Business Monthly - January 2013

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CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

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CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

The path forward

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Businesses look ahead to 2013 with cautious optimism

By JIM OFFNER jim.offner@wcfcourier.com

WATERLOO — Another y ear has melted away, but the challeng es staring down at entrepreneurs are as c oncrete and daunting as ever, according to local business leaders.

They point to an array of issues, from changes in medic al coverage and taxes to increased regulations and higher costs.

Financial sector

Bankers say they’re still c oming to terms with chang es the 3-year-old Dodd-Frank financial overhaul has brought, as well as ongoing monetary priming from the U.S. Federal Reserve and Chairman Ben Bernanke.

Those two items are primary concerns of Charlie Funk, former chairman of the I owa Bankers Association and CEO of MidWestOne Bank, based in Iowa City.

“The first one is that the B ernanke policy of low interest rates, I really think, is st arting to hurt a lot of b anks,” Funk said. “The longer it g oes on, the mor e it’s going to hurt, especially our community banks.”

Low interest rates penalize saving, Funk said.

“It helps borrowers but hurt s savers,” he said. “If you’re a borrower right no w, it’s a gr eat time if you’ve got a good reason to borrow. But if y ou’re a s aver, you’re maybe forced to go out of your comfort zone to get a yield that satisfies you. The longer this low-interest rate goes on, it’s

BRANDON POLLOCK / Courier Staff Photographer

Workers with McDonald Construction frame in a house on Yellowstone Drive in Waterloo in mid-December. going to hurt our margins.”

Banks also are going to have to come to terms with the r egulations of Dodd-Frank, Funk said.

“We really do think y ou need regulation of our industr y. Having said that, Dodd-Frank, which is only about a third implemented at this point, is creating all kinds of headaches for our industr y,”

CONTENTS

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he said.

Funk said his b ank hired three full-time employees last year just to deal with c ompliance issues related to the law.

“I think the net r esult of this is we’re spending mor e time dotting i’s and crossing t’s than spending time with our cust omers, and that’s really not produc-

tive,” Funk said.

It’s also getting tougher for account holders to save, said Steve Tscherter, CEO of Linc oln Savings Bank in Reinbeck.

“The longer we’re in a protracted rate environment, the long er people who depend on certain bases of assets to provide a return to live on ar e discouraged,” he

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ADVERTISING RETAIL OUTLOOK Local businesses say new health care law David Braton could be a drag on hiring................ page 4 david.braton@wcfcourier.com (319) 291-1403 JIM OFFNER Most businesses are happy to see 2012 in Carrie Gleason the rearview mirror......................... page 6 carrie.gleason@wcfcourier.com (319) 291-1527 HEALTH CARE Sheila Kerns Health care law, federal budget crisis sheila.kerns@wcfcourier.com mean change for hospitals ............. page 8 (319) 291-1448

said. “We point them t o other investments and pr oducts and suggest they do a little bett er job of diversifying to enhance return, whether annuities, stocks, bonds.”

It’s a helpful strategy, Tscherter said.

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CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

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JANUARY 2013

Retailers say health care law could be drag on hiring

By JIM OFFNER jim.offner@wcfcourier.com

WATERLOO — A cross the U .S., stores, restaurants and other small businesses say the ne w federal health care law will force them to hire fewer workers or reduce hours among w orkers they have.

Local retailers participating in a recent roundtable discussion at Beck’s in Waterloo, said that may happen in the Cedar Valley as the Affordable Care Act begins to take hold in 2013.

The law requires employers with 50 or mor e workers to provide health care insurance to employees who work 30 or more

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hours a week.

Kevin Schreiber, general manager of R oth Jewelers in do wntown Waterloo, said he will retain the same number of emplo yees at his business, maybe add some part-time people.

“Of course, the health care and benefits impacts the bottom line.

There’s definitely a b alance to look at. Health care is one of the issues,” Schreiber said.

Ira Fratrik, general manager of College Square Mall in C edar Falls, said the new rules could be a drag on hiring.

“I have seen both ends of the spectrum,” he said. “The national chains were really gearing up for this holiday season. A lot of s easonal employees that the y were actively recruiting during S eptember and October. For the most part, they filled those positions.

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Act,’ because it’s got nothing t o do with affordability, other than to stick it to the guys that have to pay it,” he said.

Steve Dust, CEO of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber, said businesses are still wondering what to expect from the health care law.

Dust said local business leaders at the recent panel discussion still had questions about the law.

“It was obvious that there was a great deal of uncertainty about what the imp acts are going to be,” Dust said. “One of the lar gest employers in the C edar Valley and their HR vice president was talking about s ome of the approaches they were taking to get ready for it, and ther e was a list of about a do zen fees and taxes, changes that w ere going to start flowing in in 201 3 and on into 2014. So, communication with their emplo yees was a significant issue to them.”

And, it will be to retailers, Dust said.

“I would think in the retail sector, the cust omers will ha ve to be communicated with, as w ell, to help them under stand how this will impact them, as well as employers,” he said.

Firefighting, nursing are dangerous jobs Dayton Daily News

Marshalltown Ames

But on the flip side, for local leasing people, I spok e to a g entleman who has businesses in Cedar Rapids and D es Moines, and he refused to open an y more businesses that would put him over the threshold where he w ould actually have to stop providing health care to his employees. It’s a locally owned company, and its just refusing to expand anymore because of the handcuffs that the federal government is putting on them.”

National retailers “are going to the beat of their o wn drummer,” Fratrik said. “They’re already past that. It’s the loc al retailers where you see that.”

Johnson said his company simply may not replace people who leave.

“We’re the right siz e,” he s aid.

“Other employees step up and take on more responsibility. I see that continuing. How far can we push our current employees, with the whole health-care issue, the magic 50, makes me nervous.”

Steve Volz, owner of P alace Clothiers in W aterloo, said the new health-care law will serve as a disincentive to hiring.

“I would say it’s a misnomer to call it the ‘Affordable Health Care

Cedar Rapids

Fire protection is one of the most dangerous types of w ork in the nation. Last y ear, almost 71,000 injuries to U.S. firefighters occurred in the line of dut y, and the rate of nonfatal injury and illness in fire protection was more than three times the rate for all industries, according to government and industry estimates.

But injuries c an occur in an y workplace, and there were more than 3.8 million w ork-related injuries and illnesses last year.

Manufacturing industries used to be the mo st dangerous types of work because of the machinery involved, but injuries t oday frequently occur in oc cupations

that involve repetitive physical tasks, such as bending, lifting and carrying heavy objects.

Nationwide, state-run nursing homes and residential care facilities have the second-highest rate of occupational injuries and illnesses for similar reasons.

Other industries with high frequencies of injuries and illnes ses include steel foundries, ice manufacturing, skiing f acilities and police protection.

The fishing and logging industries are among the de adliest professions in the U nited States, but job-related deaths are rare.

Far more people ar e injured or become ill as a result of their jobs.

Last year, fire protection was the most dangerous type of w ork.

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JANUARY 2013

CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

Younger workers need to get started on retirement EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — A 2012 survey conducted by Scottrade found that only 63 percent of Gen Yers are currently taking advantage of a t ax-deferred account — the smallest percentage of any generation. This unnerving fact led Go Banking Rat es managing editor Casey Bond to consider the reasons behind this s eemingly indifferent attitude toward saving for retirement and provide suggestions on how members of Gen Y can begin a savings plan in her most recent op-ed piece. “Maybe it’s because our generation’s role models make blowing cash left and right so glamorous,â€? said Bond, whose site focuses on information about the best interest rates on ďŹ nancial services as well as personal ďŹ nance content, news and tools. “I remember when Lil Wayne made headlines over Memorial Day weekend when he and Drake dropped a stack of singles worth $250,000 on ‘entertainment.’ ‌ It’s no way to build a r etirement fund.â€?

She pointed out that Christine Fahlund, vice president of T. Rowe Price investment services, recently told Reuters that Generation Y needs t o save 15 to 20 percent of their annual inc omes — starting at age 25 — in order to maintain their same standard of living in retirement.

However, Bond explained that this goal is e asier to reach than some young adults may realize.

The economy is still doing poorly, which means investments are cheap, often undervalued and

easier to buy. Additionally, while workers in their 40s , 50s and even 60s ar e desperately trying to recoup the retirement savings they lost during the ďŹ nancial crisis, Gen Y has the ne xt several decades to ride out mar ket ups and downs.

How to get started

Because most young employees understand the importance of saving for retirement, but not how to implement a savings plan, Bond provides three tips for getting started: â– Start small: A lot of number s get thrown around regarding how much young workers should be putting aside f or retirement.

Bond advises that those who are intimidated by these guidelines ignore them and simply contribute what feels reasonably. You can always increase contributions in the future. ■Take advantage of emplo yer matches: Most organizations don’t force employees to go at saving for retirement alone.

Workers should ensur e they’re receiving an emplo yer match — usually a percentage of salary or a percentage of contributions— so they can take advantage of fr ee money and gr ow savings that much faster. ■Automate: Having retirement contributions automatically withdrawn from pay and deposited in a 401(k), IRA or other taxdeferred account will remove the worry over seeing money that can’t be spend and mak e saving psychologically easier.

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CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

Helping you help your community.

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JANUARY 2013

For businesses, 2012 a year to remember — and forget

New years tend to begin with a Locally, one of the f ormer will be higher, Smith noted.

That could affect employment crown jewels in the local busisense of optimism.

This year, for businesses, it ness landscape, Peregrine plans.

“Not that it t otally stops in Financial Group may be more relief.

Inc.,disappeared its tracks, but it bec omes And, why not? Last year was an in a $200 million much more expensive to hire election year, which brought the financial scandal people,” he s aid. “You may see usual overdose of calumny, cynithat landed CEO more efforts to maintain a work cism and hysteria. Add to that the )R Russell Wasend- force at a different level. I’ve hyperbole and panic from one a UJ orf Sr. in prison. seen companies moving workseemingly endless parade of criRR Established in Waterloo/Cedar Falls in 1956 His personal force to half-time or part-time ses, such as the dr ought, skyG belongings and status, which doesn’t qualify high fuel prices, U.S. Supreme Jim Offner the corpora- them under the A CA (AffordCourt affirmation of the national is the Courier health-care overhaul, the tangled business editor. tion’s property able Care Act, the federal health Contact him at were parceled off care overhaul) . I think it ’s web of regulations under Doddjim.offner@ either at auction emblematic of w hat employers Frank, the end of the Bush-er a tax cuts and the “fiscal cliff,” and wcfcourier.com. or on the r eal are facing. It’s going to be more expensive to keep employees on estate market.

425 Cedar St. Ste. 310 P.O. Box 1176 Waterloo 50704 you have a year businesses won’t On the other hand, John Deere board.” soon forget.

How individual businesses continued to ride agricultur e’s hot streak to its first $3 bil- fare over 2013 may vary, Smith lion year in hist ory. It s eemed said.

“In terms of this regular busia fitting climax t o the tr actor manufacturing giant’s 175th ness, it pr obably depends on the business segment you’re anniversary.

Businesses across Iowa could talking to,” he s aid. “Manufachold fast to steady business turing has some room for optimeasurements through 2012, mism in terms of markets and most notably, an unemploy- sales, and the fi nancial services ment level that finished the year industry and b anking still has some issues with la ws that ar e as fourth-lowest in the U.S. The Skilled Iowa program in place that elevate regulation.

Whether you’re a small W took root in the C edar Valley, I think it has to do with reserves as the st ate got behind a full- and how they use them, and it business owner, evaluating scale effort to ensure there are has a way of inhibiting normal yyour estate planning enough workers to fill manu- bank activity.”

Interest rates are predicted to facturing jobs in the future. strategies, or sending your kids Whatever happens in 201 3, be held down for much of 2013, tto college, we can help you businesses at le ast have a f ew according to financial analysts.

The federal income-outlay unknowns out of the way. plan to reach your financial The election c ycle is done. dichotomy also will spill into goals through personal, That should pr ovide at le ast a the new year, Smith said.

“Some may be clut ching modicum of st ability for plancustomized financial planning. themselves wondering what’s ning purposes.

“One unknown was the elec- going to happen with the debt tion, and that ’s been r esolved, and budget issue,” he s aid. so I think tho se issues are “Maybe that imp acts business mostly resolved,” said Elliott and sales down the road.”

Many financial experts see the Smith, executive director of the Larry K. Fox & Associates A financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Iowa Business Council in D es upcoming year as an unf olding Moines, which tracks and fore- of issues that took hold in 2012.

3404 Midway Drive, Waterloo How it all affects the Cedar casts business trends. “What’s Phone: 319-234-7000 Valley business community there is there.

They’re going to larrykfox.com Ameriprise Financial cannot guarantee future financial results. have a better idea of what their remains to be s een. The onl y Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA and SIPC. costs might be going forward.” certainty is that the past year The costs of doing business will be a tough one to forget.

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FINANCIALPLANNING FOR YOUR

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JANUARY 2013

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CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

Form a smart plan for corporate giving The start of a new year can be a time for reection and resolve, a time to give thanks and make plans for the future.

Many business leaders begin the year with a fr esh perspective and exciting ideas on their to-do lists.

Ali Parrish One important is director of development at item to revisit the Community each year is y our corporate giving Foundation of Northeast Iowa. plan.

Contact Parrish at Business leadaparrish@cfneia. ers today realize org or the importance of 287-9106. corporate social responsibility and giving back to their c ommunity.

Through charitable contributions, businesses can gain visibility in the c ommunity, earn the loyalty of customers and employees and t ake leadership roles to address important community issues.

Some businesses have robust corporate giving plans and successfully give away thousands, at times millions, of dollars each year. Other businesses dabble in corporate giving, but leaders ďŹ nd themselves frustrated with the volume of requests received and lack the time and resources to sift through the clutter and truly make an impact. Still other business leaders wonder, “What is corporate giving?â€?

Do you have a plan?

As a busines s leader, the ďŹ rst question you should ask yourself may be “Do we have a corporate giving plan?â€? If y our answer is yes, some follow-up questions to ask include: â– Did we effectively carry out our plan in 2012? Wh y or w hy not? â– What do we like about our plan? What ar eas need improvement? â– Do we want to give the s ame

amount in 2013? If not, more or less? â– Does our c orporate giving strategy align with our c ommunity priorities? If not, how can we more closely align them? â– Does our plan involve employees? If not, how can we involve them? â– How is our c orporate giving plan helping the c ommunity? Is this impact sufficient? â– Do we have the right structure in plac e to carry out our plan? What improvements can or should be made.

Simple suggestions

If your answer to the “Do we have a plan?� question is no, here are some simple st eps you can take to craft an effective corporate giving plan: ■Determine a realistic amount you want and c an afford to give away each year. Decide if you will allow employees the opportunity to be involved in donating through payroll deductions or other methods. ■Decide how you will mak e philanthropic decisions. Will you utilize an adviser, like your local community foundation, form an internal committee or both? ■Consider selecting a corporate giving impact area that aligns with your business goals and the values of your employees. ■Think about allo wing your employees to give back through volunteerism, allocating hours the way you would for sick time or vacation time and include that in the plan. ■Put your plan in writing and make it accessible to everyone in the company to see. ■Commit to reviewing the plan on a r egular basis to ensure its effectiveness.

With all the uncertainty in 2013 for individuals and busines ses alike, ringing in the N ew Year by reviewing your corporate giving plan is not onl y a good business decision, it will feel good, too.

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I moved to a small town in upstate Michigan when I was 3, after my father died. My parents had been teachers. My mother inspired me to love literature and culture, to be independent, and be kind to others.

The merging of my two callings— teaching and writing—led me to Wartburg as a creative writing professor. I didn’t understand the term, “dream job� until I came to Wartburg, where I have grown as an educator and scholar.

I find meaning in the effort to transform experiences into literature.

I write every day. I read as much and as often as I can. I value intellectual curiosity, compassion, and I encourage my students to trust their intuition.

Wartburg is a place where I live out my life purpose; it is a maze of moods and unexpected joys; most of all, it is a place I look forward to arriving each day.

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CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

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JANUARY 2013

New year brings changes for hospitals

By JIM OFFNER jim.offner@wcfcourier.com

WATERLOO — U ncertainty surrounding the fi nancial climate extends to the health care industry, with the Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010 and affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court last year, taking hold this year.

Local hospitals are working to adjust to the changes.

“From a financial perspective, one of our biggest challenges is the level of r eimbursement we expect to see moving forward,” said Jack Dusenberry, chief executive officer at Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare-Iowa. “We anticipate reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid to be flat or even decreasing and commercial insurance reimbursement

to bring small incr eases. As an industry, this r eimbursement scenario creates significant challenges in maintaining the fi nancial performance needed t o be financially sustainable.”

Local hospitals will be under the same pressures as peer s across the U.S., said Dr. Tim Horrigan, chief medical officer at Allen Health Systems in Waterloo.

“The medical sector of the region is going to feel locally the s ame pressures that the country is feeling related to both a gr owing younger population again and aging population needing signifi cantly more medical services,” he s aid. “We will be deli vering more babies, more often to mothers who have insurance through the Title XIX program for their prenatal care.

We expect some of those infants will need the most intensive care in our NICU. Our local providers will continue to provide wellchild services, more screening and vaccinations.”

Dusenberry anticipates a growth in “uncompensated” health care.

“As employers struggle with their own costs related to health care benefits, responsibility for expenses is shift ed to employees through higher deductibles and co-insurance,” he said. “For Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, the biggest increase in unc ompensated care is not nec essarily from people w ho are uninsured but from people who are insured or underinsured.”

That places more value on efficiency, Dusenberry said.

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“We continuously look at ho w we can improve the quality of our services while doing it at a lower cost,” he s aid. “The environment that w e are operating in requires us to re-evaluate the way we deliver care.”

Doctor shortages underscore a need f or secondary providers, Horrigan said.

“Our mental health services are significantly strained because of increasing needs of the c ommunity and the decreasing numbers of local providers,” he said. “Over time, there will be more interactions with p atients and f amilies from nurse practitioners, social workers and lic ensed therapists who are all part of a lar ger team to help.”

An aging population als o factors into changes, Horrigan said.

“There are more who will need screening and early interventions related to diabetes and heart disease, which means we will spend some money now, planning to avoid higher c osts later,” he said. “Early treatment for knee arthritis, with MAK Oplasty, for instance, will k eep people mor e active now. Early screening and therapy for heart disease with statin therapy for high cholesterol is already showing a general

trend toward improved heart disease rates.”

Both local health systems are trying to be proactive, officials at both hospitals said.

“A third challenge we are addressing is the move toward a model of population health management before the r eimbursement systems are set up to support the new model,” Dusenberry said.

Currently, reimbursement occurs based on a fee-for-service model, he said.

“Now we are working toward developing the skill sets to manage the health of an entire population when historically, we have been asked to take care of illnesses as episodes of care,” Dusenberry said. “Resources to facilitate that shift are not p art of our curr ent reimbursement structure, but we need to move forward to be ready for the next phase.”

That next phase will include a new emergency department, Dusenberry said.

“The new facility will oc cupy approximately 27,000 square feet and house 24 patient rooms, including specially equipped rooms for trauma and behavioral health patient exam and tr eatment,” he said.

Caribou Coffee taken private MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Caribou Coffee is being t aken private by a German holding c ompany in a de al valued at about $340 million.

The coffee chain, which has 610 locations in the U .S. and overseas, said Dec. 17 that it will continue to operate as an independent company with it s own brand and manag ement team once the buyout by Joh. A Benckiser Group GmbH clo ses. The German investment firm had also purchased a maj ority stake in Peet’s Coffee & Tea Inc. earlier this year.

Joh. A. Benckiser Group GmbH will pay $16 per share, a 30 per-

cent premium to Caribou’s Friday closing price of $12.32.

Caribou Coffee, which was founded in 1992, will keep its headquarters in Minneapolis. For the full year, the company said last month that it e xpects net sales to be flat with last year, with unit growth of about 10 per cent to 12 percent. For 2013, it expects sales growth of 6 per cent to 8 percent.

BDT Capital Partners, a Chicago-based merchant bank, is a minority investor in this tr ansaction and s erved as a fi nancial co-adviser in the deal.

Caribou’s board unanimously approved the buyout.

JANUARY 2013

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CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

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PAGE 9

Time to reflect, reboot, resolve January is a great time to review your technology habits for the past year and plan f or the ne w year in a process that gives you time to reflect, reboot and resolve.

Reflect

More of us use technology in multiple places. We work on reports, create and edit documents, read periodicals online, update web pages, post on social media and check email — where we download more docuCherie Dargan ments. There are is an associate three bad habits professor in that lead to inefthe Hawkeye Community College ficiency and frusCommunications tration: not paying attention to file Department. names or w here you save files, and depending on flash drives to store and transport documents. Why are these habits so important?

Do you need t o send files to others but cannot always find the right file, remember what you named it or w here you saved it?

Have you downloaded files from others and c annot find them?

Many of us s end and r eceive numerous files as email att achments. Many of tho se files have unhelpful names, such as agenda. docx, making it difficult to identify the document you need.

In addition, many people s ave files in such and c annot find them later. Every semester I hear students say an assignment is at home on their PC, they forgot to bring their flash drive, they worked on a document in another computer lab and failed to save it to their net work drive or they lost their flash drive.

Every file name should include the name of the document, and you need t o think about w here you save each file. If y ou follow some guidelines, you will ha ve an easier time finding the file you need. Which w ould you rather get: agenda.docx or J an9agendaCD.docx? Make it e asy for

people to identify documents, and make it e asy for yourself to locate them as well.

Think about how you are organizing your files at w ork and home, as w ell as ho w you are transporting files. However, a flash drive is for backing up fi les and not the plac e to save important documents.

So, reflect on your work habits. Are there apps you downloaded to your iPad but have not used yet? Is there a new blogging tool or social media platform you want to try?

While you are reflecting, do not forget to celebrate what you did right this p ast year! Did you post more consistently to your company’s Facebook page? Did you start following other pr ofessionals on T witter? Did y ou start posting links for articles you read? Have you invested in an iPad or Android tablet and started doing more work in a mobile environment? Good for you: add it to your list.

save it and access it on my PC — where I can add content, tweak things and finish editing.

Set up file folders on your desktop or lapt op to organize your work and make it easier to locate files. Invest in an e xternal hard drive. E very time y ou create a document, think about the fi le name and make it easy for yourself and y our users to locate it.

Capture its purpose in the file name, and if s everal users need to give you input, add your name or initials (J an9DeptagendaCD. docx) . Save it to Google Docs or another web-based service to make your document a vailable online as well.

If you follow these guidelines, you can improve your work habits and s ave yourself and y our colleagues a lot of time and frustration.

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GET YOUR LIFE UNDER CONTROL

Reboot

What does it me an to reboot?

Think of it as a fresh start. Determine what you need to focus on.

Don’t try to tackle a do zen new projects. Try three to five.

Making a plan and fi nding resources when you need them makes the difference. Look at the free or lo w-cost classes offered at your public libraries, as well as continuing education courses to sharpen your technology skills.

You can find books and websites on almost any technology topic.

Finally, put y our plan int o action. What is a bett er solution than buying another fl ash drive?

Move your work to the cloud: Use Google Docs or Drop box or another solution that lets you save work somewhere other than your local computer.

Use technology to simplify your life. People are going mobile and taking tablets everywhere, but want to access notes and documents from PCs or Macs . I us e Google docs on my iPad, which allows me to take notes during a meeting or begin a document,

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CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

cvbusinessmonthly.com

JANUARY 2013

Make the right investments in your health A review of your finances before the end of the y ear is al ways a good practice, and often assessing tax-saving strategies is p art of the process. This year is a particularly challenging year to do this bec ause Larry K. Fox of the last-minute is a private negotiations takwealth adviser ing place around with Ameriprise the “fiscal cliff.”

Financial Inc. in This is the c omWaterloo. Contact bination of t ax him at 234-7000. increases and spending cuts at the federal level set to kick in on Jan1.

We usually know how tax laws will change as we conduct yearend planning, but this y ear is different since many believe that

laws currently scheduled to go into effect at the st art of 201 3 will, in fact, be altered before or soon after they take effect.

Changes that could happen

Here is a br oad overview of some of the key tax changes that are set to take effect at the st art of 2013 unless policymakers in Washington agree to a different approach: ■ Higher income tax rates will apply to all taxpayers (other than corporations).

■ The employee’s share of payroll taxes (in this c ase, the Social Security tax) will return to the standard 6.2 percent rate from the 4.2 percent rate that applied in 2011 and 2012.1 ■ Investment income such as capital gains and di vidends will be subject to higher tax rates, and

for certain higher-income taxpayers, will be subj ect to a ne w 3.8 percent tax on net investment income.

■ Some tax credits and deductions will disappear or be limited.

■ Estate and gift t axes will ris e and apply to far more taxpayers.

■ Consider that the higher your income, the more significant the tax changes are likely to be. There is speculation that Congress and the President will agree on a plan to scale back or po stpone many of these tax hikes, but it isn’ t clear when or if such an agr eement will occur.

Timely opportunities

■ Making tax-efficient moves before the end of the year is particularly challenging gi ven the question mark surrounding the tax landscape. But unc ertainty

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doesn’t preclude the importance of considering steps that can help you be as pr epared as po ssible regardless of what comes out of Washington. Keep in mind that the “fiscal cliff” situation ma y not be limited to 2012 — the f ollowing action st eps to consider apply to most economic landscapes in w hich consumers are anticipating a ris e in t axes the following calendar year.

■ Though you should ne ver make financial decisions b ased only on t ax efficiency, here are five potential moves to consider making no w if the y fit into your overall short-term financial plan: ■ CONVERT RETIREMENT SAVINGS TO A ROTH IRA — You can convert some or all of y our workplace savings plan dollars, if the plan allows, or tr aditional IRA assets to a Roth IRA. Dollars in a Roth IRA grow on a tax-deferred basis, and withdrawals can qualify for tax-free treatment if holding period r equirements are met. Since a Roth conversion is a t axable event, 2012 ma y be the best opportunity for those who are considering it sinc e tax rates for many people are likely to be lower in 2012 than they will be in the c oming years. Another advantage of converting to a Roth is that you can change your mind, and “re-characterize” the dollars converted back to a tr aditional IRA before October 15, 2013. In short, any decision made to convert today is not fi nal, but waiting until after the New Year will make the c onversion subject to potentially higher tax rates.

■ ACCELERATE INCOME — In most years, individuals try to find ways to reduce taxable income and ac celerate deductible expenses. This time, it may make sense to accelerate income as much as po ssible into 2012 and defer deductible expenses to reduce your 2013 income, if you have the fl exibility to do so. One note – higher income people may not want to overdo it on def erring deductible expenses as new tax policies being c onsidered

could limit deductions in 201 3 and beyond for those reaching certain income thresholds.

■ SELL APPRECIATED ASSETS — As the law stands today, the tax rate on long-t erm capital gains realized when an as set is s old (such as a st ock or mutual fund) will rise to a top rate of 20 percent in 2013. In 2012, the t op longterm capital gains tax rate is just 15 percent. Investment income could also be subject to an additional 3.8 percent net investment income surtax in 2013 (related to the Affordable Care Act) if you reach certain income thresholds, adding to the tax burden. There is an important caveat to mention – don’t sell an as set simply for purposes of potentially reducing the tax impact of the s ale. You must first determine whether selling the as set is a benefi cial move for you and mak es sense as part of y our overall financial plan r egardless of the t ax consequences.

■ TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GIFT TAX SAVINGS — In 2012, the lif etime gift tax exclusion amounts are $5.12 million for individuals or $10.24 million for a couple. These rules have not been e xtended beyond 2012, so this may be the best opportunity for those with accumulated wealth to reduce their estates in such a t ax-favorable environment. Be sure any gifting is c onsistent with plans you already have and is not done simply due to 2012’s more favorable tax environment.

■ ACCELERATE MEDICAL EXPENSES INTO 2012 — If y ou anticipate costly medical procedures and can get them completed and fully paid for in 2012, there may be a bett er chance for tax savings. In 2012, taxpayers who itemize deductions c an claim unreimbursed medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of adjusted gross income (AGI) . Only those expenses that exceed 10 percent of AGI in 2013 will be deductible.

As always, any tax-related decisions should be made onl y after consulting with your tax advisor.

JANUARY 2013

cvbusinessmonthly.com

CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

THE COURIER

PAGE 11

Going green during 2013 makes dollars and cents This is the time of y ear when people reflect on what they have done in the p ast and think about changes they can make to better themselves in the future. Smart business owners also think this way. There Joe Bolick is no time bett er is marketing, communications than now, if y ou haven’t already, to and grants make 2013 the year specialist with the Iowa Waste when your busiReduction Center ness takes that at the University leap into becomof Northern Iowa. ing environmenContact him at tally friendly, 273-6577. eco-conscious, green, sustainable or an y of the other c atchy phrase meaning that the en vironmental impact of y our business decisions ar e taken into consideration. Many businesses shudder at the thought of one more variable being added to the already-crowded decision-making process, but making environmentally focused choices doesn’t have to be a nuisance.

One of the e asiest moves one can make is t o look int o energy consumption. While r enewable energy is bec oming more prevalent, the v ast majority of our energy is still created by burning coal, an en vironmentally unfriendly process. Most utilities will provide businesses with a free energy audit and ma y also provide financial incentives such as free or deeply discounted energy saving supplies lik e light bulbs and faucet aerators.

Another way you can lessen your environmental impact is by taking a good look at y our waste streams and identifying ways wastes can be reused or diverted from the landfill. Recycling is one of the most common ways to do this, but there are other options and resources out ther e to help you. There is the old adag e of “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” and pr ograms like the I owa Department of Natural Resources’ Iowa Waste Exchange turn this int o a r eality by matching a company who needs something that another company is throwing away.

Taking a look at your processes

and finding more efficient ways of doing them c an have a hug e impact on y our environmental footprint as well as your bottom line. By doing thing s efficiently you eliminate wasted time and materials which inherently will result in a lessened environmental impact and reduced costs.

The one chang e that c an have the biggest impact is als o the most difficult to implement, which is cr eating a c ompany culture focused on efficiency and environmental awareness.

Be sure to share the c ompany’s vision and educate employees on the environmental goals so they can effectively implement gr een strategies. This c an be achie ved by providing incentives for green actions like allowing employees to work from home one da y a week, sharing some of the cost savings from efficient operations, or simply just giving notoriety to those who have embraced your company’s environmental push.

If you decide to move forward this year with any of these ideas, don’t let them g o unnoticed.

Make sure your marketing messages include your environmental

Get your money’s worth Advertising in the Cedar Valley Business Monthly is an efficient way to spend your advertising dollars. If you want to place a display ad, call an ac count executive at 2 91-1497 from 8 a.m. to 5 p .m.

Monday through Friday.

Our account executives and creative department will be happy to help you establish a c ampaign, step-by-step, that will sell. Before you set next year’s budget, give us a call.

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goals and what your company is doing to reach these goals. Consumers today, more than e ver, are more apt t o make a bu ying decision based on a c ompany’s environmental record, and this may just give you a competitive advantage.

No matter what your per-

sonal resolutions may be, try to make this year the one in w hich your business becomes a po sitive example — not only for your employees but f or other businesses and your community — of how to step outside the office and consider the imp act your business has on the environment.

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PAGE 12

CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

cvbusinessmonthly.com

JANUARY 2013

try that if it does pick up , we’re going to see more increases in costs of materials, whether lumFrom page 3 ber, drywall or insulation,” he said. “If we get much of a pick up in ne w construction, those “We’ve been suc cessful in plants are going to have to work migrating monies to those other overtime.” investments to help them alla y Craig Fairbanks, owner of the income concerns they have, Waterloo-based builder Cr aig because the (costs) to live haven’t Fairbanks Homes, said he’s not come down,” he said. worried.

Where will investments go?

“I think it ’s just a normal The investment sector also is cycle. We’re still alive,” he s aid. watching the F ed’s moves, too, “There’s still no bett er place said Jay Bullerman, CEO of to put y our money. Personally, Financial Resource Advisors in I think a hug e jump in int erWaterloo. est rates might have a bigger “Given the fact that we’ve impact, but a small jump might been through the bett er part of cause people t o be mor e moti2 1/2 years or s o of r eally artivated, anticipating that r ates ficially low interest rates and will go up.” stimulus that ha ve helped mar Low interest rates have wouldkets rebound, given that w e’re be buyers motivated, Fairbanks at multi-year highs and people are scared the death, the biggest BRANDON POLLOCK / Courier Staff Photographer said.

“I’m probably getting three things I’m watching that will Jesus Alvarez of McDonald Construction builds a wall for a new house on Yellowstone Drive in Waterloo calls a week from people who are determine market direction are during mid-December. Mild weather has been a boon for the construction company. interested in doing s omething fiscal and monetary policy deciin next month or six months ,” sions,” Bullerman said.

Interest rates can be held down I think, says it’s a bit mor e dis- it up.” ing market, said Bob Reisinger, he said.

Casey McLaughlin, broker with executive vice president of the orderly,” he s aid. “The market only so long, Bullerman said.

“At some point the mar ket will is more an or ganic organization McLaughlin Investment Services Waterloo-Cedar Falls Board of Commercial real estate take over and w e won’t be able that can’t be controlled by mov- in Waterloo, said the market like- Realtors, Commercial real estate agents to engineer this en vironment as ing some decimals. It’s getting to ly would be “somewhat front“What I think is g onna hap- have reason to expect a brisk well as we have,” he said. “With where we’re going to have some loaded” in 2013. pen, stuff I’m reading now is 25 2013, said Ken Lockard, chair“We may see markets acting percent of the pot ential buyers man of Cedar Falls-based Lockthe amount of mone y supply things come home t o roost in fairly strong in first six months are waiting to see if mort gage ard Cos. we have, if we begin to get some inflation and interest rates.”

The stock market may be in for and give some back as they tweak interest deduction is still ther e,” velocity, it will be t ough to keep “We’re expecting a much some short-term volatility, Bull- details in a long-term budget he said. “If it’s still there or some better 2013,” he s aid. “In part, inflation in check.” deal,” he said.

Bullerman compared the Fed’s erman said. modification is made or the like, there’s not ne arly going to be “I’m not really concerned about movements to winding a spring I see nothing but a slo w, steady as many projects as 2006-2007, the well-being of global capital- Housing “kind of tight.” climb again for the ’13 housing but probably 70 percent of the “To unwind it in an orderly way ism. I think it ’s gonna survive developers in the U.S. are literalA gradual increase is f ore- market.” is nice to talk about, but history, despite our best efforts to mess cast for the Cedar Valley housNew construction likely will ly gone — from small developers accelerate, Reisinger said. to billion-dollar-a-year devel“I don’t think w e have a big opers. So, we’re going to have enough inventory for buyers more projects than in the last that are there now. That’s still four years, but there are going to evident in multiple offers made be fewer people to do them.” on properties,” he said.

As far as de velopment in the Home prices may increase by Cedar Valley, some question Financial Services, LTD as much 6 t o 7 per cent, which marks remain, Lockard said. would match 2012, Reisinger “I worry about the office marAchieve Your Financial Goals said. ket,” he said. “You’ve got Tower “Overall, I s ee prices steady, Park. I’m not sur e if w e know not big jumps but a steady what’s going to happen with increase,” he said.

GMAC. You’ve got the PrinciCost is a c oncern for Kyle pal building in the C edar Falls Skogman, president of C edar Industrial Park. And there’s PFG. Phone 319-277-1059 Rapids-based homebuilder So, you’ve got all of thes e large 800-799-6357 Skogman Homes, which has an office spaces that ar e resistant office in Cedar Falls. to rents increasing. So, we’ve got CLU, President “One is that the capacity in the to fill that c apacity. I think the Investment Advisor Thunder Ridge Mall Lower West housing industry has dropped so office market is going to be very Representiative 2302 W 1st St Ste 120 - Cedar Falls, IA 50613 dramatically across the c oun- soft for large spaces.”

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JANUARY 2013

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CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

THE COURIER

PAGE 13

Economic trends that could impact 2013 — and beyond I started to write my annual economic forecast for 2013, but two things caused me to step back and instead focus on long-term trends.

First, I f ound myself writing about many of the same issues I did Rick Brimeyer a year ago, except is president of with a gr eater Brimeyer LLC, an independent degree of unc ertainty. What will management consulting firm happen within the in Ames. Further Euro zone during information is 2013 is an yone’s available at www. guess, and the brimeyerllc.com result of the “fisor by calling (515) cal cliff” nego450-8855. tiations will ha ve unknown effects.

Second, trying to predict the future is folly. Investors are constantly advised to think long-

term. That’s sound advice for business managers, too.

So here are some major economic trends that ha ve been influencing the ec onomy and that I belie ve will c ontinue to influence it in the f oreseeable future.

Overall global growth stabilized during the latter part of 2012 and is slowly picking up . Looking forward, exports should provide a somewhat stronger tailwind with emerging nations pla ying an ever-larger role.

The big unkno wn is still Europe. Greece (and I suspect a handful of other s outhern European countries) simply cannot compete. Just as high schools are separated by enrollment size in athletics to level the playing field, Greece ultimately needs to leave the EU and r equires a unique currency that it c an control in order to compete. The $6 4,000

business loans

question is when that will occur and what impact it will ha ve on other euro member nations that struggle to compete.

An even bigger issue moving forward is how our own ballooning federal debt will be managed. The recent focus has been on avoiding the “fiscal cliff,” the expiration of the Bush t ax cuts and implementation of automatic spending cuts the could cause another recession.

The cliff pales, however, with the consequences of not r eining in the f ederal deficit. Sacrifice will be required, both in terms of revenue generation and spending cuts. That’s a tall order for a dysfunctional Congress.

Consumers also are changing, especially the t argeted demographic of young adults.

Generation Y pla ys by its own set of v alues, and the y are not consumption-driven.

Take the housing industr y, for example. While housing began pulling itself off the fl oor during the latter half of 2012, don’t expect a rapid return to “normal” housing starts. Family household formation basically has stalled since the recession. Who can blame y oung adults for not rushing to form families as c olleges consistently turn out mor e degrees than j ob openings can support, and the a verage graduate leaves with $27,000 in debt?

But it goes beyond that. According to a S eptember 2012 article in The A tlantic, this is a demographic that v alues access over ownership. Downloading music and movies instead of pur chasing manufactured CDs and DVDs is just the tip of the iceberg.

Many Millennials in large cities, armed with smart phone t echnology that mak es new things possible daily, are joining car-

sharing clubs in dr oves. When they do pur chase, they tend to buy small, practical vehicles. In short, with the exception of their smart phones and associated apps, this is not a group interested in keeping up with the J oneses. When one considers that the housing and auto industries historically make up 15 to 20 percent of GDP, that’s a big deal.

Is it any wonder companies continue to play it safe? Temporary hires, low-risk capital investments and historically low inventory-to-sales ratios will remain commonplace. Without resolution to debt issues at home and in Eur ope, managers won’t bet the farm.

Overall, the ec onomic pie will continue to grow over the ne xt decade, but at r oughly twothirds the rate experienced during our cr edit addiction of the past 25 to 30 years.

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PAGE 14

CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

Planning is crucial to financial success Financial planning is not just necessary; it is irreplaceable.

The late, great motivational speaker Zig Ziglar once said that either as indi viduals or “as financial advisers, we are really in the transportation business. No trucks, no planes , no ships, no trains, but helping you get from where you are to Richard Brandhorst where you want is with Financial to be. We believe Decisions Group in it is your attitude, Waterloo. Contact not your aptitude, him at 233-8476. that determines your ultimate altitude.”

If your financial success is based on your financial attitude, then what is your attitude toward achieving financial suc cess?

Doesn’t your desired future life require a certain level of financial success?

Do you have a s et of fi nancial objectives to transport you to your desired financial destinations?

Does your daily financial plan go in cir cles, toward no g oal or specific destination? If s o, here are four good reasons to set your own, personal, family, faith, career and financial goals.

■ Goals give us a purpose in life.

All of us ha ve many short t erm goals: get ourselves to work, kids to school, mow the lawn, etc.

But in addition t o short-term objectives, we should s et midterm and long-term goals: What work would we wish t o go to?

Will the kids still be in s chool?

Will our pr esent vehicle still be appropriate?

■ Personal goals help us f eel good about our selves. Personal success might be defi ned as “feeling good about our selves.”

Financial success might be defined as “feeling confident that we can afford to live the way we wish to.”

■ Goals help us fi ght through the trials in our li ves. There may be some mental stress in y our daily striving toward your goals.

But if you believe in yourself and in your financial planning, you will stick to the plan.

■ Financial objectives, and longer-term goals, will help nourish your positive attitude. All of us , at some time in our bus y lives, have decided not t o try something. And, once in a w hile we may regret not ha ving tried t o do, or t o be, that s omething in our lives.

Perhaps your objectives and longer-term goals and the right “personal financial trainer” will help you believe in your personal financial success. Maybe you have found a fi nancial adviser who can both enc ourage and rebuke you to stay on track.

Yet, why haven’t many of us done our per sonal financial planning and set written goals?

And even if y ou have, do y ou keep those goals and planning available to refer to? Set financial goals in writing. Read your financial goals at le ast weekly.

They should be me asurable, have a specific time frame, lofty but achievable.

Commit to your goals, then find a support team of family, friends, co-workers and pr ofessional advisers who encourage your goals.

Find all your latest news in

cvbusinessmonthly.com

JANUARY 2013

WWW.CEDARVALLEYALLIANCE.COM

ALLIANCE & CHAMBER NEWSLETTER January 2013

BE PART OF SOMETHING GREATER!

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS GCVAC ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS

Annual Business Awards Nomination Deadline

January 18th GCVAC Annual Celebration th March 7 5 Sullivan Brothers Convention Center

The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber announces nominations are open for a variety of business awards to be presented during the 2013 Annual Celebration on Thursday, March 7th at the 5 Sullivan Brothers Convention Center. “The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber Annual Celebration is one of my favorite events. It gives us the opportunity to thank all our investors and members for all they do to make the Cedar Valley a great place to do business. The businesses and individuals recognized always bring inspirational stories of success. It’s the high point of the evening,” said Bob Justis, Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber.

Do you know of an individual who should be recognized for their contributions in creating a strong business climate and enhancing the quality of life in the Cedar Valley by continued service and leadership? Has a business or organization made an outstanding contribution to the Cedar Valley and its citizens on a continued basis or with a specific project? You are encouraged to nominate them for recognition of their contributions.

“The nominees and award winners demonstrate what a successful economy we have. It’s important and fun to recognize those who are investing capital, creating jobs and really making a difference,” said Alliance & Chamber CEO Steve Dust.

Nominations are being accepted through January 18th for the following awards:

Business of the Year Award Harold Brock Innovation Award Treating Capital Well Award Fulfilling the Vision of One Award Cedar Valley Partner Award

Book your company table now!

Contact Bette Wubbena at 319-232-1156

PAGE 15

Descriptions of the awards and nomination forms are available at the Alliance & Chamber offices or online at www. cedarvalleyalliance.com/programsandevents . For additional information, please contact Bette Wubbena at bwubbena@cedarvalleyalliance.com or 232-1156.

GCVAC 2013 Iowa Legislative Policy Agenda Announced at Legislative Reception The Government Relations Committee, local partners, and staff team of the Alliance & Chamber have assembled the Cedar Valley Agenda for Economic Progress for the 2013 Iowa Legislative Session. The agenda was formally announced during a December 5th reception for the Cedar Valley delegation from the Iowa legislature.

Download the agenda at www.cedarvalley alliance.com/gov.

SAVE THE DATE! Friday Forum January 11th, 7:30 - 9:00am 5 Sullivan Brothers Convention Center Legislative Session Reception February 19, 2013 Renaissance Savery Hotel, 401 Locust St., Des Moines, IA

Alliance & Chamber Conducts Legislative Technical Sessions Cedar Valley area legislators were invited to two technical sessions conducted by the Alliance & Chamber. The Alliance & Chamber’s staff team was joined by Alliance affiliates and local partners in the two sessions for Republican and Democrat members of the delegation. The sessions are used to discuss the elements of the recently released annual Agenda for Economic Progress at a technical level.

Fix the Debt Steering Council Leaders Attend Government Relations Session Members of the Iowa Steering Committee of the national Fix the Debt initiative attended the December 14 meeting of the Government Relations Committee to enlist business and civic support in the Cedar Valley. Mark Hanawalt, president of United Equipment & Accessories, Waverly, joined former US Rep Dave Nagle to encourage the Alliance & Chamber to support a slowing of US federal government debt. Learn more about the initiative by visiting www.FixTheDebt.org.

WWW.CEDARVALLEYALLIANCE.COM

ALLIANCE & CHAMBER NEWSLETTER PAGE 16

January 2013

BE PART OF SOMETHING GREATER!

GCVAC: Engaged & Focused on Expanding CV Workforce Providing opportunities and solutions to grow your business The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber is working on talent development and retention as a top priority. The GCVAC is aggressively addressing the need for skilled talent. Some of the early initiatives are described on this page.

“Expanding Talent Now”, the 2013 Northeast Iowa Manufacturing Conference will focus on talent and innovation. The day’s schedule is packed with panels, presentations, and speakers addressing talent supply and skills. Presentations will include: • Experiences of manufacturers: Vermeer and Unverferth • How to attract emerging talent to manufacturing • Retirement - Training opportunities to transition your workforce Owners and key managers are encouraged to attend. The event is free, but space is limited to 200 guests. Registration is required and may be done by emailing info@cedarvalleyalliance.com. For more information contact the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber, by calling 319-232-1156 or email bjungck@cedarvalleyalliance.com.

2013 Northeast Iowa

Manufacturing Conference

Expanding Talent Now February 6, 2013 Hawkeye Community College For More Information www.hawkeyecollege.edu/go/manufacturing info@cedarvalleyalliance.com

Co-Sponsored By:

The Cedar Valley Recognized as First Skilled Iowa Community in the State Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Teresa Wahlert, Director of Iowa Workforce Development visited ƚŚĞ ĞĚĂƌ sĂůůĞLJ ŽŶ EŽǀĞŵďĞƌ ϮϬ ƚŽ ĂŶŶŽƵŶĐĞ ƚŚĞ ĞĚĂƌ sĂůůĞLJ͛Ɛ ƐƚĂƚƵƐ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ĮƌƐƚ ĞĐŽŶŽŵŝĐ ĂƌĞĂ ƚŽ ĂĚŽƉƚ ƚŚĞ ^ŬŝůůĞĚ /ŽǁĂ ŽŵŵƵŶŝƟĞƐ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ ŽŶ Ă ƌĞŐŝŽŶĂů ďĂƐŝƐ͘ Ŷ ĂƵĚŝĞŶĐĞ ŽĨ ƌĞŐŝŽŶĂů ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ĂŶĚ ĐŝǀŝĐ ůĞĂĚĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ŵĞĚŝĂ ŐĂƚŚĞƌĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ DĐ ƌŝĚĞ ƵĚŝƚŽƌŝƵŵ of ůůĞŶ ŽůůĞŐĞ ƚŽ ŚĞĂƌ ďŽƚŚ 'ŽǀĞƌŶŽƌ ƌĂŶƐƚĂĚ ĂŶĚ tĂŚůĞƌƚ ƉƌĂŝƐĞ ƚŚĞ ĞīŽƌƚƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ůůŝĂŶĐĞ Θ ŚĂŵďĞƌ ĂŶĚ ŝƚƐ ƌĞŐŝŽŶĂů ůŽĐĂů ƉĂƌƚŶĞƌƐ ĨŽƌ ĂĚŽƉƟŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƐŬŝůůƐͲďƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ĐĞƌƟĮĐĂƟŽŶ ŝŶŝƟĂƟǀĞ͘ The Cedar Valley Skilled Iowa Community is a resource for employers in all basic and service sectors to ĂƩƌĂĐƚ ĂŶĚ ƌĞƚĂŝŶ ƋƵĂůŝƚLJ ƚĂůĞŶƚ͘ KǀĞƌ ϭϵϬ ĞŵƉůŽLJĞƌƐ ŽĨ Ăůů ƐŝnjĞƐ͕ ƌĞƉƌĞƐĞŶƟŶŐ ŽǀĞƌ ϴϬϬϬ ĞŵƉůŽLJĞĞƐ ŚĂǀĞ ĂůƌĞĂĚLJ ƐŝŐŶĞĚ ƵƉ ƚŽ ƉĂƌƟĐŝƉĂƚĞ ŝŶ ĂŶĚ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ĞĚĂƌ sĂůůĞLJ ^ŬŝůůĞĚ /ŽǁĂ͘ ƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĞǀĞŶƚ͕ ^ŚĂǁŶĂ KůƐŽŶ ŽĨ DĂƌƟŶ ƌŽƚŚĞƌƐ ŝƐƚƌŝďƵƟŽŶ Ž͕͘ ŽŶĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĮƌƐƚ ĞĚĂƌ sĂůůĞLJ ĮƌŵƐ ƚŽ ƐŝŐŶ ƵƉ ĨŽƌ ĞĚĂƌ sĂůůĞLJ ^ŬŝůůĞĚ /ŽǁĂ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵƐ͕ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞĚ ŝŶƐŝŐŚƚ ŝŶƚŽ ǁŚLJ ƚŚĞ Įƌŵ ƉĂƌƟĐŝƉĂƚĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚŚĞ ŝŶŝƟĂƟǀĞ ĚĞůŝǀĞƌƐ͘ ŶƵŵďĞƌ ŽĨ ĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶĂů ůĞĂĚĞƌƐ ƐŝŐŶĞĚ ĐŽŵŵŝƚŵĞŶƚƐ ƚŽ ƉĂƌƟĐŝƉĂƚĞ ŝŶ ^ŬŝůůĞĚ /ŽǁĂ͕ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ͗

University of Northern Iowa Provost Gloria Gibson ,ĂǁŬĞLJĞ ŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ŽůůĞŐĞ WƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚ >ŝŶĚĂ ůůĞŶ tĂƚĞƌůŽŽ ŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ^ĐŚŽŽůƐ ^ƵƉƚ͘ 'ĂƌLJ EŽƌƌŝƐ ĞĚĂƌ &ĂůůƐ ŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ^ĐŚŽŽůƐ ^ƵƉƚ͘ DŝŬĞ tĞůůƐ

Sign the Cedar Valley SkilledIowa commitment form. Join the growing list of over 135 progressive employers in the Cedar Valley creating “work ready” region. Commit to promoting just one job posting to NCRC certification per year. Together, we can encourage testing, and continue to grow the skilled labor pool. Download the commitment form at www.cedarvalleyalliance.com/SkilledIowa.

ůůŝĂŶĐĞ K ^ƚĞǀĞ ƵƐƚ ƐŝŐŶĞĚ ƚŚĞ ^ŬŝůůĞĚ /ŽǁĂ ŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ĂŐƌĞĞŵĞŶƚ ŽŶ ďĞŚĂůĨ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĞĚĂƌ sĂůley, ĂŶĚ ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĞĚ ŝƚ ƚŽ 'ŽǀĞƌŶŽƌ ƌĂŶƐƚĂĚ ĂŶĚ ŝƌĞĐƚŽƌ tĂŚůĞƌƚ͘ /Ŷ Ă ƐƉĞĐŝĂů ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĂƟŽŶ͕ ZŽŶĞĞ ^ůĂŐůĞ͕ ŝƐƚƌŝĐƚ DĂŶĂŐĞƌ ŽĨ /ŽǁĂ tŽƌŬĨŽƌĐĞ ĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ͕ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĞĚ ϯϱ ŶĞǁ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ĐŽŵŵŝƚŵĞŶƚƐ ƚŽ ^ŬŝůůĞĚ /ŽǁĂ ƚŽ 'ŽǀĞƌŶŽƌ ƌĂŶƐƚĂĚ͘ tŚĞŶ LJŽƵ ƐŝŐŶ ƚŚĞ ĞĚĂƌ sĂůůĞLJ ^ŬŝůůĞĚ /ŽǁĂ ŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ĐŽŵŵŝƚŵĞŶƚ ĨŽƌŵ͕ LJŽƵ ũŽŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůŝƐƚ ŽĨ emƉůŽLJĞƌƐ ǁŚŽ ĂƌĞ ĐƌĞĂƟŶŐ Ă ǀŝďƌĂŶƚ ͞ǁŽƌŬ ƌĞĂĚLJ͟ ƌĞŐŝŽŶ͕ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŵŵŝƚ ƚŽ ƉƌŽŵŽƟŶŐ ũƵƐƚ ŽŶĞ ũŽď ƉŽƐƟŶŐ ƚŽ E Z ĐĞƌƟĮĐĂƟŽŶ ƉĞƌ LJĞĂƌ͘

WWW.CEDARVALLEYALLIANCE.COM

ALLIANCE & CHAMBER NEWSLETTER January 2013

BE PART OF SOMETHING GREATER!

PAGE 17

Expectations High for February Talent Connect Job Fair The Cedar Valley is a growing, vibrant business community in need of talent with a wide variety of industry experience. The goal of the GCVAC Talent Connect Talent Fair is to illustrate the number of career opportunities in the Cedar Valley Region to help draw new talent to the area and also provide opportunities for our current workforce.

This fair will be a venue fit for any Cedar Valley employer from the retail operations to the software designers to the logistics firms. Our goal is to provide opportunities that cover the broad spectrum of experience of our job seeking population, while also providing attractive opportunities for those open to relocation to our area.

The goal is to serve 800 or more job seekers on the day of the event. Approximately 50 employers will be present at the Talent Connect Job Fair along with a variety of educational institutions providing training opportunities for those looking to explore a new career path.

The GCVAC’s expectations for this community-wide event are BIG for all businesses, all job seekers, and people who are interested in great careers and making the Cedar Valley Region their home.

Talent Connect Job Fair for Hostess Employees Well Attended Twenty-three Cedar Valley employers greeted approximately 58 Hostess employees at the recent Talent Connect Hostess Job Fair. Most employers were looking for material handlers, drivers, sales professionals, bakers, or manufacturing production staff.

Approximately 70 percent of the displaced Hostess population were in attendance. GCVAC organizer Brittany Jungck commented that the applicants seemed focused on getting back to work and the employers were sympathetic and upbeat about hiring. Similar events have been held in 2012 in response to situations with BPI and PFG Best.

Inaugural TALENT TELLS ALL Event Exceeds Expectations

On Friday, December 7th the GCVAC hosted a panel discussion to help Cedar Valley employers improve their recruitment practices. This event, titled Talent Tells All, which is part of the GCVAC’s “Work the Valley” program, featured five young professionals who chose positions in communities outside the Cedar Valley. The goal of the event was to provide candid feedback in order to make Cedar Valley employers more competitive and attractive to college graduates and young professionals. The event was attended by Cedar Valley business leaders and HR professionals and was held at Hilton Garden Inn & Conference Center, Cedar Falls, IA.

For more information on Talent Connect and the workforce development initiatives of the GCVAC contact Brittany Jungck at bjungck@cedarvalleyalliance.com or go to www.cedarvalleyalliance.com /talent connect.

WWW.CEDARVALLEYALLIANCE.COM

ALLIANCE & CHAMBER NEWSLETTER PAGE 18

January2013

BE PART OF SOMETHING GREATER!

Ribbon Cuttings

Iowa Community Credit Union 218 W. Mullan Ave. ,Waterloo

River Place, Eagle View Partners 300 State Street, Cedar Falls

& Ground Breakings Servpro of Black Hawk County 5719 Westminster Dr. Ste. C., Cedar Falls

TrueCare Healthcare Solutions 1990 Heath St, Waterloo

Welcome New Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber Investors/Members Phil Akin

Champs

Denton Casting Company

Moeller & Walter, Inc.

5550 Wild Rose Ln. West Des Moines, IA 50266 (515) 661-6345 Fax: (515) 661-6101 www.corecompadvisors.com Category: Consulting

2520 Melrose Dr. Cedar Falls, IA 50613 (319) 610-2136 Fax: (319) 277-7663 Category: Barbers/Beauty/Tanning Salon

Mike Denton 102 Main St. Brandon, IA 52210 (319) 474-2242 Fax: (319) 474-2585 Category: Manufacturers

Lynn Moeller 101 Blackhawk St. Reinbeck, IA 50669 (319)-788-6459 Category: Contractors-General Building

The Crown Group

Federated Insurance

Janet Lyons 1006 Decathlon Dr. Waterloo, IA 50701 (319) 232-5683 Category: Health & Wellness

Kenneth Stallon 2111 Walter Reuter Dr. Warren, MI 48091 (319) 493-3490 www.thecrowngrp.com Category: Protective Coating Specialists

Adam Miller 2215 Erik Rd. Cedar Falls, IA 50613 (319) 269-5294 Fax: (319) 242-7230 www.federatedinsurance.com Category: Insurance Provider

Centro, Inc.

D&C Floors

Graham Construction

Brian Valde 3500 E. Donald St. Waterloo, IA 50703 (319) 235-8000 www.centroinc.com Category: Manufacturers

Shane Seevell 3771 LaFayette Rd. Evansdale, IA 50707 (319) 287-4384 Fax: (319) 287-6871 Category: Carpet/Sheet Vinyl Dealer

Alternatives Pregnancy Center

Kevin Tubbs 421 Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA 50309 (515) 244-1279 Fax: (515) 244-7421 Category: Construction

City of Waverly Mayor Bob Brunkhorst 200 1st St. NE Waverly, IA 50677 (319) 352-4252 Category: Government Offices

Join the GCVAC! Learn how your business will benefit!

Contact Bette Wubbena at (319) 232-1156

WWW.CEDARVALLEYALLIANCE.COM

ALLIANCE & CHAMBER NEWSLETTER January 2013

PAGE 19

BE PART OF SOMETHING GREATER!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR JAN 03 / TechBrew Cedar Valley Toads Bar & Grill , 204 Main St., Cedar Falls, IA, @ 5:00PM JAN 07 / Business Summit to Drive Education Reform Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center 833 5th Ave., Des Moines, IA @ 9:00AM FEB 06 / NE Iowa Manufacturing Conference Hawkeye Community College - Tama Hall, Waterloo, IA @ 8:30AM FEB 19/ Legislative Session Reception Renaissance Savery Hotel, 401 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 5:00PM FEB 28 / Talent Connect Job Fair Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center Waterloo, IA 2:00PM -7:00PM MAR 07 / Annual Celebration Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center, Waterloo, IA MAR 13 / ABI Legislative Briefing & Reception Downtown Marriot, 700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA @ 3:45PM

One Mission, One Focus, One Voice • Workforce & Talent Business Growth • Advocating • Increasing Regional Collaboration • Business Intelligence & Economic Performance Data • Report our Success THANK YOU FOR INVESTING IN THE CEDAR VALLEY ECONOMY

View the video www.ftv2.org

Brooke Weber Joins the GCVAC Team!

GREAT NEWS CEDAR VALLEY Listen Tuesdays at 8:45am

Brooke Weber has joined the GCVAC staff as Receptionist/Administrative Assistant. Brooke is a 2005 graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism & Mass Communications. She brings a host of skills including experience in web design.A Gilbertville native, Brooke recently returned to the Cedar Valley after work-

tŝƚŚ ƐŽ ŵƵĐŚ ŐƌĞĂƚ ŶĞǁƐ ƚŽ ƐŚĂƌĞ ĂďŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ĞĚĂƌ sĂůůĞLJ ǁĞ ĂƌĞ ƚĂŬŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ' s ŵĞƐƐĂŐĞ ƚŽ ƚŚĂƚ ĂŝƌǁĂǀĞƐ͊ Žď :ƵƐƟƐ ĂŶĚ tĞŶĚLJ <ŶĂƉƉ ĂƌĞ ĚŝƐĐƵƐƐŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ůĂƚĞƐƚ ŶĞǁƐ͕ ĂŶĚ ĞǀĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ǁŝƚŚ ŚŽƐƚƐ Žď ĂŶĚ :ĞŶŶŝ ŽŶ dŚĞ DŽƌŶŝŶŐ Dŝdž ƐŚŽǁ͘ >ŝƐƚĞŶĞƌƐ ǁŝůů ůĞĂƌŶ ĂďŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ďĞŶĞĮƚƐ ŽĨ ďĞŝŶŐ ƉĂƌƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ' s ĂŶĚ ĂďŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ƌŽůĞ ƚŚĞ ůůŝĂŶĐĞ Θ ŚĂŵďĞƌƐ ƉůĂLJƐ ŝŶ ĞŶĐŽƵƌĂŐŝŶŐ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ĂŶĚ ĞĐŽŶŽŵŝĐ ǀŝƚĂůŝƚLJ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƌĞŐŝŽŶ͘

ing in Asheville, NC. Previously she worked locally with the Northeast Iowa Food Bank and the Community Foundation.

Brooke enjoys cooking and collecting quality kitchen gagetry!

She also knits and attends cultural events in her spare time.

Her email address is bweber@cedarvalleyalliance.com.

^ƉĞĐŝĂů ŐƵĞƐƚƐ ǁŝůů ũŽŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŶǀĞƌƐĂƟŽŶ ƚŽ ƐŚĂƌĞ ƚŚĞŝƌ ĞdžƉĞƌƟƐĞ ĂŶĚ ĚĞƚĂŝůƐ ĂďŽƵƚ ƐƉĞĐŝĮĐ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚƐ ĂŶĚ ĞǀĞŶƚƐ͘ >Ğƚ ƵƐ ŬŶŽǁ LJŽƵ͛ƌĞ ůŝƐƚĞŶŝŶŐ͊ Send your comments to ǁŬŶĂƉƉΛĐĞĚĂƌǀĂůůĞLJĂůůŝĂŶĐĞ͘ĐŽŵ͘

Full calendar of events at www.cedarvalleyalliance.com. Coming soon . . .GCVAC Mobile App

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PAGE 20

CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

cvbusinessmonthly.com

JANUARY 2013

What next for small business?

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The election of 2012 is ďŹ nally over. Americans have chosen President Barack Obama to continue to lead us for the ne xt four years.

What does that mean for small business?

Banking and Rhonda other industries Hinton is vice president are dealing with a constant barrage of commercial of changing regulending at Community lations. Changes National Bank in in the he alth care Waterloo. Contact industry are comher at 291-2000. ing as the P atient Protection and Affordable Care Act takes effect.

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Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a question a lot of homeowners are asking: If there is so much cheap natural gas ďŹ&#x201A;oating around the U nited States, why arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fuel bills falling?

The answer is that fuel is onl y

part of the fuel bill. A lot of what homeowners pay goes to building new power lines or tending to aging gas pipelines. In one recent rate case, a utilit y got a r ate increase to cover pension costs.

Moreover, electric utilities , burned by sudden natur al gas

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Find all your latest news in

and meet them more than once a year.

Your banker is your partner in business as w ell. Proper structuring of debt is key to managing cash ďŹ&#x201A;ow. Even if y ou carry no debt, changing technology has improved the movement of funds to streamline the c ollection and availability of your funds.

And ďŹ nally, get involved. With todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s technology there are many ways to communicate with your local, state and federal representatives. Tweets, emails and even a phone c all let them kno w how their decisions affect your business.

Small businesses are what built this country and will help us t o grow into the future.

Cheaper natural gas doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean lower fuel bills The Washington Post

Design/Build General Contractor

Small business owners are uncertain how these changes will affect their operations and their bottom line. Changing r egulations mean training expenses and increased costs in materials and human resources. Many businesses are holding back on adding employees due to the uncertainty of the costs related to health care and the lik e. So what is a small business owner to do?

Look to others for assistance.

Your banker and accountant are a good place to start. A g ood accountant will be on t op of the ever-changing tax structures and be able t o guide y ou in a plan that will work best for your business. Look f or an ac countant familiar with your industry

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price spikes last dec ade, now spread out contract negotiations.

That smooths out chang es in prices, but it als o delays the full effect of lower prices. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the c ontracts weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been receiving, we are seeing a reduction in the suppl y cost that is driving the energy portions of the bills down,â&#x20AC;? said Bill Gausman, senior vice president of strategic initiatives for Pepco Holdings.

Most electric utilities als o rely on a v ariety of ener gy sources.

Cheap natural gas, the r esult of new supplies of shale g as in the past four or ďŹ ve years, is moderating fuel prices. But it is just one part of the fuel cost that includes coal, nuclear and renewables that go into a regional grid.

Pepco says 72.2 percent of the typical electricity bill in the District of C olumbia is made up of fuel costs, while distribution eats up 19.2 percent; transmission, 2.2 percent; and sur charges and taxes, 6.4 percent.

Customers of g as utilities ar e getting some beneďŹ ts from the low natural gas prices. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not s eeing the s ame unaffordable bills people w ere opening up f our or ďŹ ve years ago,â&#x20AC;? said Tyler Slocum, an energy expert at Public Citizen.

JANUARY 2013

cvbusinessmonthly.com

CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

Facts about hospice care Hospice isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a plac e. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a type of care that focuses on living every day as fully as po ssible up until the end of life. Hospice brings comfort, love and respect to patients and their families.

Hospice is c onJennifer Siech sidered to be the is a community model for highoutreach quality, compasrepresentative sionate care at the with Cedar Valley Hospice in end of life involvWaterloo. Contact ing a team-orienther at 272-2002. ed approach that includes expert medical care, pain-and-symptom management and emotional and spiritual support. All c are is tailored to the p atientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs and wishes.

A few facts from the National Hospice and P alliative Care Organization: â&#x2013; Hospice usage in the U .S. is growing. Every year, more than 1.58 million Americ ans with life-limiting illness are cared for by the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; s 5,100 hospice providers. â&#x2013; The median length of ser-

vice for hospice patients is 29.7 days. Yet, more than 3 5 percent of patients die or are discharged in seven days or less â&#x20AC;&#x201D; too short a time t o beneďŹ t from the full ranges of s ervices a ho spice can offer. â&#x2013; Cancer accounts for less than 36 percent of ho spice patients, which surprises many people who mistakenly think hospice only serves cancer patients. The ďŹ ve other leading diagnoses are: heart disease, debility, dementia (including Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease) , lung disease and stroke. â&#x2013; Hospice is c overed under Medicare, Medicaid, most private insurance plans, HMOs and other managed care organizations. â&#x2013; An estimated 458,000 trained volunteers contribute more than 21 million hours of service every year. â&#x2013; Research shows eight out of 10 Americans would want to stay in their homes surrounded by family and lo ved ones if the y were faced with a lif e-limiting illness.

Hospice makes this happen.

For more information contact Cedar Valley Hospice at 272-2002 or (800) 61 7-972 or visit www . cvhospice.org.

THE COURIER

PAGE 21

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PAGE 22

CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY

cvbusinessmonthly.com

JANUARY 2013

President gets behind volunteer efforts In his proclamation for National Volunteer week 2012, President Barack Obama said, “Our nation has been pr ofoundly shaped by ordinary Americans who have volunteered their time and ener Anne Nass gy to overcome is communications e x t ra o r d i n a r y coordinator with challenges.”

That spirit c onthe Volunteer Center of the tinues today in Cedar Valley in countless acts of Waterloo. Contact service throughher at (319) out our c ountry.

272-2087 or Each year, volanne_nass@vccv. unteers respond org. to about 7 0,000

disasters in the U .S., ranging from fires to hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, transportation accidents and explosions. In addition, volunteers use personal skills throughout their c ommunities; teaching, mentoring, fundraising, and meeting needs where they live.

As when Hurricane Sandy hit New York and New Jersey Nov. 17, we continuously see the tr ansformative power of s ervice — to unite, build and heal.

According to Whitehouse. gov, Obama remains steadfast in his commitment to empower more Americans with t ools to shape their communities. During the first 100 days in office in

his first term, he proudly signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, a national s ervice law that laid out a str ategy to link service with inno vation, established the gr ound-breaking Social Innovation Fund, and charted the e xpansion of AmeriCorps. In March 2012, he launched FEMA C orps, a ne w service corps that enhances the national capacity for disaster response and pr epares members for careers in emer gency management.

Through United We Serve and national service days, we continue to connect people - young and old t o new opportunities to reinvent the w orld through service — fr om fighting hun-

ger to mentoring young people and fostering literacy. In all of these efforts, we are reminded how volunteer work can expand opportunity not onl y for those in need but als o for those who give. Service can teach valuable skills that p ave the w ay to longterm employment and stay with v olunteers throughout their careers and lives.

To get started volunteering locally, contact the V olunteer Center of C edar Valley, which supports more than 90 ag encies looking for volunteers throughout the c ommunity. Visit the VCCV’s website at www.vccv.org for more information and a complete listing of a vailable service opportunities.

Soy biodiesel is an important piece of energy puzzle

By JIM FITKIN

Julie Heidt Group/Individual Health Insurance Agent

The Sinnott Agency Inc. www.sinnottagency.com 622 West 4th St., Waterloo, IA 50704

319-233-6103

For breaking news coverage, photos and video

Soy biodiesel seems to be one of Iowa’s best-kept secrets. It has the potential to exceed ethanol’s positive impact on our en vironment. It’s not the fi nal solution to our ener gy dilemma, but s oy biodiesel is a vit al step on our ever-evolving energy path.

Soy biodiesel, made fr om a blend of soybeans and petroleum diesel, is the gr ade of biodiesel used in the U .S. Around the world, biodiesel is being made

from pretty much e very type of vegetable oil, but here in the U.S., we get the most oil per acre from the soybean plant. One bushel of soybeans produces 1½ gallons of soy biodiesel. At 70 bushels of soybeans produced per acr e that’s 105 gallons of biodiesel per acre every year. And the “soy oil well” will never go dry.

Soy diesel is a t erm often used when referring to soy biodiesel, but this is inc orrect: Soy diesel is produced by combining soy-

bean oil and petr oleum diesel. It burns well, but it has the s ame effect on the engine as pouring sugar into your fuel tank. Soy oil needs to be “transesterfied” to remove the gl ycerin. A number of websites illustrate this simple process. Producing soy biodiesel has a po sitive energy outcome.

That means we end up with more energy than we used to produce the biodiesel.

Plus, we still get soybean meal from the s oybean, a vital source

of protein in li vestock rations.

We don’t have to choose between food and fuel.

We are making progress in soy biodiesel production. In 2010 Congress passed tax incentives to encourage biodiesel use, and in 2011 soy biodiesel production tripled to 1.1 billion g allons.

Those increases are continuing, but more needs to be done. Soy biodiesel will be a s elf-supporting industry within a f ew years.

But a continuation of the current tax break is needed t o help this new industry get a foothold. The state Legislature failed to pass this break before adjourning.

Encourage your representative or senator to pass the soy biodiesel bill next session.

Want to know more about s oy biodiesel?Go towww.iasoybeans. com they’ll tell you all you want to know. Want to buy some B20 soy biodiesel? Go to National Biodiesel Board www.biodiesel. org, and they’ll tell you where you can buy B-20. Want to make your own biodiesel? Go to www.making-biodiesel-at-home.com, and they’ll walk you through it.

Jim Fitkin is a fourth-generation family farmer north of Cedar Falls. Contact him at jimfitkin@gmail.com

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JANUARY 2013

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Trucking industry needs drivers Detroit Free Press

In much of the country, there is a clear shortage of speedy and direct routes to the middle class.

Yet there remains at le ast one accessible profession â&#x20AC;&#x201D; truck driving â&#x20AC;&#x201D; where industry experts see a lack of bodies t o ďŹ ll available seats and collect substantial paychecks.

In a nation wide report in November, the American Trucking Associations estimated a current need f or 20,000 to 25,000 big-shipment, long-distance truck drivers. Beyond that, the expected rise in shipping demand coupled with retirements would open up ne arly 100,000 new driving jobs in each of the next 10 years, the report said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an opportunit y for a lot of people,â&#x20AC;? said Bob Costello, the reportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s author and the tr ade groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vice president.â&#x20AC;&#x153;You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need a c ollege education. You need to be a safety-conscious, hard-working individual.â&#x20AC;?

A new long-haul truck dri ver can generally expect to earn $38,000 to $44,000 before taxes in the ďŹ rst year, according to trucking company recruiters, industry analysts and training

Drivers needed â&#x2013; The U.S. trucking industry, by some estimates, will need 100,000 new drivers a year. â&#x2013; New long-haul truck drivers can generally earn between $38,000 and $44,000 (before taxes) in their ďŹ rst year.

schools. Experienced drivers can earn around $50,000 to $65,000 a year, depending on the t ype of hauling and miles driven. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The demand f or freight will continue to increase â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretty much ackno wledged â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but the number of people choosing to go into trucking has not increased,â&#x20AC;? said Walter Heinritzi, executive director of the M ichigan Trucking Association.

Some companies will reimburse new hires for training school.

Industry experts say new drivers often sour to the trucking lifestyle and spending w eeks away from home. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The real story is when people go through those programs, how long do they stay in the trucking business?â&#x20AC;? asked Norita Taylor, spokeswoman for the O wnerOperator Independent Drivers Association.

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More STEM degrees may not equal more jobs The Miami Herald

Science, technology, engineering and math â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the ďŹ elds collectively known as STEM â&#x20AC;&#x201D; are all the rage. In an economy that is still struggling to regain its footing, boosting STEM is s een by many as a path to jobs.

Except â&#x20AC;Ś what if it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t?

As STEM has become an education buzzword, a steady stream of research has emerged that challenges the notion of S TEM as an ec onomic elixir. In s ome STEM careers, the emplo yment picture is downright lousy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Record Unemployment Among Chemists in 2011, â&#x20AC;? screamed the March headline in Science magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Careers Blog.

A headline from June: â&#x20AC;&#x153;What We Need is More Jobs for Scientists.â&#x20AC;?

Unemployment in STEM ďŹ elds is still w ell below the g eneral population and slightl y below college graduates in general. That â&#x20AC;&#x153;recordâ&#x20AC;? unemployment for chemists, for example, was 4.6 percent, compared with o verall U.S. unemployment at that time of 8.8 percent.

Nevertheless, the glut of workers in some STEM areas, resulting in ďŹ&#x201A;at wages and STEM grads forced to take jobs in non-STEM ďŹ elds, directly contradicts the widely held view that the United States suffers from a critical shortage of qualiďŹ ed STEM graduates.

The truth, many experts say, is more complicated. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In a g eneral sense, science and innovation do cr eate jobs and drive growth,â&#x20AC;? said Elizabeth Popp Berman, an as sistant professor of s ociology at the U niversity of Alb any whose book â&#x20AC;&#x153;Creating the Mar ket Universityâ&#x20AC;? examines the history of university research and its economic impact. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a nation, having lots of scientists and people in venting stuff is good for us.â&#x20AC;?

But that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean all STEM graduates have a guaranteed job, Berman stressed. The S TEM employment picture, Berman said, is â&#x20AC;&#x153;very mixedâ&#x20AC;? and largely dependent upon a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s particular major. Petroleum engi-

neering majors are doing w ell these days; biologists and chemists are not.

Some studies, meanwhile, have challenged the notion of an overall STEM worker shortage â&#x20AC;&#x201D; inst ead ďŹ nding that the United States is producing vastly more STEM graduates than there are STEM jobs awaiting them.

As science organizations and corporations continue to sound the STEM shortage alarm, critics charge these groups are motivated by self-interest â&#x20AC;&#x201D; tech companies, for example, have claimed a shortage of tr ained workers even as the y laid off thousands of U.S. employees, and mo ved those jobs to low-wage developing countries. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a w ay for them t o sort of excuse why theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re shifting so much w ork offshore,â&#x20AC;? said Rochester Institute of Technology professor Ron Hira, who has t estiďŹ ed before Congress on the need t o tighten the legal loopholes that allo w such maneuvers.

In Florida, Gov. Rick S cottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Blue Ribbon T ask Force on State Higher Education Reform released a report recommending slightly discounted tuition for students pursuing certain majors â&#x20AC;&#x201D; primarily STEM. Though Scott has not y et formally embraced the proposal, the idea has sparked a backlash from humanities professors who feel their dep artments are being marginalized.

A group of frustr ated University of Florida hist ory professors recently launched a Chang e.org petition against the t wo-tiered pricing idea. The petition, which has gathered more than 1, 800 signatures, predicts the st ateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus on st eering students into â&#x20AC;&#x153;strategic areas of emphasisâ&#x20AC;? will wreak havoc on English, history, and psychology departments, among others.

University of Florida as sociate professor Lillian Guerra, who teaches Cuban & Caribbean history, helped or ganize the petition. Guerra said UFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nationally ranked Center for Latin American Studies â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest, started in 1930 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; was struggling

even before this new idea of discounting STEM. After state lawmakers chopped about one-third of all Florida uni versitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; funding in the p ast ďŹ ve years, Guerra said, the center had to reduce the number of gr aduate students it admitted. That reduction in turn forced UF to hold fewer seminars â&#x20AC;&#x201D; reducing its spotlight on the national stage.

Guerra, who left a t eaching job at Yale to come to UF, said history, like all departments, is funded by the number of student s it enrolls. Making hist ory majors more expensive, she argued, would inevitably reduce the total number of student s, meaning further cuts to an already-damaged department. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Long term, the destruction of the prestige of our program is inevitable if this continues,â&#x20AC;?

Guerra said.

Those who say history majors donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get jobs should look at former students who work in public health or as high school teachers, Guerra said, adding that she has signed about a do zen law school letters of r ecommendation for students so far this semester.

Scott has mock ed liberal arts majors as impr actical. Speaking to business group last year, Scott asked: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do you want to use your tax dollars to educate more people who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get jobs in anthropology? I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.â&#x20AC;?

Despite being mock ed by Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s governor, anthropologists have been deemed impor tant to national s ecurity by the U.S. Department of D efense. Its recent study on S TEM-related workforce needs found the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have â&#x20AC;&#x153;highlighted the importance of sociology and anthr opology,â&#x20AC;? and it r ecommended â&#x20AC;&#x153;ongoing investmentâ&#x20AC;? in those areas, even as the wars wind down.

Why did anthropology show up in a milit ary STEM report? By some deďŹ nitions, anthropology is a STEM ďŹ eld. There is no clear, universally accepted deďŹ nition of what careers comprise STEM, making it easy for job projections to be r adically altered based on what industries are counted.

JANUARY 2013

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Dr Pepper offers more 10-calorie sodas NEW YORK (AP) — When it comes to the calories in diet soda, Dr Pepper thinks 10 is the new zero.

Starting this month, the country’s No. 3 s oft drink c ompany plans to roll out 10-c alorie versions of it s five big biggest soda brands: 7-Up, Sunkist, Canada Dry, RC Cola and A&W R oot Beer. The drinks are an extension of its Dr Pepper Ten, which was launched last year as a bettertasting alternative for men w ho don’t like the imag e or t aste of diet soda.

But the new 10-calories sodas, which were tested in select markets this year, are being marketed to both men and women.

Unlike traditional diet s odas that use only artificial sweeteners and ha ve zero calories, Dr Pepper Snapple Gr oup Inc. says its 10-calorie sweetener mix has just enough high-fruct ose corn syrup to overcome any reservations people might ha ve about the weak or cloying taste of diet drinks. And by taking away most the calories — a c an of r egular typically has about 1 50 calories — the company is washing away much of the guilt.

Dr Pepper isn’t alone in tr ying to redefine the image of diet soda.

With soda frequently blamed for fueling obesity rates, executives at Coca-Cola Co. and P epsiCo Inc. are also convinced that producing better-tasting diet s odas can reverse a st eady decline in overall soda consumption that began in 1998. That’s despite the growing number of options in the beverage aisle, such as fl avored waters, sports drinks and teas.

Larry Young, CEO of Plano , Texas-based Dr P epper Snapple Group, is confident the new lineup of 10-calories drinks can win back soda drinkers who quit or cut back to reduce their c alorie intakes. Young noted Dr P epper Ten has alr eady done the s ame since its launch last year.

The drinks will hit shel ves nationwide at s elect outlets this month, and the c ompany says one of its biggest ever national ad campaigns will follow in March.

Rather than singling out men, the ads f or the ne w drinks will

target both sexes and play off the theme of “Get Both.”

The big question mar k for the industry is w hether a ne w generation of diet drink s can stem overall soda declines and boo st consumption again.

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