Southern Business Journal - January 2016

outhern

JANUARY 2016

USINESS URNAL

southern

BUSINESS JOURNAL “ONE REGION,

ONE VISION”

REDEFINING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

REGION,ONE VISION”

Southern Illinois leaders are working on a plan to realign strategies PAGE 4

INSIDE

Directory of Advertisers SIU Credit Union ................... 12

JANUARY 2016 ON THE COVER

REDEFINING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: SOUTHERN ILLINOIS LEADERS ARE WORKING ON A PLAN TO REALIGN STRATEGIES

PAGES 4-5

YOUR OPINION

TWO ANSWER THE QUESTION: WHAT SKILLS HAVE YOU HAD TO LEARN TO BE A SUCCESSFUL FARMER?

LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR SCOOPING UP SIZABLE PORTION OF DOG FOOD MARKET

PAGE 6

THE INTERVIEW

JAK TICHENOR’S REFLECTIONS FROM SIU’S DECEMBER COMMENCEMENT

PAGE 7

Williamson County Airport ..... 2

PAGES 8-9

southern

SPECIAL REPORT

Southern Illinois University .. 10

BUSINESS SOUTHERN ILLINOIS J OURNAL REAL ESTATE

“ONE REGION,ONE VISION”

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE PROFILE FOR JANUARY

PAGES 8-9

PUBLIC RECORD

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS BANKRUPTCIES AND BUILDING PERMITS

PAGE 11

southern

BUSINESS JOURNAL “ONE REGION,

ONE VISION”

The Southern Business Journal is a publication of The Southern Illinoisan. Contact us via mail at 710 N. Illinois Ave., Carbondale, IL 62901, or at P.O. Box 2108, Carbondale, IL 62903. Also reach us on the Web at www.sbj.biz and via email at SBJ@thesouthern.com. The Journal is published 12 times per year monthly and distributed by The Southern Illinoisan and www.thesouthern. com. Copyright 2015 by The Southern Illinoisan, all rights reserved. A subscription may be obtained by calling 618-529-5454 or 618-9973356, or by visiting our website.

Editor/Publisher John Pfeifer 618-351-5038 Design and Layout Rhonda May 618-351-5077

Enjoy the ride.

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FROM THE

PUBLISHER

Thinking critically

T

he day before yesterday I was 40 and the next year I will be 43.

This is true only one day in an entire year.

What day is my birthday?

No, no, no. Don’t continue reading; take a few minutes to conjure up an answer. I promise it won’t hurt too badly.

Like many hiring managers, I’d list “critical thinking skills” right at the top of any list of skills and attributes I’m looking for in prospective employees. The simple (or not) little logic exercise above is a good example. If you stopped to think through the answer—or were at least challenged by or invigorated by the prospect of finding the answer – it’s a fairly good sign.

But how do you structure interview questions that test for critical thinking? Without creating a logic exam or handing them a Rubik’s cube, it’s often difficult to get a feel for critical thinking.

Yes, you can and should ask open-ended questions.

Yes you should ask the experiential “what did you do in a particular situation?” rather than the philosophical “what would you do in a particular situation?”

But you want more. You want to get at what makes them tick; at how they process information; about how they sequence acquiring knowledge in order to solve a complex problem. You even want to know when and how they ask for help when they think they’re in over their heads. A great starting point is to ask the candidate what they know about your organization and about the job for which they are applying. Ask them and then shut up.

Wait them out. Resist the urge to bail them out by answering your own question. Refuse to move on.

Of course sometimes the interview doesn’t really start until you offer the candidate a chance to ask you questions; that’s where you begin to know if they’re serious and whether you’d want them on your team for 40+ hours a week. If a candidate “can’t think of any” questions in an initial interview, how likely are they to ask questions once they’re on board? How likely are they to question “status quo” thinking once hired if they can’t be bothered to ask about company culture or values during a 45-minute interview? Not very.

One more thing. Having determined a person’s ability to think critically and gotten them on the payroll, make sure you give them a regular chance to use the skill that they absolutely had to have.

Okay, one more thing Part II. The answer to the question above is December 31.

JOHN PFEIFER | PUBLISHER, SBJ

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL JANUARY 2016 PAGE 3

COVER

STORY

RETHINKING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT opportunities define us,” Lively said. “We can choose not to be defined by our poverty, and choose instead to be defined by or the first time in more our opportunities. We can be a than 15 years, Congress place where people want to stay, recently made major and want to move to.” changes to legislation So, how is planning for the governing workforce develnew federal act playing out opment activities across the regionally? Generally speaking, country funded by the federal policymakers are rethinking government. the most efficient way to match That new law, effective July 1, skilled employees with existing 2015, is trickling down to state employers. They are coming up and regional levels. In Southern with strategies to make the most Illinois, a cross section of busieffective use of money earness, school, government and marked for training or retrainnonprofit leaders are working ing employees. on a plan to realign workforce They are drafting policies development strategies in to refocus economic developaccordance with the new Workment strategies that leverage force Innovation and Opportuviable business clusters already nity Act. blooming in a particular area.

Regional plans are due to In the five-county region covthe state next month, and the ered by the Southern Illinois state’s plan is due to the federal Workforce Development Board government sometime this – Jackson, Williamson, Perry, spring. Newly outlined policies Jefferson and Franklin – those are a required part of accessing clusters have been determined the critical millions of dollars in as, in this order, health care, workforce training funds that transportation, distribution and funnel to Illinois. logistics and manufacturing.

That planning is chugging They also are attempting to along, right past the pessimistic close skill gaps identified in the attitudes many people hold RICHARD SITLER, THE SOUTHERN‌ regional workforce by beefing about the economic future of Workers cinch barges loaded with coal together at the Lone Eagle Dock on the Mississippi River to prepare the barges to up access to technical educathe region. In defense of those tion programs for high school attitudes, they have been shaped carry coal down the river to the Gulf of Mexico. students, and offering access by the population drain of rural to technology training for communities, the out-migration at a competitive disadvantage of Management Training and Illinois, said there’s more older adults. of many of the region’s best and when it comes to drawing opportunity here than meets the Consulting Corp., commonly They are reshaping probrightest young people, shifting new industry. eye. The new act is re energizing called Man-Tra-Con, based in grams that train people new economic forces constrictMarion, a nonprofit one-stop policymakers to come together Challenges can’t define us ‌ and tackle the economic chaling former bedrock industries for people attempting to access to the workforce, or who are being retrained for a second such as coal mining, and years the workforce. lenges facing the region, and But Kathy Lively, a woman career after a layoff or other of dysfunction in Springfield “We won’t let the chalfind creative solutions to move at the forefront of workforce life event, and they are crafting that has positioned the state lenges define us. We’ll let the it forward, said Lively, CEO development in Southern MOLLY PARKER THE SOUTHERN‌

F ‌

PAGE 4 JANUARY 2016 SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

COVER

STORY new programs for incumbent workers to keep their skills updated as companies adapt to new technologies or ways of doing business.

With regards to adult education, bridge programs are being implemented to transition someone from a high school equivalency degree to a postsecondary education to a job.

There’s a greater emphasis being placed on vocational rehabilitation to help people overcome barriers to achieving employment, as well as targeted programs to help youth enter the job market, particularly those who drop out of school and lack employable skills.

Further, the emphasis on training new employees is shifting away from more classroom hours and onto the job site, where, for example, a person who is looking to secure an entry-level job at a manufacturer will actually be training during the graveyard shift that’s available so that there are fewer surprises for the employee who had been accustomed to sleeping at night.

Addressing tough challenges ‌

And there’s a real conversation taking place about what’s preventing many people in Southern Illinois from landing or keeping jobs. While the region could certainly use more employers and more available jobs, it’s a misconception that there are no jobs available, Lively said.

In surveys, one of the most common concerns cited by employers regarding the area workforce has to do with ethics, which broadly encompasses issues such as a lack of pride in one’s work, attendance problems, and poor attitude with bosses and/or fellow coworkers.

“I’m not sure you can teach ethics, but maybe you can teach expectations,” Lively said. “You can teach those without work ethics ingrained in them by their

family work expectations, and that’s what we’ll attempt to do.”

A related segment of the unemployed are those who are considered employees in need of a second chance, Lively said.

That may mean they were formerly incarcerated and/or have a felony history in their background, even if that incident happened years ago, or perhaps their work history is spotty for any variety of reasons that could include a lack of work ethic or personal challenges.

Even for people who have put their past behind them or settled whatever personal issues were making their job performance less than stellar, employers don’t always want to take a chance on these folks, because it can be expensive to train someone for a job that doesn’t work out beyond a few months.

Lively said that for this group of people, a certificate program will be made available to demonstrate their readiness to responsibly join the workforce “that will in some way show they are now ready and better prepared to be a good employee.”

Such a program will require working hand-in-hand with employers, she said.

law on July 22, 2014. Effective a year later, it replaced the Workforce Investment Act that Congress passed in 1998, which was responsible for establishing one-stop career centers across the country. Those centers, the hallmark of the legislation, were designed to be a place where a range of people could access job-related services for training, retraining, as well as benefits, including unemployment and public aid such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which provides financial assistance for pregnant women and families with children.

Federal workforce development legislation has existed in several iterations over the years.

In 1982, Congress passed the Job Training Partnership Act, and prior to that, there was the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act, signed into law in 1973.

The current act covers a five-year period, from 2015 to 2020. Updating the act allows policymakers to take a fresh look at activities that have been successful, and those where improvements may be needed, said Kay Fleming, dean of Workforce Development and Adult Education at John A. Logan ColPolicymakers optimistic lege in Carterville. looking ahead ‌ “Regionally, in Southern Illinois, we have come together These are just some of the to partner and develop this major initiatives underway to regional plan to address human try to revive the economy of resource challenges,” FlemSouthern Illinois now and into ing said. the future. In short, this region One area that has affected has set out to redefine workforce development. The challenges are programs at John A. Logan is the many, and the new act untested, act’s call for implementing adult but policymakers are optimistic. education bridge programs.

That’s playing out at the colPresident Barack Obama lege in the form of a health care signed the Workforce Innovabridge program, which allows tion and Opportunity Act into

someone seeking a high school equivalency degree to learn required reading, writing and other skills while also learning about health care. Then, the goal is to smoothly transition them into a nursing, medical coding or other health care related career, which hopefully parlays into a decent-paying job upon graduation.

Getting the word out ‌ The resources that are and will soon be available to help people access work are vast and varied, said Cynthia Sims, SIU Workforce Education and Development’s department chair. One thing she wonders is if more needs to be done to get that information out to the public. The SIU department serves a variety of roles in workforce development. For one, it is a degree program for students who are often employed in human resources, regional planning or curriculum development roles, for example.

The department also trains career and technical education teachers across the state to help them keep their curriculum fresh and current. And it is responsible for managing content for the state’s Illinois workNet site – www.IllinoisworkNet.com – that compiles resources for employers and job seekers.

“We have this population that needs these services, and we have all these services available,” she said. “It’s like the best kept secret.”

Mary Roe, of Pinckneyville, chairwoman of the Southern Illinois Workforce Development Board, said another critical piece of implementing the new act is broader cooperation regionally

“Regionally, in Southern Illinois, we have come together to partner and develop this regional plan to address human resource challenges.”

Kay Fleming, dean of Workforce Development and Adult Education at John A. Logan College

as well as between various stakeholders. Further increasing the participation of business owners in the conversation is a major goal, she said.

“We want business owners to be very involved in telling us what they need to not only stay in our region but possibly to expand,” she said. “We want to know what we can do so that if a new business is attracted to this area, what can we do to make sure the employees have the skills they need. If we don’t have those people available, we want to find out what we can do to make some of them employable by you.”

The state needs to act ‌ The workforce development conversation is critical, but may only take the region so far. Jerry Crouse, director of the Regional Economic Development Corporation, a nonprofit that relies on government funding to assist in economic deals in Williamson County, said that when it comes to attempting to recruit new businesses, the number one concerns he hears from owners is not about the quality of the workforce in Southern Illinois.

Crouse said this region’s workforce is as capable as any other area, and the community college system is able to quickly respond to train or retrain workers to meet a particular company’s needs.

So Crouse said he hopes that in this discussion, it’s not forgotten that the real ability to change the economic landscape of the region and state rests with the powers-that-be in Springfield, leaders such as House Speaker Michael Madigan, Senate President John Cullerton and Gov. Bruce Rauner.

“To be honest, there’s nothing we can do on a local level. It depends on the state,” Crouse said about creating a more competitive environment that lands more employers. “The state has to say, ‘OK, we’re going to get competitive with our surrounding states.”

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL JANUARY 2016 PAGE 5

special

report

Local entrepreneur scooping up a sizable portion of dog food market Cherri Flinn For The Southern‌

‌American dog owners spend nearly $40 monthly for dog food, and for more than 25 years, Pinckneyville, Illinois entrepreneur Wade Graskewicz has been scooping up a sizable portion of the dog food market, both domestically and abroad.

On his rise in the $23 billion pet food industry, he kept true to his original premise of offering customers a highquality dog food for an affordable price.

Along the way, it was Graskewicz’s competitive spirit and tenacity that kept his brand as a serious contender in the marketplace.

The birth of Hi-Standard began when Graskewicz and Don Hicks went together and opened a retail store named Hi-Standard Suppliers in 1988. With a focus on sporting goods, outdoor gear and animal food, the store soon grew a strong following in the small town of 5,600.

“We were selling quite a bit of dog food at that time but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get the price point I wanted,” Graskewicz said. “Sure, there was quality dog food I could purchase but I was buying through a middleman and I couldn’t control the price for my customers.”

In 1990, he bought out Hicks’ portion of the business and began focusing even more on his dog food operation. It took some time, but by 1998, Hi-Standard Dog Food was born and Graskewicz was selling three separate lines out of his Pinckneyville store.

Upon starting the brand, Graskewicz’s first challenge was packaging. He was shocked to learn that he would have to order 40,000 empty bags to sell his dog food. He had anticipated packaging in quantities of 500.

“Basically, I knew from being in the business for 10 years, what would sell,” Graskewicz said. “I knew that if I could get in a certain price range, the product would sell. My biggest challenge

Provided by Cherri Flinn‌ Entrepreneur Wade Graskewicz’s Pinckneyville-based pet food business has branched out far beyond its Southern Illinois roots. was packaging and growing the brand big enough.”

Although Hi-Standard’s home base is still Pinckneyville, the company manufactures its product in Utah, Tennessee, Ohio and Kansas. To ease the burden of shipping costs, Graskewicz has warehouses in Illinois, Utah, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Tennessee.

Because the price of shipping has a direct impact on the product’s sale price, the majority of pet food is still sold closest to the plants where it is manufactured.

Another way to broaden their offerings in the industry was to buy out the competition.

So, in 2011, Graskewicz purchased both Joy Pet Food and Best Feeds brands. That acquisition expanded their portfolio by 22 new products as well as providing openings into other international markets.

The collective brands distribute to 90 percent of the United States, two provinces in Canada, Japan, Ghana, Pakistan and Trinidad among others. Today the brand carries more than 60 different size

Page 6 January 2016 Southern Business Journal

bags available in 25 different products.

Being somewhat reflective, Graskewicz is amazed by his own success story — although not surprised by it. Similar to the high-energy hunting dogs showcased on his Hi-Standard packaging, Graskewicz also exudes that same high-energy, highly-competitive nature.

“I have to credit my success to being so competitive and having such a supportive family,” Graskewicz said. “In the early years, my mother (Ruby Graskewicz) stepped in and helped out by answering phones and doing billing for me. Otherwise, I was pretty much a one-man show.”

In the beginning of trying to get the word out about his dog food, Graskewicz would load up his Dodge dually truck with 60 to 80 bags of dog food and tarp it. He would hit the road by 4 a.m., make his deliveries and push to get back to open the store by 8:30 a.m.

His early morning trips would take him to places such as Poplar Bluff, Missouri, or Evansville, Indiana. After a long day at the store, he start the whole process over

again. Graskewicz said that getting any business off the ground requires a good work ethic.

“Another element to the business’ success has been my wife and son,” Graskewicz said. “My son Skyler was born in 1988 when we started the retail store, so he pretty much grew up in the business.”

As Hi-Standard Suppliers company president, Skyler Graskewicz knows the industry inside and out. He still works alongside his father, but his primary focus is in shipping and exporting to international markets.

“My wife Lisa has also been a very big part of my success,” Graskewicz said.

“She is an interior designer and very talented in her own right. She owns Interiors Designed by Lisa and I have to credit her with helping me stay focused and do what I had to do.”

Today, Graskewicz, 52, is still as excited about moving his company forward as he was when he first started his company.

He is busy laying out a multi-year plan for his company’s future. However, he keeps the details of that plan close to the vest.

“I found a niche in this business and found I could make a go of it, however for those just starting out in anything, remember you have to crawl before you walk, and walk before you run,” he said.

“My advice for anyone is to take everything slow and be ready for an incredible amount of time and hard work.”

Equipped with a strong company that has an international reach, Graskewicz feels he can still make another major stride in the next few years that will propel his business even further into the international marketplace.

“With the launch of our Grain Free and Ultimate products in early this year, along with a full line of treats for both Joy and Hi-Standard, we expect tremendous growth for 2016,” Graskewicz said. “Just like the pets we create our products for, we will continue to be high performers in our field.”

THE

INTERVIEW

Jak Tichenor, veteran news broadcaster, delivered the keynote address on Dec. 19 MOLLY PARKER THE SOUTHERN

Jak Tichenor, a veteran news broadcaster, public affairs reporter and now retired senior producer at WSIU-TV, was the keynote speaker for Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s commencement exercise on Dec. 19.

Part of his speech is below, and the full text can be found online at www.the southern.com.

“It is a distinct honor and privilege to be invited to speak to The full text of you on this very special Jak Tichenor’s day for you, your famspeech can be ily, and your friends. found online at Today has special meaning for me as well. www.

Like many of you, I am thesouthern. a first generation colcom. lege graduate. I truly understand the significance of a moment like this because I know how attending Southern Illinois University Carbondale was a life-changing experience.

I grew up not far from here in Metropolis, Illinois, a small town along the Ohio River, you know, the Home of Superman.

My family was poor and going to college was just never something we talked about.

It simply wasn’t on the radar.

But unknown to me at the time, there were people who had already cleared a pathway. I’m happy to say I would later meet some of them and come to appreciate what they did in helping make higher education accessible, and affordable for students like me.

There were visionary leaders like former state Senators Paul Simon of Troy and John Gilbert of Carbondale, Judge Gilbert’s father, who passed the Illinois Community College Act of 1965. The Act established a system of public community colleges that would be within easy reach of every Illinois resident. That includes Shawnee Community College near Ullin that I attended from 1973 to 1976.

And of course, there was the legendary

Jak Tichenor, a retired WSIU-TV senior producer and longtime public affairs reporter, delivered the keynote address at Southern Illinois University’s Dec. 19 commencement ceremony.

PROVIDED

SIU President Delyte W. Morris who led SIU from 1948 to 1970. Although I was never lucky enough to meet him in person, I did interview a great many of his colleagues and friends for a documentary I produced about his tenure.

In 22 short years, SIU grew from a small teachers college of around five thousand students into one of the country’s great comprehensive research universities. And while SIU’s growth was indeed phenomenal, it never got so big that it couldn’t provide opportunities to first-generation college students and others who pursued the dream of what higher education had

to offer.

That’s one of the reasons I came here as a transfer student in 1976. It also didn’t hurt that SIU Carbondale was home to one of the best academic programs in Radio-Television in the country an hour’s drive away from my hometown. That’s because Dr. Morris had this uncanny knack for identifying and growing signature programs that earned SIU national and international reputations for excellence in all sorts of fields.

The story of what is now the Department of Radio-Television and Digital Media and WSIU Public Broadcasting

begins in the early 1950s, when Dr. Morris started the application process for radio and television station licenses.

He attracted the best faculty to build a first-rate academic program where students could take what they learned in the classroom and put it into practice on the air in real, live radio and television stations.

And over 60 years later, students are still coming to SIU from around the world to learn about broadcasting and digital media from faculty and staff who are passionate about their work and dedicated to the success of their students.

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL JANUARY 2016 PAGE 7

YOUR

OPINION

What techniques have you had to W

WAYNE SIRLES

hile I was born and raised on our centennial, multigeneration family farm, Rendleman Orchards, being a successful farmer is not a given.

As the fifth generation in our family operation I have had the great fortune of learning about raising fruits and vegetables all my life. I knew my great uncle and grandfather Rendleman and spent the days of my youth around my father, in the orchards naturally taking in the process of

growing our crops.

However, it is when I began attending the college of agriculture at SIU that I realized I was just beginning.

My upbringing provided what I feel as the most important aspect in becoming a successful farmer — a true passion for farming, family support, and involved in the industry I have now been a long part of. Farming is intensely hard work. It is also

extremely risky. There are two things a farmer has no control over: Mother Nature and market prices.

You have to really love growing things to invest the time, resources, and energy into this profession.

I have had to acquire many skills over my 26-year career. The main skill being leadership, as all the specialty crops we raise takes a lot of employees. They all come from very different backgrounds and even cultures. A farmer must develop the ability to get people to work together, learn how to motivate his team, and above all, be fair.

I have always had an interest and even natural ability in Ag mechanics and working on equipment which is never ending. My strong desire for continually learning is a great asset. Farmers are the perpetual student. I am always reading. In fact, I’m rarely without trade publications and a manual of some sort to master the next project.

Nothing compares though to the education you get listening and learning from other farmers.

Your peers have very similar yet different and new experiences to take away from.

There really is no off-season in farming. Our ground and our trees are still there over the winter. We have to take care of each and every acre and tree for optimal production next season. This is also the time I attend local, state and national meetings. Any successful business person must continually network in their industry and participate in the organizations which they are members

of. This provides invaluable new information required to advance your business and cultivate contacts you will need to call upon over the years.

Farming requires knowledge in finance and accounting. We have to work on remaining openminded to new ideas. Farmers must be willing to hear and embrace new farming practices, new equipment, and new technologies to ensure success. Some of these may not be right for your operation, but I’m always learning something new that can be incorporated into my farming business.

A skill set that has proved to be more challenging for me to learn and work on has been the sales and marketing of my products. Yet, learning this side of the business has been so rewarding.

A farmer spends countless hours throughout the year rolling with the punches and doing all it takes to produce a crop. I must say, it feels pretty good when a buyer calls after receiving a load, to tell you your produce looks great and they are going to need more. Even better, is when they ask you how much more you can commit to supplying them with next year!

The personal and professional growth in farming keeps me motivated to keep doing what I’m doing and love — growing healthy food that tastes great!

WAYNE SIRLES, vice president of Rendleman Orchards, is a graduate of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, College of Agriculture.

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Three things to know: 1. Office condominium that is currently leased 2. On one acre 3. Sixty parking spaces

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PAGE 8 JANUARY 2016 SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL

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learn to be a successful farmer?

I

consider growing up as a sixth generation family member of Rendleman Orchards one of the greatest privileges I’ll have in life. I was raised in a family and environment where hardwork, dedication, passion, perseverance, and continuing education topped the list of priorities.

I began working summers on the farm with my family just HILARY SIRLES after second grade. At the time, I remember being mad at my dad for switching my daily routine from cartoons at Nana’s to seeding vegetables and washing buckets in our greenhouses.

However, that moment began shaping me into the agricultural professional and forever farm girl that I am today.

Currently, I am a District Sales Manager for Asgrow DEKALB at Monsanto Company.

Throughout my territory in south — central Minnesota, I work with many successful corn and

soybean farming operations. In these operations, the ultimate goal and measure of success is yield.

Thousands of publications have been written on how to maximize yield and profits for these operations. Since farmers are paid on their yield, in bushels per acre, this directly determines their income each year. Whether it be seeds, traits, equipment, chemistries, fertilizers, or agronomic/climate software programs, the latest technologies within each of these sub-categories will be key in maximizing their bushels per acre.

Growers begin planning their technological inputs for the next year well before the current year harvest even begins. For example, germplasm and trait selections for seed are made on an acre-by-acre basis usually beginning in the summer and continuing through harvest, as growers are able to continually monitor plant health, agronomic packages, chemical response, and of course final yield numbers.

Fertilizer selections are also planned well in advance, being spread immediately after current year fall harvest to prepare ground for planting the next spring, and once again on a field-level basis based on the type of ground and yield goals for those acres. Updated equipment technologies provide growers with precision, accuracy, and efficiency.

Whether it be a planter, sprayer, combine, grain cart, etc., selecting proper equipment and using its full technological potential allows for

things like variable rate planting and custom applications just to name a few. And in the past few years, we have really seen agronomic and climate software increase in the marketplace.

These program offerings all vary by provider, but allow growers to monitor weather, plant health, yield, nitrogen levels, real-time field imagery, and many, many other services directly from their iPad, computer, phone or equipment monitor. I expect this technological sector to grow rapidly in the coming years as accuracy and data from capabilities improve.

In summary, I’m privileged to work each day with many, many successful row crop operations. Although success rests on many factors, it all comes down to ability to maximize yield at the end of the day. Planning ahead, utilizing the newest technologies and new ones coming through R & D pipelines are best practices to name a few. I enjoy spending a good portion of the winter and summer months with growers at industry/university trainings, trade shows, conferences, and field days, where again, we all remain focused on maximizing yield and all the steps we must take to get there.

HILARY SIRLES is a District Sales Manager for Asgrow DEKALB at Monsanto Company in south-central Minnesota. She is a graduate from the University of Illinois College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

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SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL JANUARY 2016 PAGE 9

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• Business toolkit with start-up checklist • Sample business plan • Tax information, both federal and state

• Finding financing • Market research & planning

• Slides from presentation • Financing Q&A packet • Get connected to certified business counselors

to register for one of our spring workshops, call 618/536-2424, go online at sbdc.siu.edu, or email at sbdc@siu.edu. pre-registration is required for all workshops.

thurSday, JuLy 21 ...................................................9 aM – 11 aM dunn-richmond economic development Center, room 150

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.

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Bankruptcies

Danielle N. Laird, 506 Morgan St., Anna Delinda H. Pierce, 104 Paper Lane No. 26, Murphysboro ‌Chapter 7 Aaron Toliver Jr., 1129 E. RendleKent Fenoglio Sr. and Sheila K. Feno- man, Carbondale Bryton Allen Slane, 613 W. Stotlar, glio, 1207 E. Bond, Benton Robert L. and Elizabeth Baugh, 156 E. West Frankfort Jeffrey D. and Frances R. Carver, 2304 Davenport St., Equality Elizabeth R. Atlee, P.O. Box 172, John- McCord St., Murphysboro Katherine I Ruffino, 807 Ritter St., ston City Pinckneyville Randal Kent Vaughn, 42 Golden Ash Felicia A. Frank, 513 N. Pearl St., Lane, Carbondale Raymond L. and Myra G. McLane, 115 McLeansboro Melinda L. Youngblood, 1777 SchoolOrange St., Anna Danny R. and Deborah R. Rady, 604 S. house Road, Mulkeytown Jill Ann Szczeblewski, 247 W. Second Cherry St., West Frankfort North Street, Tamaroa Dana B. Davis, 205 Kennedy Drive, Patrick J. and Sheri A. Molitor, 865 West Frankfort Stardust Drive, Herrin Kathryn A. Glidewell, 521 S. 23rd Gerald Wayne McIntosh, 50 Acorn St., Herrin Lane, Carbondale Donald Wayne Pitchers, 1014 Gent Gina Renee Rich Lane, 515 W. WashAve., Johnston City ington, Benton Adam M. Gawlik, 901 S. 14th, Herrin Jozeh R. and Jessica R.Cook, 307 Shannon Kay Ruffing, 236 Court Sycamore St., Anna Road, Carbondale Jeffery Bruce and Loretta Mae Christopher Lee Hines, 4672 A Boaz Bearden, 1306 Bailey Lane, Benton Road, Karnak Benny R. Blomer, 809 Hess, Vienna Gary W. and Jimmie D. Chapman, 300 Ian A. Price, P.O. Box 412, Norris City Porter Ave., Vergennes Brandon Jacob Gutierrez, 23071 Kraatz Traci Dawn Kelley, 17058 Buxton Road, Thompsonville Road, Whittington Travis S. Duncan, 1710 E. Poplar St., Linda F. Kondoudis, P.O. Box West Frankfort 143, Buckner Whittney Danielle Cook, 2606 Fifer Elizabeth J. Taylor, 206 Kirsch St., Eldorado St., Benton Kimberly K. Summers, POB Gregory Scott McRoberts, 1314 N. 475, Valier Seventh St., Murphysboro

Permits Carbondale‌ Alfred Babbit, 312 S. Canterbury Drive, $5,000 Walker Rentals, 600 W. Sycamore St., $7,500 Quick Cars, Inc., 820 E. Walnut St., $10,000 J.R. Holdings, 625 E. Grand Ave., $132,000

Marion‌ Tim Barnett, 1504 Dew Drop Drive, $150,000 Tim Barnett, 1505 Dew Drop Drive, $150,000

Kyle Williams, 1012 E. Reeves St., $40,000 Mark and Sheila Fisher, 214 E. Boulevard St., $20,000 Chris Sheffler, 520 S. Future St, $12,800 Saundra Jent, 504 Virginia Ave., $21,000 Harold and Rose Powell, 612 Vinewood Lane, $80,000 Chico Castellano, 312 S. Second St., $80,000

Metropolis ‌ Noble L. Shinn, 103 E. 20th St., $800 Shirley Harrison, 110 E. 19th St., $1,500 Bobby Norwood, 701 E. Ninth St., $10,000

Kimberly A. Garcia, 104 Wright Lane, Anna Steven D. Crumbacher, 207 Fairground Road, Pinckneyville Lonnie D. and Joni B. Lewis, 360 Old Saratoga Road, Anna

Mount Zion Road, Vienna Justin K. Johnson, 302 E. Sixth St., West Frnakfort Nicole D. Bruce, 504 E. Olive St., McLeansboro Samuel Robert Koker, P.O. Box 182, Cisne Chapter 13 Russell W. Whitby Jr., 103 S. 37th, Herrin Keith L. Bevely Jr., 3500 Ponderosa, Michael I. Willett, P.O. Box Lot 16, Marion 585, Herrin Jo Ellen Nannie, 700 S. Lewis Lane, Juanita Denwood, 405 N. Washington Apt. 603, Carbondale St., Carbondale Charles F. Sloan, 707 E. Eighth St., Michael J. Rose, 887 Mount Joy Road, West Frankfort Charles M. and Stacy Hamline, 16501 Murphysboro Kevin S. Sauerhage, 2248 Piney Creek State Highway 149 East, West Frankfort Road, Ava Jason B. and Allisha N. Banks, 1770 Rebecca R. McPherson, 408 S. DougTelephone Road, Galatia Roger W. and Lana K. Glasco, P.O. Box las St., West Frankfort Virgil and Janet R. Oeltjen, 40 Short 402, AnnaCarolyn S. Allen, 604 First Lane Drive, Creal Springs St., Mounds Charles Adrian Jackson, 552 S. DiviDonnie R. Houghland, 1325 Whisper sion, Du Quoin Way, Benton Jason Lamar and Laurie Ann Edwards, Norris C. Taber, 182 Bull Pen 225 N. East St., Apt. 3, Du Quoin Road, Simpson Ricky Ray and Terri Marie DeBose, Andrew Jarrod and Shannon 1409 Eldorado St., Eldorado Mariah Robertson, 101 Rock Creek Joshua Thomas Gossett, 16518 Old Lane, Chester Thomas Drive, Sesser Wesley A. and Tina M. Monroe, 813 Jared C. Laroe, 4509 G Pawnee Drive, Du Quoin Street, Mulkeytown Monica R. Norton, 1116 W. Madison Howard A. and Sharon M. Smith, 1405 St., Herrin S. Buchanan St., Marion Barbara J. Williams, 406 W. BroadLaDawn N. Robinson, 509 W. Lincoln way, Johnston City St., Harrisburg Crystal D. Evrard, !413 W. Andrew R. and Kristina L. Stapleton, Maple, Herrin 3961 Old School Lane, Creal Springs Dale E. and Dessa R. Chester, 1730

Mount Vernon ‌

Melvin and Karen Lane, 4320 Woodglen Lane, $120,000 Continental Tire of the Americas, 11525 N. Illinois Highway 142, $2,500 John and Donna Keele, 18 E. Crownview, $12,000 Marco’s Pizza, 2629 Broadway, $125,000 Western Union/Borowiak’s, 500 S. !0th St., $1,200 Bernard Dickneite, 1000 Oakland Ave., $2,500 Mary Tracey, 808 N. Seventh St., $0 Lori Hayes, 19268 B Miller Lake Lane, $9,000 Joseph Gliosci, 3680 Ridgecrest Drive, $51,000 George Floyd, 4202 Woodglen Lane, $130,000

George Floyd, 4212 Woodglen Lane, $130,000 Jefferson County Shriners Krazy Klowns, various locations, $0 Mount Vernon Association, LLC (AT & T), 3909 No. 104 Broadway, $2,750

Murphysboro‌ Thirteen RF, 1510 N. Seventh St., $1,300,000 Keith Klaine, 101 S. 16th St., $6,000 Holly Sparkman, 1302 N. 20th St., $4,700 Elizabeth and Charles Coelho, 1112 Sandra Court, $7,800 Richard Gill, 2132 Clarke St., $50,000 Gordan Biggs, 2145 Clarke St., $6,120

SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL JANUARY 2016 PAGE 11

Investing in

southern Illinois Solutions ideal for large and small businesses • Business loans • Business credit cards

• Deposit accounts • Checking accounts

Angela Williams-Barke AVP of Commercial Lending & Business Services

• Merchant payment solutions • And, much more

SIU

618-549-8631

angela.williams@siucu.org

CARBONDALE | ENERGY | HARRISBURG | MARION | METROPOLIS Membership required. All loans subject to credit approval. Federally insured by NCUA. Call 800-449-7301 or 618-457-3595 for more information.