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10 News ReelWhat’s happening and who’s moving. Business news from around Central Minnesota.

10 Book ReviewThe Coming Jobs War; what every leader must know about the future of job creation by Jim Clifton

11 Point of View

12 Your Voice In GovernmentEvening at the Capital

14 People to Know

18 Regional Round-Up Waite Park State of the City Address

UpfrontNEtWorK

GroW

24 Management Tool KitRule BookOutlining the employer’s standards, responsibilities, and expectations of employees.

26 EntrepreneurismSeasonalityKnowing how to optimize the lows while riding the highs of a seasonal business.

27 Working Well

28 TechStrategiesSocial SquadsManaging social media. When companies have a team of people generating content.

29 Tech News

30 Economy Central presented by Falcon BankAn Economic AdventureToday’s economy is slowly working its way back to pre-recession standings.

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Special Section47 Education and Training

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40 FeatureReach for the StarsWhen setting your goals, reach for the stars...but use a step ladder!

46 Special FocusSkills GapThis new program will lead to high-wage, high-skill employment for Minnesota and Wisconsin workers.

54 Business SpotlightLynda Moe, Moe Agency

This Issue

34 COVER STORYNaTIVE SONGrowth may be taking technology company, Netgain, farther from its St. Cloud roots, but company founder Scott Warzecha says his commitment to St. Cloud will only continue to grow. Warzecha is the 2013 St. Cloud Area Small Business Owner of the Year.

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GROW • NETWORK • PROFIT MaY/junE 2013

President’s Letter Editor’s note Business Calendar network Central Top Hats

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IN EVERY ISSUE

http://www.sba.gov/community/blogs/community-blogs/small-business-matters/9-tips-preparing-your-small-business-2012-tou

http://www.archdaily.com/232227/video-the-printable-house/

http://www.inc.com/les-mckeown/3-things-hurting-your-ability-to-be-productive.html

http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2012/08/14/explore-benefits-customer-supplier-partnerships/

http://www.businesscentralmagazine.com

6 B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M aY / j u n E 2 0 1 3

If you have been around our Chamber for

any length of time, you have heard about

our 5-Star Accreditation status and how

proud of it our volunteers and staff are.

We completed our accreditation renewal

with our accrediting organization, the U.S.

Chamber of Commerce, in January, and

were recently notified that we are officially

re-accredited, with FIVE STARS!

That looks like this:

We have achieved this enviable position

twice in the last decade. We were the original

Minnesota chamber to achieve this feat,

and only Owatonna has been able to join us

when they received Five Star Accreditation

in March 2012. Of 7,000 chambers of

commerce nationwide, only 71 have

achieved this coveted status.

Alright, I’m more than a little excited

about it. The accreditation process is time

consuming, rigorous and sometimes

downright painful. We examine and report

about every program, every aspect, and

every characteristic of our organization

imaginable. There are nine seemingly endless

sections with high standards and details

required to get the coveted Five s.

Along with our Five s. our Chamber

received special recognition for our excellent

state and federal legislative priorities, board

orientation and evaluation process for our

officers. We achieved a perfect score in

the Finance and Facilities sections of our

application. In fact, the recommendations we

received focused on making our outstanding

results even better.

Rankings are great and s are fun,

but what does that mean to our Chamber

members and volunteers? It means you are

part of one of the best business organizations

in the country. It means we are recognized

by our peers as providing exceptional

programs and services for our members.

It means we stay up-to-date and provide

truly outstanding networking, education,

information, and advocacy for your business.

It means you are making a wise decision

to invest in the St. Cloud Area Chamber of

Commerce.

And if you aren’t a member yet, you need

to investigate this Five organization for

what it can bring to your future success and

achievement.

I’m considering getting five- epaulets

to put on all my suit coats. Do you think

that’s over-the-top?

Until next issue,

PRESIDENT’S LETTERNETWORK

Teresa Bohnen, President

Teresa BohnenPresident of the

St. Cloud area Chamber of Commerce

!Main Phone320-251-2940

Automated Reservation Line320-251-2940, ext. 126

Program Hotline320-251-2940, ext. 125

email: [email protected]

ST. CLOUD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STAFF

President | Teresa Bohnen, ext. 104Vice President | Gail Ivers, ext. 109

Director of AdministrationJudy Zetterlund, ext. 106

Special Events CoordinatorVirginia Kroll, ext. 105

Communications & Workforce Development Coordinator

Whitney Bina, ext.130 Membership Sales Specialist

Open PositionAdministrative AssistantVicki Lenneman, ext. 122Administrative AssistantCindy Swarthout , ext. 100Administrative Assistant

Sharon Henry, ext. 124 CONVENTION &

VISITORS BUREAU STAFFExecutive Director

Julie Lunning, ext. 111Sales Manager

Lori Cates, ext. 113Director of Sales & Marketing

Judy Okerstrom, ext. 112Director of Sports & Special Events

Kelly Sayre, ext. 128Director of Visitor Services

Jean Robbins , ext. 129Sales & Marketing Coordinator

Nikki Fisher, ext. 100 Administrative AssistantRachel Campion, ext. 110

2012-13 BOARD MEMBERS

What does that mean to our Chamber members and volunteers? It means you are

part of one of the best business organizations in the country.

Teresa BohnenPresident of the

St. Cloud area Chamber of Commerce

Jim BeckMinnesota School of BusinessJason Bernick Bernick’s - Beverages & VendingGary Berg G.L. Berg Entertainment, Performing Artists & SpeakersCraig Broman St. Cloud Hospital/ CentraCare Health System, Board ChairNeil Franz Neils-Franz-Chirhart, Attorneys at LawJayne Greeney SchillSt. Cloud Area School District #742Steve HahnHahnMark, LLCJohn HergesFalcon National Bank, Board Vice Chair

Scott JohnsonTimes MediaDiane Mendel Playhouse Child CareKris NelsonCustom Accents, Inc.Rick PoganskiPrincipal Financial GroupDr. Earl Potter, IIISt. Cloud State University Roger Schleper Premier Real Estate ServicesJodi SpeicherThe Good Shepherd CommunityBill WinterSt. Cloud Federal Credit Union, Past Board ChairChriss Wohlleber Le St. Germain Suite Hotel

www.creativecustombuildersmn.com

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Creative Custom Builders is now building executive patio homes on wooded lots along the Mississippi River. Take pleasure in the quiet neighborhood with spectacular views. Work on your golf game at the adjoining golf course.

• Easy access to I-94 • 30 minutes from Maple Grove • 15-20 minutes from St. Cloud • Adjacent to 18 hole golf course • Award Winning builder

320-363-7206

320-558-6066

Mississippi River Views

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I recently had the opportunity to go to lunch

with Mike Sipe of AIS Planning. Mike was

vice chair of the Business Development

Council the year I was hired at the Chamber.

At that time he was a partner in an accounting

firm called McMahon Hartmann Amundson.

I thought Mike was terrifying. He seemed

so knowledgeable and stern. Then one day

I noticed that he was wearing argyle socks.

Suddenly he wasn’t scary any more. Anyone

who wore argyle socks had to have a sense of

humor.

Mike left MHA for a position at PrimeVest

and eventually started his own business

called AIS Planning. Throughout those

moves he continued to be a member of the

Chamber and encouraged those around him

to volunteer. Now he’s retiring and relocating

to Vermont where his children live. He

leaves behind a proud legacy of community

involvement and support.

A study by the Shapiro Group out of

Atlanta suggests that Mike made a good

decision when he chose to be an active

member of the Chamber. According to the

study:

Small businesses represent the largest segment of

most local chamber membership rolls, and the study

indicates that chamber membership has consistent

and powerful benefits for small business members

– if consumers are aware that the small business is

involved with its local chamber.

For example, if respondents know that a small

business is a member of its local chamber, the

business enjoys a 49% increase in its consumer

favorability rating, a 73% increase in consumer

awareness, a 68% increase in its local reputation,

and an 80% increase in the likelihood that

consumers will patronize the business in the future.

Like Mike Sipe, Scott Warzecha (see

the story on page 34) has a proud legacy

of community involvement and support.

His father owned Dom’s Watch Repair in

downtown St. Cloud for 40 years. Dom’s

was a member of the Chamber and a member

of the Downtown Council. Scott joined the

Chamber when he started Netgain in 2000.

His chief operating officer, Matt Riley, was

a long-time volunteer for the Chamber,

holding a number of leadership positions on

committees and serving on the Chamber’s

Board of Directors. In 2013, all employees are

expected to take 20 hours of paid time off to

do some volunteering. “We need to get people

out from behind the computer,” Scott said.

“Employees want to know they’re part of a

greater good.”

Recently, Matt sent me an emailing asking

if I could refer some Chamber members to

help him with a project. I sent him a few

names and their contact information and he

replied that they had hired one.

“Thanks for keeping it in the Chamber,”

I wrote back.

“Always,” he said. “It’s self-interest – Chamber

members are higher quality than non-members.”

He’ll get no argument from me.

Until next issue,

EDITOR’S NOTENETWORK

a PROUD LEGaCY

Gail IversVice President

Editor

Editor Gail Ivers stands with business owner

Scott Warzecha outside what was once Dom’s Watch Repair.

It was Scott’s job to clean watch bands every day after

school. You can still see the outline on the building where

the awning, designed to look like a Swiss chalet, once stood.

Publisher Teresa Bohnen

Managing Editor Gail Ivers

Associate Editor Dawn Zimmerman

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSWhitney Bina

St. Cloud Area Chamber of CommerceSharon Henry

St. Cloud Area Chamber of CommerceDr. Fred E. Hill

St. Cloud State UniversityGail Ivers

St. Cloud Area Chamber of CommerceTracy Knofla

High Impact TrainingBetsey Lund

Neils Franz Chirhart - Attorneys at LawLawrence Schumacher

Wordbender Communications, LLCDawn Zimmerman

The Write Advantage

ADVERTISINGAssociate Publisher/Sales

Wendy Hendricks, Hendricks MarketingAd Traffic & Circulation

Yola Hartmann, Hazel Tree Media

ARTDesign & Production

Yola Hartmann, Hazel Tree MediaSarah Sucansky

Cover Photo Joel Butkowski, BDI Photography

ACCOUNTINGAccountant Judy Zetterlund

WEBSITEVicki Lenneman

CORPORATE SPONSOR

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© Copyright 2013 Business Central LLC

Business Central is published six times a year by the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce,

110 Sixth Avenue South; P.O. Box 487, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0487 • Phone (320) 251-2940

Fax (320) 251-0081 Subscription rate: $18 for 1 year.

Gail IversVice President

Editor

YEARS40 celebrating

to our valued employees, clients and vendor partners for

“Marco is honored to serve,support and be part of

this thriving community.”

We would like to extend

ThankYoua sincere

contributing to our success.

managed ITmarconet.com

Jeff Gau, CEO

http://www.marconet.com


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Whose Job Is It?Most of the world’s ills can be attributed to a lack of good jobs. But who is responsible for job creation and how do we go about making it happen? Reviewed by Fred E. Hill

BooK REVIEW

The coming world war is an all-out

global war for good jobs. As of 2008,

the war for good jobs has trumped

all other leadership activities because

it’s been the cause and effect of

everything else that countries have

experienced. This will become even

more real in the future as global

competition intensifies. If countries

fail at creating jobs, their societies

will fall apart.

— Jim Clifton,

The Coming Jobs War

Author Jim Clifton defines

a good job as a “job with

a paycheck from an employer

and steady work that averages

30 plus hours per week.” He calls

a good job formal. An informal

job is one that has no paycheck

and no steady work (such as

some bartering – a chicken for

coal, for example). Informal jobs

do create subsistence and survival,

but not real economic energy.

This lack of good jobs,

according to Clifton, will create

economic chaos by causing

hunger, extremism, out-of-

control migration patterns,

reckless environmental trends,

widening trade imbalances, and

on and on. “The world will be

led with economic force,” writes

Clifton, “a force that is primarily

driven by job creation and

quality GDP growth.”

Purchasing the book, you

will find inside a one-page

book review by Dave Kilby.

Kilby writes, “As I was reading

The Coming Jobs War, by Jim

Clinton, the CEO and chairman

of Gallup, I kept saying to

myself, ‘Sounds like a role for a

chamber’ and ‘Chambers could

do that.’” Dave Kilby gives a

challenge to the chambers: “If

we’re going to win the global

jobs war, chambers have a lot of

work to do and a crucial role to

play. Is your chamber ready?”

Chamber members, and

others, you will have to read

this book to discover details on

the role Kilby has set for you. In

short, he asserts that chambers

take “a leadership role in

assessing community strengths

and weaknesses, infrastructure

development, community

enhancement, business

development, and workforce

development.”

The St. Cloud Area Chamber

of Commerce is strong enough,

and members are well positioned

to read Clinton’s book, hold

discussions, and assert a

community leadership role.

Makes sense to me! BC

Dr. Fred E. Hill is a professor of

Learning Resources and Technology

Services at St. Cloud State university.

The Coming Jobs War; what every leader must know about the future of job creation by Jim Clifton, Gallup Press, New York, • 2011 ISBN 978-1-59562-055-2

Godtland, Hinkemeyer join professional boards, Novak elected

Dr. Ragna Godtland, PineCone Vision Center, joined the journal Review Board for Optometry

& Visual Performance, an international, peer reviewed journal dedicated to optometry. Godtland will write and solicit papers as well as review articles submitted for publication.

Dr. Stacy Hinkemeyer, clinical director, was appointed to the admittance

Committee of the american academy of Optometry.

jennifer novak, practice administrator, was elected president of the Minnesota

Optometric association’s Paraoptometric Section.

Executive Express hiresExecutive Express hired the following people: Marlys Cordie and Gina Rudolph, reservationists, and jim Staska, director of sales and marketing.

NEWSREEL

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Informal jobs do create subsistence and survival, but not real economic energy.

10 11 12 13 14 16 18

Book Review Point of View Your Voice in Government It Happened When? People to know Business Calendar Regional Roundup

Godtland

Hinkemeyer

Novak

Cordie StaskaRudolph

M aY / j u n E 2 0 1 3 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m 11

PoiNt OF VIEW

Business Central asked readers:

“How do you thank or reward your employees?””Julie Forsberg Forsberg Investments & Insurance, LLC

“We do special lunches and gift certificates for special occasions. We also give pay raises.”

Elicia Dockendorf Schlenner Wenner & Co.

“at Schlenner Wenner, we give out tokens for good work. Employees can then take their tokens to the gift shop and buy things like gift cards and logo wear.”

Wes Sharp St. Cloud Rox Baseball

“We reward our interns with extra days off.”

Breeanna TeiglandPawn america

“We reward employees with Brad Books, which are ultimately gift certificates to our store. We also send employee success stories to our district managers.”

Jim Gruenke Mark j. Traut Wells

“Owners Mark and Dave Traut regularly reward employees with special bonuses, extra company matches to retirement plans, and company events such as the recent 30-year celebration of ownership where every employee was noted for their time of service to the company by receiving individual recognition and a generous gift.”

Bremer bankers are big on individualized financial help. And they have access to big resources. Just as important, when you sit down with a Bremer banker, you’re talking to someone who can set all the plans in motion, pronto. You won’t have to wait long to see big things happen. So talk with a local Bremer banker. It could be the start of something big.

Bremer.comDowntown St. Cloud 251-3300 • West St. Cloud 656-3300 • Sauk Rapids 252-1938 • Sartell 255-7121 • Rice 393-2600Member FDIC. © 2013 Bremer Financial Corporation. All rights reserved.

BRE2017D12BCM-Big-Solutions-Small-Wait-7pt5x4pt875.indd 1 2/28/13 4:17 PM


YoUr VoiCE In GOVERnMEnT

Times names 5 Under 40Congratulations to the following Chamber members who were among the 2013 St. Cloud Times 5 under 40:• julie anderson, St. Cloud Medical Group• katrina Pierson, HBH Consultants• Melinda Tamm, Ms. Melinda’s Dance Studio• Dawn Zimmerman, The Write Advantage & Cloud coworking

Student housing receives Platinum LEED ratingCentennial Commons townhomes, a 125-person student housing development on the campus of the College of Saint Benedict, was awarded LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Homes Platinum, the highest level of certification awarded by the u.S. Green Building Council. It is the first college student housing in Minnesota to reach this achievement and it is also the first building on CSB’s campus to achieve any level of LEED certification. The certification is for the 32 townhomes located in four buildings off of College avenue, across from the main CSB campus, which opened in august 2012.

Zniewski purchases Image Buildersjulie Zniewski purchased Image Builders,

a promotional products company in St. Cloud. She has over 20 years of experience as a sales associate with the company.

NEWSREEL

Meet and GreetSt. Cloud Area Evening at the Capital gave Chamber members and guests an opportunity to catch the ear of their legislators in an informal and relaxed environment. With record attendance of over 125 people, attendees enjoyed the opportunity to share their opinions on critical business issues and connect with legislators from across the state. Find more photos on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SaintCloudareaChamberofCommerce

Anderson

Tamm

Pierson

Zimmerman

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NETWORK

John Kramer, Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation (L) and Minn. Senator John Pederson

Rep. Zach Dorholt (L) and Steve Hennes, councilman, City of Sartell

John Herges, Falcon National Bank and Rep. Tama Theis

Gloria Vande Brake, Minuteman Press; Rep. Jeff Howe; Jason Bernick, Bernick’s Beverages & Vending; and Larry Logeman, Executive Express

Tim Burg, Midsota Manufacturing (L); Rep. Paul Anderson; Joel Bauer, Midsota Manufacturing

Senator John Pederson welcomes the crowd to St. Cloud Area Evening at the Capital

Rep. Raymond DehmFormer Rep. John Tuma and Minn. Senator Michelle Fischbach

Rep. Tim O’Driscoll (L) and David Tripp, Metro Bus

Zniewski


it HAPPENED WHEn?

February 23, 1983 Top Hatter Call

On February 23, 1983,

Kay Strommen and

Mary Ives were the

first all-women Top Hatter team

to make a Top Hat call. Things

didn’t go as planned when Kay

locked both sets of her car keys

in the car. Although Kay and

Mary tried many things, they

were forced to call in assistance

from a local towing company.

After Kay had her keys back in

hand, they continued making

their Top Hatter calls.

The Chamber’s Top Hatters

have been around for over 45

years. A photo taken on May 21,

1969 shows the 1969

Top Hatters Club.

If you are a member of the

St. Cloud Area Chamber, you

are probably familiar with our

Top Hatters. Top Hatters visit

new Chamber members to go

over important membership

information and take pictures

(see the Top Hats section in

this issue!) Although you

won’t see the Top Hatters

swimming in pools these days,

you will see them welcoming

guests at events like Chamber

Connection, Business After

Hours, and the Central

Minnesota Farm Show.

Most chambers have a

committee that welcomes new

members, but only in St. Cloud

will you find them wearing the

classic top hat.

Knee & Shoulder • Joint Replacement • Sports Medicine • Hand Center • Trauma • Spine Center • Foot & Ankle • Physical & Occupational Therapy

1901 Connecticut Ave S, SartellStCloudOrthopedics.com

320.259.4100

orthopedics redefined

St. Cloud Orthopedics uses the same

resources and has the same expertise

found at any Level 1 trauma center

in the state.

(verb) go back to a former condition

See also: St. Cloud Orthopedics

re turn

We’re ready for you when accidents happen. Trauma specialists at St. Cloud Orthopedics are prepared to repair your injury and guide your recovery.

From left to right:kay Strommen and Mary Ives, 19831969 Top Hatters ClubTop Hatters take a dip in the pool, date unknown

http://www.stcloudorthopedics.com


Marco expands, hires, promotesMarco acquired five companies over the past several months, adding 157 employees to its workforce. The company purchased Mason City Business Systems, an Iowa-based copier and printer solutions company with offices in six cities; and Midwest Office automations, a copier and printer company with offices in Sioux City and Storm Lake, Iowa. Marco also expanded in north Dakota with the purchase of Midwest Business Systems, a copier and printer company with offices in four cities.

Gary Weckwerth joined Marco as a regional sales director for northwest Iowa, southwest Minnesota and South Dakota. Weckwerth brings several years of leadership and management experience to the company.

The following Marco employees have been promoted: keith Schwichtenberg, chief operating officer; jonathan Warrey, vice president of sales; and regional sales directors jim Maleska and Fritz Wensel.

The following employees have been hired: Matthew koob, Ernesto jimenez, kenneth Sparks, john Reisdorf, kyle Fraser, Pam kotzenmacher, Ted Erickson, jennifer Buhl, Mike Hagstrom, Laura Baker, Eric Ebeling, Heather Copenhaver, jean Hines, kari Hommerding, William Hodges, kellyann Orthman-Burczyk, and Cherise kobler.

Marco received the 2013 Community Impact award from Minnesota Business Magazine. The company was honored with the Best in Class award for midsize companies for excelling at giving back to the community.

NEWSREEL

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NETWORK

PEoPLE to knOW

St. Cloud Area Leadership GraduatesCongratulations to the following people who graduated from the St. Cloud Area Chamber Leadership program in May. If you are looking for volunteers to serve on boards and committees, these individuals are a good place to start.

St. Cloud Area Leadership:

•• Grooms leaders who will contribute to your company

•• Provides professional networking opportunities and enhanced community connections

•• Helps employees develop greater personal vision and confidence

•• Reinforces skills and imparts new knowledge to employees

•• Provides greater understanding and a broader perspective of key issues in Central Minnesota

•• Encourages networking among emerging and established leaders

BECOME a LEaDERSt. Cloud area Leadership is designed to help current and emerging leaders understand

the dynamics of the community and the role leadership shares in building healthy

communities. This program brings together men and women of diverse backgrounds who

share a common commitment to the future of the St. Cloud area.

Janet Artmann McGough Construction

Boubacar Bah Community Member

Susie Bieniek Rasmussen College

Tammy Butler St. Cloud Federal Credit union

Sonia Dickrell St. Cloud area School District #742

Ryan Finberg Schlenner Wenner & Co.

Kristen Flygare St. Cloud Medical Group

Shannon Giffin Big Brothers/ Big Sisters of Central Mn

John Glomski Mahowald Insurance agency

Hailey Harren Gray Plant Mooty Mooty & Bennett P.a.

Chris HoeschenResource Training & Solutions

Patrick Hollermann Park Industries

Stephanie Kadlec Park Industries

Cathy Mehelich City of St. Cloud

Mary Mrozek St.Cloud Va Health System

Traci Mueller Executive Express

Kayla Pederson Viking Coca-Cola Company

Lucas Peterson GnP Company

Rhonda Sargeant Opportunity Matters Inc.

Zach Schmitt College of Saint Benedict/St.john’s university

Kayla Schoenberg netgain

Angie Stenson St. Cloud area Planning Organization

Brian Strandberg Pan-O-Gold Baking Co.

Angie Thaxton Central Minnesota Habitat for Humanity

Dave Walz St. Cloud Hospital/CentraCare Health System

Stacy WildGnP Company

Jeb WillisStearns Bank

Schwichtenberg Warrey


PEoPLE to knOW

Melanie TankGrandStay Residential Suites Hotels Phone: (320) 251-5400Email: [email protected], St. Cloud area Chamber’s Convention & Visitors Bureau advisory Board

The Chamber’s Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is dedicated to promoting the St. Cloud area as a premier visitor destination and to encourage community improvements that benefit residents and increase the economic impact of visitors. Members of the advisory Board approve budgets, marketing campaigns, and recommend policy positions.

Dave BorgertSt. Cloud Hospital/CentraCare Health SystemPhone: (320) 229-4978 • E-mail: [email protected], Government affairs Committee, St. Cloud area Chamber of Commerce

The Government affairs Committee researches legislative issues, makes recommendations

to the Board of Directors regarding legislative policy positions, organizes trips to the Capitol

and legislative updates during the session, and maintains contact with area legislators and

other elected officials throughout the year.

aPPLY TODaYApplications for the Leadership program are available online at www.StCloudAreaChamber.com, select “Programs,” then “Leadership.” Applications must be submitted

by May 31 to the St. Cloud area Chamber

of Commerce, PO Box 487, St. Cloud,

Mn 56302. Individuals who represent an

ethnic/minority community perspective

are encouraged to apply. For more

information about participating in

the 2013-14 St. Cloud area Leadership

program, call Gail Ivers at 320-251-2940,

ext. 109.

NoW OnLInE

320-251-5933 | 888-678-7225 | StrackCompanies.com

COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION | PROJECT MANAGEMENT | REAL ESTATE SERVICES

75PROUD OF YEARS

FOCUSED FUTUREON THE

http://www.strackcompanies.com


MaY 1 & JUNE 5

Lunchtime LearningEducational networking events that

give busy professionals a chance

to stay on the cutting edge. Meets

the first Wednesday of the month,

noon-1 p.m. at the Chamber

office, 110 6th Ave. S. Registration

is required: $15 for Chamber members,

$22 for the general public.

MAY 1: Sponsored by The College

of St. Scholastica - St. Cloud

Campus, with Nancy Myers, GNP

Company, presenting “Creating

a Leadership Philosophy for your

Workplace.”

JUNE 5: Sponsored by Gabriel

Media, with Luke Riordan, DAYTA

Marketing, presenting “Social

Media ROI.”

MaY 2

Business Awards LuncheonAnnual luncheon honoring

outstanding local business people.

This year’s recipients are: Scott

Warzecha, Netgain, the St. Cloud

Area Small Business Person of

the Year; Bob Strack, Strack

Companies, the Entrepreneurial

Success Award recipient; and

Lee Hanson, Gray Plant Mooty,

the Business Central Mark of

Excellence - Small Business

Advocate.

MAY 2: Hosted by the St. Cloud

Area Chamber of Commerce at the

Holiday Inn & Suites, 75 37th Ave.

S, St. Cloud. Registration required:

cost is $19 for Chamber members;

$29 for the general public.

MaY 10 & JUNE 14

Government AffairsA discussion of local government

issues on the second Friday of the month, 7:30 - 9 a.m. at the

Chamber office, 110 6th Ave. S.

MAY 10JUNE 14

MaY 15 & JUNE 19

Waite Park ChamberFor businesses interested in Waite

Park issues. Lunch is provided by the

host when you register at least two days

in advance. 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

MAY 15: Business showcase

featuring 10 Waite Park businesses.

Location: Waite Park City Hall

JUNE 19: Hosted by WACOSA with

a presentation by Louis Johnston,

College of St. Benedict/St. John’s

University on “Today’s Central

Minnesota Economy.” Location:

on-site at the new WACOSA

ThriftWorks Store, 310 Sundial

Drive in Waite Park.

MaY 23 & JUNE 20

Sauk Rapids ChamberFor businesses interested in Sauk

Rapids issues. Lunch is provided by

the host when you register at least two

days in advance.

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

MAY 23: Hosted by BankVista at

Sauk Rapids Government Center,

115 2nd Ave. N, Sauk Rapids.

JUNE 20: Hosted by Falcon

National Bank at the Sauk Rapids

Park Pavilion, 1001 River Ave. N,

Sauk Rapids.

Business After HoursA complimentary open house for Chamber members and guests. Bring lots of business cards and prepare to grow your network!

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NETWORK

Can’t-miss opportunities to influence, promote and learn

BUSINESS CaLENDaRMaY-junE 2013 •• Visit events.StCloudAreaChamber.com for a detailed calendar.

Bernick Foundation awards grantsThe Bernick Family Foundation awarded over $221,000 in grants through the Central Minnesota Community Foundation. These grants are focused on enriching the lives of youth and improving health. The foundation also provided $51,000 in ongoing support of several nonprofits and allocated $20,000 to award scholarships this spring for students pursuing two and four year college degrees.

Gaslight Creative earns “Best of Show”

Gaslight Creative won 12 aDDY awards, including the top honor, Best of Show, at the 2013 american advertising awards Show. Gaslight’s work with Third Street Brewhouse, albany apothecary and Mathew Hall Lumber won six silver, four gold, a “judge’s Choice”, and the “Best of Show” aDDY. The annual awards show is hosted by the american advertising Federation of Central Minnesota and celebrates excellence in advertising.

Glanzer wins awardBruce Glanzer, administrator and CEO of The Good Shepherd

Community, received the 2013 kal Michels Outstanding Leadership award from aging Services of Minnesota. This award celebrates individuals whose leadership has benefited an older adult services organization and enhanced the work environment for employees and the quality of life for the seniors it serves.

NEWSREEL

MAY 144:30 - 6:30 p.m.hosted by Holiday Inn & Suites, 17 37th Ave. S, St. Cloud

JUNE 134:30 - 6:30 p.m.hosted by Stearns Bank, 41912 2nd St. S, St. Cloud

Glanzer

MaY 14 & JUNE 13


MaY -JUNE, TUESDaYS

NEXT-St. CloudProgramming for the NEXT generation

of business leaders. Meets the second Tuesday of the month, noon-1 p.m. at various locations throughout St. Cloud. Registration

required: $195 for one year or $20 for first

meeting. Call for details.

For information on these or other business

events, call 320-251-2940.

iN tHE nEWS

GATR is Dealer of the Year

GAtr receives awardGaTR Truck Center

received the 2012 Volvo

Trucks Dealer of the Year

award for the second year

in a row. This is the first

time the same dealership

has received this award in

consecutive years. Dealer

of the Year is awarded for

outstanding performance

in new truck and parts

sales, growth in market

share, penetration of

Volvo engines, customer

satisfaction, and investment

in facilities.

For consideration in Business Central’s Calendar, please send event information to Gail Ivers, Editor at [email protected]


rEGioNAL ROunDuP

State of the CityWaite Park is enjoying both commercial and residential growth as it works to meet residents’ needs.

the annual Waite Park

State of the City Address

drew a record crowd in

February. Hosted by the

Waite Park Chamber and

held in conjunction with their

monthly meeting, almost 100

people attended to hear the

latest about city services and

programs. Mayor Rick Miller

kicked off the program by

welcoming the attendees before

turning the program over to

city staff. Following are some of

the program highlights:

Strategic PlanningCity Administrator Shaunna

Johnson addressed some of the

over-arching goals of the Waite

Park City administration:

••Provide services and support

to the newly annexed area

••Evaluate and implement the

capital improvement plans

••Complete the Property

Owner Survey started earlier

this year and use information

to assist the City’s community

visioning process

••Review potential

technological improvements for

the city as a whole that could

enhance service delivery

••Focus on economic

development opportunities

••Convene the Future Services

Taskforce and evaluate the

status of their recommendations

S.a.L.T. CommitteeThe S.A.L.T. Committee –

Seniors And Law Enforcement

Together – was established at

the repeated request of Waite

Park citizens. The purpose of

the committee is to help the city

make positive decisions affecting

seniors in the Waite Park area

and to encourage cooperation

between the senior community

and Waite Park law enforcement.

The committee meets monthly and

one of their responsibilities is to run

the new Waite Park Senior Center.

Waite Park Senior CenterOpened: August 2012

Location: Lower level of city hall

Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays,

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Eligibility: Open to Waite Park

residents age 55+

Events: Current events are

bingo, 500, Tripoley, board

games, and a craft hour. A

schedule of events is listed on

the Waite Park website.

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NETWORK

Apollo Insurance mergesapollo Insurance agency of St. Cloud, johnson McCann of St. Paul, and C.O. Brown of Rochester have merged to become the second largest private insurance brokerage in Minnesota. In total, the company has 12 offices from the St. Cloud area to the Rochester area. all of the agencies offer commercial property and casualty, homeowners and auto insurance, group employee benefits, and individual life and health insurance.

Haupert named partnerGregory Haupert was named partner at Rajkowski

Hansmeier law firm.

Rice Building Systems expandsRice Building Systems acquired Raske Building, Inc., a Twin Cities and southern Minnesota construction firm. The acquisition increases Rice Building Systems’ workforce by 20 percent. The company chose to retain the Raske name and its employees. This marks the first acquisition for the third-generation family-owned business and comes as Rice continues to post record growth.

ProcessPro hiresProcessPro recently hired the following people: Larry kvas, business development representative; Zeb Simpson, software developer; and Shonta Thorp, client support specialist.

Compiled by Whitney Bina

For consideration in Business Central’s News Reel, please send news releases to Gail Ivers, Editor at [email protected]

NEWSREEL

HaupertThe park system in Waite Park is in excellent condition and exceeds the national standard of 10 acres per thousand people. Rivers Edge Park contains three ball fields, picnic tables, restrooms, and a new and popular splash pad (left); Several businesses expanded or relocated to Waite Park in the last year (above).

BY tHE NUMBERS

7the number

of people who volunteer for

the City

1,529 the total number

of hours donated by those seven volunteers

127 the number of

volunteer hours donated per month


u Fast, in-house approval & processing to close quickly u Flexible, no defined “credit box” u A Stearns Banker walks you through the entire loan processu Loan amounts of all sizes, terms up to 25 yearsu A nationwide Preferred SBA Lender

Call 320.253.6607

Fast & Flexible

Steve Domine, Dave Kahlhamer, Tom Ethen, Robin Studniski, and Nate Lloyd

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www.BusinessCentral Magazine.com

Needs: Committee members are

always looking for people to help

host the room and for suggestions

on activities or games. Donations

of board games, puzzles, and other

items are welcome.

Fire DepartmentNew Fire Chief Jim Aleshire has

been spending time on planning

and recruiting, according to

Administrator Johnson. Activities

include:

•• Continue working on a better

firefighter recruitment and retention

program

•• Develop a short- and long-

term plan for the Waite Park Fire

Department

•• Improve present and future

pre-plans of businesses

•• Provide additional training

opportunities for new and existing

firefighters

Economic DevelopmentSeveral businesses relocated or

expanded in Waite Park over the last

several months, or plan to expand

yet this year. They include:

••Fiesta Taco

••Simply Smooth Laser Hair

Removal

••INH Property Management

••Schuler Shoes

••Treasure Chest Thrift Store

••WACOSA ThriftWise Store

••Mexican Village Too

••Midwest Weight Control

••Bio Life Plasma

••Rejuv Medical BC

www.scr-mn.com

Formerly St. Cloud Refrigeration

RefRigeRation HVaC SeRViCe Building automation food SeRViCe

CentRal | metRo diViSionSt. Cloud 320-251-6861

MetRo 800-827-1642

noRtHeRn diViSionBaxteR 800-273-9071

SoutHeRn diViSionRoCheSteR 877-399-4546

Mankato 800-447-3259

http://www.jenningsins.com


2013 Farm Show volunteer chair Greg Theis, Greg E. Theis Remodeling

Randy Fruth (L) and Steve Schirmers, St. Cloud Overhead Door

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NETWORK CENTRAL

NEtWorK CEnTRaL

Profit!The Central Minnesota Farm Show broke all records, filling the St. Cloud River’s Edge Convention Center with vendors and attendees.


Cory Terres, AgStar Financial Services (back to camera); Sara Draxler, Bremer; Matt Coran, American Heritage National Bank; Jayme Woehl, Array Services Group; Jason Miller, Premier Real Estate Services; Briana Sjodin, Northland Capital Financial Services; Tom Steinkopf; and Melanie Hartman, High Impact Training (standing).

Jill Hoffman, Schlenner Wenner and Co (L) and Hailey Harren, Gray Plant Mooty

Jana Nyholm, U.S. Bank (L) and Michael Brehm, Rinke Noonan

Roxanne Ryan, Wacosa; Dr. Michael Hanson, Cedar Creek Family Chiropractic

Network!NEXT – St. Cloud, the Chamber’s program for the NEXT generation of business leaders, took time out for a little speed networking and group discussion.


Peters Body Shop, 205 Osseo Ave. N, St. Cloud. Pictured: Jill Magelssen, Glen Sunder, Roger Bonn and Della Ludwig.

Executive Express, scheduled transportation, airport, shuttle services to MSP and St. Cloud Airports, courier /delivery services and passenger charter transportation, 3358 Southway Dr., St. Cloud. Pictured: Della Ludwig, Larry Logeman and Inese Mehr.

Microbiologics, manufacturer of invitro micro organisms for diagnostic testing, 200 Osseo Ave., St. Cloud. Pictured: Sheila Tepley, Brad Goskowicz and Jill Magelssen.

College of St. Benedict Centennial Commons, new junior/senior housing for students, 37 College Ave. S, St. Joseph. Pictured: Tauna Quimby, Jody Terhaar, Shelby Wentworth, Mary Beth Thompson, Anna Shewczyk and Diane Ohmann.

25 year Chamber member Central Minnesota Small Business Development Center, 355 5th Ave. S, St. Cloud. Pictured: Inese Mehr, Barry Kirchoff, LaRae Ross, and Della Ludwig.

40 year Chamber member Newcomer Service, 21983 Agate Beach Road, St. Cloud. Pictured: Kris Hellickson, Susan Dean and Jayne Greeney Schill.

Sprint, retail sales of PCS phones and service, 4170 W Division St., Suite 100, St. Cloud. Pictured:Inese Mehr, Jessica Ruprecht, Jane Skaags and Roger Schleper.

Tradesmen International, construction labor support company, helping contractors locally and nationally find skilled labor, 1000 S Benton Dr, Suite 421, Sauk Rapids. Pictured: Tad Schoeppner, Lucas Anderson, Chris Osby, Aimee Ohmscheid, Mitch Lelou and Brenda Eisenschenk.

Edward Jones – Mark Fitch, financial services, 204 Waite Ave. S, Waite Park. Pictured: Mark Fitch and Rich Gallus.

Simply Smooth Laser Hair Removal, pain-free hair removal using a state of the art laser, 125 Waite Ave. N, Waite Park. Pictured: Diane Ohmann, Katie Gallipo, Teresa Bartlett, Mona Lane, Lacey Decker and Tauna Quimby.

toP HaTS | new Locations, new Ownership and Expansions toP HaTS | Milestones

toP HaTS | new Businesses

St. Cloud Surgical Center1526 Northway Drive • St. Cloud • 251-8385 • 800-349-7272

www.stcsurgicalcenter.com

Accredited byAccreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Inc.

Celebrating 41 Years of Excellence

in Caring for You!

Celebrating 41 Years of Excellence

in Caring for You!

Continuing to Make a Difference!

Continuing to Make a Difference!


Visiting Angels, home care providing care and assistance with activities of daily living, locally owned and operated, 1705 W St. Germain St., St. Cloud. Pictured: Jason Bernick, Andrew Trelstad, Judy Trelstad, Samantha Trelstad and Brenda Eisenschenk.

HealthNorth, home health care, helping clients remain independent and in their homes, 165 19th St S, Suite 104, Sartell. Pictured: Kris Hellickson, Jay Johnson and Tad Schoeppner.

Tri-County Insurance, 800 Industrial Dr. S, Suite 206, Sauk Rapids. Pictured: Inese Mehr, Jim Trewick and Sheila Tepley.

Eco Shred Confidential, fast, fuel efficient service for destroying your confidential materials, 805 Rum River Dr. S, Princeton. Pictured: Tad Schoeppner, Marc Braaten, Lonnie Lembke and Scott Anderson.

Prime Lending, home purchase, refinance, 3333 W Division St., Suite 10, St. Cloud. Pictured: Inese Mehr, Michael Chamberlain and Roger Schleper.

Sysco Minnesota, Inc., the largest marketer and distributor of foodservice products in North America, 2400 County Road J, St. Paul. Pictured: Jill Magelssen, Tiffany Tillemans and Sheila Tepley.

Indigo Signworks, a full-service sign company, exterior and interior sign products, 4133 Iowa St, Suite 100, Alexandria. Pictured: Tad Schoeppner, Joey Crary, Randy Andrews, Bob Wolfe and Diane Ohmann.

Play It Again Sports, sporting goods store offering new and quality used sports and fitness equipment, 28 2nd Ave. S, Suite 101, Waite Park. Pictured: Diane Ohmann, Cody Happke, Larry Hillman and Inese Mehr.

Sterling Park Senior Community, a multi-dimensional senior community that includes assisted living, senior apartments, and skilled nursing, 35 1st Ave. N, Waite Park. Pictured: Jason Bernick, Troy Elsperger, Heather Potter, and Roger Schleper.

Target – Crossroads Center, 4201 W Division St., St. Cloud. Pictured: Jayne Greeney Schill, Michelle Molitor, Mike Mitzel, Megan Steigauf, Erik Hansen and Jason Bernick.

toP HaTS | new Members

INFORMATION

Job Number 364-12121 Trim 3.625 x 4.875” Modification Date November 15, 2012 1:15 PM

Client Grand Casino Bleed none Output Date 11/15/12

Description Business Central Magazine Ad Live Page # 1

File Name 364-12121_BusCentralMag_[3.625x4.875]

SIGN-OFF

[ ] CD Chris Preston

[ ] AD Melissa Tresidder

[ ] CW

[ ] AS Mark Jenson

[ ] AM Brendan Ciatti-Miller

[ ] PM Krista Kraabel

Notes

1

Let us make your next meeting, banquet, or special event truly memorable. With 2 spacious casino hotels, 24-hour gaming action and award-winning dining, we offer the perfect setting for your guests. For more information call Grand Casino Mille Lacs Events & Convention Center 800-626-5825,ext. 8515; Grand Casino Hinckley Events & Convention Center 877-447-2631; or visit grandcasinomn.com

Put a little fun on your next

meeting’s agenda.


Every employer – whether

in the private, public,

or nonprofit sector –

should have a well-drafted

employment handbook or

personnel policy manual.

All too often employers take

shortcuts by using samples from

other employers or by finding

templates from online sources.

An employment manual should

be drafted with the specific

employer in mind. Handbooks

and policies set the overall

tone for the office and outline

the employer’s standards,

responsibilities, and expectations

of employees. Furthermore,

when followed, an employment

manual identifies the

employer’s procedure for

ensuring that employees

are treated uniformly and

consistently, an important

aspect in avoiding liability

for discrimination, wrongful

termination, or negligence

claims an employee may bring

against an employer.

One of the biggest mistakes

an employer can make is to

hire an individual as an at-will

employee, then provide for

a series of progressive steps

or stages for discipline or

termination. These steps usually

begin with a verbal or written

warning and lead to termination

of employment. However, if the

at-will employee is terminated

short of receiving all of the

“warnings” as provided for in

the employment handbook,

the employee may claim the

employer failed to follow the

employer’s own staggered

disciplinary process, thereby

nullifying the employee’s at-will

status and creating a contractual

relationship between the

employer and employee.

Likely the most contentious

issue in employee relations right

now is an employee’s use of

social media sites like Facebook,

LinkedIn, and Twitter, and

an employer’s right to limit

or restrict an employee’s use

of such social media outlets.

Employers should consult with

an attorney to create a social

media policy that protects the

interests of the employer, but

does not unduly restrict the

employee’s rights.

Employers should also

consider the use of policies

or procedures that address

employee Internet usage in

the workplace, confidentiality,

vacation/sick time accrual,

commission earnings and

payments, and harassment.

An employment manual is

like the workplace rule book. If

an employer wants employees

to play by the rules, the

employer should write the rule

book and follow it. Employees

should use the employment

manual as a continuous

resource, and not limit review

to the first few hours of

their first day on the job. An

employer should review and

revise the employment manual

as needed. This will ensure the

employee and employer are on

the same page. BC

MANAGEMENt TOOLkIT

About the writerBetsey Lund is an attorney with neils, Franz, Chirhart, P.a. in St. Cloud. She practices in the areas of employment law, business law, family law, and estate planning.

Rule BookEmployment handbooks should outline the employer’s standards, responsibilities, and expectations of employees. By Betsey Lund

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Management Toolkit Going Green Entrepreneurism Working Well Tech Strategies Tech news Economy Central presented by Falcon Bank

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MANAGEMENt TOOLkIT

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GoiNG GREEn Cool! Save money on your summer cooling costs with this easy tip.Have you checked the settings on your

programmable thermostat or central temperature

control system lately? according to the u.S. Department

of Energy, ensuring that temps are set back 10 to 15

degrees Fahrenheit for eight hours during a 24-hour

period can save roughly 10 percent on cooling costs.

To save big money on cooling season energy costs,

consider setting the temp to 72 degrees during business

operating hours and then dial it up to 82 degrees during

non-operating hours. after doing so, check and recheck

temperature settings throughout the summer – or,

better yet, lock access to programmable thermostats.

Source: Energy Smart

tECH NEWS

PaPERTaBResearchers in Canada and the U.K. have developed a tablet computer that is both paper-thin and flexible. The idea behind the PaperTab isn’t to make your iPad flexible, but to rethink the way we use tablet computers — and to make them more like the actual pieces of paper we shuffle around our desks. Source: Popsci.com; Image: Plastic Logic

888.330.8482 | myCMCU.orgfacebook.com/myCMCU

Federally Insured by NCUA


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if you operate or are looking

to start-up a seasonal

business, here are some tips

for minimizing the effect of

seasonality and optimizing your

business operations year-round.

Managing Cash Flow through the Peaks and TroughsInvesting your income during

peak season while managing

your costs and maintaining

good credit during the quiet

times is a must. Below are some

strategies for ensuring that cash

continues to flow even when

your doors are closed:

•• Manage Your Invoicing

Whatever your business, you

want to make sure you can get

a percentage payment upfront

from customers as often as

possible. This will improve cash

flow and limit the problem

of slow-paying customers.

Likewise, consider negotiating

extended payment terms from

your suppliers so that you can

spread the burden over 6-12

months rather than incur

hefty pre-season demands

for payments on goods you

haven’t sold yet.

•• Government Backed Loans

for Seasonal Businesses

Government-backed loans

are also an option. The Small

Business Administration (SBA)

under its CAPLine Loans

umbrella program helps small

businesses meet their short-

term and cyclical working-

capital needs.

•• Alternative Income Sources

If you are able to diversify

your business offering and

you need to accrue additional

cash flow during the quiet

season, you might want to

consider earning income

from alternative sources. For

example, landscaping service

companies often shift gear in

the winter by marketing their

snow clearing services. Be sure

to check whether you need

to get an additional business

license or permit to do this.

The Seasonal Labor Market Managing labor is also a big

challenge for seasonal business

owners. By hiring temporary

employees you can significantly

reduce your cash outflow

during the off-peak season.

On the flip side, recruiting,

hiring and training temporary

workers can be resource

intensive on a small business,

so you want to do all you can

to mitigate your expenses by

encouraging your employees

to return next season. Much of

this comes down to quality of

work life as well as incentives

and soft benefits that make

your business a desirable

prospect for cyclical workers.

Continued outreach to those

employees during the off-

season can also help keep your

business top of mind — the

occasional event or dinner will

surely be appreciated.

Making the Quiet Season Work for YouIn addition to budgeting for

the year ahead and taking care

of tasks such as renovation,

maintenance, etc., now is the

time to take stock, review the

competitive landscape, visit

trade shows, and consider

introducing new product

or service lines. This should

also be your busiest time for

marketing activity. BC

Caron Beesley is a small business owner, a writer and marketing communications consultant with SBa.gov.

ENtrEPrENEUriSM

SeasonalityKnowing how to optimize the lows while riding the highs of a seasonal business requires a particularly innovative and diligent entrepreneur at the helm. By Caron Beesley

VIRTUaL SHOPPING Two virtual shops have opened in japan, taking the shopping experience to a new level.

These online stores allow visitors to browse through the interactive Web pages to give them a realistic in-store experience.

users can navigate around the virtual shop with keyboard or mouse commands, and even walk over to spots for a better look

at the products. The virtual shops are designed using a series of photos to create a panoramic web layout. Source: pfsk.com

tECH nEWS


WorKiNG WELL

IMPLEMENTING CHaNGEThe average employee needs six to nine months to effectively prepare for and accept worksite policy changes. Make sure you give your employees enough lead-time to prepare for major policy changes — such as going smoke free. allowing plenty of time can make the process more effective for everyone.

Bend and StretchImplement a mandatory stretching policy. Believe it or not, low back pain affects 60 to 80 percent of adults sometime in their lives. What’s more, back pain symptoms are among the 10 leading reason for visits to emergency rooms, outpatient departments, and physician’s offices. Stretching and exercise can reduce the risk of these problems and create a great warm-up before diving into a stressful workday.

“A lot of last minute requests come in from suppliers and sometimes you have to make decisions as fast as possible. Schlenner Wenner is very cooperative in getting the information we need in order to make proper decisions.” – Greg Dahlheimer, Dahlheimer Beverage, LLC

CORY RITTER, C.P.A.with Greg, Debby & Luke Dahlheimer of Dahlheimer Beverage, LLC

NOT JUST NUMB3RS.

Little Falls320.632.6311Albany320.845.2940

Maple Lake320.963.5414Monticello763.295.5070

St. Cloud320.251.0286

www.swcocpas.com

An Independently Owned Member, McGladrey Alliance

WORKING WITH PEOPLE,NOT JUST NUMB3RS.

http://www.hma-archs.com


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Social media is changing

the way businesses

market. Getting

employees involved at all levels

is important for businesses –

large and small. One of the

most common questions I get

asked is “How can I engage

employees in social media?”

One of the best ways I have

found is through a “Social

Squad”, a team of individuals

focused on generating content

and building the company’s

presence and personality on

social media. It’s not enough

to have one person managing

social media any more, even for

the smallest of businesses. Social

media is dynamic, constant

and dependent on real-time

information. Organizations

seeing the best results today

have an engaged team.

Here’s a look at what to

consider when building a Social

Squad for your organization:

Set expectationsOrganizations need to clearly

articulate the goals for each

of the social media tools

they plan to use over the

next 12-18 months. Then,

establish goals for the team

and each individual. This

provides a clear roadmap

and accountability. The goals

for each individual typically

vary based on the employee’s

role in the company and

how that fits into the larger

social media plan. Some

members may take on more

responsibility than others.

Get the right people on boardEngaging a cross section of

employees in the organization

is important. That may mean

identifying leads at each office

or by product category. Overall,

Social Squads should include

employees from leadership,

business units (operations),

marketing (sales and customer

service) and a coordinator to

manage the efforts. Rarely, do I

see social media as a major focus

for any of these team members.

Typically, their involvement in

the Social Squad is an extension

of their job. Here are common

roles for each:

Leadership – Focused on

setting the strategy and setting

metrics for an ROI.

Business Unit – Focused on

providing engaging content

from their respective region or

product area in real-time.

Marketing – Engaged because

they often are the front porch

for customers and need to

know what’s happening when

they receive calls or questions.

Management – Focused on

coordination, reporting,

analyzing results, and

suggesting any changes to

achieve the organization’s

goals and ROI. This is the most

time consuming role on the

team and for larger companies,

there often are 4-5 people

filling this role.

Reward successIn most cases, being involved in

a Social Squad does not come

with additional compensation.

From event coordination

and marketing to sales and

customer service, social media

responsibilities are becoming

a part of job descriptions. Still,

high-performing organizations

reward members and the entire

squad as results are achieved

and goals are met. That may

mean doing a monthly contest

that gives a gift card to the

member who generated the

“best post,” according to

Facebook or providing an

annual reward for success.

Provide training and promote sharingSocial media is a moving

target. Remaining effective

and engaging on any given

platform takes continued

education. Social Squads are

often started to help with

content generation, but one of

the most important roles they

play is idea generation and best

practice sharing. They each

bring their own perspective

and collectively, they help the

organization refine its practices

and stay energized.

Social Squads are just

evolving in organizations, but

they are quickly becoming

“what good looks like” in social

business implementation. BC

Social SquadsIt’s not enough to have one person managing social media any more. This dynamic medium works best when companies have a team of people generating content. By Dawn Zimmerman

About the writerDawn Zimmerman is CEO of The Write advantage, a St. Cloud-based communications company that specializes in social media.

tECH STRaTEGIES


tECH nEWS

THE INTERNET OF THINGSThis concept describes how the Internet will

expand as physical items such as consumer

devices and physical assets are connected to the

Internet. Mobile no longer refers only to use of

cellular handsets or tablets. Cellular technology

is being embedded in many new types of

devices, including pharmaceutical containers

and automobiles. Smartphones and other

intelligent devices don’t just use the cellular

network, they communicate via nFC, Bluetooth,

LE and Wi-Fi to a wide range of devices and

peripherals, such as wristwatch displays,

healthcare sensors, smart posters, and home

entertainment systems. Source: Gartner, Inc.

BUTTERFLY BUILDINGSa material that’s both colorful and water-repelling could someday go into sensors that regulate the interior temperature of “smart” buildings. Inspired by butterfly wings, the color in the new material — as in its insect inspiration — doesn’t come from the pigments and dyes that color most household items, but from well-ordered ridges and other structures that are invisible to the naked eye. The complex structures reflect light in particular ways, creating different colors that people see. The material could go on the outside of buildings, providing colorful designs that are more durable than conventional paint and

that resist dirt and mildew. Source: Tech news Daily

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May-June BC Ad_Layout 1 4/5/13 4:16 PM Page 1

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the recent economy

proves to be quite an

adventure. Minnesota

State Economist Tom Stinson

compared the economy to an

action-packed movie: Although

many wish the economic

conditions of the past few years

had been a movie, the nation

found itself in the middle of an

awful state of reality.

The good news is that

our reality continues to improve.

That was the message delivered

by local and state experts during

the Economic Outlook panel,

part of the 51st Annual St. Cloud

State University Winter

Economic Institute. In addition

to Stinson, panel members

included King Banaian, professor

of economics, St. Cloud State

University; Ken Beauchemin,

senior economist and assistant

vice president, Federal Reserve

Bank of Minnesota; and Steve

Hine, director of labor market

information, Minnesota

Department of Employment

and Economic Development

(DEED). Here’s what each

had to say:

Ken Beauchemin, Federal Reserve Bank of MinnesotaFocus: National EconomyThe united States is unlikely

to make up lost growth in the

next few years, according to

Beauchemin. In 2013, he predicts

the unemployment rate remains

high. He expects the economy will

thrive in quarters one and two, but

decline again in quarters three and

four. Inflation will not be a problem.

Tom Stinson, Minnesota State Economist Focus: State Economy“Most people are not going to

see much change from 2012 to

2013,” Stinson said. He predicts

the Minnesota economy will grow

faster than the nation. although

consumer confidence remains

low, Minnesota should remain

optimistic because 2013 brings:

•• Growth in job opportunities

•• Low interest rates

•• Declining unemployment rate

•• Increase in construction projects

Potential risks:•• Self-inflicted recession

•• High savings rates

•• Low consumer confidence

Steve Hine, DEEDFocus: State EmploymentMinnesota should return to the

pre-recession employment peak

in 2013, according to Hine. In 2012,

the state regained about 81 percent

of jobs lost in the recession and

the number of people applying

for unemployment decreased for

the first time since the recession

began. Layoffs in the workplace have

diminished. Troubling areas for 2013:

•• Long-term unemployment

persists

•• Many underemployed individuals

•• Demographic disparities in

employment opportunities

King Banaian, SCSUFocus: Central Minnesota’s Economy“Happy days are here again and

happy days are probably staying,”

Banaian said. Since the recovery

was so vast in 2012, the 2013

economy will appear to have less

change. although there are still

economic risks, Central Minnesota

has many reasons to be optimistic:

•• Geringhoff expansion

•• Momentum from 2012

•• Stabilizing house prices

Potential risks:•• Taxes

•• Decrease in personal income

The economic adventure

continues in 2013. Although

unemployment rates remain

high and consumer optimism

remains low, today’s economy

is slowly working its way back

to pre-recession standings.

Minnesota should feel positive

knowing the economy is

recovering faster than the

nation, but there is still room

for improvement. According to

these experts, expect continued

economic growth and recovery

in 2013. BC

Whitney Bina is the communications

and workforce development

coordinator at the St. Cloud area

Chamber of Commerce.

An Economic Adventure

Economy Central presented by

Although unemployment rates remain high and consumer optimism remains low, today’s economy is slowly working its way back to pre-recession standings. By Whitney Bina

Sour

ce: u

.S. S

mal

l Bus

ines

s ad

min

istr

atio

n

2013 Economic Outlook Panel: Tom Stinson (L), Steve Hine, king Banaian, and ken Beauchemin; (left) king Banaian, St. Cloud State, provided his perspective on what will happen in the local economy in 2013.

DiD YoU knOW?

SIZEUP

This free online tool

from the Small Business

administration helps

businesses identify new

customers and compare

their performance

against other businesses

in their industry. The

data is collected from

hundreds of private and

public sources. The tool

can be found at

www.sba.gov/sizeup.

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M aY / j u n E 2 0 1 3 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m 31Economy Central presented by

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$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX$1

,777

,934

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

Non Farm Jobs2012-2013 % CHANGE

Benton & Stearns CountiesMinnesotaUnited States

-2.5%

-2.0%

-1.5%

-1.0%

-0.5%

0.0%

0.5%

1.0%

1.5%

2.0%

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


Unemployment Rates2012-2013

4%

6%

8%

10%

FJDNOSAJJMAMF

$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

ECoNoMiC iNDiCAtorS & TRENDS

Residential Building Permits Commercial Building Permits

Employment


Sources: Building departments for the following cities: St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids, Sartell, Waite Park, St. augusta, and St. joseph.

Source: www.positivelyminnesota.com Source: www.positivelyminnesota.com


Compiled by Sharon Henry, data current as of 4/19/13


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

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$6,3

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70

$6,4

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$46,

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239

$12,

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379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

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00

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$0

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$1M

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FJDNOSAJJMAMF


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$0

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FJDNOSAJJMAMF


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FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

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FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

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$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

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FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

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FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

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$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

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$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

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.15

$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

0.0%

0.1%

0.2%

0.3%

0.4%

0.5%

0.6%

0.7%

0.8%

MinnesotaCentral MN

Product CreationBUSINESSES CREATING NEW PRODUCTS IN LAST YEAR

.79%.71%

$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

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$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

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$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

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$1.5M

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FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

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$0

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$0

$.5M

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$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



$0

$1M

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$3M

$4M

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FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

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$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

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$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

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$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

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$1.5M

$2M

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$0

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$0

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$2M

$3M

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$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

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$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$.5M

$1M

$1.5M

$2M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$1M

$2M

$3M

$4M

$5M

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


No. of permits 28 15 31 35 26 21 40 48 45 43 16 23 30

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


0

10

20

30

40

50

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5



0

30

60

90

120

150

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


$0

$30,000

$60,000

$90,000

$120,000

$150,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF


-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

DNOSAJJMAMFJ


4%

6%

8%

10%

DNOSAJJMAMFJ




$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

FJDNOSAJJMAMF



3.1%

1.7%1.9% 2.0%

$2,6

22,5

44

$2,0

71,3

50

$2,3

01,2

10

$2,4

89,3

99

$25,

702,

953

$12,

449,

306

$17,

096,

137

$6,3

62,1

70

$6,4

76,4

71

$46,

115,

239

$12,

457,

379

$46

,603

,752

$3,5

36,8

34

$15

,075

$3,

745

$15

7,03

0

$1,200 $2,500

$425,000

$72,162


XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

$1,7

77,9

34

$568,250

$8,990$0

$107,200$57,311

$58,646 $30,671

$634,892

N/A

$778,000

$0 $0$6,375$7,500

$16,000

$810,768

$30,060

$5,

475

$8,

431

$10

,496

$6,1

78,9

10

$2,4

34,5

00

$2,2

24,0

21

$343

,111

.15

ECoNoMiC iNDiCAtorS & TRENDS

Housing/Real Estate

Commerce/Services

Gross Domestic Product

In the Loop

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Sources: Tax Collections – City of St. Cloud Incorporations - Mn Secretary of State, Graph courtesy of SCSu

Housing/Real Estate sources: St. Cloud area association of Realtors, http://stcloudrealtors.com/pages/statistics; Benton County Sheriff’s Civil Process; Stearn’s County Sheriff’s Office; http://thething.mplsrealtor.com/

Sources: Minnesota Compass led by Wilder Research; Bureau of Economic analysis - www.BEa .gov.

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the Cost of Living index measures regional differences in the cost of consumer goods and services, excluding taxes and non-consumer

expenditures, for professional and managerial households in the top income quintile. It is based on more than 90,000 prices covering almost 60 different items for which prices are collected quarterly by the St.Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce. Small differences should not be interpreted as showing any measurable difference, according to ACCRA. St. Cloud experienced a below average cost of living during of 2012.

Cost of Living - Minnesota

Cost of LivingMinnesota and other upper Midwest Cities of Comparable Size to St. Cloud

St. Cloud, Mn 1stQ 94.7 106.2 76.8 95.5 97.1 110.6 102.5

St. Cloud, Mn 2ndQ 95.0 106.8 78.0 96.2 95.4 111.9 102.5

St. Cloud, Mn 3rdQ 97.4 107.5 78.2 104.9 102.2 110.8 104.5

St. Cloud, MN 2012 avg 96.1 107.0 78.0 98.9 98.3 111.2 102.9

Minneapolis, Mn 108.7 104.4 118.3 101.5 101.3 102.7 108.6

St. Paul, Mn 108.0 102.6 115.8 100.0 101.8 103.2 109.4

Rochester, Mn 101.4 96.0 96.8 114.7 102.3 109.6 101.6

Cedar Rapids, Ia 92.1 94.9 78.3 95.0 94.2 95.1 100.2

Eau Claire, WI 91.0 97.0 77.0 84.2 99.5 110.5 96.3

Wausau, WI 96.6 101.6 83.0 107.1 99.6 105.0 100.2

All Ite

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0 50

100

150

200

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new York (Manhattan) nY 225.4

new York (Brooklyn) nY 178.6

Honolulu HI 167.0

San Francisco Ca 163.4

San jose Ca 153.4

new York (Queens) nY 148.3

Stamford CT 146.1

Washington, D.C. 144.7

Orange County Ca 140.6

Boston Ma 139.9

Source: C2ER - The Council for Community and Economic Research. *Includes single-family and multi-unit residential housing

There are roughly 4,100 new regulations in the pipeline that will have an impact on small businesses. It’s important to be aware of what is coming and how to comply, but just as important, small businesses should realize that they have a voice in the rulemaking process. Lawmakers have set up a website to help small-business owners learn about upcoming regulations that could affect them and to ease the process of commenting on proposed rules.Find the link at www.BusinessCentralMagazine.com


x John HergesPresident and CEO

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34 B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M aY / j u n E 2 0 1 334 B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M aY / j u n E 2 0 1 3


W hat happens when a

small company stops

being “small?”

The transition from

entrepreneurial start-up

to industry-leading technology firm is what

St. Cloud-based Netgain has been dealing with

as it has evolved over the past two years.

“We’re leaving the entrepreneurial level

where you have ‘tribal knowledge’ – everyone

knows what to do,” said Founder and President

Scott Warzecha. “That works well as a start-up,

but if you want to grow and deliver a high-

quality product, you need to leave that and

become more of a specialist.”

Specialization is what Netgain has

pursued in those two years, as it has evolved

from a general information technology (IT)

and web hosting company into a cloud-

based provider and data center focused on

the health care industry, especially small

hospitals and rural clinics.

That transition has taken the company

from just over 50 employees in 2011 to

72 today. The recently completed acquisition

of a Chicago-based competitor will add

another 25 employees, putting Netgain

well on its way toward a projected 200

employees within five years.

Growth is taking Netgain farther from its

St. Cloud roots in one sense. Warzecha said

the company attracted more new business

from outside Minnesota than in-state in 2012.

But the company is deepening its connections

and commitment to St. Cloud, recently

purchasing the Regency building downtown,

Growth may be taking technology company, Netgain, farther from its St. Cloud roots,

but company founder Scott Warzecha says his commitment to St. Cloud will only continue to grow.

By Lawrence SchumacherPhotos by Joel Butkowski / BDI Photography



Left: Anna Marie’s Alliance is the only women’s shelter in the U.S. that has a child psychiatrist who visits the children on-site; Right: Woman House built a new facility in 1999, opening their new location in 2000 as Anna Marie’s Alliance.

Scott Warzecha President/Founder

Age: 52

HometoWn: “I was born and raised in St. Cloud

and they’ll plant me on a hill here one day.”

eDucAtIon: Graduated from Cathedral

High School; graduated from Concordia

College in St. Paul with a degree in marketing;

graduated from the St. Cloud Technical and

Community College with a degree

in electronics.

Work HIStory: Four years at Team

Electronics; 13 years at Marco; started

Netgain in January 2000.

HoBBIeS: “I’m a simple man. Work is my

hobby. I go for runs and swimming with my

wife. I don’t do well on weekends, much less

think about retirement.”

FAmILy: Wife Gloria works at CentraCare.

“I met her at Perkins. I was a host and she

was a waitress. We’ve been married 26 years.” They have two sons, one is a junior at St. John’s University and the other graduated from St. John’s in 2011 and is working in the Twin Cities.

BeSt ADvIce receIveD:

“Lots of good advice. I don’t think I’ve

ever had an original thought.”

ADvIce to A WouLD-Be

entrePreneur: “Starting or operating

a business shouldn’t be an adventure or

an exciting time. It’s a matter of ample planning

to predict the obstacles and outcomes that are

to come. As the leader you are the visionary;

you need to clearly see the future state of your

company so you can lead others (employees,

suppliers, customers) to it.”

Fun FAct: “I’m the son of a watchmaker.

My dad was an entrepreneur. He ran

Dom’s Watch Repair.”

BuSiNeSS ProFile

netgainBuSIneSS ADDreSS:720 W Saint Germain St., Ste 200 • St. Cloud, MN 56301-3501

PHone: (320) 251-4700; 877-797-4700

FAx: (320) 251-5030

emAIL: [email protected]

WeBSIte: www.netgainhosting.com

LeADerSHIP teAm:

Scott Warzecha is founder, president, and vice president of sales. He owns 80 percent of the company.

Scott Baynes is vice president of technology. He worked at Marco with Warzecha and left at the same time to start Netgain with Warzecha.

matt riley is vice president of operations. Warzecha was working at Marco when he met Riley. “Matt saw what I was doing, knew what it meant, understood it, and wanted to be part of it,” Warzecha said, adding with a grin, “He came begging to work here. Write that down.” Riley owns 10 percent of the business.

Franco cusipag is vice president of finance.

BuSIneSS DeScrIPtIon: Netgain is a healthcare information technology provider to physician practices and rural hospitals. Netgain’s dedicated cloud and private cloud offerings allow organizations of all sizes and specialties to experience cloud computing benefits without compromising control or security.

StArteD: January 2000

numBer oF emPLoyeeS: 92

2013 eStImAteD SALeS: $12 million

just down the street from the former Federal

Building it has occupied since 2006.

Growth and the company’s deepening

impact on St. Cloud’s downtown are two

reasons why Warzecha is receiving the

St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce’s

2013 Small Business Person of the Year

award. It is an award that he says rightfully

belongs to the leadership team that has

been with Netgain since 2000: Warzecha,

Vice President of Operations Matt Riley, and

Vice President of Technology Scott Baynes.

Origins

Warzecha, a St. Cloud native, started

his career as a salesman at Team

Electronics, but it was during his 13 years

at Marco that he met Baynes, who had just

started his IT career and was a client

of Warzecha’s.

“We were all in IT, taking care of

customers in the traditional manner,”

Baynes said. “Scott had 17-plus years of

engineering and sales experience. He had

the idea to do things a different way than it

had been done.”

The concept was cloud computing.

In 2000, it was something few people in

Central Minnesota knew much about. But

it was also a time when cable television

competition had brought fiber optic lines

to St. Cloud, allowing companies to run

high-speed data along them. At the time,

businesses had their computing resources

in the back room of their buildings, and

brought in IT technicians to fix and update

the machines and their software, said Riley,

who was also a client of Warzecha’s.

“We stayed in touch when they

started Netgain,” Riley said. “Eventually,

I came on as an analyst. I put the process

to the execution.”

Initially, Netgain’s clients were all

St. Cloud companies. In the company’s first

five years, Baynes became the company’s

data center manager, designing and

building it while Warzecha sold clients

on the vision he had of a different way

Growth and the company’s deepening impact on St. Cloud’s downtown are two reasons why Warzecha is receiving the

St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2013 Small Business Person of the Year award.

PerSoNal ProFileS



to do IT. “Customers just wanted their

system to work and not have to worry

about the server crashing or the printer

running out of ink,” Warzecha said. “It

took a little while, but we found our

foothold with our first clients – many

of whom we still take care of. We did a

little bit of everything then, including

web design.”

GroWth

in 2006, Netgain made a big move,

purchasing the old Federal Building

in downtown St. Cloud and establishing

itself as a presence in the St. Cloud

business community. Ironically, it was

at this time that the company began

branching out, attracting more clients

outside of Central Minnesota.

“We knew someone who gave us a

referral that got us our first health care

account,” Baynes said. “It took awhile,

but eventually our cloud computing

model demonstrated that it lent itself

particularly well to medical clinics.”

As the company began to take on

clients in the Twin Cities health care

market, the Netgain leadership team

gained an appreciation for the “onerous

regulatory requirements” in the medical

services industry, Riley said.

In order to help companies deal with

those requirements, however, Netgain

Scott Baynes Vice President of Technology

Age: 39

HometoWn: Foley

eDucAtIon: BA Physics,

St. John’s University; MS Health

Physics, Colorado State University

Work HIStory: Netgain

2000-Present. (Field Service

Manager, Data Center Manager, CTO,

VP of Technology); Marco, St. Cloud.

1999-2000 IT Technician; National

Computer Systems, Edina, MN,

1998-1999.

HoBBIeS: Spending time with

family (many soccer, dance, piano,

baseball events) and trips to the lake

(fishing, skiing). Involvement with our

church and school, including serving

on the All Saints Academy Board of

Directors and Parish Council.

FAmILy: Wife Meaghan; children:

Antonia (12), Finnian (10),

Hadleigh (8), Xavier (6)


My grandfather told me: “One’s mind

is only as sharp as one’s ax.” A very

practical reminder to focus on working

smarter and not necessarily harder.

As useful today as it was at my first job

as a kid working on a dairy farm.


entrePreneur:

Be passionate about your business.

Surround yourself with others that

share your passion.

Fun FAct: I have performed

sub-atomic particle accelerator

experiments at two different national

laboratories (Berkeley National

Laboratory and Brookhaven

National Laboratory).

matt rileyVice President of operations

Age: 39

HometoWn: Rochester, Minnesota

eDucAtIon: BA, St. Cloud State

Work HIStory: Resource Training

& Solutions, Manager of Information

Systems, Program Coordinator (1996-

2000, part-time 1992-96); Netgain

Technology, December 2000-present.

HoBBIeS: History, hiking, outdoor

just-about-anything. We live on

10-acre country acreage, and just

about anything involving it is “hobby.”

FAmILy: Wife Sarah; Daughter

Cora (6); Son Liam (4)


Harness your Type-A personality and

focus it – Pat Kapsch, Resource

Training & Solutions (retired)


entrePreneur: Explore many,

many ideas; partner with others to

operationalize. Find partners, co-

workers, and subordinates that have

complementary, but not identical,

personality and work styles.

Fun FAct: I thought Scott’s idea

to run small business computing

systems in a room across town as a

service was silly at first, and that his

first Netgain business cards included

what looked like the Tide laundry

detergent logo. This was when he

tried to sell me Netgain’s services at

Resource a few months after start-up.

A few months later, he and I were

talking about the concept and me

coming on board.

The original Netgain Leadership team from left: Scott Baynes, Scott Warzecha, and Matt Riley.


“the essentials for being a Netgain employee are having a passion for technology and a desire to continually learn.” – SCott WArzeChA

had to be willing to take on the same

liabilities as the health care provider, with

regard to patient data privacy, Warzecha

said. “Any breach is not the responsibility

of the provider, but us,” he said.

It’s no surprise security is a high

concern. When you walk into the

Federal Building, you sign in on a digital

tablet and smile for the camera as a

photograph is taken and made into an

ID badge. Other forms of security are

less obvious, but even more important.

“There’s two ways you can get me out of

business – data loss or a security breach,”

Warzecha said. “So we do what we have

to in order to minimize those risks.”

relatiOnships

along the way, the relationship

between Baynes, Warzecha and

Riley has evolved into something Baynes

likens to a family. “We have a deep respect

for each other and are not afraid to

challenge each other,” he said. “We knew

it was a risky endeavor. Most businesses

fail on startup. But I knew Scott had a

good idea and that I could contribute.”

Riley describes Baynes as “very

effective at identifying when somebody

does something well and letting them

run with it.”

Warzecha likes to lead by example

and is a good example of a “servant

leader,” Riley said.

evOlutiOn

netgain’s evolution to become an

IT provider that caters primarily

to the medical services community, and

specifically to rural hospitals and medical

clinics, was gradual, taking place over

the company’s second five-year period,

Warzecha said. During that time, the

company developed 10 different software

packages tailored to the industry and is

still adding more.

They help rural health care providers

that are large enough to need things

like electronic medical records and

networked computer systems, but

don’t have the dedicated IT staff and

equipment to devote to the task.

“Doctors are walking around with tablets

on Wi-Fi linked in to cloud servers

today,” Warzecha said. “But hospitals

don’t have the bandwidth to support 250

users at the same time, even if they have

their own IT department and want some

control. That’s where we step in.” Today,

95 percent of the company’s growth is in

the health care industry, and that trend is

expected to continue, he said.

Baynes, who has a BA in physics

from St. John’s University and a Masters

in health physics from Colorado State

University, said the combination of

technology and medical services works

right into his strengths. “I got into IT

because I was looking for tools for

my interest in science and became a

passionate advocate for the benefits

computers and networks can bring to

scientific research,” he said.

rising tO the tOp

several things made Netgain – and

Warzecha’s leadership – stand out

in the evaluation process for this year’s

Small Business Person of the Year award,

said Diane Mendel, Playhouse Child

Care, who served on the judge’s panel

for the award.

“Scott is very supportive of his

employees and values them, which has

resulted in him being able to grow and

expand his business,” she said. “I felt that

Netgain was a hidden secret in this area and

was surprised at the size of his company,

since it was only founded in 2000.”

Mendel said it was no small

accomplishment to assemble a team in

St. Cloud that can handle the complexity

of cloud hosting for the health care

industry, including the storage and

protection of private medical records.

With all the educational institutions

St. Cloud has to offer, it really hasn’t

been too difficult to find qualified

employees, Warzecha said. “The

essentials for being a Netgain employee

are having a passion for technology and

a desire to continually learn,” he said.

“We’re also a service-oriented business,

so we look for people with humility and

a desire to serve.”

The Federal BuildiNG

In December 2005 Netgain moved into the Federal Building in downtown St. Cloud. The building’s historical appeal and access to the high speed telecommunications services required for their datacenter, drew the company to the building. Turning it into useable office space required significant remodeling, including removal of asbestos tile and replacing the ruined ceiling. Adhering to the historical design, Netgain had lights custom built using the original architectural drawings.

Before & After



The fact that regulation of the

health care industry is increasingly a

federal issue has aided Netgain’s ability

to expand beyond Minnesota to other

states, Warzecha said. The data privacy

and electronic storage requirements for

a small hospital in Texas are not much

different from those for a small hospital

in Minnesota.

Warzecha said he views the award as

validation from the St. Cloud community

that Netgain is contributing something

significant to the community. “It means

we’re doing a good job, not just for me

and for the company and its employees,

but for St. Cloud and the area,” he said.

st. ClOud COnneCtiOns

Warzecha is fond of saying that he

“grew up in St. Cloud, and I’ll die

here.” Despite Netgain’s new model, the

company remains as firmly committed to

St. Cloud and Central Minnesota as ever.

In 2005, when the company needed

to build a data center, the partners

examined options in the Twin Cities

that could have led the company

down a different path, Riley said.

But finding a home for the data center

in the Federal Building in downtown

St. Cloud strengthened the company’s

commitment to the area. “It really

anchored us in St. Cloud, and that’s

only growing now with the Regency

building,” he said.

Netgain’s purchase of the Regency

building helps the company find more

room to grow, according to Warzecha.

The company originally leased space in

the Federal building to other companies,

but has grown to occupy all but one

office in the building today.

Baynes said the company’s support

desk staff will move to the Regency

building, though there will be room to

grow there as well. Netgain also expects

to lease out vacant space there to other

businesses, helping to further solidify the

company’s status as a downtown booster.

“St. Cloud is strategic for us because

we’ve got good talent available and

they’re well suited to satisfying our

customers’ needs,” Baynes said. “We’ve

also got a lot invested in downtown and

its vitality. It’s been a good home for us.”

AcquISItIonS

that hasn’t stopped Netgain from

jumping at the chance to grow its

footprint outside of St. Cloud. In the

last year or two, that has meant finding

acquisition opportunities, according to

Warzecha. “Since we aligned our efforts

in this new marketplace, we’ve found

other companies in that market that

have something valuable that we can

add to our efforts, and we’ve pursued

those opportunities,” he said.

This spring, Netgain was in the

process of finalizing an acquisition of

a Chicago-based company with 25

employees of its own that would mark a

major growth opportunity, Riley said.

“It will add our single-largest client as

well as some good staff and technology.

It’s going to have a significant impact on

us and our future.”

Netgain has been growing at a

25 percent clip annually for the past

eight years, Warzecha said. That growth

rate is expected to continue for the next

three to five years, though some of it

will likely happen through additional

mergers and acquisitions.

That growth has also meant

reorganizing the company around four

main groups – information services,

technical services, support services and

client services.

Future OutlOOk

With the company becoming

increasingly complex, Warzecha

said his role has had to evolve. It’s no

longer “his” company in the sense of it

changing directions according to his will

alone, and that’s a good thing. “That

saying about it ‘taking a village’ is true for

successful businesses as well as children,”

he said. “It’s very simplistic to assume that

a company proceeds on the shoulders of

one guy, especially when the company

grows to the size we’ve reached.”

Warzecha now sees his role as

providing strategic direction and

guidance, and helping ensure that

the groundwork that’s been laid for

the company’s current evolution is

executed as seamlessly as possible.

Netgain has managed to grow and

evolve while staying on top of an

ever-changing technology industry,

strengthening St. Cloud and establishing

a national presence, Mendel said.

Warzecha’s cloud hosting vision in 2000

– once considered “spooky” – has now

moved to the mainstream of IT services.

As it has, Netgain has continued to evolve

and seek out the technological advantages

and markets that have kept it on a strong

growth track, something Warzecha said

he hopes the company will continue as it

evolves past its current incarnation.

“We’ve got the right strategy and

the right people,” Warzecha said. “I’m

excited about the future.” BC

Lawrence Schumacher is the creator and

owner of Wordbender Communications, LLC,

a communications consulting and freelance

writing firm. He lives in St. Cloud with his

wife and two children.


TimeliNe

2000 Scott Warzecha starts Netgain

2006 Warzecha and partners Scott Baynes and Matt Riley purchase the former St. Cloud Federal Building for an operation center

2007 Netgain receives JOBZ designation

2008 Netgain undergoes a strategic shift and begins to focus primarily on providing services to healthcare clinics

2010 Netgain opens an office in Minneapolis, adds 50th employee

2011 Netgain receives recognition as one of top 100 Fast Growth tech companies in nation

2012 95 percent of new revenue is healthcare related; 55 percent is from out of state

2013 Netgain opens an office in Chicago; the partners purchase the Regency Building and remodel for their technical support team, with additional space available for lease. Netgain adds its 100th employee


FEaTUREGOAL SETTING



One of the most important

factors in business success

is setting achievable

goals. Note the word

ACHIEVABLE. That big

word ensures BIG results!

Business people set goals

every day by proclaiming

things like, “We are going to sell 20

percent more this quarter.” Or, “We

will increase production by one third.”

Yet, seldom are these goals achieved

because they are unrealistic, not well

thought-out, or did not have employee

buy-in. Goal setting is a multi-step,

sequential process involving research,

brainstorming, action and review.

ReseaRch

Before embarking on any goal-setting

activity, it’s necessary to conduct

some research into current market

conditions, your competition, as well

as your own company. This will help

you make informed decisions about the

future. Employees should be an integral

part of this as their hands-on knowledge

of the company will be invaluable, plus,

it includes them in the process. People

support what they help create.

BRainstoRming

The research will give you a place to

begin, but brainstorming provides

you with the key directions to

take. For instance, research shows that

customer satisfaction has declined in

the last three years. You could create a

goal to increase customer satisfaction.

Sounds like a nice goal, but one that is

guaranteed to be unattainable.

Instead of making a blanket

pronouncement, use the data on

customer satisfaction to brainstorm

By Tracy Knafla

Reach for the StarsWhen setting your goals,

reach for the stars . . . but use a step ladder!

Buy In Using a process to make your goals achievable is one critical step. But there are a few other things you can do that will help you create and attain your company’s goals.

People who see their goals, achieve their goals! All employees should be able to see their goals and the progress they are making to achieve them. That red thermometer is an effective motivational tool for the United Way campaign.

Employees should be able to clearly articulate the goals they are working toward. They need to see how their work fits into the big picture.

Goal accomplishment is a big deal. When your department meets or exceeds its goals, celebrate the accomplishment in some way. This will provide additional incentive to work on the next set of goals.


FEaTUREGOAL SETTING

reasons for the drop. Ask your employees

why they think customer satisfaction

has dropped. Perhaps you’ll find out that

there are not enough people to handle the

volume of calls, so wait times are long.

The goal then is either to train the existing

employees to handle more calls per shift or

to find ways to hire additional employees.

Further brainstorming might make it clear

that the website is not as customer friendly

as your competition’s and some dollars

spent on the website will yield higher

satisfaction rates without hiring additional

employees. In any case, keep an open

mind about what the data might reveal,

and look for more than one obvious way

to solve the problem.

The Action Step LadderThis example shows six steps to assure goal completion, along with a person responsible for overseeing the action, providing two ways to be accountable for accomplishing this goal.

THE GOAL: “By the first of January, we will increase the volume of calls in the call center by 15 percent.”

The steps to achieve this goal:STEp 1: Meet with call center employees by August 1 to discuss satisfaction data and brainstorm possible solutions. Responsible Employee: Call center manager

STEp 2: Identify possible trainers for call center training by August 12. Responsible Employee: Human resources manager

STEp 3: Implement new training program by September 15. Responsible Employee: Shift supervisors

STEp 4: Begin monitoring for data collection. Monitor for five weeks. Analyze data for results. Responsible Employee: Shift supervisors

STEp 5: Meet with call center employees to share data analysis and get their feedback. Responsible Employee: Call center manager

STEp 6: Share results with company executives. Responsible Employee: Call center manager

Attainable goals become attainable because they are

specific, measurable, and they designate

someone to be responsible for

completion.


action

Attainable goals become attainable

because they are specific,

measurable, and they designate

someone to be responsible for

completion. If you just tell everyone

they have to work faster answering calls

on every shift, you will not be nearly as

successful as if you say, “By the first of

January, we will increase the volume

of calls that are answered in the call

center by 15 percent.” Then list the steps

necessary to achieve the goal.

Review

Goals need not be carved in stone.

Take time to assess how the

process is going. Did you have

good employee participation? Did

members step up and do their part by

meeting deadlines and supporting the

completion? Was the goal aggressive

enough or was it so aggressive that

people felt defeated before they began?

A thorough review of the process and

end result will help you set even better

goals in the future.

The process might seem a bit

daunting, but it’s really not! Once you

are in the habit of setting specific work

goals, you’ll marvel at just how easy and

effective it is. BC

Tracy knofla is the co-owner and featured consultant of High Impact Training. She has been presenting to audiences across the country for more than 25 years.

High Expectations?We perform.

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Bob Kovell is a

marathon runner.

He’ll run his 50th state

marathon in Colorado

Springs on Labor Day, raising

funds for Birthline because he

believes in its mission – to serve

anyone needing help because

of an unintended or crisis

pregnancy.

When Kovell looks at his

avocation, he knows success

in the race depends upon

mental metal, physical prowess,

conditioning, support of the

St. Cloud River Runners, and

the encouragement of his wife

Mary. Because his distance

running is much like the way a

person can deal with life, Kovell

relates to the stamina it takes for

an organization like St. Cloud’s

Birthline to continue to serve as

well as the courage it takes for

women in trouble to ask for and

accept help in order to move on.

“I look at Bob’s dedication

to running and I can’t help

but make my own comparison

between his hard work,

support group, and ultimate

success – and the commitment,

determination, and support

network our clients require in

order to overcome hurdles in

their unplanned pregnancy,”

says Carrie Tripp, Executive

Director.

Birthline volunteers and staff

have held the hands of 13-year-

old adolescents to women

in their late 40’s, offering

counseling, pregnancy testing,

education, material goods and

support, referrals, and even

post-abortion counseling.

The environment is safe and

confidential; no judgments

are made. Birthline has been

around since St. Cloud Hospital

nurses Alice Brown and Flo

Sullivan and their friends

established it 40 years ago.

Kovell has run for 40 years,

supported Birthline for 20, and

volunteered as Treasurer for

nine years. (He is an owner of

Miller, Welle, Heiser & Co., Ltd.,

a St. Cloud tax, accounting, and

business-consulting firm.) He

knows Birthline has served over

50,000 area women and men.

These numbers contribute to

Kovell’s decision to run for the

organization.

“Birthline works locally, has

very low overhead expenses,

serves hundreds through its

volunteers, and supports a great

cause, which I believe in. Life is

precious,” says Kovell, noting

these good reasons to raise

money on Birthline’s behalf.

Kovell has raised money for

The Leukemia & Lymphoma

Society in 2008 and the Crohn’s

and Colitis Foundation of

America (CCFA) in 2011, for

which St. Cloud Mayor Dave

Kleis designated December

19, 2011, “Bob Kovell Day.”

Birthline’s is probably the last

big charity fundraiser he’ll

undertake. There’s only so

many times you can approach

friends, family, and colleagues

for money,” Kovell confesses

with humor.

“My slogan is ‘50 for 50,’”

says Kovell. “That’s $50,000 for

the 50th state I’m competing in.

I think we can do it.”

To date, Kovell has finished

65 marathons in 49 states.

To prepare for a marathon,

Kovell runs five-days-a-week,

sometimes six in the summer.

He also pays attention to health

and nutrition.

“Running has made me a

stronger person,” says Kovell.

“A lot of marathoning is mental,

and the mind is capable of quite

a bit. I’ve never dropped out of

a race.”

Kovell plans to go the distance

in his effort to raise $50,000

for Birthline this September.

He’ll do it, too, with the help of

contributions from those who

believe in him and in Birthline’s

work in the community. Perhaps

his constancy, determination, and

sweat on their behalf will inspire

women in distress and crisis to

“go the distance” as well. After

all, we’re all part of the running

community, on the fast track of

Spotlight : BIRTHLINE

SPONSORED PROFILE

Marathon runner’s goal is “50 for 50” for Birthline fundraiser Take a step. Take another…one foot in front of the other. Break into a stride, and establish a rhythm.

Power up the hills. Gain time on the decline. Pick up the pace. Finish the race. Endure.

Bob Kovell has ran 65 marathons in

49 states.

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M aY / j u n E 2 0 1 3 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m 45SPONSORED PROFILE

Life, hopefully, with our buddies

kicking up their heels beside us as

we travel together down the road.

The Rest of the Story…

It turns out Bob is

not the only one to

run in this event.

He encouraged a few of his

marathon-running friends to join

him and raise funds for Birthline

in the process. He also challenged

Birthline to form a Marathon

Relay Team, with each member

running an average of 6.5 miles.

Rising to the challenge from

Birthline are Carrie Tripp and

Sara Wolf, along with Dan the

“Ox” Ochsner from Leighton’s

KNSI radio station. If you know

the Ox, it comes as no surprise

that he has an eclectic list of

friends and acquaintances;

one of whom is Dick Beardsley,

Minnesota native, two-time Olympic

trials qualifier and marathon

legend! Although known for

his remarkable running ability,

perhaps the most amazing thing

about Beardsley is his climb

back to health after becoming

addicted to pain medication for

more than four years.

Four very different

individuals with one goal

in mind: band together as a

team, step out of our comfort

zones and run in the name of

Birthline’s mission! •

“Birthline works locally, has very low overhead expenses, serves hundreds through its volunteers, and supports a great cause,

which I believe in. Life is precious.” — Bob Kovell

Dick Beardsley, Minnesota native, two-time Olympic trials qualifier and marathon legend

Far left: Carrie Tripp & Sara Wolf of Birthline, along with Dan the “Ox” Ochsner from Leighton’s KNSI radio station.

The benefits of sponsoring this unique event are amazing. Radio - social media – web - apparel and more - an opportunity to associate your business with local radio legend, The Ox, and nationally recognized athlete and motivational speaker, Dick Beardsley are second to none. This will be a FUN and highly publicized event - all with a local twist! Learn more by contacting Sara at [email protected].

Interested in an individual pledge? Call the Birthline office at 252-4150 to learn more.

Want to be a part of this fun? Consider a corporate

sponsorship.

About: Birthline is a Christian-based organization providing education, mentoring, support services and referrals to anyone affected by an unintended or crisis pregnancy. All services, including pregnancy testing and ultrasound, are free and confidential. Nearly 300 local women and men are served each year. In addition, Birthline is a leader in promoting healthy relationships and abstinence among teenagers in our middle and high schools. More than 2,250 students participate in HEART (Health Education and Relationship Training) annually. EMERGE, a program supporting the unique needs of young adults, also launched this year.

biRthliNE1411 W. St Germain St., Suite 5, St. Cloud MN 56301 320.252.4150

www.birthline.org (for assistance with unplanned pregnancies)

www.refuge4youth.org (for teenage and young adult support)

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SPECIaL FOCUSEDUCATION & TRAINING

8,700. That’s the number of

Minnesota manufacturing

workers who either lost their

jobs due to foreign trade or

have been under constant

danger of job loss since

January 1, 2007. Complicating

that dynamic is the fact

that manufacturers across

the state are experiencing a

severe skills gap – they can

find lower-skilled workers,

but high-skilled technicians

in advanced manufacturing

disciplines are scarce.

To attack this trend, the

St. Cloud Technical &

Community College, as part

of a consortium of colleges

and universities within the

Minnesota State Colleges and

Universities System (MnSCU),

proposed the Advance

Manufacturing Education

(AME) alliance. The program

will directly lead to high-

wage, high-skill employment

outcomes for more than

3,900 workers in Minnesota

and Wisconsin.

On September 19, 2012,

the consortium was awarded

a $13 million grant as part

of the Trade Adjustment

Assistance Community College

and Career Training Program

(TAACCCT), which awards

$500 million each year to

institutional initiatives to train

workers for new jobs. BC

Skills GapNew program will lead to high-wage, high-skill employment for Minnesota and Wisconsin workers.

DiD YoU knOW?

Seven Year Highjob vacancies in Minnesota climbed 18 percent from a year ago in the fourth quarter of 2012, posting the highest numbers for the period in seven years. Employers reported 58,860 job vacancies in the fourth quarter, compared with 49,890 openings during the same period in 2011. Increasing vacancies shows stronger hiring demand by employers. Source: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

PoiNt BY POInT

Highlights of AMEnew degree programs in emerging, high-growth manufacturing sectors, including plastics, metals, robotics, and rapid prototyping.

Retraining of the existing manufacturing workforce that holds low-wage, low-skill positions. Retraining includes adult basic education in reading, writing, math, and computer literacy as well as training in emerging technologies.

Multiple avenues for education, including online, on-site at companies, early morning and weekend labs, and mediated telepresence: televised training from college-to-company, company-to-college, and college-to-college using live video streaming, gaming, and simulation. So

urce

: St.

Clo

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echn

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and

Com

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EDUCATION & TRAINING

EDUCAtioN & TRaInInG

The following pages provide information to help you explore Central Minnesota’s

education & training options.

Inspired Learning:Major in Global

Business LeadershipThe global business environment requires a different type of leader, one who has functional knowledge and analytical skills and is adept at leading teams of innovators. The CSB/SJU major in Global Business Leadership is focused on ensuring that students expand their global business mindset, business knowledge, professional skills and ethical framework. Students have opportunities to develop a global mindset through in-depth coursework, study abroad experiences and international internships.

Inspired Learning. Inspiring Lives.

www.csbsju.edu/globalEmail: [email protected]

Saint John’s Prep offers rigorous academics,spiritual growth and unique academicenvironment for students in grades 6-12.Your experience at Saint John’s Prep prepares you for your next step in life. What you learn here applies everywhere you go, and where you go is entirely up to you. We’ll help you get there.

Saint John’s Preparatory School Phone: (320) 363-3321 • www.sjprep.net

Email: [email protected]


Why businesses use workplace literacy

and basic skills programs?


Innovative school. Motivated students. 320-363-3321 • sjprep.net • [email protected]

We’re proud to be an IB World School. Learn more about our IB Diploma Programme at sjprep.net.

Rigorous academics. Spiritual growth. Unique academic environment.

Your experience at Saint John’s Prep prepares you for your next step in life. What you learn here applies everywhere you go, and where you go is entirely up to you.

We’ll help you get there. It’s time to get ready for your future. Apply now for grades 6-12.

DOLLARS and cents

Bottom Line SuccessImproving literacy in the workplace can have a direct impact on your company’s bottom line.

Bottom line benefits to the employer:•• reduced error rates•• improved health and safety record •• reduced waste in production of goods and services •• increased customer and employee retention •• increased productivity

Bottom line benefits to the employee:•• ability to complete the same tasks faster and more accurately •• improved morale andself-esteem •• ability to work better with co-workers or in teams •• increased pay and/or responsibility

•• improved reading, writing, numeracy, communication and problem-solving skills •• greater chance of promotion or transfer into new positions

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Lack

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Incr

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Pro

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and

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New

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Impr

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Com

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Cost

Sav

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Impr

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Prod

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REASONS TO USE PROGRAMS% OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT CITED THIS REASON

Source: “Making Cents of Literacy: The Bottom Line Impacts,” a report by niagara Training & adjustment Board and Literacy Link niagara, national adult Literacy Database, Canada


COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTIONEDUCATION & TRAINING

John Hart leads SCTCC’s Business and Industry Training Solutions Division. The division provides training for businesses that need to upgrade employee skills and for individuals wishing to improve their promotion or employment options. Training solutions are offered for senior leaders and professional employees to entry level workers and can be customized to meet unique business needs. Skilled instructors working in Business, Construction, Information Technology, Manufacturing, and Transportation provide Education that Works.

John Hart, Outreach DirectorBusiness & Industry Training Solutions

Phone: (320) 308-5066


Website: www.sctcc.edu/training

By THE NUMBERS

At Rasmussen College, we work to support the goal of our corporate partners by providing their employees with a practical and affordable higher education. Receiving industry-specific degrees and customized corporate solutions, exclusive partner grants and discounts, as well as extensive flexibility and student support, our corporate partner students gain the education necessary to help their companies meet goals and improve the bottom line.

Pam McIntoshProfessional Education Manager

Phone: (320) 223-7529


Website: rasmussen.edu

Jobs2.6number of unemployed people for each job vacancy in 4th quarter 2012

3.2number of unemployed people for each job vacancy in 4th quarter 2011 10%the increase in job openings in manufacturing during 2012 500the increase in job openings in manufacturing compared to 4th quarter 2011Source: DEED 4th Quarter 2012 job Vacancy Report



HigHer EDUCATION

Education PaysWith the exception of mining, the highest-paying industries in the state tend to have workers with the highest educations.

A lmost three-fourths of the jobs in

each of four high-paying industries

— management of companies; finance

and insurance; utilities; and professional,

scientific and technical services — are

held by people 25 and over who earned

degrees or at least experienced college.

The Quarterly Workforce Indicators

(QWI), which provide valuable insights

about the educational levels of adult

workers in Minnesota, clearly show that

investments in postsecondary education

pay off in higher wages. average monthly

earnings for jobs held by adult workers

with bachelor’s degrees or higher are

43.4 percent higher than for the total of

all jobs, and they are nearly double the

average annual earnings for jobs held by

workers with high school diplomas.

Likewise, average monthly earnings

for workers with some college or an

associate degree are 42.5 percent higher

than wages for workers with less than

a high school diploma. average monthly

earnings are higher for people with more

education in all 20 main industry sectors,

although the benefits of postsecondary

education vary widely by industry.

Investing in a postsecondary education

likely will pay off in higher wages and

lower unemployment. The returns on

investment, though, may vary depending

on the industry and occupation.

Source: Economic Trends Magazine, December 2012, Minn. DEED

Delivery guaranteed. Sandler Training’s Brian Hart will help you with sales, management, and leadership training and development. He takes 30 years of successful private and corporate sales, marketing, and business development experience and combines it with proven Sandler processes to deliver practical – and effective – selling solutions for your business.

“We help business owners and their sales teams achieve new levels of professional and personal success through ongoing reinforcement training and coaching,” guarantees Hart.

Brian F. HartPresident

Phone: (320) 224-2121

Email: [email protected] Website: www.brianhart. sandler.com

Sandler Training® utilizes continual reinforcement through ongoing training and individual coaching sessions not only to help you learn but also to ensure your success. With over 200 training centers worldwide to provide support, you won’t fail…because we won’t let you.

Brian Hart110 Sixth Avenue South, Suite 100St. Cloud, MN • 320-224-2121www.brianhart.sandler.com

Sandler Selling System, S Sandler Training Finding Power In Reinforcement (with design) and Sandler Training are registered service marks of Sandler Systems, Inc. © 2013 Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Sandler SellingSystem® relies heavily

on the 3 Rs.Reinforcement,

Reinforcement and Reinforcement.



In the School of Health Sciences, externships allow our students to apply the knowledge and skills gained from coursework to grow professionally and become successful in the healthcare field. Externships allow for an optimum learning experience for students, while also meeting the needs of healthcare facilities in Central Minnesota. We are currently looking to create new partnerships with healthcare facilities in several of our health sciences programs.

Dr. Jennifer BestickChair of Health Sciences

Phone: (320) 223-7584


Website: rasmussen.edu

LOWERED TUITION

WeFACT:

To learn all the facts about how we make higher education a successful investment for our students, visit rasmussen.edu/FACT.

ST. CLOUD CAMPUS » 320-251-5600

and LOCKED IT in.

MN_StCloud_4.875x4.875_Affod.indd 1 3/29/13 2:27 PM

Kelly Zaske has been directing the marketing initiatives for Central Minnesota businesses for nearly 20 years. As a principle in Gaslight Creative, she collaborates with businesses to clarify their marketing goals, develop strategies to best meet their needs and implement campaigns to reach these goals – on time and within budget. She and partner Jodie Pundsack assemble their team to bring the full scope of experience and enthusiasm to each project. Gaslight Creative offers an array of services from branding campaigns and public relations to web development and social media.

Kelly ZaskeMarketing Strategist

Phone: (320) 290-5909


Website: gaslightcreative.com

http://www.rasmussen.edu

http://www.gaslightcreative.com



Dr. Gail [email protected]

• Conference and Event planning• Online Registration process • Event day registration table• Caterers, venues, name tags, welcome packets

Tammy [email protected]

320.308.4252

• Workforce Development Training• Customized and Career Training• MJSP Training Grants

Introducing the

team members

Corporate Education & Outreach

C E OCorporate Education & Outreach

scsutraining.com

Linnea [email protected]

320.308.6160

• Professional Development Training• Coordinates MJSP Training Grants with Businesses• Coordinates Customized Trainings

Kyle [email protected]

• Online Learning Module Development• Coordinates MJSP Training Grants with Businesses• Coordinates Customized Trainings

CORPORATE EDUCATION & OUTREACH…

the training you need for the job you do!We offer a wide variety of affordable training & education options to business, industry, non-profit organizations and individuals.

Tammy brings a wide variety of training development skills, knowledge and experience to aid our client’s training needs, specifically in the creation and execution of:• Workforce Development Training • Customized and Career Training • Workshops and Seminars

Tammy Anhalt-Warner Assistant Director of Training/Welcome Center Director

Phone: (320)308-4252


Website: www.scsutraining.com

Whether you’re climbing the corporate ladder or trying to escape...

Professional TrainingCan be the key to help youmove up or move on.We can help with both.

(888) 447-7032www.resourcetraining.com

®

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.com

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eTra

inin

gSol

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Resource Training & Solutions provides professional training to school districts, cities, counties, government agencies, nonprofit organizations and businesses in central Minnesota.

Learn how your organization can do more with less, increase productivity and improve your organization. Topics include:• Supervision• Team Building• Time Management• Customer Service• Parenting Education• Professional development• iPad training• Training customized to your needsOpen 8-5 M-F and online 24/7/365!

Phone: (320) 255-3236


Website: www.resourcetraining.com

facebook.com/ResourceTrainingSolutions

http://www.scsutraining.com



The Anderson Center exists to promote growth: individual growth, organizational growth, and economic growth. We provide engaging management and leadership development forums for owners, executives and managers across Greater Minnesota. In Center forums, experienced participants debate and apply the lessons of real-world case studies guided by highly skilled Discussion Leaders to learn, grow, and improve their organizations.

Grow yourself. Grow your organization.

Experience it.

Venita WilkesForum Director

Phone: (320) 251-5420


Website: anderson-center.org

Visit our website at www.anderson-center.orgfor forum dates and locations,to meet our Discussion Leaders, andto learn more about how the Anderson Center can be usedto develop and strengthen leaders andcreate value in your organization.

Grow yourself. Grow your organization.

Experience it.

www.anderson-center.org l 320.251.5420

C

M

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Business Central1-3 page square.pdf 1 4/11/2013 6:17:25 AM

1 Source: Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2005 Report on Women and Entrepreneurship

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Business Central: How did you get started in the business?Lynda Moe: Thirty-three years

ago I came in to answer the

phones and sort the mail for

my dad and I never left. He’s

still the owner, but he doesn’t

work in the office anymore. He

retired about a year ago.

BC: How have things changed in the last 33 years?Moe: It’s changed a lot. Look at

our desks – nothing’s on them.

We used to have books and

papers and mail... Now we have

a computer. Technology has

changed everything.

Pricing is much higher

today. You used to be able to get

a zero deductible policy for $100

every six months. There is no

such policy today. It used to be

simple to figure out someone’s

rate. You had a chart and you’d

say: “You’re a 32-year-old

male with one accident, here’s

your rate.” It’s so much more

complicated. You need tons of

information about a person,

you put it into the computer,

then the computer figures out

the rate. It’s not a quick process

anymore.

We had five employees at

one time. We don’t need that

many anymore. We had an

employee whose job it was to

sort through the mail and deal

with the checks and everything

that came in by mail. We don’t

have that position anymore

because everything goes straight

to the computer. When the

insurance companies send out

updated information, it goes

straight into the computer.

Insurance companies want

the insured to call them directly,

rather than go through us.

BC: If you’re not helping with claims, what are you doing?Moe: Service and sales. We

help people, but not like we

used to. People come in to pay

their premiums. Some people

still deal strictly with cash. We

can accommodate that. We do

everything we can to make it

easier for our customers.

BC: What’s been your biggest business challenge?Moe: Pricing competition, I

suppose. The rates have gone

up a lot recently because of all

the claims, so everyone is out

rate shopping. If you can find it

cheaper, I guess you need to do

that; that’s business. It probably

benefits us as much as it hurts us.

BC: What do you like best?Moe: Every day is a different

day. It’s never the same routine.

I like all the people you get to

meet. Our clients stop by just to

say hi. It’s nice. BC

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At A GLanCEMoe Agency, Inc.536 25th ave. n

PO Box 459

St. Cloud, Mn 56302

320-253-7644

1-800-761-7644

Fax: 320-253-1028

[email protected]

Business Description: Independent insurance

agency providing life, health,

auto, home, and commercial

insurance.

Owner: Wayne Moe

Agents: Lynda Moe and

jana Frerichs

Total number of employees: Two full time and

one part time

Established: 1978

Joined the Chamber: 1978

The insurance industry has undergone enormous change in the past 33 years. But one thing hasn’t changed for Lynda Moe – it’s still about the people. By Gail Ivers

Service & Sales

CSB/SJU graduates can be found in businesses throughout our area and around the world, at such Fortune 500 companies as Target, Best Buy, General Mills and United Health.

Inspired Learning.

Inspired Learning. Inspiring Lives.

www.csbsju.edu

wellsfargo.com/appreciation

Appreciation Advantage offer of potential discounts over $400 is based on estimated combined fee waivers and rate reduction for special offers. Please consult a banker for details on savings and duration for individual product and services offers. Please also refer to the Business Account Fee and Information Schedule for detail on monthly service fee waivers and other discounts. Offers may be modified or withdrawn at any time without notice and may not be transferable. Discounts noted above are based on standard fees applicable to selected business products. Terms and conditions of accounts, products, programs, and services are subject to change. All applications are subject to approval.

© 2013 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. NMLSR ID 399801 (870846_07970)

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We applaud the efforts of small business owners everywhere. We are ready to help with banking services that can help you manage and grow your business.

Talk to us today about our Appreciation Advantage offer by calling 1‑877‑436‑4170 or contact your local banker today.

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may/june 2013

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