “I think we’ll continue to see increased regulations, increased costs and a shortage of physicians,” he says. “These are challenging times in health care, and I think they will continue.” Lunn says providers, such as Heartland, are working to make sure patients get necessary care. “We are doing as much as we can, and we are partnering with the community to give people the resources and information they need.”

Government Many of the business leaders that were polled put much of the blame for challenging times squarely on the shoulders of the state and federal governments. It’s a fair assessment, says John Jackson of SIU’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. “The first and most important question for business is whether the economy will continue to grow slowly or will we slip back into a recession,” he says. “Right now, the economy is expanding, but the ability to manage the long term is all tied up in politics in Washington.” For that reason, Jackson predicts that there will be little or no progress in the nation’s capital on economic issues. “It’s going to take an election. And, right now, that’s all they can think about. Even though it’s about a year away, that’s the focus. Government only functions two years out of every four.” On the state level, Jackson says so much for business depends on the economy. “I think small business wants stability, and stability in state government depends on getting the budget under control. We’re not there yet.”

Agriculture Unlike many of the sectors in the Southern Illinois economy during recent years, agriculture has done relatively well. Massac County farmer Jeff Weber expects more of the same in 2012. “The last few years have been good years,” he says. “We’ve had an upward trend in yields because of technology, and commodity prices have been good. I think there is profit potential again in 2012 if a

farmer makes good marketing and management decisions and the weather cooperates.” Weber, who raises 1,400 acres of corn and soybeans, says proper decisions come from all areas of production. “We have to be good stewards of the land and, of course, sell our products at the right time.”

Tourism The 2012 tourism outlook for Southern Illinois also is bright, says Cindy Cain of Southernmost Illinois Tourism Bureau. “For leisure travel, Southern Illinois is well positioned for the coming year,” she explains. “Our tourism inventory will be growing as we have some new lodging and attractions that are in the works. We expect good things and continued growth as we project a strong economic impact for the region.” Cain says that local businesses can take advantage of tourism by recognizing the times that visitors are most likely in the area, such as weekends, and making sure that their services and shops are available then. “Otherwise, you’re not capturing that market,” she explains. “If you’re not open, tourists can’t spend dollars in your shop or restaurant.”

Construction “I think buyers are going to continue to be very conservative next year,” says Jim Morgan, president of Morgan Commercial Structures in Murphysboro. “Both businesses and consumers have been SEE COVER / PAGE 6

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

COVER FROM PAGE 4 cautious in the last couple of years, and I don’t see that changing.” Morgan says that construction businesses must continue to control overhead costs and concentrate on gaining private and negotiated customers instead of relying solely on public bid work. “Marketing and sales is a key. You have got to better concentrate on those areas; you have to focus your efforts,” he says.

Service industries

Professionals in the service industries should not expect much of an upswing in 2012 and should focus on enhancing their service offerings, says Jim Jacobs,

DECEMBER 2011 owner of Jacobs Air Conditioning and Heating in Carbondale. “It’s probably not going to be much better than this year, and this year has been off,” Jacobs says. “I would remain optimistic that things will improve, but I’m not counting on it.” To offset an economic downturn, Jacobs says watching all expenses is important, as is giving customers a little extra. “You have to find ways to add value to your service for customers, especially things that may not necessarily cost you,” Jacobs explains. “Service and courtesy are big. It’s just doing something extra to earn people’s trust and confidence. We have to be a consultant to really help people understand and make wise, educated decision because dollars are tight.”

Real estate The “more of the same” refrain holds true in real estate, predicts Richard Davis, owner of Century 21 House of Realty in Marion. “I’m forecasting a continuation of 2011 in real estate activity,” he says. “That doesn’t mean a dead market by any means, but it does mean there will be a limited number of buyers.” Davis says he believes that if unemployment numbers come down, the market will swing upward. “If we can put people back to work, the economy will grow and that will release a pent-up demand for homes. People are just waiting to buy until they have confidence that good days are ahead.” LES O’DELL of Carbondale is a regular contributor to Southern Business Journal and The Southern Illinoisan.

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO

Construction businesses must continue to control overhead costs and concentrate on gaining private and negotiated customers.

Workplace Paid time off: Is this a good practice for your business? BY ED RENSHAW SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

With a new year fast approaching, it may be a good time to review a topic that was discussed in this column many years ago — paid time off “banks” for employees. Many companies have Renshaw ended the practice of providing separate categories of paid leave time for their employees, such as sick leave, vacation time, funeral leave, personal days and even jury duty leave. Instead, employers are lumping all of these reasons for missing work into one bank of paid time off called “PTO.” There are some pros and cons to using a PTO plan. Generally, when time is taken off under a PTO plan, the reason for the employee’s absence is not even asked. In that sense, PTO creates a sort of “no fault” policy for paid time off. There is no need to justify an absence to the boss. This may promote honesty because employees don’t have to “call in sick” when they are, in fact, using the day for personal reasons. Further, if employees don’t have to use sick days for what are really personal days, they should

be more likely to schedule the days off in advance. There is no reason to call in “sick” right before they are to report to work. This permits the employer to plan ahead for the absence rather than be caught short at the last minute. PTO banks greatly decrease the time and expense (lost productivity) tracking paid leave. There are no categories, no doctors’ slips and no intricate ledgers breaking out each paid day off. An employee has a set number of paid absences, which is easily calculated. In addition, it may be possible for a company to reduce the total of possible paid days off by changing to a PTO plan. For example, if the company offers 25 total paid days off when adding together vacation days, sick days, personal days and funeral leave, employees might be happier with, say, 21 days of PTO that they know they can use — i.e., they don’t have to be sick or have a death in the family to use a day of PTO. There are some disadvantages to using a PTO plan. In Illinois, employers are required to pay departing employees for all accrued, unused vacation days. So, if a departing employee has earned 10 vacation days which were not used, his employer must pay him his wages for those 10 days. There is no legal requirement to pay an employee accrued, unused sick days. However, if a PTO plan

is in place, the employer can’t tell which days are sick days and which are vacation days because all days are simply “paid time off.” It is the Illinois Department of Labor’s position that employers with PTO plans that do not distinguish between vacation days and other paid leave days must pay terminated employees for all unused PTO. So, an employee could take a full vacation and still be paid all unused PTO upon leaving the company. This could be an expensive proposition. If you want to implement a PTO program, keep a couple of things in mind. First, decide if you want to separate vacation days from other days of PTO. Doing so will increase your administrative requirements, but it will save money if departing employees must be paid only for unused vacation days rather than all unused PTO. Second, decide whether PTO days not used during the year may be carried over into the next year. As with traditional paid leave plans, allowing carryover can motivate employees to not use up all available days off as the end of the year approaches. On the other hand, allowing carryover can create a huge bank of PTO which you may have to pay out when the employee leaves. Allowing some carryover, which is capped, may be a way to

approach this issue. Third, even though a PTO plan may be “no fault,” you may want to require employees to provide medical certifications for absences that are due to a serious health condition. This will permit you to designate those days as absences under the Family and Medical Leave Act, which requires employers to give employees with serious health conditions 12 weeks of unpaid time off. If you don’t do that, employees could use up all PTO for an illness and still have 12 additional weeks of unpaid time off. PTO is not a perfect solution to the headaches that come with tracking employee absences. However, it can give flexibility to you and your employees and, in the end, raise the morale and productivity of everyone. — The preceding article is presented as general information about current legal issues and should not be construed as legal advice or opinion. EDWARD RENSHAW is a partner with the Carbondale law firm of Feirich/Mager/ Green/Ryan. F/M/G/R is a general practice law firm offering a full range of legal services, including labor and employment law, commercial transactions, banking, real estate, workers’ compensation, municipal law and estate planning.

DECEMBER 2011

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

State Focus Kick-the-can strategy doesn’t Get Best even start reform process the for Your Money on state pension disaster BY MICHAEL P. TISON SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

I was disappointed the Illinois legislature seemed to come to the opinion that nothing can be done about the needed pension reform. What has been designed for Tison the hard-working people of Illinois is unsustainable. Many states are going to a hybrid model: part pension, part 401(k) type savings plan. Whether it is this type of solution or another, something has to be done. From what I read, there will be limited discussion of the needed pension and budgetary problems until 2013 because of the spring primary election and the November 2012 general election. Can’t our legislature and governor see the problems of Europe and the difficult national budget issues? Kick-the-can is not just a game, but the overriding political strategy in our fine state. Maybe Illinois doing nothing is better than Illinois “decoupling” from some aspects of the national tax code. If our state does this, it would be like our state putting a ‘kick me’ sign on the back of all businesses in our state. The tax code is already complicated enough. Decoupling would not only unfairly hurt our existing businesses, but zero new businesses would want to move to a state where there is no trust and visibility on what future tax costs will be. The trifecta of government malfeasance in Illinois is the legislation to give special tax breaks to large corporations in Chicago. This is good for only those three companies and one industry in Illinois — the lobbyist. All businesses that want fair treatment will need to lobby for special treatment. The

‘Chicago is giving America a window into the logic of crony capitalism: Raise taxes on everyone and then cut side deals with those big enough to lobby for special relief.’

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Find more business news at www.sbj.biz. lesson is that government can give and government can take away. In the recent Wall Street Journal opinion article, William McGurn stated, “Chicago is giving America a window into the logic of crony capitalism: Raise taxes on everyone and then cut side deals with those big enough to lobby for special relief.” Now, our state does need the corporations who reportedly need this special treatment. However, why doesn’t Illinois just get its financial house in order so it can be fair to all businesses in our state? It is difficult to compete internationally, but the Illinois government is making Illinois the worst place in the U.S. to do business. It can be fixed, however, with great effort. I think Illinois legislators would quit kicking the can down the road if they knew that time was limited — not just limited time before it is a major problem, but limited time for them to do anything. And that is why Illinois is the perfect state for Term Limits. Now that would be good legislation. MICHAEL P. TISON is an investment advisor and registered principal with Raymond James Financial Services Inc., with offices in Harrisburg and Marion. He can be reached at 618-253-4444 or michael.tison@raymondjames.com.

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DECEMBER 2011

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Elder Law Gifts for multiple generations: The gifts that keep on giving BY RICHARD HABIGER SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

As we head into a month of shopping and gift giving, we would do well to pause and consider a truly priceless gift, a gift that can protect ourselves and our loved ones for generations. Habiger What am I talking about? I am not talking about techniques to reduce or eliminate “death taxes” through generation-skipping tax planning. While that is important in some cases, I am talking about something more important than that. I am talking about planning for what happens between today and the rest of your life. I am talking about a disaster plan for yourself as well as your loved ones. Consider the following hypothetical. Al and Cathy have been married 10 years. Both have children from prior marriages. One, Samantha, is Cathy’s child and she still lives at home. Al is in a high-risk profession, while Cathy is a schoolteacher. Without knowing more facts, both need the following: Power of Attorney for Health Care that names someone to make medical decisions. Although they are married, this fact does not give either of them the right to speak for the other regarding medical issues. If Cathy becomes incapacitated, but has not written down what medical treatment she would want, then a court will need to become involved through a guardianship. This means a judge will make all decisions, not Al or some other person Cathy might have designated. Power of Attorney for Property that gives designated persons the authority to make decisions regarding their home, their assets, Al’s professional practice, etc., during any period of disability. One or more trusts, with back-up Last Wills, in order to avoid a probate of their assets in the event of their deaths. After Al and Cathy meet with a knowledgeable estate planning attorney, with a thorough examination of the facts of their specific situation and their goals, a number of other estate, business and

asset-protection planning documents or entities might be recommended. In short, Al and Cathy need to take a few minutes out of their hectic lives to do some fundamental planning. If Cathy cannot get Al to participate, at a minimum she needs to create a few documents in the event she is unable to continue raising Samantha. The first document should state who Cathy would want to raise Samantha in the event of her death or incapacity. It ought to state the order in which Cathy would want the guardian of Samantha to assume responsibility for her. The document might also specify any contingencies Cathy might have with respect to these guardians (e.g., perhaps Cathy would want her sister to assume guardianship, but only if Samantha would agree to move to Chicago to live with the sister.) Second is a letter from Cathy to all potential guardians (including alternates), informing them of their potential role and detailing what should happen in the event of Cathy’s death or incapacity. Third is a document that excludes from guardianship those persons Cathy would never want to care for Samantha. Fourth names a local temporary guardian, a “first responder” (perhaps, e.g., Al). This document is particularly important where the permanent guardian does not live nearby. By designating a local temporary guardian, Samantha will be kept out of foster care while the authorities review custodial information and locate Samantha’s permanent guardian. Fifth provides instructions to babysitters and other caregivers to call Samantha’s temporary guardian before calling the police in the event of an emergency in which Cathy cannot be located. With this document, Samantha will be in the care of a loving friend or family member who has clear authority to stay with Samantha. Without such instructions, the police might take Samantha into the foster care system upon Cathy’s death or incapacity. Al and Cathy both have children above the age of 18. Everyone above the age of 18 is legally an adult and no one can speak for them without written authorization. Remember the case of Terri Schiavo, a

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz. young Florida woman. She had discussed with her spouse what medical treatment she did not want, but had failed to write down her wishes. If Al and Cathy’s adult children were to have an accident that prevented them from communicating their wishes regarding their medical treatment, a costly and lengthy courtsupervised guardianship would become necessary. To avoid such a scenario, Al and Cathy ought to give their adult children the gift of encouragement this holiday season — encouragement to sign a Power of Attorney for Health Care decisions. An Illinois Statutory Short Form is available at www.gac.state.il.us/pds/poahc.pdf. (Please note, however, that this standard fill-in-the-blanks form is not appropriate for Al or Cathy or anyone else other than, perhaps, young persons just starting out life’s journey. Thus, Al and Cathy also might want to give each of their adult children a check to cover the cost of a consultation with an attorney who could draft a non-standard form, one more suitable to the particular circumstances of each adult child.) Al’s parents are both still living. His mother, Ella, is under a lot of stress trying to care for Al’s father, “Big Albert,” who has Alzheimer’s. They also have a daughter, Patricia, who is a “little bit slow;” although she is now in her mid-40s and works in a sheltered workshop, Patricia has never left home. Ella and Albert have trusts, but they are the revocable type. Thus, Ella and Albert’s farm remains at risk of a government lien when Ella can no longer care for Albert at home, and it becomes medically necessary for Albert to transition to a nursing home. Moreover, because the new Illinois nursing home rules, which became effective Nov. 1, are so draconian, Ella risks losing most of the savings she and Albert have worked so hard to accumulate throughout their lifetimes. Al needs to get his parents to a consultation with an elder law attorney, who can assist with multiple issues. Albert’s disease is progressive and,

thus, he eventually will need care in a nursing home. Since the cost of nursing home care in Southern Illinois is as much as $6,500 per month, without the help of someone who knows how the nursing home rules work, Albert and Ella’s savings could quickly be depleted, leaving Ella and Patricia with very little to live on. Because Patricia is disabled and unable to work outside a sheltered environment, the elder law attorney ought to put forth extra effort to make sure that she, as well as Ella, will be protected financially throughout her life. Cathy’s father, Paul, is a widower. He served honorably in the Army during the Korean conflict. Cathy’s sister, Ann, is helping to take care of Paul, who no longer drives and “does not get around much anymore.” Ann tried to get some financial help from the VA, but the VA turned Paul down because he had too much money. Unfortunately, the VA representative did not know as much about VA pension benefits as he should have known and thus did not ask enough questions. In Paul’s case, as it is in almost all such VA cases: Cathy and Ann need to get their father to an elder law attorney, one who is certified by the Veteran’s Administration to handle veterans’ claims. After the elder law attorney sets up an appropriate plan, one that repositions the assets that currently disqualify Paul from receiving VA benefits, Paul will qualify for as much as $19,736 per year from the VA. (If Paul’s wife were still alive, they might qualify for as much as $23,396 per year.) This additional source of income can be a tremendous help to Ann and Cathy as they struggle to keep their father at home and away from a nursing home. While the VA money can be used to hire someone to assist Ann in caring for Paul, the money also could be used to pay Ann or some other family member for time and effort. RICHARD HABIGER is an elder law attorney, who focuses on asset protection, Medicaid and VA benefits. He also is author of the Illinois edition of a book that contains detail information on veterans’ benefits, “How to Protect Your Family’s Assets from Devastating Nursing Home Costs: Medicaid Secrets.” He may be contacted at 618-5494529 or info@habigerelderlaw.com.

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DECEMBER 2011

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Formulas for Success Even the most basic marketing takes time to get it right BY CAVANAUGH L. GRAY SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

As an auto history guy, I found myself reading the tale of Toyota and its rise from an unknown engineering tinkerer to an automotive powerhouse (pre quality issues). Although Toyota was Gray fully capable of producing vehicles on an international scale, the company chose to wait. Instead, Toyota would bide its time, developing industry-changing production processes and spending several weeks at a time in the U.S. observing domestic automakers and improving on its flaws. Toyota would later go on to turn the U.S. auto market upside down. I would like to think that I was applying the same “Toyota Way” philosophy as it relates to the prolonged release of my company’s newest newsletter. Throughout the years, I have seen a lot of mediocre, or just poorly done, newsletters. In years past, Toyota has

shown that it’s not always about being first to market, but about getting it right the first time out.

Deciding what you want to accomplish Most poorly done newsletters usually fall short due to their unfocused nature. They often lack rhyme or reason beyond the fact that “everyone else has one.” If you haven’t launched your newsletter yet, or if you are in the process of revising your company’s communiqué, first decide what it is you want to accomplish. Are you looking to be the voice of your industry? Do you want to offer insight into your company in order to create a dialogue and build your brand? Or, does your newsletter exist to drive sales? All of these are excellent options, but the key is to try to zero in on one. A trickier approach is figuring out how to combine several of these elements without confusing the reader.

Key components not to miss I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you about these newsletter pitfalls. Make sure

that the communication is appealing, as there are enough poorly done marketing pieces that vie for our attention. A well produced newsletter may be just enough to encourage the viewer to read on. Depending on your industry, make sure that you have something of real value to say. If I wanted to read something lacking any real news content, or if I am in need of a good laugh, then I’ll grab The Onion (an American news satire organization). Lastly, be sure to mix it up so that your content doesn’t become stale or predictable. Taking these ideas into consideration could help build a following for your newsletter.

Avoiding obvious mistakes When I last checked, there were about 3 million emails in my AOL account. And, yes, I still have an AOL account and it is mostly filled with poorly done newsletters. Here are some parting thoughts to keep you from making some of the same mistakes that I commonly see. Most people I know are suffering from information overload, so be sure to pace yourself and monitor how frequently your newsletter goes out. We are often exposed

to thousands of ads a day, so a newsletter filled with tons of overt advertising could be a turnoff for some. Finally, it is important to know what your core competencies are. If visual communications (graphic design, website development, etc.) are not your strong suite, then leave it to a professional. Today, there are tons of turn-key options to help you produce a high quality newsletter, including Constant Contact and iContact. By maintaining a communication focus, remembering key components and avoiding obvious mistakes, it can help you create a successful newsletter that gets passed along. The Entrepreneur Café, LLC has just launched our new newsletter; be sure to sign up for it today. CAVANAUGH L. GRAY is director of business development for The Entrepreneur Café, LLC and can be reached at 618-206-7013 or cgray@ecafellc.com. For more information on creating a successful newsletter for your company or for help with starting, growing and succeeding in small business, follow The Entrepreneur Café, LLC on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TheECafe or at www.ecafellc.com.

Key indicators point to economy slowly on the mend BY SCOTT MCCLATCHEY SBJ CONTRIBUTOR

This year, assorted economists and journalists have contended that the U.S. is on the edge of a new recession. Yet recent indicators hint that the economy is doing a bit better than some McClatchey analysts think. U.S. retail sales were up 1.1 percent in September. This is the kind of monthly number that you might expect during a typical recession recovery, and it surpassed the +0.7 percent consensus forecast of economists polled by Bloomberg News. Additionally, the

Commerce Department revised August retail spending (formerly flat) to +0.3 percent. The year-over-year numbers in the September report really impress. We see annual gains of 7.9 percent for overall retail sales, 10.1 percent for online retailers, 6.9 percent for the restaurant and nightlife component, 7.6 percent for clothing shops and 6.5 percent for home and garden stores. As Credit Suisse economist Jonathan Basile told CNBC.com, “The fear of recession recedes when you see a retail sales report like this.” Basile said he was revising Credit Suisse’s 3Q 2011 GDP forecast for the U.S. north from +2.5 percent to +2.9 percent. GDP did improve in the second quarter. Real GDP was +0.4 percent in the first quarter of 2011, but the third and final real GDP estimate for the second quarter from the Bureau of Economic Analysis

was +1.3 percent. “As of today, the recovery is still under way,” Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett commented at an Oct. 4 Fortune Magazine conference. “Our railroad carried 200,000 carloads last week,” he said, referring to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe company. “That’s the highest total in three years. And that’s stuff moving around the country, supplying merchants and doing all kinds of things.” Other signs of growth and stability can be seen. Many corporations appear to be in better shape. U.S. non-financial firms have $15 trillion of potentially liquid cash or investments on hand, compared to $13.7 trillion a year ago. American residential investment spending is up by $9 billion since a low-water mark last spring. Existing home sales rose 7.7 percent in August, and the backlog of homes for sale fell to an 8.5-month supply

from the previous 9.5-month inventory. The Institute for Supply Management’s twin purchasing manager indexes still show ongoing sector expansion; the service sector has grown for 22 months. The continued vitality in consumer spending and other encouraging factors point to a recovery. It may seem unimpressive or frustrating, but it doesn’t indicate a recession. 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@allianceinvest mentplanning.com. He also provides investment and insurance services to SIU Credit Union members through SIU Credit Union Investment Services partnership. Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC.

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

YTD Aug 2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

79.7 58.4 395.2 27.8 36.8 75.7 143.5 102.7 7.4 462.1 62.7 356.0 87.5 75.0 27.1 49.5 84.8 27.6 59.2 82.4 $2,301.1 $102,092.2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3.53 17,824 2,671 4,039 1,918 33,750 20,557 5,343 7,253 9,689 1,981 2,771 15,725 13,162 8,334 8,527 7,971 35,605 200,173 6,644,447 154,022,000

359 2,074 239 326 192 2,535 1,801 511 669 1,006 188 278 1,267 1,268 900 598 617 3,053 17,881 631,685 13,520,000

Sept 2011 11.8% 11.6% 8.9% 8.1% 10.0% 7.5% 8.8% 9.6% 9.2% 10.4% 9.5% 10.0% 8.1% 9.6% 10.8% 7.0% 7.7% 6.8% 8.9% 9.5% 8.8%

Aug 2011 Sept 2010 14.2% 12.2% 9.1% 8.1% 11.5% 7.8% 9.2% 10.2% 10.6% 10.7% 10.1% 10.9% 8.3% 9.6% 11.1% 7.3% 7.8% 8.8% 9.9% 10.0% 9.1%

104 103 102

IPMFG Sept 11 92.0

100 98 94 90 88 86 84

81 80

Unemployment rates for Southern Illinois counties, state and nation Jobless

105

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

Labor force

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

11.3% 12.2% 9.3% 8.8% 10.3% 7.1% 8.7% 9.8% 8.6% 10.3% 11.9% 10.3% 8.3% 9.5% 10.6% 7.1% 7.9% 8.5% 9.5% 9.3% 9.2%

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

Change month

2.4 0.6 0.2 0.0 1.5 0.3 0.4 0.6 1.4 0.3 0.6 0.9 0.2 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.1 2.0 1.0 0.5 0.3

Change year

76 74

CFMMI Sept 11

0.5 72 84.9 0.6 70 68 0.4 0.7 66 0.3 64 F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S ’11 ’10 0.4 0.1 SOURCE: FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF CHICAGO 0.2 0.6 0.1 2.4 0.3 Sept 11 Sept 10 Change 0.2 0.1 MONTHLY TOTALS 0.2 881 702 25.5% 0.1 YTD TOTALS 0.2 1.7 7,009 5,268 33.0% 0.6 2010 2009 Change 0.2 ANNUAL TOTALS 0.4 7,478 2,750 171.9%

Williamson County Regional Airport passengers

I S I N Consumer credit score

698

Murphysboro

Region

699

692

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 Sept 11 Sept 10 17 95 22 18 12 127 90 37 32 49 8 9 78 86 45 53 53 169 1,000

694

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 November 2011.

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

14 95 21 21 8 116 81 26 30 59 7 13 74 67 39 46 51 164 932

Change

2010

21.4% 0.0% 4.8% 14.3% 50.0% 9.5% 11.1% 42.3% 6.7% 16.9% 14.3% 30.8% 5.4% 28.4% 15.4% 15.2% 3.9% 3.0% 7.3%

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

2009 137 989 184 224 94 1,348 842 353 278 565 85 124 936 719 447 515 471 1,868 10,179

Change

8.0% 3.3% 20.7% 5.4% 3.2% 2.1% 0.7% 7.4% 3.2% 1.2% 14.1% 4.0% 9.8% 10.3% 8.7% 13.4% 21.2% 3.9% 0.8%

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

4 70 5 0 6 107 87 20 25 20 5 2 28 38 31 172 29,644

Q3 10 5 71 2 0 4 99 67 25 22 27 2 1 31 33 21 165 24,719

SOURCE: ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

Change

20.0% 1.4% 150.0% 0.0% 50.0% 8.1% 29.9% 20.0% 13.6% 25.9% 150.0% 100.0% 9.7% 15.2% 47.6% 4.2% 19.9%

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

2009 15 258 9 7 13 382 278 64 92 126 6 13 135 100 94 654 107,782

’10

’09

’11

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

Hotel/motel stats

Consumer Price Index

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

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

July 11 July 10 MONTHLY TOTALS

Change

$716,125

$734,276

2.5%

YTD TOTALS $4,460,511

U.S. city average Oct 11 226.4

228

226

$4,386,234

2009 ANNUAL TOTALS

2008

Change 26.7% 0.4% 11.1% 14.3% 38.5% 6.3% 5.0% 21.9% 1.1% 7.9% 33.3% 53.8% 3.0% 22.0 % 10.6% 9.8% 4.0%

$41,750 $40,700 $57,000 $0 $80,000 $100,500 $90,000 $99,750 $70,000 $82,750 $75,000 $66,250 $92,000 $64,450 $99,000 $115,000 $145,500

$50,000 $42,500 $35,800 $0 $75,750 $104,000 $78,000 $62,000 $89,750 $75,000 $15,000 $39,000 $83,900 $47,000 $115,000 $98,000 $153,000

1.7%

Change

224

222

220

$7,520,856

MEDIAN SALES PRICE Q3 11 Q3 10

Total units sold, including condominiums

Q3 11

Oct 11 98.3

$7,725,727

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

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.

2.7%

218

216

Change

16.5% 4.2% 59.2% 0.0% 5.6% 3.4% 15.4% 60.9% 22.0% 10.3% 400.0% 69.9% 9.7% 37.1% 13.9% 17.3% 4.9%

214

Midwest urban Oct 11 215.7

212

210

208

N ‘10

M ’11

SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Prices at the pump Average price per gallon of regular, unleaded gas as of Nov. 28 and Oct. 13, 2011.

Metro East Springfield Illinois U.S. SOURCE: AAA

Nov 11

Oct 11

$3.20 $3.17 $3.40 $3.30

$3.39 $3.37 $3.48 $3.42

Nov 10 $2.76 $2.73 $2.94 $2.86

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

DECEMBER 2011

Achievements Chief medical officer named

Faces in the news

Harkins

Surman

Robinson

Conaughty

Dr. Shelly Harkins has been named chief medical officer of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville. Harkins most recently served as medical director for HSHS Medical Group, Southern Illinois Division. She was the recipient of Resident Teacher of the Year Award, Excellence in Geriatrics Award, Excellence in Rural Medicine Award and Outstanding OB Care Award.

Aunt Wednesdays goes Hollywood Aunt Wednesdays, an online boutique owned by April Robinson of Herrin, displayed items in the 2011 American Music Awards Gift Lounge on Nov. 18 and 19 in Beverly Hills, Calif. Aunt Wednesdays, founded in 2010, offers an array of handcrafted crocheted hats, scarves, purses, sweaters, preemie layettes and more. The online boutique recently added a new line of one-of-akind, handmade dolls under the Tabby Abbyz label.

Surman joins high school staff

Kilgore

Charles

Tammy Surman joined the staff of Chester High School at the beginning of the academic year as a teacher’s aide and Braillist. A resident of Chester, Surman graduated from Red Bud High School and earned an associate degree from Southwestern Illinois College.

Conaughty joins law firm

Mobley

Girtman

Myriah Conaughty, a 2001 graduate of Frankfort Community High School in West Frankfort, has been hired as an attorney at Cassiday Schade’s Chicago office. She graduated earlier this year from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago. Conaughty earned a bachelor’s degree in international business from Murray State University in Kentucky and worked in Osaka, Japan, for two years before entering law school. She is the daughter of Jennifer Colvin-Conaughty of West Frankfort and Charles Conaughty of Thompsonville.

Alto Vineyards earns top awards

Lallemand

Lindsey

Alto Vineyards earned a double gold for its 2008 Chambourcin in this year’s American Wine Society competition and also received a gold medal for the 2010 Porto Di Guido in the Women’s International

Competition in Sonoma, Calif. Alto Vineyards was the only Illinois winery to receive recognition in the 2011 American Wine Society competition with a total of five medals, including three silvers for the Dawg House Red, Chardonel and Porto Di Guido.

Basi admitted to Arizona Bar Roman Basi has been admitted to the Bar in the state of Arizona. He is president of The Center for Financial, Legal & Tax Planning, Inc., which is headquartered in Marion. The firm has offices in Arizona, Florida, Missouri and New York. Basi is admitted to practice law in Illinois, Florida, Missouri and Arizona. He also is a licensed managing real estate broker in Illinois and a licensed title insurance agent.

Hotel receives award The Holiday Inn Hotel & Conference Center in Carbondale received the InterContinental Hotels Group 2011 Torchbearer Award, the company’s most prestigious award. The Torchbearer Award was presented during the IHG Americas Investors and Leadership Conference Oct. 24 to 26 in Las Vegas. The hotel is owned by Carbondale residents Charlie and Trace Brown and managed by the Herrin-based Monchino Management, LLC.

Local businesses organize rooftop event A local solar PV system installation company and partners recently organized an event, Occupy Rooftops. Advanced Energy Solutions Group, Inc., a renewable energy consulting and solar systems installation company, Southern Sustainability, Innovative Systems Group and Gaia House, all based in Carbondale, organized the local part of this international movement recognized in 91 different cities.

B and A Travel receives Award B and A Travel Service of Marion and Carbondale has been recognized by Apple Vacations as a Hawaii MVP agency. The Apple Vacations’ MVP Agency Award is based year-over-year passenger sales growth, total Hawaii passengers and knowledge of the Hawaiian vacation product. B and A’s David Coracy attended Apple Vacations’ annual Hawaii MVP meeting late October in Honolulu as part of Apple Vacation’s 15-member agency Hawaii advisory board.

Center earns national accreditation Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah recently obtained the highest level of national accreditation as a chest pain center. Following its initial accreditation in 2008, Western Baptist now has been named a Cycle III Chest Pain Center with percutaneous coronary intervention designation by the Society of Chest Pain Centers.

Gustave earns fellowship Dr. Frederick Gustave, a Carbondale dentist, was inducted as an associate fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry during the academy’s annual meeting Oct. 19 to 22 in Las Vegas. Gustave is a graduate of Misch Implant Institute’s advanced education program in implant dentistry. He maintains a private practice at 1111 E. Walnut St., Ste. 6.

Smythe retires from KFVS12 Mike Smythe, former KFVS12 vice president and general manager, retired at the end of November. Smythe started at KFVS12 as general sales manager in 1998 and was named general manager in 2001. During Smythe’s term, KFVS12 launched KFVS12.com, Heartland’s CW on WQWQ-TV, StormTeam Weather Network and KFVS12.com WebCast, along with several mobile and digital services.

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.

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SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

DECEMBER 2011

Achievements Hughes opens agriculture services company

Western Baptist adds breast ultrasonographers

Bill Hughes of the Okawville area recently opened his own management and real estate company, U.S. Agri-Services Group, LLC. After 13 years of managing agricultural properties for trust and investment management clients for one of the largest farm management companies in America, Hughes has left his position as a senior vice president at U.S. Trust Bank of America Private Wealth Management Services. Hughes’ decision to work his family’s farm near Okawville helped lead to his decision to develop his own company. U.S. Agri-Services Group, LLC will initially specialize in farm management and agricultural real estate acquisition, and Hughes plans to add grain marketing advisory and crop insurance services in the near future.

Western Baptist Hospital ultrasound technologists Heather Mathis and Stephanie Smith have been certified as the hospital’s first breast ultrasonographers. The certification is Grand opening hosted through the American Registry of River to River Residential Corp. hosted a Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. grand opening and open house Nov. 18 at Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah has been designated a Breast Imaging Center of River to River Community of Anna at 151 Denny Drive. Excellence, a distinction awarded to just the top 3 percent in the nation.

Bauman, cruise expert status

Jerome Bauman, a Carbondale travel agent, has achieved commodore status in Princess Cruises’ Academy training program, certifying him as an expert cruise professional. Bauman of The Cruise Brothers joins a group of travel agents, who are now recognized by Princess at the academy’s highest level for their unique qualifications and knowledge as cruise planning professionals. He earned this distinction after completing the minimum 25 courses necessary to graduate from the program.

Kilgore named ACH professional Laura Kilgore from First National Bank of Steeleville has completed extensive training through the National Automated Clearing House Association-Electronic Payments Association and is now an accredited ACH professional. Kilgore is assistant supervisor of data processing. She began her financial service career with First National Bank of Steeleville more than 23 years ago.

Poplar Bluff, Farmington and Sikeston. This new position will enable a closer relationship with the public as her initial emphasis is to focus on local store marketing, charity and brand development and any future brand development.

Alliance Wealth Management, LLC is a fee-only registered investment advisory firm.

Harrah’s Metropolis sponsored health fair Harrah’s Metropolis recently sponsored a free Health and Wellness Fair in Riverfront Event Center in Metropolis. Representatives from a number of businesses and organizations were on hand to provide information and services.

Girtman retires

Who’s Who recognizes Wright

Coy Girtman, an employee of Pepsi MidAmerica for 32 years, celebrated his retirement with a party Oct. 31. Girtman has served in positions such as route sales, route manager, territorial sales representative, shipping and receiving and, most recently, full-line vending route salesman.

Emile A. Wright, master instructor for Martial Arts Academy in Herrin, has been recognized by Cambridge Who’s Who for showing dedication, leadership and excellence in martial arts instruction. Most recently, Wright was promoted to the rank of 8th Dan Grandmaster blackbelt and professor of martial science.

Lallemand named horticulture educator

Sonja Lallemand recently was hired as Charles joins PCH the new horticulture educator with University of Illinois Extension. as nurse practitioner Lallemand has a bachelor’s degree in Mariah Charles recently joined horticulture and a master’s degree in plant Pinckneyville Community Hospital as a science — pomology (fruit science). In nurse practitioner in the Family Medical 1996, she became a Master Gardener with Center. Charles completed her master’s degree in University of Missouri Extension. For the last 15 years, she has delivered various nursing two years ago from the University horticultural programs and organized of Southern Indiana. conferences, workshops and seminars. She serves the counties of Franklin, Clerk attends training program Jackson, Perry, Randolph and Tim Ditch, city clerk of Johnston City, Williamson. recently attended a five-day training G.I. Jobs magazine program at the Illinois Municipal Clerks Fuller promoted to nurse manager salutes Ameren Institute. Former Union County resident Erin Johnston City is one of 13 communities G.I. Jobs magazine has recognized Fuller, a registered nurse, has been to benefit from a Rural Community Ameren Corporation for the third appointed to nurse manager of North Development Initiative grant. USDA Rural consecutive year as one of the top 100 Arkansas Regional Medical Center’s Development recently awarded Illinois military-friendly employers in the nation. emergency department. NARMC is in Coalition for Community Services the Ameren’s military recruiting efforts RCDI grant to provide technical assistance Harrison, Ark. include nationwide events — from base She is the daughter of Larry and Verna and training to rural communities and visits to career fairs — offering multiple Fuller of Cobden and granddaughter of online resources to reach out to veterans. In non-profit organizations in an effort to Vernon and Pat Glasco and Edgar and increase their capacity to undertake addition, the company offers a military Jeanette Fuller of Anna. housing, community and economic veteran employee resource group to development. employees. Ameren also is a recipient of the Ramsey joins Alliance 2011 Secretary of Defense Freedom Award, the highest honor given by the U.S. Mobley named marketing director Wealth Management government to employers for their Tyler J. Ramsey of Carterville recently Jessica Mobley of Jackson, Mo., outstanding support of employees joined the Carbondale-based Alliance recently was named director of marketing serving in the National Guard and Wealth Management, LLC, as a client for Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar in Reserve. Carbondale and Mount Vernon, along with relationships manager. Located at 115 S. Washington St., the Missouri locations in Cape Girardeau,

Psychotherapist expands website Dr. Annette Vaillancourt, a Carbondale-based psychotherapist, recently added five guided imagery audios to her website at www.gotstress gethelp.com. These five audios can be used to help relieve stress/tension, anxiety and depression. The free audios can be accessed only through the website.

Business becomes partner First Command Financial Services recently joined the Scott Memorial Chapter of the Air Force Association as a community partner. The local office is at 1722 Corporate Crossing, Ste. 1, in O’Fallon. Community partners are businesses that help the local AFA chapters support the mission of the Air Force, and Scott AFB in particular.

911 award received Clearwave Communications was recognized recently by the Illinois Chapter of the National Emergency Number Association in Springfield. The awards ceremony capped off the annual 911 conference in Springfield. Hayley Clark of Clearwave Communications received the award for Clearwave. The award was presented to Clearwave Communications for its support of the Next Generation 911 initiative and advancing 911 in the state.

Pepsi MidAmerica Wishes You A Happy and Safe Holiday! 7 UP Cake with Coconut Frosting Recipe Ingredients Cake: 1 cup butter, softened ½ cup vegetable shortening 2 ½ cups sugar 5 eggs 1 teaspoon lemon extract 3 cups flour 7 ounces, 7UP, at room temperature

Coconut frosting: 1 egg, beaten ¾ cup sugar 1 tablespoon flour 2 tablespoons butter 8 ½ ounces crushed pineapple, undrained 3 ½ ounces flaked coconut

Directions: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan and set aside. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter and shortening with the sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add lemon extract. Add flour and 7UP alternately, beating after each addition. Spoon batter into prepared pan and bake for 80 minutes or until cake tests done. Remove from oven and place pan on wire rack to cool for 30 minutes, then turn out cake onto wire rack to cool completely. Prepare icing: In a small saucepan, cook egg, sugar, flour, butter and pineapple with juice over very low heat (if heat iss too high, the egg will curdle). Stir frequently and cook until thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut and blend well. Spread on cooled cake.

www.pepsimidamerica.com 1.800.827.7020

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Xiang Cai joins SIU School of Medicine faculty

DECEMBER 2011

Achievements

apply, and any individual can nominate an organization. However, in order to be considered for a free copier/multi-function Xiang Cai, Ph.D., recently joined the device, each non-profit must first qualify faculty at SIU School of Medicine in by filling out an application. Forms are Carbondale as an assistant professor of available by contacting Becca McKnight physiology. at OfficeWare at 800-888-2797, ext. 101, or He most recently served as assistant online at www.officeware.com. The professor on the physiology faculty at University of Maryland School of Medicine. deadline is Dec. 16. OfficeWare serves customers from five offices, which include Louisville, Lexington OfficeWare promotion and Bowling Green, Ky., Evansville, Ind., benefits non-profits and Marion. OfficeWare, an award-winning provider of document management and print Continental Tire expansion solutions, recently announced its “20 Days Employees at Continental Tire in Mount of Christmas” promotion. The firm is Vernon celebrated recently as the first tires giving away 20 Konica Minolta from the expansion project were produced copiers/multi-function devices with copy ahead of schedule. and print capability to 20 local non-profit The $224 million investment required for organizations throughout the course of this expansion was announced May 12, and some 20 days. The promotion kicked off construction began immediately. In less Nov. 28. than six months, the 438,000-square-foot Any non-profit organization in expansion was ready and the first tires were OfficeWare’s service area is eligible to produced. Along with the investment, the

company announced a total of 444 new full-time jobs to be filled within the next three years. A total of 50 new employees have been hired since the May announcement. Additionally, on Oct. 20, Continental Tire the Americas was recognized by Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission as Business of the Year in recognition of the Mount Vernon plant’s contribution to the Southern Illinois regional economic growth.

Mo Wallace BBQ opens Mo Wallace BBQ recently opened at 216 N. Washington St. in downtown Carbondale, offering soul food, barbeque and much more. The new restaurant has two entrances, one on North Washington and one just behind Longbranch Coffeehouse. James Elliott co-owns the restaurant with his wife, Andrea. He has previous restaurant experience, working in more than a half dozen establishments in his lifetime. The couple has lived in Southern Illinois for more than 21 years, but this is their first restaurant venture.

Olson named CEO at Walker’s Bluff M. C. Olson has been named chief executive officer at Walker’s Bluff in Carterville. Olson comes to Walker’s Bluff from Lakeland, Fla., where, most recently, she’s served as a consultant to home health and pharmacy industries. Before her consulting work, she worked with Bunch & Associates. For her part, Olson said the prospect of leading Southern Illinois’ premier entertainment destination is an exciting one.

Hunter presented Pro Bono Award Eugenia Hunter was presented with the Land of Lincoln Joseph R. Bartylak Pro Bono Award on Oct. 20 at a meeting of the Jackson County Bar Association. Hunter is a solo practitioner in Carbondale and a pro bono volunteer for the Southern Regional Office of Land of Lincoln. As a pro bono volunteer, she represents clients referred to her by Land of Lincoln without charging a fee for her services.

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz.

Gateway Mine honored for safety leadership in Illinois Peabody Energy recently earned two 2011 Illinois Best Injury Frequency Rate awards recognizing its Gateway Mine as the state’s safest mid-sized operation and the mine’s preparation plant as the state’s safest support facility. Located in Randolph County near Coulterville, Gateway Mine shipped approximately 3 million tons of coal in 2010. For the second consecutive year, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Mines and Minerals recognized Gateway Mine for achieving the lowest incidence rate in 2010 among underground Illinois mines with less than 500,000 work hours. Gateway Mine Preparation Plant achieved the best safety record among peer facilities, operating without a lost-time incident in 2010.

Gilbert Funeral Home celebrates 101 years Gilbert Funeral Home of Christopher is celebrating 101 years of serving families in Christopher, Sesser and the surrounding area. It remains an independently owned and operated funeral home. The funeral home was founded in 1910 by S. R. Gilbert. Following him in the business were Joe Gilbert, Mike Gilbert, Randy Gilbert and Stephen Gilbert. It expanded in the 1980s with BrayfieldGilbert Funeral Home in Sesser.

Saint Francis receives recognition Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau recently received multiple fivestar ratings and national recognition from HealthGrades, an independent health care ratings organization. A report released Oct. 18 by HealthGrades named Saint Francis among the best in the nation for orthopedic surgery and joint replacement excellence for three years in a row (2010 to 2012).

Lindsey takes over as outside salesman Tony Lindsey recently took over as an outside salesman at Wright Do-It Center in Murphysboro. Lindsey is not new to the team. He has served as Murphysboro’s yard foreman for the last 19 years, and he brings with him years of experience and a strong knowledge of the business.

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Building permits

Herrin

Joe Liefer, 1405 Belle Terre, $200,000 Mark Ingersoll, 1 Quail Run, $20,000 Steve Bradley, 2212 Shirley Drive, $10,000 Acuity Investments, Rushing Drive, $2,500,000 Brian Golden, 1801 Crown Road, $5,000 Steve Skaggs, 1611 Dolan Lane, $108,000

Marion

Michael Ponder, 1002 N. Radcliffe, $440,000 David Chandler, 1308 N. Van Buren, $25,000 Ameren Illinois, Illinois 37 North, $22,700 Larry and Kathy Throgmorton, 606 1/2 S. Court St. $15,000 Jerr y Lee Webb, 1501 W. Central St., $260,000 Mike Bundren, Lot 13, Wild Rose Lane, $200,000

Metropolis

Andrew Tebelak, 203 Oak Drive, $500 McDonald’s, P.O. Box 7809, Paducah, $350,000 John Baker, 715 E. 8th St., $37,000 Fred Crosier, 409 Market St., $19,500 McDonald’s, P.O. Box 7809, Paducah, $1,900

Mount Vernon

Bill Howard, 5 Elm Circle, $5,000 Michael McDonough, 835 McCauley Road, $25,000 Ron Adcock, 412 Liebengood, $17,000 CSXT, 1515 Main, $0 Troy Horton, 520 Spruce, $27,500 Eric Shelton, 11476 Quinns Place, $6,000 John Woods, 809 27th St. North, $0 Spinball Sports, 900 White Oak Drive, $0 Eugene Miller, 1709 Grove St., $800 James Boyd, 836 McCauley Road, $10,000 T-Mobile, 10413 Savannah Road East, $7,500 K and Clifton Clark, 609 Harrison, $0 K and Clifton Clark, 3010 Benton Road, $0 Peoples Bank, 118 6th St. North, $0 Fifth-Third Bank, 2711 Broadway, $6,000 Spinball Spor ts, 900 White Oak Drive, $80,000 Edward Hughey, 1128 Welkins, $750 United Suppliers, Inc., 2400 Fountain Park, $500,000 Happy Beginnings LLC, 222 Potomac, $0 Larry Martin, 421 Jordan, $0 Rick Pigg, 716 Lake Park Drive, $71,500 City of Mount Vernon, 1201 Casey, $17,000 Charles Story, 1201 Forest, $0 Bob Troutt Memorial Foundation, 12400 E. Bethel Road, $0

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Business Fine Print DMDC, 809 Main, $0 United Way, 1101 Broadway, $0 Bob Kelly, 2301 Wescott, $850

Murphysboro Ron McLaughlin, 1408 Roberta Drive, $8,400 Ed Kirchner, 2119 Pine St., $2,495 James Muller, 444 S. 15th St., $20,000 Chris Grither, 383 Amusement Park Road, $20,000 Patricia Marten, 914 N. 9th St., $600 Stewarts Body Shop, 215 N. 9th St., $5,000 Robert and Cathy Boulton, 425 Murphy St., $13,319 Scott Peters, 1416 Walnut St., $7,000 Don Pavey, 513 Murphy St., $6,000 Bill and Thelma Pierson, 1829 Elm St., $800 Paul Thompson, 52 Crescent Drive, $1,000 Brenda Staple, 2128 Dewey St., $4,200 Paul Thompson, 601 Walnut St., $3,000

Bankruptcies Chapter 7 Holly A. Markham, 304 W. Broadway, Johnston City Kenneth W. and Lee E. Fury, 8610 Antique Road, Du Quoin Frank Ernest Teriet Sr., 2700 Jamison Blvd., Mount Vernon Shelia Kae Teriet, 2007 Northwoods Place, Mount Vernon Helen D. Ingram, 218 Bryan St., Marissa Joshua C. Freudlinger, 6020 Avalon Ave., Oak Forest George J. Martin, 800 Burgess Ave., Johnston City William Ralph and Teri Lee Rinderer, 328 Maple Lane, Chester Deborah E. Barnett, 230 W. 12th St., Mount Carmel Jeffrey L. Richardson, 635 Anderson St., Carterville Jon P. and Heather N. Rach, 709 E. 7th St., Metropolis David R. and Debra E. Diaz, 614 E. College St., Energy Manjit S. Saini, 1195 E. Walnut St., Apt. A-4, Carbondale Marcus Paul Sawyer, 529 N. Division St., Du Quoin Huey P. Jr. and Glenda Faye Daniels, 315 E. Osborn, Sparta Melissa Kaye Daugherty, 41 Sunny Lane, Pinckneyville Dawn M. Mallory, 904 Gent Ave., Johnston City Sara A. and Justin K. Holman, 406 W. Reed

St., Benton Tanya L. Galbraith, 7564 W. Corgan Road, Tamaroa Kendra Suzanne Curr y, 712 S. Thomas, Christopher Pamela D. Jones, 11763 Hafer Road, Carterville Adam M. Casseday, 16265 S. Second St., Centralia David D. and Tia A. Mahalik, 9400 W. Houston Road, Sparta Jill Sanders and John Sanders II, 127 W. Mill St., Ruma Marci D. Rigg, 106 W. Mill St., Grayville Teresa D. Dascotte, 804 Water St., Johnston City Larr y E. and Donna M. Swinson, 1008 Oakland Ave., Mount Vernon Vera Robin Lattuca, 4025 Wing Hill Road, Cobden Frances A. Comte, 25435 Rock Springs Hollow Road, Thebes Linda Rausch, 7463 Buttercreek Road, Evansville Darrell Wayne McCully, 1684 County Road, 2100 North, Crossville Rodney Bryant Ritchason, 215 Starks Road, Harrisburg James B. and Julianna Zimmerman, 101 Kohler Ave., Anna April J. Wright, 1845 Woolard Road, Eldorado Kimberly N. Roach, P.O. Box 535, Anna Wayne Christopher and Cheryl Lynn Schell, 204 N. Third, Allendale Helen M. Coburn, 1320 Catherine St., Metropolis Rebecca E. Alka, 219 Poplar, Mount Carmel Kristie L. Nolan, 2111 Commercial Ave., Murphysboro Diana L. Lyall, P.O. Box 3963, Carbondale Staci Marie Mae Conekin, 173 S. Mulberry, Oakdale Todd A. and Jennifer R. Honer, 2496 Darmstadt Road, Oakdale Kristina L. Garrison, 315 E. Ford Ave., Harrisburg Candace K. Moss, 3580 Market Road, Marion Jackie Ray Weaver, R.R. 1 Box 68, Cisne Robert J. and Terri L. McRoy, 3016 S. Park Ave, Herrin Charlie R. and Hannah A. Phan, 308 W. Ninth St., Metropolis Amber L. Fann, 20172 New Ohio Coal Road, Pittsburg Liewellyn D. and Eula G. Sheffer, 165 Maes Road, Murphysboro Ronald W. and Debra K. Anderson, 2700 S.

Market, Marion Alexanderia M. Fisk, 12575 U.S. 45 North, Ozark Sherry A. Hale, 21985 Pecan Road, Olive Branch Jasper Lewis and Tobi Erin Pennington, 118 N. Franklin Ave., Centralia Johnny R. Siggers, 701 N. State Road, Grayville Joshua J. Ragsdale, 605 W. Four th St., Johnston City Mark Brandon Suiter Sr., 313 W. Hickory St., Bluford Brenda Sue Suiter, P.O. Box 313, Mount Vernon Paul Eugene Owens, 1400 W. Chestnut, Marion Matthew Miller Jr., 2415 College St., Mount Vernon Ricky Wayne Cook, 1216 Janice, Red Bud Lisa Dawn Essary, 714 Brick Plant Road, Campbell Hill Roger W. and Carrie B. Banovz Jr., 503 Country Club Lane, Carterville Jimmy L. and Betty J. Cowsert, P.O. Box 792, Jonesboro Epiflano and Patricia K. Cartayas, P.O. Box 224, Cave-in-Rock Cr ystal M. Bar tley, 708 Marquerite St., Carmi Jared E. and Magon L. Karns, 215 E. Third, Mount Carmel Forrest D. and Virginia R. McAlexander, 1201 Partridge Place, Mount Vernon Teresa Morris, 18896 E. Jefferson Road, Mount Vernon Kevin Vasquez, 12950 Blackhawk Lane, Mount Vernon Marla Vasquez, 18855 N. Steel Lane, Woodlawn Jeremiah D. and Elizabeth A. Downen, 214 S. Third St., Grayville

Chapter 13 Vernys M. Smith, 1501 N. Russell, Lot 1, Marion Guadalupe Z. and Evelyne L. Aguila, 20357 Pleasant Valley Lane, Tamms Darryl R. and Yvette M. King, 1380 Sullivan Road, Goreville Vicky L. Williams, 16 W. Glendale Road, Simpson Patrick J. Vogt, 10670 Fleming Road, Carterville Randell K. and Virginia A. Mitchell, 2877 Palzo Road, Creal Springs SEE FINE PRINT / PAGE 23

Now Open

300 S. Pershing Energy, IL 62933

DECEMBER 2011

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

Business Fine Print Lynda I. Johnson, 403 Empress Lane, Herrin Donna Faye Smith, 101 Market, Apt. 5, Sparta Aaron R. Shockley, 110 W. Park St., Benton Charlotte L. Leonard, 110 Brown St., Ina Paula M. Cook, P.O. Box 295, Grand Tower Geraldine G. Griggs, 1702 E. Elm, West Frankfort Pamela Y. Kee, 440 State Pond Road, Jonesboro Diana Kelly, 17430 E. Lynchberg Road, Mount Vernon John O. and Rhonda C. Hill, 400 Hill Lane, Ozark Rebecca S. Woodward, 776 Stratton St., Chester Michael D. and Deborah M. Klotz, 3620 Mermet Road, Belknap Thad A. and Roxann White, 2536 Illinois 166, Creal Springs Joe N. and Jody M. Sanders, 405 Ganntown Lane, Grantsburg Elizabeth A. Bigham, 414 Union St., Cairo Frederick A. Rehlmeyer, 1117 Metropolis St., Metropolis

Mary L. Wolfe, 300 N. Seventh St., Apt. 903, Murphysboro William D. Fout Jr., 14450 E. Lake Estates, Mount Vernon Tara R. Snyder Holland, 617 S. Mannering, Royalton James M. and Katina L. Simpson, 303 E. Chester St., Pinckneyville Zachar y L. Owens, 92 Blossom Lane, Carbondale Kenneth W. Elliott, 306 Susan Ave., Energy Debra Ann Martin, 16584 N. Illinois 37, Lot 100, Mount Vernon Russell Eric and Tammy Ann Spinks, 2400 Blue Blaze, E3, Herrin Alfred M. and Holly C. Fischer, 1006 Burgess, Johnston City Billy L. Robinson, P.O. Box 418, Sesser Bradley C. and Sky T. Nance, P.O. Box 631, Cobden Ronald Dean and Dawn Marie Stout, 14011 Mustang Road, Marion Jackie A. and Rebecca L. Stueve Jr., 493 S. McBride Road, Ava

Shawn N. and Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ella J. Ratley, P.O. Box 537, Cambria Mary Jane Holman, 22898 Old Mill Road, Olive Branch Brian Scott and Terri Lynne Simmons, 170 Simmons Lane, Dongola Jeffrey B. and Jennifer R. Williams, 1010 Pace Ave., Mount Vernon Harold E. and Lisa A. Brake, 926 Lehmen Drive, Chester Cassandra M. King, 300 S. Marion St., Apt. 802, Carbondale Ricky E. Skelton, 1300 W. Harrison, Herrin Howard D. and Velva L. Reed, 205 N. Lincoln, West Frankfort Jacqueline Allen, 2102 W. Cherr y St., Marion Dorothy Jean Bell, P.O. Box 104, Ina Steven J. Treat, 1560 Old U.S. 51 North, Anna Eric S. and Amanda K. Fraser, 2008 North Ave., Metropolis David W. Richmond, P.O. Box 58, Thompsonville

Find more business news at www.sbj.biz. Elnora Y. Jones, P.O. Box 63, Tamms Jamie N. Bodkin, 1416 Dallas Road, Murphysboro Robert Christopher Barter, 235 Butler Lane, Harrisburg Charles D. and Lori A. Scott, 11460 E. Middle Road, Dix David K. and Melissa L. Inman, 1621 Venable Lane, Carterville Richard M. and Jennifer J. Manning, 5130 B Giant City Road, Carbondale Matthew A. Spencer, 2322 Broken Handle Road, Carbondale Matthew M. and Kelley R. Thompson, 19197 N. Stratford Land, Mount Vernon Kristina V. Sinisi, 1280 Moscow Road, Dongola Jeanette K. Hopkins, 601 S. Pine, Zeigler Kevin and Carrie Woolever, 9004 Hawk Road, Nashville

Mark Your Calendar Dec. 6

Dec. 9

Beginning Access 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Adobe Photoshop: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

Adobe Dreamweaver: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

Center for Business & Industry. Adobe Flash Catalyst: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

Dec. 12

Dec. 15

Intermediate Excel 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Beginning Access 2010: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H125, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

Advanced Access 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Adobe Fireworks: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

Dec. 13

Dec. 16

Intermediate Access 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Adobe Flash Professional: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

Beginning Excel 2010: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Adobe Acrobat Pro: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

Dec. 14

Dec. 19

Intermediate Excel 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College

Advanced Excel 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College

Dec. 7 Beginning Excel 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Adobe Illustrator: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

Dec. 8 Intermediate Access 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Adobe InDesign: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

Center for Business & Industry. Intermediate Access 2010: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H125, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Adobe Bridge: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

Dec. 20 Advanced Access 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Intermediate Excel 2010: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H125, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry. Adobe Device Central: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room H123, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

Dec. 21 Advanced Excel 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry.

Dec. 22 For more information on John A. Logan or to register for classes, call 618-985-2828, ext. 8510 or email cbi@jalc.edu. John A. Logan College Center for Business & Industry is at 700 College Road, Carterville, and cost is $55 unless otherwise noted.

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