Spring 2012 - Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly Magazine

p52p62EAT Mor ChikIN Tyler Carter owns andoperates the Chick-fil-A franchise in Hobart.FIT for SuCCESS Former NFL lineman JaredTomich, in his fitness business with Dean Ricci.CEO Profile60 Michael PoundHead of Koontz-Wagner in South Bendinherited love of engineering from his father.Recreational Health & FitNEss62 Winning TeamFormer NFL lineman builds fitness business.64 Healthy EmployeesWellness programs benefit workers and employers alike.ENviroNMENT68 Building GreenEnergy audits, sustainable buildingand consumer education.SPORTS70 Cubs vs. SoxChicago teams playing ballwith fresh leadership and rosters.Technology72 Head in the CloudBusinesses should evaluatevirtual services and file storage.Legal AdviCE73 Divorce Flu?The timing of business valuation is important.arts74 Songs and Sculptures“Glee” meets the symphony, sculptors hit the street.Professional Advice75 Pre-Employment ScreeningReduce costs and boost productivity,retention and morale.Making A DiFFErENCE79 A Lasting LegacyLargest estate gift funds St. Joseph’s Collegescholarships.Viewpoint80 Short Session, Long on ImpactState’s legislature worked hardto help Hoosier businesses.Cover photo by Shawn Spence.4 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

Spring–Summer 2012Editor’s NOTEIndianapolis OfficePublisher / Advertising & MarketingGLEE RENICK-mayMichigan City OfficeEditorRick RichardsWho’sthe Best?Our annual reader surveyexpands to South Bend area.Rick RichardsContributing EditorSteve KaELbleAdministrative AssistantRebECCa L. IsaacsEditorial Assistant/ResearchdENIse C. BuschmannArt DirectorANDREW ROBERtsContributing Creative DirectorvICKy ROCKWELLPhotographersShawn SpENCEpEte DohERtyContributing WritersJohn Cain • Ed Charbonneau • Shari HeldAllyson Kazmucha • Bob KronemyerPaul A. Leonard Jr. • Michael PuenteSusan Riddering • Kathy SiPPleEditorial Advisory CommitteeSPEros Batistatos • John DaviESBarbara GRIMSgard • Carol HighsmithKeith KirKPatriCK • Joshua LyboltNicole MacKowSKi • BruCE N. MaClEanJanis Moran • Eric ServaasELIzabeth Simmons • Mary WellnitzLINda WOLOshanskyCirculationRebECCa L. IsaacsNew Media InternJaNICE L. DixONTech SupportKIT MALONEe-mailbusinessnews@nwibq.comWebwww.nwibq.comNorthwest Indiana Business Quarterly is owned andpublished by May Communications Group, LLC,Glee Renick-May, president and CEO.© Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.Reproduction without permission is prohibited.Two-year quarterly subscription rate is $19.95.Single magazine price is $3.50. Requests foradditional magazines will be billed shipping charges.Total circulation: 12,000. Send payment withyour name, company address and contact information to:Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly9801 Fall Creek Rd. #247, Indianapolis, IN 46256-4802MEMBERThe issue you hold in yourhands represents the verybest. Our annual “Best Of”issue is a chance for readers to say“thanks” to the people and businessesthey’ve connected with in thepast year.It’s a very public pat on the back,thanking them for the job they didor the service they provided. Theannual vote was expanded this year,too. Not only did readers choose theBest of Northwest Indiana, but forthe first time, readers also voted onthe Best of South Bend/Mishawaka.As Northwest Indiana BusinessQuarterly has grown and embracedSt. Joseph County, so have readersand businesses there embraced themagazine.Take a look at what our readerssay are the best restaurants, meetingplaces, hotels, law firms, accountants,ad agencies and all sorts ofother businesses. We think it’s agreat reflection on the business-tobusinessrelationships that play sucha vital role in the economy in eachof our eight counties.Inside you’ll also find an amazinggroup of young entrepreneurs,some of whom are still in college.They are developing new methodsof communication via cloud technology,using 3-D scanners to makeonline shopping for clothes easierand creating new products for trackand field athletes so they can competeall year.We also talk with entrepreneurswho have decided that franchisingis a way to realize their dreams ofowning their own businesses. Franchisinggoes a lot deeper than fastfoodrestaurants—there are cleaningservices, hotels, accounting firmsand many other kinds of servicesthat offer franchising opportunitiesthat range from a few thousand dollarsto more than $1 million to getstarted.Companies across Northwest Indianaare embracing the concept that ahealthy workforce is a happy workforce.And the healthier the workforce,the cheaper it is for healthinsurance. Businesses from CentierBank to the Franciscan Alliancenetwork of hospitals, from PromptAmbulance to Horseshoe Casino,have set up wellness and fitnessplans as a way to keep their employeeshealthy. Each has a uniqueapproach, and we talk a bit aboutthese different approaches and whythe trend is becoming so popular.You’ll find a wealth of other informationinside the magazine. Onestory looks at Lake Central HighSchool football standout and formerNFL lineman Jared Tomich and howhe’s made the transition from thegridiron to the business world. Notsurprisingly, Tomich preaches fitnessand is working with many ofthe region’s businesses and theiremployees.Thanks for taking the time to pickup this issue of Northwest IndianaBusiness Quarterly. We think you’regoing to like what’s inside.—Rick A. Richards, EditorSpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 5

NOTEWORTHY NEWS BITS FROM...Around the RegionAlot has happened in theNorthwest Indiana businesscommunity since our lastissue. Here are a few bits of news toget you up to date.BANKINGUnited Federal Credit Union hasacquired Griffith Savings Bank.The St. Joseph, Mich., credit unionsaid the bank will be operated as abranch. United Federal Credit Unionbegan in 1949 as a part of WhirlpoolCorp. … Citizens FinancialBank of Munster has been namedby the Chicago Tribune as a TopWorkplace for 2011. The honor wasbased on an independent surveyof 300 employees on areas such asdirection, conditions, careers, education,management, and pay andbenefits. … Horizon Bancorp,the parent company for HorizonBank of Michigan City, has acquiredHeartland Bancshares Inc., theparent company for HeartlandCommunity Bank in Franklin.Heartland will be merged into Horizon,although it will operate in centralIndiana as Heartland CommunityBank, a Horizon Company. … 1stSource Bank has donated $25,000to the Valparaiso Family YMCAfor its Promises Kept capital campaign.Regional president Bob Axmade the donation on behalf of 1stSource. … Sherry Derosiers hasbeen named a trust administratorin the 1st Source Personal AssetManagement Group in Valparaiso.She has 20 years of experience infinancial services and most recentlywas vice president and executivedirector of St. Mary’s Foundationin Saginaw, Mich. … Nikki Moseleyhas been promoted to managerof the Valparaiso West BankingCenter. She has 12 years of bankingexperience and most recentlywas operations manager of the PortageCentral Banking Center. … 1stSherry DerosiersSource Corp. of South Bend andHorizon Bancorp of MichiganCity have been named to the BankHonor Roll by KBW Inc. for publiclytraded banks with more than$500 million in assets. The honoris based on financial performance.KBW is the parent company for theinvestment bank Keefe, Bruyette &Woods.COMMUNICAtioN/MEdiARadio One Communications hascompleted construction of a 500-footbroadcast tower near Cedar Lake.The project took five years frominception to completion. Radio Oneowns WXRD-FM 103.9 and WZVN-FM 107.1.CONstrUCtioNThe Ross Group of Portage hasbeen named one of the top 10 designand build companies in the UnitedStates by Ceco Building Systemsof Columbus, Miss. The companywas founded in 1994 by Ross Pangere.Among the projects in whichthe company has been involved isthe Monosol building in LaPorte,IN/Tek in New Carlisle, Roundthe Clock Restaurant in Chestertonand the Peoples Bank headquartersin Munster. … SuperiorConstruction Co. Inc. of Gary hasmarked 13 years of safe operationat the BP Whiting Refinery. Thecompany’s employees have workedmore than 15 million hours withouta single lost-time incident. Superiorhas 26 full-time safety professionalson staff. … Chester Inc. Architectural& Construction Services isinvolved with two major projects inNorthwest Indiana. It recently brokeground for a $17 million forgingfacility for Modern Drop Forge Co.in Merrillville, and the 7,000-squarefootGilmer Park Animal Clinic inSouth Bend. … Gariup ConstructionCo. Inc. of Merrillville hasbeen honored by the Indiana Planof Northern Indiana for its efforts tosupport the mission of female andminority hiring.ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTLorri Feldt has been named regionaldirector of the Northwest IndianaSmall Business DevelopmentCenter. She has more than 25 yearsof business experience, includingat Whirlpool Corp. and at PurdueUniversity North Central. … KevinKieft has been named interim executivedirector of the Michigan CityEconomic Development Corp. Hereplaces John Regetz, who left theMCEDC to take a similar position inPocatello, Idaho. … The PortageEconomic Development Corp.has named Jim Fitzer its interimexecutive director. He recentlyretired from NIPSCO after 38 years.Fitzer will oversee day-to-day operationsof PEDCO along with economicdevelopment activities. …Porter County’s Economic DevelopmentCabinet has announced 11members to the organization. Theyare Doug Olson of SEH; RonaldBelin of Frontier Communications;Stewart McMillan of TaskForce Tips; Heather Ennis ofChesterton Duneland Chamber6 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

of Commerce; Kent Meihofer ofUGI Services; Tim Healy of HolladayProperties; Larry Hitz ofPrudential Executive Real EstateGroup; Tom Golab of Route 6Development; Chris Hernandezof Northwest Indiana Buildingand Construction Trades Council;and Harley Snyder and JeffGood of the Northwest IndianaRegional Development Authority.… The Northwest Indiana Forumhas announced officers for 2012.They are Don Babcock of NIPSCO,chairman; Jill Ritchie of U.S.Steel, chair-elect; Tom Keilmanof BP, secretary/treasurer; CharlesWeaver of Starke County EconomicDevelopment Foundation,Economic Development chairman;Robert Crookston of MicrobacLabs, Environmental Affairs andPublic Policy; Cal Bellamy of KriegDeVault, Audit Committee Chairman;and Dewey Pearman of ConstructionAdvancement Foundation,member retention and recruitment.Board members are James Dworkinof Purdue North Central; JoeCoar of Tonn & Blank; SperosBatistatos of South Shore Conventionand Visitors Authority;Ron Bush of DRD; Gene Diamondof Franciscan Alliance; GeorgeDouglas of North Coast Distribution;Danita Johnson Hughes ofEdgewater Systems; Larry Fabinaof ArcelorMittal; Andrew Fox ofSouth Shore Freight; Jim Jorgensenof Hoeppner, Wagner &Evans; Mike Lisac of Chase Bank;Bill Nangle of The Times; Dan Nitaof Horseshoe Casino; Pete Novakof the Greater Northwest IndianaAssociation of Realtors; EricaPassauer of the Regional DevelopmentCompany; Craig Pratt ofFifth Third Bank; Matt Reardonof SEH; Bill Wellman of Whiteco;Curtis Whittaker of Whittaker& Co.; and Linda Woloshanskyof Center of Workforce Innovations.… Rex Richards, presidentof the Greater Valparaiso Chamberof Commerce, has been namedChamber Executive of the Year bythe Indiana State Chamber ofKim ZieglerCommerce. He has been with theValparaiso chamber since 2006 andpreviously was with chambers ofcommerce in Michigan City, East Chicago,Logansport, Jasper, Sarasota,Fla., and Kansas City, Mo. … TheNorthwest Indiana Small BusinessDevelopment Center and theStarke County Economic DevelopmentFoundation have formeda partnership to boost regionalismin economic development and jobcreation. … The St. Joseph CountyChamber of Commerce has beennamed Outstanding Indiana Chamberof the Year by the IndianaChamber Executives Association.EDUCAtioNPurdue University Calumet haspartnered with Tri-State IndustriesInc. for a robotics project to teachtechnology students the latest techniquesfor robots used in manufacturing.Tri-State recently acquiredan Elkhart, Ind., robotics companyand by the end of the year will haveinvested $1 million in the acquisition.… Kim Ziegler has joined theUniversity of St. Francis-CrownPoint faculty as a clinical adjunctmember. Ziegler has 32 years ofnursing experience in several differentareas of health care, managementand technology … A team offive Purdue University Calumetmanagement students tied for thetop ranking in an online, simulatedbusiness competition involving4,247 teams from 288 colleges anduniversities. Team members wereMary A. Gross of Valparaiso, SarahMoen of Hobart, David Ramseyof Hammond, Aaron Schultz of St.John, and Allauddin Abdulghaniof Glendale Heights, Ill. … SandraHall Smith has been named assistantdirector of the Center forUrban and Regional Excellence atIndiana University Northwest inGary. Most recently she was a staffmember of the School of Publicand Environmental Affairs. …Purdue University Calumet inHammond has been certified asa StormReady University by theNational Weather Service. PUCwas evaluated on its preparednessfor severe weather events and trainingfor storm spotters. … PurdueUniversity Calumet’s Charlotte R.Riley Child Center has qualified forthe Paths to Quality top rating in thestate for its child care programs. Itwas created by the Child Care andEarly Education Partnership tohelp parents identify licensed familychild care centers, licensed familychild care homes and unlicensedregistered ministries that have metstate requirements for health andsafety. … Valparaiso Universityhas received an anonymous $5 milliondonation that will be used toconstruct a 15,000-square-foot welcomecenter at its entrance on U.S.30. …Three St. Mary’s College students,including one from Valparaiso,have created a new soft drink,as part of an entrepreneurial project.Hannah Hupp helped create TOLSoda Co., which is being sold asTwist O’Luck, a green soda and hasa soda fountain taste. The effort wasput together with a $1,900 loan fromthe school’s business department.… Purdue University North Centralhas been named for the sixthconsecutive year to the President’sHigher Education CommunityServices Honor Roll, which recognizesstudents and universities whoparticipate in community service. …The Challenger Learning Centerin Hammond has received a $3,000grant from the Lake County RetiredTeachers Association. The centerprovides programs and educationalopportunities to more than 15,000visitors a year.SpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 7

NOTEWORTHY NEWS BITSHEALT HCAREMemorial Hospital of South Bendhas received a Program of ExcellenceAward from Jackson Healthcareof Atlanta for its program, “DiabeticosSaludables: Sweet Success inthe Fight Against Diabetes.” It wasnamed one of the top 10 programsin the country. … Diane Maas hasbeen named vice president of man-aged care and business developmentfor the newly affiliated organizationcombining Elkhart General Hospitaland Memorial Health Systemof South Bend. … Two FranciscanSt. Margaret Health physicianshave received St. Luke awards forservice excellence to patients andstaff. Dr. Navin Kumar, a gastroenterology/internalmedicine specialistBuilding Innovationinto Everything We Do.Voted Best CommercialConstruction Company6Years in a RowLarson-Danielson has the experience,insight, and expertise to buildinnovation into everything we do.■ Design/Build■ ConstructionManagement■ GeneralContracting■ FacilityServicesTell us your vision.We’ll bring it to life.www.ldconstruction.com302Tyler Street • LaPorte, Indiana 46350(219) 362-2127 • FAX (219) 362-2848for 26 years in Dyer, and Dr. UrmiKalokhe, a radiation/oncology specialistfor 38 years in Hammond,received the honor. St. Luke is thepatron saint of physicians. … TheWomen’s Care Center has openedon Indianapolis Boulevard in Hammond.It is a partnership betweenCatholic Charities of the Dioceseof Gary and the Dorothy AbelPurcell Pro-Life Foundation. Thecenter will provide free basic healthservices and screenings to women.… Dr. Suhayl Nasr has been nameda distinguished fellow by the AmericanPsychiatric Association. Nasris medical director of the MemorialEpworth Center in South Bend.… Methodist Hospitals in Garyhas opened an inpatient GeriatricBehavioral Health Service programat its Northlake Campus. The14-bed unit will complement theexisting adult and adolescent inpatientbehavioral health units and willprovide treatment and services forpeople 55 and older. … FranciscanSt. Margaret Health-Dyer hasbeen designated a Breast ImagingCenter of Excellence by the AmericanCollege of Radiology. Thedesignation is given only to centersthat have achieved ACR accreditationin mammography, stereotacticbreast biopsy and breast ultrasound.… The Schererville office of ImmediateCare Center: The Doctor isIn has announced Dr. Julie DeRosahas been certified by the AmericanAssociation of Medical ReviewOfficers. The organization is a notfor-profitmedical society dedicatedto creating national standards andcertification for medical practitionersin alcohol and drug testing. …Medical Specialists in Munster arebuilding a new office at the cornerof 45th Avenue and Calumet. Thebuilding is expected to open in2013 and will cover 36,000 squarefeet over two floors. It will provideservices for musculoskeletal andbone and joint needs. … PorterHospital has received a three-yearGold Standard accreditation fromthe American Cancer Society forits computed technology, magnetic8 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

esonance imaging and nuclear medicineprograms. … Porter Hospitalhas announced that Brian Sinotteis its new chief operating officer.He will oversee the hospital’s movefrom Valparaiso to its new hospitalunder construction at U.S. 6 andIndiana 49. He also will be in chargeof the laboratory, neurology, radiology,oncology, engineering, foodand nutrition and environmental services.… Ian McFadden, presidentand CEO of Methodist Hospitalsin Gary, has been named OutstandingChair by the Juvenile DiabetesResearch Foundation. McFaddenheaded the organization’s 2011 campaignin Northwest Indiana, whichhad 1,500 walkers participating in afund-raising effort in Wicker MemorialPark last fall. … Franciscan St.Anthony Health-Michigan Cityhas received help in its fight againstbreast cancer from Laura and VicGerhard, owners of Above BoardConstruction in Chesterton. Theydonated $5,888 to the hospital to helpsupport mammograms. The hospitalalso received a $6,750 grant from theIndiana Breast Cancer AwarenessTrust to provide 50 mammogramsfor underinsured and uninsuredwomen 40 and older. … Dr. MarkDixon, a cardiac electrophysiologistat Porter Hospital, is the firstin Northwest Indiana to implant theUnify Quadra cardiac resynchronizationtherapy defibrillator into apatient. It was implanted in Decemberto regulate the heartbeat of aheart failure patient. … Jeff Costellohas been named chief financial officerof the newly affiliated organizationthat combines Elkhart GeneralHospital and Memorial Hospitalof South Bend. He has been CFOat Memorial since 1995. Costello isa certified public accountant and agraduate of the University of NotreDame and Indiana University.… Mark Murray, president andCEO of Center for Hospice Carein South Bend, has been re-electedto a one-year term as chairman ofthe board for the National Hospiceand Palliative Care Organization.… Community Hospitalhas been named a HealthGradesDistinguished Hospital for ClinicalExcellence for the ninth year in arow. Community is the only hospitalin Indiana to be recognized for thehonor, which goes only to the top5 percent of hospitals in the country.… Steve Huffman has beennamed chief information officer forthe newly affiliated organizationcombining Elkhart General Hospitaland Memorial Hospital ofSouth Bend. He has been vice presidentand chief information officer atMemorial Hospital since 2008. Heis a graduate of Indiana WesleyanUniversity and the University ofNotre Dame. … Methodist Hospitalshas opened a $1.5 million SurgicalNavigation Suite at its SouthlakeSpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 9

NOTEWORTHY NEWS BITSCampus in Merrillville. The suite isin the Spine Care Center. Precisemaneuvering with the instrumentsis possible through a GPS locatingsystem. … The Women’s DiagnosticCenter in Munster has received a$3,000 donation from Illiana Heatingand Air Conditioning to helpwomen without insurance to havea mammogram. … Fitch Ratings,one of the three major credit ratingagencies, has upgraded MethodistHospitals bond issues to BBB- fromBB+ because of improved profitability,healthy liquidity and expensecontrol. … Donald P. Fesko, CEOof Community Hospital in Munster,has been named Young HealthcareExecutive of the Year by theAmerican College of HealthcareExecutives. The award is givento healthcare executives under 40years of age. … Indiana UniversityHealth LaPorte Hospital has presentedthree of its employees withthe Giraffe Award for going aboveand beyond the call of duty. They arenurse Ann Mejer and medical assistantsTami Yarbough and PatriciaSchult for their work in an employeeimmunization drive. … MemorialHospital and Health System inSouth Bend has signed a contract withFairWarning Inc. to provide privacyauditing of its systems to make sureinformation it has on its patients andclients are protected. … CommunityHospital in Munster has been namedone of the nation’s 50 best hospitalsby HealthGrades, an independenthealthcare ratings group. … MemorialChildren’s Hospital in SouthBend has announced the additionof Wahaj Mustafa Zaidi, a pediatricgastroenterologist. He completed hisresidency in pediatrics at State Universityof New York at Syracuse Collegeof Medicine.LEGALStephen A. Stitle has joined theSchererville office of Krieg DeVaultas a partner. Most recently he wasregional chairman for PNC Bank,Indiana, for 17 years, and beforethat spent 25 years as an executivewith Eli Lilly in Indianapolis.… Lawyers Timothy Fletcher,Wendy Fletcher and Stephen Sullivanhave opened a law office indowntown Valparaiso. Fletcher &Fletcher LLC specializes in estateplanning, corporate law and mediation.… Robert J. Konopa, a partnerat Tuesley Hall Konopa in SouthBend, has been named to the 2012Indiana Super Lawyers list as oneof the top attorneys in the state. Hewas recognized for his work in civillitigation defense, personal injuryplaintiff and business litigation. …Robert F. Parker, a partner in thelaw firm of Burke Costanza & Carberry,has been named a Fellow ofthe American College of Trial Lawyers.Founded in 1950, the Collegeis composed of the best trial lawyersfrom the United States and Canada.McMahon_1-2HorzAd_outlined.indd 13/23/12 1:47:21 PM10 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

Wahaj Mustafa ZaidiParker is only the third actively practicingattorney in Northwest Indianato achieve Fellow status.MANUFACTUriNGKTR Corp., which manufacturespower transmission componentsused in wind turbines, will invest $1.6million in new computer technologyfor its Michigan City plant. The companyalso plans to add 20 jobs by2014. It currently has 43 employees.… Manufacturing Solutions Internationalof Portage has acquiredGraphic Packaging International,also of Portage. MSI will move itsoperations from AmeriPlex at thePort, to Graphic Packaging’s locationon Carlson Avenue. … AlcoaHowmet in LaPorte has receivedthe Lugar Energy Patriot Awardfor its work to educate employeesand students about energy savings.The award, presented by U.S. Sen.Richard Lugar, is part of an effortto recognize professionals, scholars,students and businesses demonstratingleadership in reducing thecountry’s dependence on foreignenergy. … Hoosier Racing Tireof Lakeville will spend $8 millionto build a 37,000-square-foot plantin Plymouth. When completed, thecompany will add 20 employees.Hoosier makes racing and performancetires and has more than 400employees. … Paul Wurth Inc. ismoving its Portage operation to Valparaiso.The company has acquiredthe former Task Force Tips buildingon Evans Avenue and will moveits 13 employees there later this year.The company provides services,machining and parts to the region’ssteel mills. … Bonnell Aluminumhas announced it will close its aluminumextrusion factory in Kentlandin Newton County. The closing willput 146 employees out of work.Bonnell, owned by Tradegar Corp.in Richmond, Va., said the plant isexpected to close Sept. 1. … U.S.Steel will begin using an alternativeto traditional coke in the steelmakingprocess. Gary Works will beginusing a carbon alloy substitute producedby Carbonyx Inc., whichdeveloped the process. It will produce1 million tons a year, whichSpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 11

NOTEWORTHY NEWS BITSRodney Millerwill be used by U.S. Steel’s GaryWorks and U.S. Steel’s Mon ValleyWorks in Clairton, Pa. … Ineos, achemical producer in Whiting, hasannounced it is closing its 29-yearoldfacility which produces a varietyof automotive additives, sealantsand lubricants. The closing willput 40 employees out of work. …Ratner Steel Supply will build a100,000-square-foot facility at thePort of Indiana in Portage, creating20 jobs by the end of 2013. Thecompany is based in Minnesota. …Urschel Laboratories of Valparaisohas announced is its expanding itsglobal operations by opening anoffice in Italy and Chile and relocatingits office in Singapore. Thecompany designs, manufacturesand sells precision food cuttingequipment. … Jeffery Basham hasjoined Schafer Gear Works Inc. inSouth Bend as advanced manufacturingengineer. He will be responsiblefor all advanced planning ofnew parts, including CNC programming,tooling design and applicationof the latest technologies incutting tools and machine tools. …Rodney Miller has joined SchaferGear Works Inc. in South Bend asmanufacturing engineer. He will beresponsible for engineering supportfor all gear manufacturing processes.Most recently he was a manufacturingengineer at B&J Medical in Kendallville,Ind.REAL ESTATENorthwinds Crossing in Hobarthas received city approval for constructionof another building at thedevelopment at 62nd Street andNorthwind Parkway. Plans for a150,000-square-foot building wereannounced by developer BecknellIndustrial of Lyons, Ill. … Joe Candellahas joined CBRE/Bradley andBradley Residential Management.He has 25 years of experience inreal estate and will be executive vicepresident of asset services wherehe will oversee commercial propertymanagement and maintenance.… The 25-story Chase Tower indowntown South Bend has beenlisted for sale by HREC Real EstateCounselors in Colorado. The listingprice for the building is $8.3 million.Thanks for voting for us!# 1Nine years in a row!SUPPLIESFURNITUREEQUIPMENTTECHNOLOGYPROMOTIONNWI BusinessQuarterly SpecialMention this ad andget a case of paperONLY$24 95SeatingPanelsYour Business ITSpecialists!Call today fora FREE initialconsultation!Total GraphicSolutions!CorporateApparel!limit two per customeroffer expires 6/30/12Product code: #950-2CS92 Brite20 lb. White8 1/2 x 11TablesLayout & DesignCost-effective ITServices & Solutionsthroughout NW Indiana& Chicagoland.Gifts!MemorableGiveaways!f in t800.837.1400www.mcshanes.com12 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

Communications in Michigan City.Daley will be an account executivefor its online magazine and Neuliebwill be an interactive director. …Prompt Ambulance of Highlandhas acquired Keeney Ambulanceand Transportation Service officesin Lafayette, Rensselaer and Frankfort.Prompt now provides ambulanceservice from Lake County eastto St. Joseph County and south toLafayette. … Christine Wallace hasbeen named vice president of businessdevelopment at Staff Source,a part of the Business SolutionsGroup. Also Erin Trzcinski, arecent graduate of Purdue University,has been named director ofstrategic development for BusinessSolutions Group.Brian Daley… Century 21 Alliance Group inValparaiso has received the QualityService Office Award from Century21 for its commitment to providingquality customer service to clients.… Prime Real Estate has openedan office in downtown Valparaiso.The company now has three offices,including one in Chicago and one inSchererville.SERVICESPress-Ganey Associates hasnamed Patrick Ryan its new chiefexecutive officer. Ryan has 30 yearsexperience in healthcare and mostrecently was chairman and CEO ofThe Broadlane Group in Dallas.Press-Ganey, founded in 1985,offers services to hospitals, medicalpractices, home care agenciesand other care providers. … StevePatterson, a former reporter inNorthwest Indiana and Chicago, hasbeen named vice president at ResPublica Group in Chicago, a strategiccommunications firm. Patterson,38, lives in Northwest Indiana …Anne Hosinski Watson has beennamed director of development forthe St. Vincent de Paul Society ofSt. Joseph County in South Bend.Watson is a graduate of the Universityof Notre Dame and mostrecently was assistant campaignmanager for Marian High Schoolin Mishawaka. … Brian Daley andZac Neulieb have joined the staffof Morse & Company AdvertisingBANK OF THE YEARRegional Development CompanyBEST BANKFOR BUSINESSNorthwest Indiana Business QuarterlyTHIRD-PARTY LENDEROF THE YEARU.S. Small Business AdministrationIndiana DistrictAs the area’s leading bank in business lending, Centier Bank partners withthe Small Business Administration (SBA) to help local communities grow,create new jobs, and develop economically.In 2011, Centier Bank was recognized by the Indiana SBA for contributingto 12 projects totaling more than $16.2 million and accounting for 8% ofthe state total. As a result of these loans, 160 Hoosier jobs were createdor retained.Our commitment to excellence has propelled our organization toachieve a higher standard of service as the Bank of Choice for IndianaBusiness.The Bank of Choice for Indiana Business1-888-Centier • Centier.comMember FDICSpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 13

NOTEWORTHY NEWS BITSSPortsThe Northwest Indiana Oilmen,who will play this summer in Whitingin the Midwest CollegiateLeague, have named Justin Huismanas their manager. He is a formerpitcher for the Kansas City Royalsin the major leagues and is a graduateof Purdue University Calumetin Hammond. … Jim Taipalus hasbeen named general manager ofthe Northwest Indiana Oilmenin Whiting. He was previously withthe Martinsville, Va., Mustangs ofthe Coastal Plain League. … Thenew ownership of the South BendSilver Hawks minor league baseballteam has announced a series of promotionalevents for 2012 designedto increase attendance for the ClassNeed anBusiness ChallengeUpgrade?To gain the competitive edge, you’ll have to upgrade your business tomeet the growing demands of your customers.For the insight and experience for the financing you need, turn to thetrusted business advisors at Horizon Bank. We’ll work with you todeliver solid business solutions today and continued financial guidanceto meet your future needs.Apply for a Loan by Speakingwith a Business Advisor888.873.2640accesshorizon.com/cash4Justin HuismanA team. More than 70 homes gameswill have special events includingfireworks, flat screen Fridays, WinningWednesdays and special eventsaimed at children. … Kyle Lundyhas been named director of golfoperations for Sand Creek CountryClub in Chesterton. Most recently,Lundy was head golf professional atHarrison Lake Country Clubs inKokomo. He graduated from PurdueUniversity with a degree in management.TECHNOLOGYThe Entech Innovation Centerin Valparaiso will be operated bya statewide not-for-profit organization,Elevate Ventures. It willbe managed locally by CharlieMcGill, who will be entrepreneurin-residencefor Elevate Ventures.Most recently, McGill was executivedirector at Entech. … Lincoln SolarLLC is working with Merrillville officialsto operate a solar panel field ofup to 10 acres that would produceelectricity the company could thensell to NIPSCO. Nearly 7,000 solarpanels would be installed in Merrillvillein a project worth $6 million. …The University of Notre Dame hasannounced it will invest $1 millionto build an experimental researchand education center at St. Patrick’sCounty Park. The university willlease the center for $1 a year for 49years from St. Joseph County. Thecontinued on page 6814 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

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Cover StoryBest CoMMErcialPrinterWinner: Accucraft Imaging, Inc.,HammondRunners-up: Home Mountain,Valparaiso; Largus Printing, Munster;and Lithographics Communications,Munster.Best BANK for BusiNEssWinner: Centier Bank, Merrillville.Runners-up: Citizens FinancialBank, Valparaiso; Horizon Bank,Michigan City; Peoples Bank,Munster; JP Morgan Chase, CrownPoint; Fifth Third Bank, locationsin 13 communities; and FirstMidwest Bank, locations in threecommunities.“Centier is honored to be recognizedby the readers of NWIBQ for10 years as the area’s Best Bankfor Business,” says Mike Schrage,president and CEO. “We are proudto help grow, support and maintainstrong businesses throughout NorthwestIndiana.”BEST PlACE to PuRChASE Office FuRNITuRE Kramer & Leonard, Chesterton(pictured: the Envelop chair from Herman Miller)Best BANK forCustoMEr ServiCEWinner: Peoples Bank, Munster.Runners-up: Centier Bank, Merrillville;JP Morgan Chase, CrownPoint; Horizon Bank, Michigan City;Citizens Financial Bank, Valparaiso;First Financial Bank, locations infour communities; Fifth Third Bank,locations in 13 communities; andFirst Midwest Bank, locations inthree communities.“We have a tremendous amountof pride in ourselves on being alocal company,” says Bochnowski.“That means doing the things ourcustomers expect and having ouremployees deal with customers ona one-on-one basis.”Best AdvERTISING AGENCY Group7even, ValparaisoBest BANK for ObtainiNGa BusiNEss LoANWinner: Citizens Financial Bank,Valparaiso.Runners-up: Centier Bank, Merrillville;Horizon Bank, MichiganCity; Peoples Bank, Munster; and JPMorgan Chase, Crown Point.“We always ask ourselves howsuccessful we are in delivering ourproducts and services. This honorhelps answer that question,” saysDaryl Pomranke, CEO of CitizensFinancial Bank.Best Credit UnionWinner: Tech Credit Union, Valparaiso.Runners-up: Advance FinancialCredit Union, Hammond; FederalCredit Union, Merrillville; AllegiusCredit Union, Michigan City; FirstTrust Credit Union, LaPorte; andMembers Advantage Credit Union,Michigan City.Best InvestMENtFiNANCial AdvisoryCoMPANiesWinners: Centier Bank InvestmentServices, Merrillville; Edward Jones,locations in 12 communities; HorizonTrust and Investment Management,Michigan City; and PeoplesBank Wealth Management, Munster.Best CoMMErcialConstrUCtion CoMPANYWinner: Larson Danielson ConstructionInc., LaPorteRunners-up: Tonn and Blank,Michigan City; Berglund Construction,Chesterton; and Hasse Construction,Calumet City, Ill. andHammond.“We are certainly honored tobe chosen by your readers,” saysTim Larson, president and CEOshawn spence shawnspence.com18 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

BEST Hospital Porter Health,Valparaiso. CEO JonathanNalli shows off plans for a newhospital that opens in August.

Cover StoryBest CoMMErcial RealEstate CoMPANYWinner: Commercial In-Sites, Merrillville.Runners-up: Century 21 MiddleofLarson Danielson. “I think thissends a strong message that we’reproviding great service.”Runners-up: Carras-Szany-Kuhn,Crown Point and Schererville; andGerometta and Kinel, Chesterton.ton, Michigan City; ColdwellBanker, Michigan City; and PrudentialExecutive Group, Valparaiso.Best CoMMErcialArchitECturAL DesignCoMPANYWinner: Design Organization,Valparaiso.J.B. Mihalov, CPA PC & Associates‘Receive the personalprofessional and confidentialattention you deserve.’• Payroll processing andbookkeeping• All accounting services• Tax reduction strategies• Income tax return preparationAre you prepared?acincorporated.com 219.464.2442• Business valuations for:– Sale of business– Gift and Estate taxes– Shareholder disputes– Damages for lost profits– Divorcewww.jbmihalov.com 219.464.10112601 Chicago St. Valparaiso, INTHE RULES ARE CHANGING.AWARD-WINNING. PROVEN RESULTS.Branding ■ Design ■ Strategic PlanningDigital Media Strategies ■ Website DevelopmentBest CoMMErcialLandsCAPiNG CoMPANYWinner: RV Property Enhancements,Valparaiso.Runners-up: Lakeshore Landscaping,Valparaiso; HubingerLandscaping, Crown Point; Tim’sLandscaping, Griffith.Best Catererfor BusiNEssWinner: Comforts Catering, St. John.Runners-up: Bistro 157, Valparaiso;Lucrezia, Chesterton and CrownPoint.; Great Lakes Catering, MichiganCity; Strongbow, Valparaiso;and Strack & Van Til, locations in11 communities.Best CorporateLaw FirmWinner: Burke Costanza Carberry,Valparaiso.Runners-up: Hoeppner Wagner &Evans, Valparaiso and Merrillville;Krieg DeVault, Schererville; NewbyLewis Kaminski & Jones, LaPorte;Hodges and Davis, Merrillville andPortage.Best LAW Firm forBusiness Acquisitionsand MerGErsWinner: Burke Costanza Carberry,ValparaisoRunners-up: Hoeppner WagnerEvans, Valparaiso and Merrillville;Krieg DeVault, Schererville; Hodgesand Davis, Merrillville and Portage.Best LAW Firmfor LitiGAtionWinner: Burke Costanza Carberry,Valparaiso.Runners-up: Hoeppner WagnerEvans, Valparaiso and Merrillville;and Krieg DeVault, Schererville.Best EstatePLANNiNG PrACticeWinner: Burke Costanza Carberry,Valparaiso.Runners-up: Hoeppner Wagner20 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

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Spring12-NW.indd 991Best Chamber of CommerceValparaiso Chamber of CommerceRex Richards, President4/20/12 9:28 AMCover StoryEvans, Valparaiso and Merrillville;Krieg DeVault, Schererville; HorizonTrust and Investment Management,Michigan City; and Peoples BankWealth Management, Munster.Upon learning that his law firmhad swept the four legal categoriesin the annual readership survey,George Carberry searched for words.“This is very humbling. It’s validationof and a testament to the hardwork that everybody at the firmputs in,” says the partner with BurkeCostanza Carberry in Valparaiso. “Alot of it has to do with the peoplewe attract. I’m so very proud of thepeople we have here. This honor islike icing on the cake.”SubscribeNowand Renew OnlineNorthwest Indiana’s Leading Business Magazine Since 1991Young Innovators n Workforce 2025 n Healthy Employees n Cubs vs. SoxSPRING–SUMMER 2012Best HospitALWinner: Porter Health, Valparaiso.Runners-up: Community Hospital,Munster; Franciscan St. AnthonyHealth-Crown Point; Franciscan St.Margaret Mercy-Dyer and Hammond;and St. Mary’s MedicalCenter, Hobart.“This is another milestone for us,”says Jonathan Nalli, CEO of PorterHealth. “We’re all about service topatients and this speaks well thatthey have spoken up about whatwe do.”Best UrGENt/iMMEdiateCare ClinicWinner: Franciscan Express Care,Franciscan Point, Crown Point.Runners-up: Care Express, PorterHospital, Valparaiso; and FranciscanHammond Clinic.Serving Greater Northwest Indianaand Surrounding CountiesThe Bestof BusinessOur readers choose the bestin business in Northwest Indianaand South Bend/MichianaBest SpecialtyHEALth Care ClinicWinner: Franciscan HammondClinic.Runners-up: Cancer HealthTreatment Centers, Valparaiso andChesterton; Medical Specialists, withclinics in Dyer, Munster, St. Johnand Schererville.For complete details go to:www.nwibq.comBest InsurANCE AGENCYfor BusiNEssWinner: General InsuranceServices, Michigan City.Runners-up: State Farm Insurance,22 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

Voted BEST Hospital in the Regionand BEST Place to WorkTwo Years in a Row!“Our staff’s dedication and team spirit have helped us create a caring environment for our patients.We are honored that Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly readers have voted us the Best Hospitalin the Region and Best Place to Work for the second consecutive year.”– Jonanthan Nalli, CEO2 Hospitals. 350 Physicians. 7 Convenient Outpatient Locations.VALPARAISO | PORTAGE | CHESTERTON | HEBRON | DEMOTTEServing Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Starke, Newton and Jasper Counties.Porter Hospital is directly or indirectly owned by a partnership that proudly includes physician owners, including certain members of the hospital’s medical staff.

Cover StoryMerrillville, Griffith, and Hobart;Farm Bureau, locations in 15 communities;and American Family Insurance,locations in eight communities.Best CoMMErcialiNterior DesiGNCoMPANYWinner: HDW Commercial Interiors,Schererville.Runners-up: Design Organization,Valparaiso; Kramer & Leonard,Chesterton; and McShane’s, Munster.Best Universityto Obtain an MBAWinner: Purdue Calumet School ofBusiness, Hammond.Runners-up: Indiana UniversityNorthwest, Gary; Mendoza Schoolof Business, Notre Dame, SouthBend; and Valparaiso University,Valparaiso.Best UniVErsity fora TechnoloGY DegrEEWinner: Purdue Calumet School ofTechnology, Hammond.Runners-up: Ivy Tech CommunityCollege, Gary, Hammond, Valparaiso,and Michigan City; IndianaUniversity Northwest, Gary; andValparaiso University, Valparaiso.Best UniversityBusiness OnlinedEGrEE ProgrAMWinners: University of Phoenix,Merrillville; and Indiana WesleyanUniversity, Merrillville.Runners-up: Purdue Calumet,Hammond; and Indiana UniversityNorthwest, Gary.Best PLACE to PurCHAseoFFiCE EquiPMENtand SuppliesWinner: McShane’s Business Products& Solutions, Munster.Runners-up: Kramer & Leonard,Chesterton; Office Depot, MichiganCity, Merrillville and Highland; andOffice Max, Michigan City, Merrillvilleand Highland.“This is the eighth year in a rowwe’ve won, but we certainly don’ttake it for granted,” says BrianMcShane, president and CEO ofMcShane’s Business Products andSolutions. “This is a great reflectionon our employees and we’re honoredto receive this award. It keepsus on our toes and raises the barfor us each year.”Best PLACE to PurCHAseoFFiCE FurnitureWinner: Kramer & Leonard, Chesterton.Runners-up: McShane’s BusinessProducts & Solutions, Munster;and HDW Commercial Interiors,Schererville.“We are so grateful to our customersfor expressing confidencein us and voting for us,” says Mary24 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

Cover StoryHoeppner Wagner & Evans; GreggHolley, Citizens Financial Bank;Jonathan Nalli, Porter Health; andMark Maassell, Northwest IndianaForum.Best WoMAN-oWNEdBusiNEssesWinners: Group 7even, Valparaiso;HDW Commercial Interiors,Schererville; Life Strategies, LLCSchererville; Morse & Company,Michigan City; and VIA Marketing,Merrillville.Best AutomobiLELEAsiNG CoMPANYWinner: Enterprise Leasing, Merrillville,Valparaiso and Highland.Runners-up: Art Hill Ford, Merrill-ville; Bosak Honda, Highland; andSchepel Buick GMC, Merrillville.EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLEBest AutomobiLE DealerFor BusiNEss ExecutiVEsWinner: Schepel Buick GMC,MerrillvilleRunners-up: Art Hill Ford, Merrillville;Bosak Honda, Highland; andChristenson Chevrolet, Highland.“Recognition like this is affirmationthat we’re meeting our customers’needs as we should be,” saysTom Van Prooyen, dealer/operatorat Schepel Buick GMC. “When weget recognition like this, it meanswe’re accomplishing what weshould be in sales, service, partsand our body shop.”Best ResidentialHome BuilderWinner: Olthof Homes, St. John.Runners-up: Katona Builders,Munster; Cook Builders, St. John;Coolman Builders, Valparaiso; andWagner Homes, Valparaiso.Best HoME RemodELiNGCoMPANYWinner: M&M Home RemodelingServices, Crown Point.Runners-up: Above Board Construction,Chesterton; Schilling Construction,St. John; and Steel CityHome Improvement, Merrillville.Best GoLF CourseWinner: The Course at Aberdeen,Valparaiso.Runners-up: Sand Creek CountryClub, Chesterton; PottawattomieCountry Club, Michigan City; LostMarsh, Hammond; Briar Ridge,Schererville; Innsbrook CountryClub, Merrillville; Youche CountryClub, Crown Point; and WhiteHawk Country Club, Crown Point.Best GoLF CLUB fora CHAritABLEBusiness OutingWinner: Briar Ridge Country Club,Schererville.photo compliments City of South Bend Mayor’s Officecontinued on page 4426 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

The Best ofGreater South Bend/Michiana BusinessOur readers choose top business and lifestyle options.SpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 27

Cover Storyby Rick A. RichardsUnsolicited gifts are the bestkind. Just ask several GreaterSouth Bend and Mishawakabusinesses. Thanks to readersof Northwest Indiana BusinessQuarterly, several businesses werechosen to be the best at whatthey do.For Thom Villing, president ofVilling & Co., a public relations andmarketing firm, the recognition wasboth a surprise and humbling. “Itmakes us feel good knowing thatwhat we do is working,” says Villing.Matt Rose, director of sales andmarketing at the Century Center, wasmore succinct: “That’s really cool.”We think so, too. Here are the resultsof this year’s annual reader’s survey.Best CoMPANY to WorkWinners: Memorial Health Systems,Horizon Bank and U.S. Cellular inMishawaka.“At Memorial, we’re excitedto receive the honor,” saysMaggie Scroope, manager ofcommunications and mediarelations at Memorial HealthSystems. “We try to go above andbeyond to make this a great placeto work. We feel as long as ouremployees are happy at work andhappy at home they will continueto provide good quality service toour patients. An honor like this willBEST RESoRT for ExECuTIvES Swan Lake Resort, Plymouthmake it easier for us to recruit goodpeople.”Craig Dwight, president and CEOof Horizon Bank, thanked readers.“It is an honor to be acknowledgedlike this. It is a test of our internalvalues and for our company. It isa real pleasure to come to workwhere 99 percent of the people wehire want to come to work.”Dwight says the honor bringsa tremendous amount of pride tothe bank and its employees. “I’mfortunate to be a part of this team.”Because Horizon is a communitybank is why readers respondedso favorably, says Dwight. “We doa good job of caring for people.Our customers have real access todecision makers and that makes ahuge difference.”Matt Kasper, director of salesfor U.S. Cellular, was completelysurprised by the announcement.“I’m extremely proud. It helpsunderscore that the culture we’vebuilt in the company for employeesto take care of the customers first isworking.”Kasper says U.S. Cellular isbuilt on service and providing theopportunity for employees. “This isquite humbling. This will certainlyhelp in our recruiting effortsbecause it shows working her is aviable career option. Kasper saysthe recognition provides validationfor the company’s training andservice efforts. “It shows we havethe right values in place.”BEST Golf CouRSE and BEST Golf CouRSE for ChARITABle/BuSINESS OuTINGSBlackthorn, South BendBest MEEtiNG Sitefor Small GroUPsWinner: Hilton Garden Inn,South Bend.Runners-up: Gillespie ConferenceCenter, South Bend; Century Center,South Bend; and Palais Royale,South Bend.“This is a great honor,” saysSummer Holman, director of salesand marketing. “This does offersome validation that our programsand training are on track butwe’re always looking for ways toimprove.”28 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

Dedication110 %DevotionWell doneInspiration ExcellenceExtra mileRespectCommitment DetailDistinctionThanks to our dedicated lawyers and staff, wehave been named “Best Corporate Law Firm” and“Best Law Firm for Mergers and Acquisitions” inthe 2012 Greater South Bend/Michiana NWIBQreaders poll. We’re proud of our team memberswho go the extra mile every day to make SouthBend a better place to live and work.Wow!AdmirationApplauseImpressedAppreciationbtlaw.comATLANTA CHICAGO DELAWARE INDIANA LOS ANGELES MICHIGAN MINNEAPOLIS OHIO WASHINGTON, D.C.

Best NEW RestAUrANtfor BusiNEssEntertainingWinner: Café Navarre, South Bend.Owner and chef Kurt Janowskywas stunned that his restaurant wasthe choice of NWIBQ readers. “We’veonly been open nine weeks. Thismeans people tried us and we servedtheir needs. It means the ambiancewas conducive to what they want,the food was good, the service wasgood and the acoustics worked.”Best ACCoUNtiNG FirmWinner: Crowe Horwath,South Bend.“This is exciting news,” says GaryFox, a partner in the firm’s SouthBend office. “Northwest Indiana isour home and we’re still here. I’mexcited about being named bestaccounting form. I think the factwe get that kind of recognitionis because of the hard work ourpeople put in.”BEST ProFESSIoNAl SpECTATor SpoRT South Bend Silver HawksAs a marketer, you want more from your agency than the old way of doing business.You want smart ideas. Strategic thinking. And executions that effectively blendmultiple marketing platforms. Most of all you want value. Real, documentable value.At Villing & Company, we get it. And we have the team to make it happen. We call itthe team of specialists. You’ll call it a better way of doing business. Contact us tofind out more. We have the team and the talent to get you what you want.Honored by our selection as "2012 Best Advertising Agency for Business"villing.com574-277-0215VillingAd_NWIBQ_FNL.indd 14/5/12 1:10 PMSpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 31

Business ProfileSalute to BusinessSuccess isn’t just a matterof sales and profits.These standouts are committedto helping theircommunities succeed, too.by Bob KronemyerInvesting generous time and creativeresources to help maketheir community a better placeto work and live is a common threadamong the six major winners of the“Salute to Business” competition,sponsored by The Chamber of Commerceof St. Joseph County. Recipientswere honored in February at aluncheon at the Century Center indowntown South Bend.“All of the winners have a tremendousability to recognize needs inthe community and a willingnessand a real desire to be helpful,” saysPaul Laskowski, executive vice presidentof the chamber. “They have allstepped up and become involved incommunity boards and other areasof leadership. They truly want tohelp and use whatever skills and talentsthey have toward that end.”Greg Downes, recipient of the W.Scott Miller Distinguished BusinessLeader of the Year, has been withNEW JOBS Bipin Doshi,president of economic impactwinner Schafer Gear Works.Gibson Insurance Group in SouthBend since 1980. “We have a tremendousculture that has been builtup over a long period of time andis based very strongly on our corevalues,” says Downes, who currentlyserves as chairman of the board.“Our No. 1 value is the clients comefirst. We literally live and breathethat every day.”The company’s second core valueis that integrity matters. “Integritydictates the way we behave professionallyand otherwise,” Downesstresses.He is a graduate of the Universityof Notre Dame and was presidentand CEO of Gibson Insurancefrom 2000 to 2011. Downes also hasa long and distinguished involvementwith United Way. “It takesa little bit from a large number ofpeople to make a big difference.At United Way, we connect peoplewith resources,” explains Downes,who is chairman of the United Wayof St. Joseph County board and iscampaign chair of the 2012 UnitedWay drive. “I think to be an activeparticipant in the communities inwhich you do business, you have to36 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

e actively engaged in the not-forprofitworld.”Gibson Insurance also encouragesits employees to volunteer. “Getinvolved in organizations and causesthat you really care about,” Downessays. “No matter what business youare in, what is good for the communityis good for your business. Youdevelop a reputation and a brandin the community. It also helps yourecruit and retain great employees.People want to work for and workwith people that share the samevalues as they do.”Jacqueline Barton, president andCEO of Specialized Staffing Solutionsin South Bend, nominatedDownes for the honor because ofhis “example of a community leaderthat feels he has been blessed andwants to share those blessings withothers to impact the community. Iam impressed with Greg’s role asan agent for positive change in St.Joseph County.”The ATHENA Award is presentedto someone who embodies the highestlevel of professional excellencein his or her career, has devoted timeand energy to improve the quality oflife for others in the community, andassists women in realizing their leadershippotential. Staci Lugar Brettinfits the bill, in large part because ofher volunteer commitment in beingthe driving force behind the 2011launch of SPARK, an outreach programthrough St. Mary’s College inSouth Bend that supports the entrepreneurialcapacity of low-income,high-potential women.“I’ve always been open to anyopportunities that come my way,”says Lugar Brettin, a visiting lecturerin management and entrepreneurshipat Indiana University SouthBend. “I also feel I have the abilityto bring together a lot of partners tocollaborate, as well as attention todetail.”Lugar Brettin, who earned adoctor of business managementfrom Anderson University in 2011,urges other entrepreneurs “to investtheir idea properly. Speak to peoplewho are in the business that youwant to start. Don’t be afraid, even ifthey are your competitors. Find outwhat made them successful.”A support network also is crucial.“This network absolutely needs toinclude people who are championsfor your success,” she says. “However,championing also means being“It takes a little bit from a large numberof people to make a big difference.”able to say this is not a good idea.You don’t want a ‘yes’ person as partof your network.”A board member and presidentelectfor 2013-14 of Rotary Internationalin South Bend, Lugar Brettinoften mentors business owners ofthe organization, mostly men. “Don’tthrow away any ideas because younever know,” she says.“Staci has a lot of passion for communitychange and helping women,”conveys Martha Smith, the projectdirector for the Women’s EntrepreneurshipInitiative at St. Mary’s College,who nominated her. “Staciis always there to offer advice towomen and ready to lend a hand indeveloping a new business or withentrepreneur expertise.”—Greg Downes, Distinguished Business Leader of the YearThe Small Business of the Year isCommunication Company of SouthBend, founded in 1976 as a communicationsand sound integrator forthe school (K-12) market. Today, thebusiness sells, installs and serviceslife-safety, security and communicationsystems to the healthcare, educationand industrial/commercialmarkets.Growth can be attributed to “gettingthe right people on the busand giving them the free rein to dotheir jobs,” says president and CEODan Schmidtendorff, who joined thecompany in 1996. “Together, as ateam, we’ve grown year after yearin both revenues and number ofemployees.”The company recently launcheda paperless service dispatch ticketingsystem that when combinedwith vehicle GPS, allows its serviceteam to hasten response time anduse real-time inventory, which ultimatelytranslates into a cost savingsfor customers. “Find out what youdo best, streamline and stay focused“CLIENTS COME FIRST” The Distinguished Business Leader of the Year is GregoryDownes, chairman of Gibson Insurance Group, pictured here with chamber chairBradley Toothaker and chamber president and CEO Jeff Rea.SpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 37

Business Profileundergraduate and master’s degreeshave a concentration in communityand economic development. Andas far as working with children, “Iwant to make sure they have mentorsand the same opportunities aseveryone.”According to Brad Toothaker,president and CEO of CBRE/Bradatwhat you do best, and listen toyour customers,” recommendsSchmidtendorff , who is a memberof the CEO-group Vistage. “If youdon’t take care of your customers,someone else will. We have alsopartnered with great manufacturersand customers on innovative projectsover the years.”Moreover, Communication Companyis affiliated with several notfor-profits,including the SalvationArmy, Hope Rescue Mission, TheCenter for the Homeless and theAmerican Red Cross. Employeescan take time from their regularwork day, without losing pay,to volunteer either at the Centerfor the Homeless or as a studentmentor for the South Bend CommunitySchool Corporation.Phil Damico, director of economicdevelopment for the chamber, nominatedCommunication Companybecause of its “proactive approachto the community. They have beenpretty innovative with their businessmodel. I also think they havesome of the brightest young leadersin our community and certainly intheir industry. When 75 percent ofbusinesses were experiencing majorprofit loss during the downturn, theyactually achieved a revenue gain.They were not going to accept thatthe economy was going to get theirbusiness down. Rather than beingreactive, the company has been veryproactive.”Outstanding Young BusinessLeader Regina Emberton is vicepresident of brokerage services atCBRE/Bradley, a South Bend commercialreal-estate firm. “Never shyaway from opportunities and alwaysstep up to fill a role or a need,”urges Emberton, who has prosperedby taking educational classes withinSTEppING UP Regina Emberton (center), vice president of brokerage servicesat CBRE/Bradley, won the Outstanding Young Business Leader award.her industry that has led to tworespected designations: CertifiedCommercial Investment Member(CCIM) and Society of Industrial andOffice Realtors (SIOR).Emberton joined CBRE/Bradleyin 1999 as an intern in the marketresearch department. Through theyears, she has also been active involunteerism. Currently, she serveson the board of directors for DowntownSouth Bend Inc. and Boys &Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County. “Istarted my career in the economicdevelopment realm, so I have a passionfor cities developing. I wantto be a catalyst for further areagrowth,” says Emberton, whose“Speak to people who are in thebusiness that you want to start. Don’t beafraid, even if they are your competitors.”—Staci Lugar Brettin, ATHENA Award recipientley, who nominated Emberton,“Regina’s stature in the company asa top producer, management executiveand her sustained involvementin the community demonstrate heroverall dedication to excellence. Shehas distinguished herself by deepcommitment and sacrifices, and hastaken active leadership roles withinmany community organizations,doing so with honor, integrity andboundless energy. Her enthusiasm,passion and respect among peersmake her an outstanding asset to notonly our company, but the communityas well.”There were also two EconomicImpact Awards in recognition of acompany’s strategic vision and itssubstantial capital investment in thearea economy. And although thereis not an official nominator for eitherrecipient, the chamber relies oninformation gathered about variousprojects, investments, large hiringsand other economic signs.In 2010, Allied Physicians ofMichiana began a $15 million renovationproject of a 100,000 squarefootstrip mall at the corner ofHickory Road and State Road 23in South Bend, which culminatedin a state-of-the-art medical plaza.“Probably the biggest obstacle wasthat we were not building from agrain field. We took an existing38 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

structure and completely redesignedit within the framework,”says Sherry Purkeypile, CEO of thephysicians group. Today, UniversityCommons Medical Plaza consistsof three buildings (a main structureand a wing on either side) andhas 99 percent occupancy. The firstpractice moved in May 2011.Purkeypile’s advice for entrepreneursis to “trust your vision andinstincts.” As is the case with AlliedPhysicians, “you begin with a rundown,almost abandoned shoppingcenter and you envision a thrivingmedical community promotinghealing and health. You trust that itreally exists. There are also peoplewho can share that vision to bringit to fruition.” In addition, she ishopeful that her firm’s recognitionwill inspire others to look outsidethe box and pursue a project that isslightly unorthodox.In early 2011, the other economicimpact winner, Schafer Gear Worksin South Bend, announced a jointventure with Somaschini S.p.A. ofItaly to produce engine gears for theheavy-duty truck market in Northas out of state,” relates Bipin Doshi,who became president of SchaferGear in 1988. The plant is expectedto be fully operational April 2013.“Find out what you do best, streamlineand stay focused at what you do best,and listen to your customers.”America. To accommodate increasedactivity, a new 50,000-square-footplant was built on the Schafer Gearcampus at Nimtz Parkway, whichbegan trial production in November2011.The new manufacturing facilityis part of a total joint ventureinvestment of $18 million. “We aredelighted that we were able to justifybuilding the plant on our existingcampus rather than elsewhere, such—Dan Schmidtendorff, Communication Companyof South Bend, Small Business of the YearBy that time, the workforce shouldincrease from 15 to about 25.Throughout the years of companyexpansion, “the City of South Bendhas been very helpful, includingproviding us with tax reductions,”Doshi says. “This was one of the factorsfor us remaining here.” To succeed,“do your homework right andtake some chances in life. Also, beas knowledgeable as you can aboutwhat you are doing.”SpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 39

Young InnoVAtorsBuddingEntrepreneursWho says you need years of experiencebefore making a mark in the world?These idea people are getting an early start.HEAVY Steve Bartholomew’s DominatorAthletics LLC is one of the largestsuppliers of indoor throwing weights totrack and field programs in the country.are sold online and 60 percent ofbooks,” says Rocha. “But only 10percent of the $250 billion clothingmarket is sold online. That’s becausepeople aren’t sure the clothes willfit.” And a lot of those clothes don’tfit. About 40 percent of online clothingorders are returned, says Rocha.“The only winners in this are theshipping companies.”Rocha, 23, who was a political sciencemajor at Notre Dame, neverimagined his career was headed inthis direction. He says he caughtthe entrepreneurship bug when hevisited the Gigot EntrepreneurialCenter at Notre Dame, and after twoyears of taking classes there, Rochafound he wanted to create a productof his own.Once the idea of myFit was born,Rocha says the next step was to finda home. He graduated on May 22and two days later he was back oncampus with Tillie and they spentsix weeks in the library basementcoming up with a business plan.After looking across the nation fora place to locate the business, Rochasettled on South Bend and InnovabyRick A. RichardsThe idea for the “next bigthing” can come from anywherebut a lot of times it’sfrustration that leads to inspiration.That’s the case for John Rocha,who graduated from the Universityof Notre Dame last spring andalready is involved in a startup companythat could change the waypeople buy clothes online.Instead of going to the mall, Rochapreferred to sit in his dorm roomand shop for clothes online. Theproblem was, he couldn’t alwaysbe sure what he ordered was goingto fit. So he thought about that forawhile, and with the help of partnerRick Tillie and a mannequin theynamed Larry, they created myFit, asmart phone app that will be availableby the end of this year.“Ordering clothes online wasmuch more convenient for mebecause I didn’t have a car when Iwas on campus,” says Rocha, whohas moved only a short distanceaway to Innovation Park at the edgeof campus.“Fifty percent of all computers40 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

tion Park. “They have tremendousmentors and tremendous IP access.The building is a great resource andit promotes collaboration. It pushesyou every day,” says Rocha.He’s also been able to tap into theIrish Angel network that helps fundstartup companies. Already myFithas gotten help from a nationaldevelopment recruiter from JohnsHopkins University and is in a partnershipdiscussion with Microsoft.“We’re also talking to several retailers,”says Rocha. “Retailers want toincrease their online sales so wehope to see this as the next generalstep in sales.Using a 3D camera, which isavailable at electronic stores, Rochaand Tillie created a program thatallows people to take a full bodyscan of themselves and use it withMicrosoft’s motion sensing Kinectprogram. Then, as you’re shoppingonline, you virtually try on theclothes you want to purchase.“When you’re shopping online forjeans, for instance, you never knowwhat the sizes are. Some are sportsfit, some are relaxed fit. I have noidea what that means, but myFit willsolve that.”When Steve Bartholomew was amember of the Valparaiso Universitytrack team, he was always tinkeringwith the hammer he threw in competition.“I like being 100 percent incontrol of everything I do.”So when his equipment keptbreaking—even equipment that wasnew out of the box from the manufacturer—Bartholomewdecided tovent. “I picked up the phone andvoiced my opinion to the manufacturer.I told him I wasn’t happy andthat it broke right out of the box. Ihung up the phone and designedmy own fix.”Today, Bartholomew’s DominatorAthletics LLC is one of the largestsuppliers of indoor throwingweights to track and field programsin the country. It didn’t start out thatway, though. His first year in businesshe made only $300.A Good FIT John Rocha and Rick Tillie created myFitto help online shoppers buy the right size of clothing.“I came up with a simple, rudimentarydesign. I figured the moresimple it is, the less that can gowrong,” says Bartholomew.His first order came from two Ohiouniversities – Ashland and BowlingGreen. He manufactured the throwingweights and personally deliveredthem. “I used all my cash to drivethere. They paid me right awayinstead of sending a check, and I’mglad they did because I didn’t havegas money to drive back.”But because Bartholomew wasa weight thrower, he knew howto talk to other throwers. He convincedthem to try his indoor throwingweights, and when they did,they liked them. Through wordof-mouth,orders began coming in.“This past year, I sold more than anyother company,” says Bartholomew.His simple design has alreadybeen recognized by the Society ofInnovators of Northwest Indiana.The business graduate has gottenadvice and help from the Center forEntrepreneurship Success at PurdueUniversity Calumet.Each order is custom made byBartholomew, who still competes.He just missed out on qualifying forthe U.S. Olympic team trials in 2008,and his eye is set on trying to makethe team this year. “I’m nowhere asgood as I was in college, but I’mthrowing farther than I was in college.Bartholomew, 26, who has hisMBA from VU, says his businesshas grown to the point that 50-hourweeks now sometimes are 100-hourweeks just to keep up with demand.“I’m selling to throwers in Europeand Canada and nearly every majortrack program. I thought this wouldsell, but I had no idea that peoplewould take to it like they have.”Kelsey Falter comes from a familyof entrepreneurs, which is why shetold her mother there was no wayshe was going to be one. “I told mymom she wasn’t like other momsbecause she was working all thetime.”Falter, whose family lives in southernFlorida, is a senior at the Universityof Notre Dame, and today isan entrepreneur, just like her grandfather(who invented the flip topbox), her father, and her mother.She spends part of her week takingclasses at Notre Dame and the restof the time she’s in New York Cityperfecting Markover, a real-timecommunication, editing, video andSpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 41

Young InnoVAtorsconferencing program that’s poisedto take advantage of the latest cloudtechnology.Falter, 22, is a design major anduntil she got involved with Markoverwith two other students – StaceyMilspauw and Brenden Kokoszka– worked during the summer forSak’s Fifth Avenue and Coca-Cola.“I found the working world wasn’tfor me,” says Falter. “The communicationprocess was tedious. You’dhave to open and look at attachments,edit them and then e-mailthem back.“With Markover, we’re bringingchat to business. You can look atimages and video and converse overit all at once. It’s real-time communication.”Last summer Falter went to NewYork for the Start Up Weekend eventand that’s where Markover got a lotof attention. In October, she wona pitch series in New York, got a$10,000 grant from FedEx and is oneof 14 “tech stars” in the running for a$120,000 investment.When Falter isn’t in New Yorkor at Innovation Park in her office,she’s working at the Gigot Center atNotre Dame, a place she says hashelped nurture her entrepreneurism.“When I’m there, even at 3 a.m.,there are engineering students there.It’s great to have people around tobounce ideas off of,” she says.Falter has high expectations forher business. “In five years I’d liketo be on my way to a $1 billion business,”she says. “When you’re buildinga business like this and dealingwith technology like this it’s reasonableto say you’re going to get millionsof users.”In the meantime, she’s like a lot ofother students who’ve gotten moneyfrom the family and who spendsfootball Saturdays tailgating. “Thefamily comes in for football gamesand I tailgate, but I think I saw onehalf of one football last year. I’mliving on a tight budget so it’s niceto tailgate and get free food and takeleftovers home.”Running his own business is somethingDoug Meece always wantedto do, even while he worked forEnterprise Rent-a-Car and State FarmInsurance. “I mowed yards as a kidto make money,” says the marketingand business graduate of the Universityof Southern Indiana. “When Iwas a residence hall assistant at USI,I set up a business called Dial a Dogwhich delivered hot dogs aroundcampus after hours.”Today, Meece lives in Valparaiso,and with help from the Center forEntrepreneurial Success at PurdueCalumet, has created an onlinesports camp registration programthat is used by nearly all Division 1universities in the country.Meece operates ADM Camps andADM Races, which is an online programfor running events.“The goal of the program is to42 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

RACE TO THE Top Doug Meece operatesADM Camps and ADM Races, an onlineregistration program for running events.make the camp registration processmore streamlined. If VU has a basketballcamp, for instance, we do allPhoto by Pete Dohertythe online registration and administration.The coaches want to runthe camp; they don’t want to getinvolved with this stuff.”Currently, Meece, 33, has 350 clients,including a deal worth $25,000with the University of Notre Dame.Other recent clients include EasternMichigan University, Purdue Universitywrestling, Purdue volleyball andUniversity of Michigan wrestling.“When I worked at Enterprise,it helped me learn the day-to-dayoperation of business. They havean entrepreneurial approach onhow each office is run, so that reallyhelped me in this.”Meece started his business after hewas hired by what is today his maincompetitor. “He hired me and thenthree days later, his best friend losthis job so he told me that I was beinglet go so he could hire his friend.”With help from a Chicago webdesigner, Meece has created a programthat allows universities andcoaches to create their own campweb page. Meece not only handlesthe registration, he handles the registrationfees and other administrativeresponsibilities.“Coaches only do business withpeople they trust, so this businessis based a lot on personal relationships,”says Meece, who has met andtalked to coaches all over the country.“I’ve learned that people likedoing business with people they like.People want to put a face to a name.”So even though it’s important forMeece to have the latest technologyto make online registration andpayment as easy as possible, he alsoneeds to make sure he’s pressing theflesh with his clients.“I knew this business would takeoff because I studied my competitorsand learned what they weredoing wrong,” says Meece. “I foundout what people didn’t like about asite and then I fixed it on mine. I’vestreamlined the entire process.”2012 BUICKREGAL GSBEST AUTOMOBILEDEALERSHIP FORBUSINESS EXECUTIVES3229 W. LINCOLN HWY.MERRILLVILLE, INThe New Class of World Class219.769.6381www.schepel.comSpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 43

Cover Storycontinued from page 26Runners-up: The Brassie, Chesterton;The Course at Aberdeen,Valparaiso; Pottawattomie CountyClub, Michigan City; Sand CreekCountry Club, Chesterton; YoucheCountry Club, Crown Point; andWhite Hawk Country Club, CrownPoint.Best PLACE for aVACAtion GetAWAYWEEKENdWinner: Marina Grand Hotel, NewBuffalo, Mich.Runners-up: Star Plaza, Merrillville;Serenity Springs, Michigan City; andFrench Lick Resort.Best HEALthand Fitness FACilityWinner: Franciscan Omni 41Health and Fitness, Schererville andChesterton.Runners-up: Duneland Health andWellness, Chesterton; Valparaisocontinued on page 76NWIBQ_AD_4.pdf 1 3/27/12 5:13 PMBEST Golf CouRSE The Course at Aberdeen, Valparaiso.CMYCMMYCYCMYK44 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

“RapidView is honored to be recognized as one ofthe 2011 Indiana Companies To Watch. Ouremployees are thrilled to be acknowledged for alltheir hard work and dedication. Our entire team isdedicated to making Indiana proud in our endeavors”to grow RapidView into the leader of our industry.Rex RobisonPresident / CEO, RapidViewThe Indiana Economic Development Corporation, its SmallBusiness Development Centers, and Purdue University, inassociation with the Edward Lowe Foundation, proudly announcethe 2012 Indiana Companies to Watch Awards program.>>>>Nominations are open fromFebruary 15th through March 30th.Applications are open fromFebruary 15th through April 16th.Companies will be honored at an awards event in late August.For more information, company eligibility requirements,and to nominate a company or apply, visitwww.indiana.companiestowatch.org20122012 SPONSORSNEW PARADIGM SPONSORVISIONARIESVIP RECEPTION HOSTMEDIA SPONSORSPRESENTED BY

WorkforceDevelopmentGREEN ENERGY AND EduCATION Students from Purdue Calumet’s Center for Innovation throughVisualization and Simulation visit the GE Invenergy Wind Farm-Grand Ridge Energy Center in Ransom, Ill.Workforce 2025The economy is coming back to life. Is the region’sworkforce prepared to cash in on the opportunities?by Shari HeldWith the negative press theeconomy has generatedover the last few years,it’s easy to overlook the positivesNorthwest Indiana has to offer – theDunes, the casinos, the steel mills, agreat road and rail infrastructure andpower sources.“Northwest Indiana has some ofthe greatest assets in the Midwest,and I’m going to argue, some of thebest in the nation,” says Don Babcock,director of economic developmentfor NIPSCO. “Years ago wehad a strong economy and our economyis coming back now because ofthose assets. As the region becomesstronger, the opportunities for greatpaying jobs will be on the rise.”The big question is: Will the workforcebe prepared and ready to meetthe needs of a rebounding economy?A report on hiring in NorthwestIndiana by The Center of WorkforceInnovations projects nearly 27,000job openings in the next five years.The biggest concentration will be inhealth care and transportation, distributionand logistics followed bymanufacturing and construction andthe trades. Many of these jobs willrequire special skills, and that presentsa problem.“Even with the serious unemploymentwe have, throughout the stateand the country, there are a numberof jobs now that are staying open fartoo long because employers can’tfind workers with the right skills,”says Michael Baird, a Valparaiso citycouncilman.To ensure workforce developmentis ready to meet the demands of thefuture, Northwest Indiana educators,employers, economic developersand local politicians banded togetherto form the Regional Education andEmployer Alliance for DevelopingYouth (RE2ADY) about three yearsago. Its focus is to implement programsthat will not only preparestudents academically, but alsoteach them the soft skills needed for46 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

success and make them aware of theopportunities in their own backyard.“We want kids to know that theydon’t have to go to the East Coast orthe West Coast or Texas to get reallygood jobs,” Babcock says.The emphasis isn’t just on theyoung, however. And for goodreason. The U.S. Bureau of LaborStatistics estimates that by 2022,the number of workers age 65 andolder will reach 13.2 million. Manyof them will be better educated (interms of college degrees) than theiryounger counterparts.“The bulk of the employees of thefuture are already in the workforcetoday,” says Mark Maassel, presidentand CEO of Northwest IndianaForum. It’s simple demographics.The number of students graduatingfrom high school every year is avery small number compared to thenumber of adults that are working.We are going to see an ever increasingneed for continued learning, lifelonglearning.”Lifelong learning is here to stay,although the concept may meetresistance, especially from thosealready in the workplace. “The ideais we will teach people how to learnbecause we don’t know what thefuture is going to bring and whatspecific skills people are going toneed,” says Ralph Rogers, vice chancellorfor academic affairs, PurdueUniversity Calumet. That involvesteaching people how to ask the rightquestions and how to find solutionsand become problem-solvers.“That’s the skill set people want, andthat’s the basis for preparing peoplefor jobs we don’t even know existyet,” he adds.GettiNG SchoolKids RE2ADY“The goal of RE2ADY is to makesure that by 2025, 60 percent of theworkforce in Northwest Indiana willhave the kind of post-secondaryeducation required to be successfulin today’s world,” Baird says.Schools are attacking the issueon all sides, beginning with assessmentof students’ skill sets in middleCHAllENGING CouRSEWORK Sarah Heming and AngelMcCullough of the School City of Hobart’s School of Health andNatural Sciences compare the freezing pointS of various liquids.school to provide the programmingthat best fits their needs.One such program is Reality Store,a partnership between Merrillvillemiddle schools and the local Chamberof Commerce. The hands-onprogram helps kids tie a job of theirchoice to a paycheck, showing themthe real-life implications a careerchoice can have on their lifestyle.They are also given situations thatthey have to work with: marriage,children, divorce, illness. Students gofrom station to station where chambermembers – bankers, mortgagebrokers, insurance agents, Realtorsand apartment renters, car dealers,hospital workers and lawyers – givethem a reality check about costs and“what-if” situations.“They have to figure out how theyare going to spend their money andhow far that money will go,” saysTony Lux, superintendent, MerrillvilleSpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 47

Workforce DevelopmentWe putNWI tOWORKFacilitating and establishing links for innovative solutions and actionplans for economic development, workforce, and education challenges.Optimizing Talent, Strengthening Communitieswww.innovativeworkforce.com • 219.462.2940CWI Community ENCOREAdult Learning Centers CaREER advisORPROgRamExperience a Master’sDegree in TechnologyCutting edge technical knowledge & leadership expertiseDesigned to prepare technology leaders in the following disciplines:• Construction Management& Engineering Technologies• Computer Graphics Technology• Mechatronics Engineering Technology• Electrical Engineering Technology• Computer Information Technology• Industrial Engineering Technology• Mechanical Engineering Technology• Organizational Leadership & SupervisionFor more information,contact Prof. Mohammad Zahraee at219/989-2966, 800/HI-PURDUE, ext. 2966or e-mail at techgrad@purduecal.eduwww.purduecal.edu/techgrad2012An equal access, equal opportunity, affirmative action employer that is committed to a diverse workplaceCommunity School Corp. “If they runout of money they have to go backand make other decisions.”“Then, the freshman year we’veput a major emphasis on helpingstudents understand how importantit is to graduate from high schooland get that high school diploma,”Lux says. “And that what they do asa freshman has great implications forbeing able to meet that goal to getthat high school diploma. We alsogo through a four-year plan for identifyingtheir career choices.”The School City of Hobart implementeda program called CareerPathways at the high school level togive students a head start on choosingand preparing for their careers.Students can earn credit towardfour-year college degrees, two-yearassociates degrees or certifications.Students can explore different healthcare careers at the schools of HumanServices and Health and Natural Sciences,earn up to 15 hours of collegecredit at the School of Pre-engineeringand Industrial Technology orearn their CCNA (Certified CiscoNetwork Associate) from the CiscoAcademy in the School of Businessand Information Technology. Theschool also operates its own cookiebusiness and preschool.“We offer various electives acrossthe different schools,” says PeggyBuffington, superintendent, SchoolCity of Hobart. “The programs areinnovative, challenging and rigorous.They broaden students’horizons because they are experimentingand discovering where theirpassions lie.”Both Merrillville and Hobart participatein WorkKeys, a national jobskills assessment system that measuresstudents’ skills in relationshipto what employers want. Students areawarded a certificate at a certain leveland each level is matched to specificjobs. “The better their skills, the morejobs they qualify for and the higherthe level of their certificate,” Lux says.“This has really meant a lot to studentsin terms of having somethingthat demonstrates their skill levelwhen they apply for a job.”48 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

WorkKeys is used by majorNorthwest Indiana employers. Forexample, Buffington notes thatArcelorMittal automatically interviewspeople who have a bronzecertificate. “We are starting to seedividends of our work,” she says.“At Merrillville and Hobart HighSchools, well over 90-percent of ourkids were eligible for a workplacecertificate. That’s pretty amazing.”According to Buffington, onlyone-third of students make it pasttheir freshman year at four-yearinstitutions, but offering coursesfor college credit can help turn thatstatistic around. “If students canget nine to 12 credit hours whilein high school, their chance of successis increased because they haveexperienced the rigor of a collegecurriculum while in the familiar,nurturing environment of their highschool,” she says.Purdue Calumet and Indiana UniversityNorthwest have partnered tooffer a unique dual-credit programto high school students. High schoolteachers and university faculty workclosely together to ensure the qualityof instruction. The program hasreceived recognition from the U.S.Department of Education and otherschools nationwide.“Many colleges have a dual creditprogram in partnership with highschools,” Purdue Calumet’s Rogerssays. “What is quite a bit differentwith ours is the way we track dataand that we are doing real-time qualitycontrol throughout the semester.We think it works very well becauseof its focus on quality and not juston credits.”A Shot in tHE ArmPurdue Calumet requires everystudent who entered school inthe fall of 2008 and after, to taketwo courses in experiential learning– internships, co-ops, researchprojects, Capstone projects. “Webelieve in preparing our students forwhat comes after college,” Rogerssays. “To understand what will beexpected and what the options are.”This program is also doing well.One student working at a NorthwestIndiana hospital developed acolor-coded patient banding systemthat is being adopted statewide andis being considered for adoptionnationwide.It’s not all about four-year collegedegrees, however. Manufacturing isfar from dead and two-year degreescan sometimes be obtained throughapprenticeship programs. “There’sa strong partnership between theInternational Brotherhood of ElectricalWorkers here in NorthwestIndiana and Ivy Tech,” Maasselsays. “When you become a journeyman,a fully qualified electricianthrough the union apprenticeshipprogram, you also have a two-yearcertification from Ivy Tech. U.S.Coverage for your most precious assetsAuto | Ho me |business | Life | H e ALt HnortHwest indiAnA’s most trustedinsurAnce Advisors for over 75 yeArs• Workers Compensation• Commercial Fleet• Property• EquipmentMichigan City219.879.4581Call• General Liability• Product Liability• Professional Liability• UmbrellaLaPorte219.362.2113Voted bestinsurance agencyfor business eightyears in a rowcontAct An Agent in your AreAto discuss your poLicy needs.2005-2012• Boiler and Machinery• Builders Risk• Group HealthValparaiso219.464.3511www.genins.comSpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 49

Workforce DevelopmentSteel, Mittal, British Petroleum andNIPSCO, have all worked with IvyTech to create programs that helpsprovide students with the skill setsnecessary to go to work in thosekinds of industries.”“We are really trying to alignthe education, workforce developmentand economic developmenttogether to make sure that they areall working hand-in-glove,” saysLinda Woloshansky, president andCEO at the Center of WorkforceInnovations. “We are continuingthose alignments (from RE2ADY)into the adult workforce phase andhopefully right into jobs.”One new adult education programLEGAL SOLUTIONSWe Have Attorneys for Thatis GED Plus, which combines a highschool diploma with some type ofpost-secondary education such aswelding or bookkeeping or a certifiednursing assistant. It debuted thisyear. “Getting a high school diplomaor a GED isn’t enough anymore,”Woloshansky says. “They are ableto acquire that GED and walk awaywith a marketable skill that they canapply immediately. It’s a little earlyto tell what the absolute results willbe, but so far the folks who areengaged in this are thrilled.”MoviNG ForWArdMaassel anticipates the trend fornew jobs and new roles to continueKrieg DeVault LLP833 West Lincoln Highway, Suite 410WSchererville, Indiana 46375Phone: 219.227.6100www.kriegdevault.comINDIANA ILLINOIS GEORGIAFLORIDA MINNESOTA© Krieg DeVault 2012“The future is goingto be for thosepeople who try tosolve problems;people who seeopportunities andtake risks.”—Ralph Rogers, vice chancellorfor academic affairs,Purdue University Calumetalong with the core manufacturing,petroleum refining, steel productionand construction jobs. “I thinkentrepreneurial skills will grow insignificance,” he says. “They are thecompanies that are growing mostrapidly and employing the most newpeople.”Rogers cites the potential the transportation,distribution and logisticssector has for the region, but alsoemphasizes the importance of entrepreneurs.“The future is going to befor those people who try to solveproblems; people who see opportunitiesand take risks,” he says. “Whatwe are looking for is a larger set ofrisk takers and access to capital. Ifwe have those things, we can growin many different ways.”50 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

Special Focus: Small BusinessFrom Scratchor From Franchise?It’s easy to pick a new business winnerwhen you choose to franchise.But you may have tocheck your creativity at the door.by Michael PuenteTyler Carter and LindsayDudzik are young, ambitiousand relatively new owners ofbusinesses. But both took differentroutes in earning that distinguishedtitle of business owner.The 30-year-old Carter ownsand operates the hottest new franchiserestaurant in Northwest Indiana,Chick-fil-A, in Hobart. “Theresponse has been overwhelming,”Carter says.Dudzik, meanwhile, opened herPure Envy Salon and Spa in St. Johnlast June, hoping her years as a hairstylist pays off. “It’s going very well.It’s better than I thought it wouldbe,” the 27-year-old Dudzik says.The business model for bothoutlets, whether it’s a franchise orstart-from-scratch new business, isvastly different, each coming withits own set of skills, demands andexpectations.In Carter’s case, he started workingat a Chick-fil-A to make someextra cash while he went to college.That was nine years ago whenCarter was studying managementand marketing at Anderson University,a small Christian university inAnderson, Ind.But it wasn’t long before his superiorsat a Chick-fil-A restaurant inAnderson noticed just how hardworking and dedicated Carter was.After earning his degree and MBA in2003, Carter didn’t bolt for a job onWall Street or some big firm in Indianapolis.He decided to stay withChick-fil-A.“I’m really thankful and blessed tobe with a company like Chick-fil-A,”Carter says. “The values of Chick-fil-A and its positive influence on itsemployees and customers keep memotivated.”It wasn’t too long before Cartermoved up the management chain atChick-fil-A. Soon, he was managinganother outlet in Fort Wayne. Lastyear, a major opportunity called.Chick-fil-A, with 1,600 outletsnationwide, offered Carter a chanceto become an owner-operator withminimal financial investment forits newest store, near the WestfieldSouthlake Mall in Hobart. So withhis wife and two young childrenin tow, Carter arrived in NorthwestIndiana to open the store.“We were kind of surprised bythe response we received,” Cartersays of last October’s opening of theChick-fil-A store. Hundreds of customerscamped outside the store tobecome the first in line when therestaurant opened its doors for thefirst time in Northwest Indiana. “Theresponse has been overwhelming,”says Carter, now a Northwest Indianaresident.Carter said the Chick-fil-A corporation,based in Atlanta, provideslots of training and support for itsowner-operator. About 60 percentof all Chick-fil-A owner-operatorscome from within the ranks of therestaurant operation. “The other 40percent come from all walks of life,”Carter says.But because becoming an owneroperatorcame with only a minimalfinancial investment, Carter says thecompany made a chance-of-a-lifetimeeven easier to achieve. “I didn’thave the millions it takes to open aMcDonald’s or something like that,”Carter says.According to FranNet, a franchiseconsulting group based in Louisville,Ky., the number of U.S. franchiseestablishments is expected toincrease by nearly 14,000 in 2012with the number of jobs expected togrow by about 168,000.Moreover, the economic outputgenerated by franchise businessis expected to grow by 5 percent,from $745 billion to $782 billion.And, according to World Franchising,there are more than 3,500 activefranchise systems in North America.Some of the top food serviceshawn spence shawnspence.com52 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

ENThuSIASTIC CUSTOMERSTyler Carter owns and operatesthe franchised Chick-fil-A in Hobart.SpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 53

Special Focus: Small Businessindustry franchises, says WorldFranchising, are basically thosethat you find in a typical suburb ormall: Arby’s, Applebee’s, 7-Eleven,Church’s Chicken, Little Caesar’s andAuntie Annie’s pretzels. For retail,Radio Shack and Snap-On Tools arelisted among the top franchises.FranNet’s Chris Coleman, whohelps pair the right franchise forWorking fora Living.Labor & Employment LawWhen it comes to managing, growing,or downsizing a workforce, businessowners and managers turn to HoeppnerWagner & Evans. We represent some ofthe region’s largest manufacturers andservice employers, mid-size family-runenterprises, and small start-up companies,advising on a wide variety of labor andemployment issues:■ Construction and Workplace Safety Actions (OSHA)■ Privacy Issues (HIPAA)■ Disability and Family Leave Issues (ADA, FMLA)■ Harassment and Discrimination Claims■ Wrongful Discharge and Employment-at-Will Actions■ I-9 Compliance and Immigration■ Worker’s Compensation Claims■ Fair Labor Standards Act, Wage and Hour Disputes■ Strike, Picket and Injunction Matters■ Employment Policy and Handbook Counseling■ Mediation and Arbitration Representationprospective clients, says not allfranchises take a huge investment.“Most people, when they think of afranchise, they think of McDonald’s,Subway, something like that,” Colemansays. “But there’s been a prettygood shift in demand for franchisebusinesses that are very low investmentand service based. Maybesomething you can run out of yourValparaiso (219) 464-4961Merrillville (219) 769-6552www.hwelaw.comHoeppner Wagner & Evans – We Care About Your Businessown home. Fewer employees. Let’sjust call it more simplified businessmodels.”Coleman says franchises are agreat option for entrepreneurs, since“the advantage is that it’s alreadybeen done before,” Coleman says.“There are blueprints, or a road map– a strategy that’s in place that youfollow vs. going out and starting onyour own, from scratch.”But whether it’s opening yourown business from scratch or investingin a proven franchise model likea Chick-fil-A, there are a lot of decisionsthat need to be made, saysJanet A. Fye, regional director of theNorth Central Indiana Small BusinessDevelopment Center in SouthBend.“We help our clients makeinformed decisions. We are goingto do a reality check,” Fye says.“We’re going to really sit down andtalk about what it is you’re thinkingabout and the feasibility of it. Areyou going to make money out of it?That’s really the point isn’t it?”Fye says the center works withpeople who want to start a businessor to grow and expand an existingbusiness. “About 52 percent of ourclients are established businesses,”Fye says. “Sometimes people willask us about a franchise. Franchisesare near and dear to my heart.”Fye’s family owned an ArthurTreacher’s Fish and Chips franchiserestaurant in the South Bend area.She said there are pros and cons toinvesting in a franchise as opposedto a new business.The benefits, she says, is that mostof the hard decisions are alreadymade for you. “The greatest pro isyou’ve got a business model there.Those people researched the suppliers;all the recipes are coming toyou, all the business procedures. It’sbasically a turn-key. You walk in,you pay the franchise licensing fee,”Fye says.“For example, like Subway, peoplealready know you. They expect acertain quality. If I have my own subsandwich shop, and even if it’s 100times better than Subway, you’re not54 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

going to know that. You’ve got tospend a lot of money getting peopleinto your restaurant.”Fye says the main drawback islittle creativity is allowed in owninga franchise. “The con is the verything that is also a pro: How muchcreativity does that allow?” Fye says.Fye also adds that since a lot of thebigger decisions are made for you, itdoesn’t prepare a franchise ownerwell to go it alone. “Owning a franchisedoes not necessarily prepareyou to own a business because a lotof your decisions, a good number ofyour decisions, were made for youin a franchise,” Fye says. “You don’tworry about food costs becausethese things came to you prepared.”But let’s say your business ismaking money and is successful.Does that mean it’s ready to befranchised? “No,” says Mark Siebert,who founded the iFranchise Group,a franchise consulting firm in 1999.The firm, based in Homewood, Ill.,works with some of the top franchisesin the country.“Just because it’s profitable,doesn’t mean it’s going to work asa franchise,” Siebert says. The mainquestion a person needs to knowabout their business is will it workin a different market?Siebert also says a business has tohave that “sizzle.” “Is it somethingthat people want to buy as a franchise?”Siebert says. “Is it somethingthat people want to be involved in?”Siebert also says a business lookingto franchise also has to be moresuccessful than the typical business.He says there are three reasonswhy a business owner may want tofranchise their business: speed ofgrowth, motivated management andcapital.He says it’s difficult for a businessowner to borrow $200,000 to$300,000 to start a new store, outletor restaurant. “That’s an awful lot ofmoney. They would have no way togrow that fast. So you use anotherperson’s capital,” Siebert says.He says there are people who areready to learn how to do “what youdo.” “You expand yourself by teach-Experiencean MBAE(Master of Business Administration for Executives)• 18-month program of Saturday classes only• Cohort approach—learn with other professionalsWe also offer traditional MBA &Master of Accountancy (MAcc) programs• Enroll part-time or full time• MAcc: 30 credit hrs. for those pursuing CPA certification• All programs IACBE-creditedFor more information, contact:219/989-3150, 800/HI-PURDUE, ext. 3150purduecal.edu/gradmgmt2012SpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 55

Special Focus: Small Businessing somebody else. It allows you togrow much faster,” he says.That’s exactly what’s happeningto Jim Weaver, who opened his firstWings Etc. Restaurant & Pub in 1994in Mishawaka.Weaver didn’t come from a restaurantbackground. In fact, he workedas a public accountant for 14 years,doing computer audits for a company’sIT department. “I was doing alot of traveling and I decided whenmy last kid was in college that Iwanted to make a change. I alwayswanted to open my own business,but I didn’t really know what thatwas going to be and how I was goingto do it. But soon enough, I left myjob and became a ‘wing slinger.’”In no time, Weaver opened hissecond restaurant in South Bend in1998. But much of the chain’s growthcame between 2004 and 2007 whenWings Etc. expanded through franchisingand pushed the total numberSEEKING SALES AND MARKETINGPROFESSIONAL TO JOIN OURWINNING MAGAZINE TEAMThe Successful Sales Professional Has:· A proven track record of successfuladvertising sales experience· Superior organizational and customerretention skills· Ability to work independently and has a homeoffice set-up· Marketing and promotional skills· A strong work ethic· Looking for advancement and executivemanagement opportunitiesIf you have these skills and more, please emailyour resume to:Glee Renick-May, Publisher, NWIBQ atgleefmay@nwibq.comof stores to 20, with most in northcentral Indiana, a few in suburbanChicago and southwest Michigan.The weak economy kept morestores from opening but a reboundis leading to new restaurants inFort Wayne and Indianapolis. Sixof the stores are considered “corporate”stores, the rest operated byfranchisees.“The way to grow the business isto get qualified franchisees and that’sbeen tough with the market,” saysWeaver, who lives in Niles, Mich. “Ifyou want to grow, you’ve got to domore than just what you can do onyour own, that’s for sure.”Weaver says the business is lookingto expand more in the comingyear. “That’s primarily because ofthe rebound in the economy, wehope,” he says. “We experiencedsome really tough times but we’regrowing again.”Lindsay Dudzik is running herown business without a backgroundin business but a lot of industryexperience. She worked for anothersalon for eight years and thought itwas time to venture out on her own.“Because I was young, I wantedthe freedom of making my ownhours. It was kind of a spur-of-themomentdecision,” Dudzik says. “Ihave a big client base and we’rejust across the street from the highschool.”That’s Lake Central High Schoolin St. John, where Dudzik graduatedin 2002. She says she never thoughtabout opening a chain salon primarilybecause of the sizeable financialinvestment that would come with it.She feels small businesses havean advantage over corporateowned businesses. “You can incorporateyour own rules and pricesand things like that,” Dudzik said.“People in a recession tend to supportsmall businesses before theysupport a corporation.”Opening Pure Envy in June 2011,Dudzik employs seven people andis gearing up for the all-importantprom season. “We can’t wait. We doa lot of the services that high schoolgirls like. We have a very youngstaff who are into the trends andstuff young girls love,” Dudzik said.“We’re full service. We do massages,facials, manicures and pedicures.”Dudzik has a word of advice forthose looking to start their own business.“Keep in mind, it takes a lotof dedication and commitment toget where you want to be,” Dudziksays. “Make sure you have the backgroundin that field to support it.”As of now, Dudzik has no plans tofranchise her business.Back in Hobart, Carter says hedoesn’t feel at all stifled or confinedby Chick-fil-A’s recipe for success.He hopes to be in a position toown and operate another Chick-fil-Aoutlet one day.But first, it’s finding a home tosettle down with his family in NorthwestIndiana.“It’s been tremendous so far,”Carter says.56 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

Top 20 FranchisesResearch conducted by Entrepreneur.com, World Franchising and BusinessInsider.com, shows these were the top 20franchises that opened in 2011. Complete results of the research were published in Entrepreneur magazine.1. Hampton Hotels. Startup costs range from $3.7 millionto $13 million.2. am/pm. The startup cost for the convenience store andgas station is $1.7 million to $7.5 million.3. McDonald’s. The nation’s top fast-food chain has startupcosts of $1 million to $1.8 million.4. 7-Eleven Inc. The startup cost for this franchise rangesfrom $30,000 to $604,000.5. Supercuts. A franchise for this hair salon will cost$112,000 to $234,000.6. Days Inn. This hotel chain has franchise fees rangingfrom $192,000 to $6.4 million.7. Vanguard Cleaning Systems. A franchise fee for thiscommercial cleaning business is $8,000 to $38,000.8. Servpro. Startup costs for this insurance and disasterrestoration/cleaning franchise range from $127,000 to$174,000.9. Subway. The franchise fee for this submarine sandwichfranchise ranges from $84,000 to $258,000.10. Denny’s Inc. The startup cost for this full-service familyrestaurant franchise goes from $1.1 million to $2.3 million.11. Jan-Pro Franchising International Inc. Opening afranchise of this commercial cleaning business willcost from $3,000 to $50,000.12. Hardee’s. This fast-food franchise fee ranges from$1.1 million to $1.5 million.13. Pizza Hut Inc. The franchise fee for this iconic pizzaplace ranges from $300,000 to $2.1 million.14. Kumon Math & Reading Centers. This educationaltutoring franchise costs from $36,000 to $145,000.15. Dunkin’ Donuts. The cost of this doughnut and coffeefranchise ranges from $358,000 to $1.9 million.16. KFC Corp. Startup cost for this fast-food chickenrestaurant range from $1.3 million to $2.4 million.17. Jazzercise Inc. The cost of this dance fitness franchiseranges from $2,900 to $75,000.18. Anytime Fitness. The franchise fee for this 24-hourfitness center ranges from $44,000 to $300,000.19. Matco Tools. The fee for this tools and mechanics’service business ranges from $79,000 to $188,000.20. Stratus Building Solutions. The fee for this commercialcleaning business ranges from $3,400 to $57,700.Save the Date21 st Annualentrepreneurial excellence awardsluncheonNovember 14 th , 2012at the Radisson Star Plaza in Merrillville, Indiananominations are open for the entrepreneurial excellence awardsNominate an Entrepreneur or Small Business today for any of the following categories:• Entrepreneurial success of the year • Minority owned business of the year• Small business person of the year• Woman owned business of the year• Emerging business of the year• Small business journalist of the year• Family owned small business of the year • Small business financial advocate of the yearFor a complete list of award categoriesand to view current event information, visit:www.edayleaders.comSpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 57

Small Business ProfileA Successful State of MindSalon and spa owner fashions an attractive business story.by Rick A. RichardsKeeping up with Patti Kobeisn’t easy. She drives herselfhard to succeed and thegrowth of her salon and spa businessoffers plenty of proof that herformula of pushing herself to thelimit is paying dividends.After working as a hair stylist anda traveling consultant and representativefor hair care supplier Redkenfor several years, Kobe decided shecould do it better on her own. In1999 she opened State of Mind Salonand Day Spa in Crown Point.“At the time I had two babiesand $100 to my name,” says Kobe.But the 600-square-foot salon at94th Avenue and Broadway in Merrillvilleproved to be the perfectlaunching pad for a business todaythat has grown to 6,000 squarefeet. That expansion happened in2003 just two blocks away at 96thand Broadway in Crown Point. Shebought land and built a stand-aloneoperation that some people thoughtwould never succeed because therewas nothing else around it. Today, itsits in the middle of a thriving retailand commercial area.Just last month, Kobe added InspireSalon and Spa, a 2,000-square-footsalon at Aberdeen south of Valparaiso.Kobe’s business, which generates$2 million a year, has 30 employeesand serves 15,000 guests annually.“My passion is helping others,”says the 42-year-old Kobe. She saysshe’d like to retire by the time sheis 47 or 48, which is one reasonshe’s preparing her company foremployee ownership.“They’ll own 49 percent and I’llown 51 percent,” says Kobe. “Thereis an entrepreneurial fire that burnsinside me. When I was 17 or 18 or19 and working in a salon, I was abit snot-nosed but there was a groupof hairdressers there who took meunder their wing. They never askedfor anything and they taught me thebusiness. I owe them to pay it back.”Kobe’s business,which generates$2 million a year,has 30 employeesand serves 15,000guests annually.When she opened her first location,she approached MercantileBank (it’s now BMO Harris Bank)and asked what she needed to doto get a loan to open her business.The bank told her and a year later,she returned with her checklist completedand got the money.But when she decided to openher Valparaiso location, she didn’tgo to a bank. “I was determined thatwhen I expanded I was going toself-finance it. I wanted to do it onmy own.” And she did.Kobe’s vision, however, was morethan just a hair salon. “I went intothis with a budget and a plan. Weprovide hair services, have a corporatemeeting room, a men’s andwomen’s locker room and a spa.”The smaller location in Valparaiso,which opened in March, isn’t a miniversion of the Crown Point salon,but a place with an atmosphere allits own. “I needed a place wheresome of my overflow guests couldgo. They’re only 13 miles apart, so itwas close enough to do that.”Even though Kobe expects to walkaway from the day-to-day businessworld in five years or so, that doesn’tmean she’s stopped looking ahead.“I’ve always looked ahead. I hadmy one, five, 10 and 20 years goalsset when I was 19,” says Kobe. “Inthe fourth grade I decided I wantedto be a hair stylist. While I was inHebron High School, I was attendingbeauty school. Right after I graduatedfrom high school, I graduatedfrom Don Roberts Beauty School.”Kobe has no formal businessmanagement training, but she doeshave an innate sense of business. “Istudy successful people, like WaltDisney. He was so far ahead of histime. I also have experience raisingmoney for other causes. I can lookat a P&L statement and tell wherethe problems are. I can put numberstogether.“I have the ability to take emotionout of the numbers on a P&Lsheet. I can tell when it’s full ofsmoke and mirrors. The first timeI sat down with bankers it scaredthe heck out of me. Today, I knowwhat questions to ask and the informationthey need.”Kobe is the visionary behind herbusiness and its growth, but theday-to-day management, includingtaking care of the books is done byher husband, Tony, who quit hisjob at U.S. Steel a few years ago tojoin his wife in the business. Theyhave two children, Anton, 17, a studentat LaLumiere School in LaPorteCounty, and Kyle, 13, a student atHowe Military Academy in northeastIndiana.Photo by Pete Doherty58 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

CEO ProfileMichael PoundHead of Koontz-Wagner in South Bendinherited love of engineering from his father.by Rick A. RichardsMichael Pound has becomefully Americanized sincecoming here on a twoyeartemporary work visa 23 yearsago. Not the fast-food, shoppingmall kind of Americanized, but thefull embrace of freedom and opportunitykind of Americanized.Even so, he still misses the abilityto drive his car very fast whenever hewants, dark English beer and Radio4, the BBC’s news and talk channel.He also doesn’t get to run as muchas he used to (he’s completed sixmarathons) and he misses out onthe annual National Three PeaksChallenge in the United Kingdom,a 24-hour marathon that has relayteams climbing the highest peaks inScotland, the U.K. and Wales.Even so Pound wouldn’t give upthe opportunities and experienceshe’s had in the United States.He grew up in Nottingham inthe industrial midlands of Englandwhere his father was a manufacturingengineer for Raleigh Bicycles.That’s where Pound got his love ofengineering and manufacturing.As the chief executive officer forKoontz-Wagner in South Bend,Pound is following in his father’sfootsteps, albeit a few thousandmiles from home.“I grew up from the age of fivevisiting factories with him every sooften,” says Pound. “There wouldalways be designs and doodlesin the margins of newspapers so Ialways say I was doomed to be anengineer from day one.”Pound says the word “doomed”with a big smile because he clearlyenjoys what he does. He especiallylikes visiting the production floorand showing visitors the company’scontrol rooms that are shipped allover the world.The custom-built control roomsrange in size from a phone booth toa small house and are used aroundthe world in oil and gas explorationand electric generation. A typicalcontrol room is 15 feet by 60 feet, 13feet high and weighs about 150,000pounds. The control rooms arepacked with sensitive monitoringdevices and inside the control room,they’re protected from the harsh elementsof a desert or rain forest.After graduating from LoughboroughUniversity of Technology inEngland, Pound worked briefly fortwo manufacturers before joiningOhmeda (a division of BOC Group)in 1985. He was on the medicalequipment side of the company thatdesigned and manufactured anesthesiavaporizers.“We had a global strategy meetingfor company executives and itended up in a bar one night with thepresident,” says Pound. “He askedme what I wanted to do next. At thetime I was plant manager and I toldhim I’d like to run the whole thing.“He said, ‘We’ll have to get yousome sales and marketing experience.How do you feel aboutcoming across to the States?’” Poundsaid he would, but he didn’t thinkmuch about the conversation. Afterall, it was being held in a bar.Three months later, the presidentcalled Pound and he found himselfbound for Murray Hill, N.J. “I arrivedon a temporary two-year visa. Aftera year, they asked me to go and runa division in Atlanta,” says Pound.He did and wound up spendingseven years in Atlanta and when hewas asked to return to the U.K. Hedidn’t want to.“By this time my kids had gonethrough the education system hereand I enjoyed life in the U.S. so Iwent looking for something else,”says Pound. That something elsewas Koontz-Wagner, so in 1996, hemoved to Indiana to run the company’sSouth Bend Controls division.In 2002, Pound became a U.S. citizen.“That was a big step, but I’vealways considered myself a kind ofglobal citizen. I enjoy travel and Ienjoy other cultures. Like my accent,it’s rather difficult to give it up likemy roots in England, which I’malways going to have.”Pound says he became fully assimilatedseven years ago when he marrieda Chicago woman. They nowlive in Michigan City.Koontz-Wagner is a portfolio ofcompanies that provide industrialmaintenance services, industrial controls,aerospace and medical designand manufacturing. “Koontz-Wagneris a diversified electrical engineeringcompany and until recently I wouldhave said they’re involved in everythingfrom aerospace to medical topower and gas to steel,” says Pound.“Those are the industries we serve.”The array of different businesseshas had a moderating effect on thecompany through the current economicdownturn. “We have somebusinesses that immediately went intorecession in 2008,” says Pound. “Wehad a maintenance services businessthat repairs the big electric motors upto 13,500 horsepower in steel mills.It was like someone switching a lightoff. Business just stopped.”But other businesses weren’t hit ashard. When one segment was down,another was up and when that segmentbegan to fall, another businessgroup was doing well.60 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

“I’ve alWAYS coNSIdEREd myself a kINd of gloBAl citizen.” Michael Pound,who grew up in England, is chief executive officer for Koontz-Wagner in South Bend.“My challenge is balancing all ofthat,” says Pound. “A lot of the difficultyin the recession is that there isa fair amount of business out there,but customers were slow to pull thetrigger. Everybody wanted to doprojects, but they weren’t sure whenand where the money was going tobe available.”In spite of the sluggish economy,Pound says Koontz-Wagner is ontrack for its best year ever. The companyhas hired nearly 60 people thisyear, bringing employment up to327. At the same time, the companysold its South Bend Controls business,even though it was turning ingreat numbers.So why sell? “We’re owned by aninvestment group, and that’s whatthey do,” says Pound.As he walks through the sprawlingcomplex on South Bend’s westside near the airport, he says heis excited about the future of thecompany. “One of the biggestthings I have to do is grow thebusiness. We’re looking at acquisitionsand becoming more diversegeographically.“Right now we’re at probably $75or $80 million in sales and I’d liketo see this company over the $100million range in sales. I want us tobe successful in bringing products tomarket and in customer service.“The two things we’ve built ourcompany on are customers andPhoto by Rick Richardsemployees. It’s that simple,” saysPound. “I love interacting with customers.This week, I’ve had threevisits from international customers.“That’s when I put my sales haton. That’s really fascinating to me,”says Pound. “I never would havebeen a good salesman; I’m not goodat cold calls and I’m not good atrejection. But once the fish is on thehook, I can explain to people whythey should deal with Koontz-Wagner.That collaborative work withthe customer, that’s what turns meon every day.“On the employee side I’ve alwaysloved leading a team. I prefer to leadand not tell. That’s not to say allinteraction is smooth and wonderful,but we have some amazingly loyalpeople. We had a guy retire todaywho had been here 41 years. That isso rare this day and age.”Pound says one other responsibilityKoontz-Wagner has is to supportthe community.“We rely on the community aroundhere to provide our workforce, educateour workforce. It’s important togive back to the community. We tryto do a few things, especially on theeducation front like sponsorship oflocal high school robotics teams andthings like that,” says Pound.Beyond that, Pound has becomea big booster of South Bend andnorthern Indiana. “Over and abovethose kinds of charitable and communitythings, one of the biggestthings I can do is sell the area,” saysPound, who points to the Universityof Notre Dame, Indiana UniversitySouth Bend and Ivy Tech as valuableassets for the community.“We still have a fairly thriving manufacturingindustry. It’s not as largeas it used to be, it’s not Studebakerand not Bendix, but it’s small worldleading companies,” says Pound.“One of our roles is to make surethe word gets out.”Pound sees that as a duty thatcomes with the opportunity andfreedom he enjoys in the UnitedStates. “This country is big in allkinds of ways - geographically andin opportunity. And it’s exciting.”SpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 61

IGNITING AN INTEREST IN FITNESS Everyonewants to work out with Jared Tomich, shown herewith Dean Ricci at Tomich’s Schererville location.SpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 63

Recreational Health & Fitnessdiet isn’t in line with what it shouldbe, we can help you with a dietician.“The more educated a person isabout wellness and fitness, the betterthey will be,” says Tomich.“We’ve all got excuses on whywe’re not in shape. What we tryto do is make things as convenientas possible and take those excusesaway,” says Tomich.He’s applied that to his own trainingroutine. “I work out with atrainer because I have a hard timeholding myself accountable.”Healthy EmployeesWellness programs benefit workers and employers alike.“WhEN emploYEES are hEAlthIER itloWERS the coST of insuRANCE, andthEY’RE happIER, too.” Tami Janda iswellness coordinator for Centier Bank.by Rick A. RichardsIt’s hard to find any disagreementwith the idea that properexercise and the right diet cando wonders, and it’s a formulaNorthwest Indiana companies areembracing for their workers.A growing number of companiesare finding that encouraging workersto stay fit can help lower theirinsurance costs and it makes theirworkers happier. That’s a trendnoted prominently in a 2010 studyby Dr. Meredith Rosenthal of HarvardUniversity.Rosenthal’s study shows that 63percent of all companies have somesort of fitness or wellness programfor their workers. And to encourageworkers to take advantage of thoseprograms, the study shows companiesoffer a variety of incentivesworth an average of $430.That’s exactly what the FranciscanAlliance has discovered, says SisterAline Schultz, corporate vice president.“The healthier employees are,the more it reduces expenses. It helpsyou manage chronic conditions betterand it makes employees feel they’redoing the best they can,” says Schultz.The Franciscan Alliance has createda program used by employeesat all 14 of its hospitals. Schultz saysmost of the health care facilities itoperates have an in-house gym andfor those that don’t, options areavailable to use nearby gyms.“We’re a firm believer in a healthymind, body and spirit,” says Schultz.“Staying fit is an integral part of that.”Along with the physical workouts,Schultz says employees receivenewsletters and information aboutnutrition and dietary classes, bloodpressure screening and other healthrelatededucation classes.“We have a population who aresmokers and obese,” admits Schultz.To reach them and encourage themto take part in fitness and wellnessprograms, the Franciscan Allianceoffers incentives that can reduce themonthly out-of-pocket cost for insurancecoverage by as much as $60.Employees who meet the thresholdsfor controlling blood pressure,blood sugar, cholesterol and otherbenchmarks can save as much as$720 a year.Photo by Pete DohertyCarlos Celis helps employeesat Franciscan Alliance meet thosegoals. Celis is in charge of fitnessprogram for five Northwest Indianahospitals.“The goal is to get people moving,”says Celis, who received his degree inexercise fitness at Purdue University.One program going on right nowat Franciscan Alliance is a 10,000steps program. All employees,regardless of their physical condition,are encouraged to walk 10,000steps each quarter. Employeesreceive a pedometer to count theirsteps as a way to encourage them towalk more. Celis says 200 employeesare participating in the program.Over the past two years, Celis saysFranciscan Alliance offered 63 differentprograms like that to employeesand more than 5,000 people tookpart. They logged more than 64,000miles and lost a combined total of600 pounds.“I think it’s definitely getting morepeople interested,” says Celis.Gary Miller, the owner of PromptAmbulance in Highland, has madeemployee fitness a big part of his corporatephilosophy. That comes froma belief that healthy employees arebetter employees, but also because ofan obesity crisis in the country.“This is a very physical job and Ihate to see any of my workers gethurt while on the job,” says Miller.“When I worked an ambulance25 or 30 years ago, it was rare toget a call for someone who weighedmore than 275 pounds. Today, it’s adaily occurrence.” Some calls have64 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

‘GPS’ in the ‘OR’Methodist Opens the ONLYMulti-Specialty NavigationSurgery Suite in Northwest Indiana.GPS technology has found its way into the operating room at MethodistHospitals. Its specialized software, infrared navigation cameras, trackingdevices and specially designed instruments help our surgeons performthe most precise neurological, spinal and orthopedic surgeries. Thesedelicate, minimally invasive, computer-assisted procedures requiresmaller incisions, significantly less radiation and surgery time. As a result,our patients often recover faster, require shorter post-op rehabilitationand resume their normal lives sooner. You no longer need to travel forthe most up-to-date, innovative treatments. So why would you goanywhere else? That’s what leading the way to better health is all about.To learn more about Methodist’s new Multi-Specialty NavigationalOperating Room Suite, or find the right physician for you andyour family, visit www.MethodistHospitals.org.888-909-DOCS (3627)METHODISTHOSPITALS.ORGLeading the Way to Better HealthNORTHLAKE CAMPUS MIDLAKE CAMPUS SOUTH LAKE CAMPUS

een for people 300 or 400pounds or more.Prompt Ambulance has sixmajor bases and providesambulance service in an areaextending from Lake Countyeast to South Bend and southto Lafayette.“We’ve had tobuy five special bariatricambulances with automaticstretchers and wenches,”says Miller.“We’ve noticed that our populationis getting larger. We’ve had tochange our lifestyle here becauseof that.”Along with that, Miller says hiscompany is responding to morecalls involving diabetes, a symptomof obesity.“We’ve partnered with a couple ofgyms in the area where our employeescan go. If they go regularly,we reimburse them for their fees,”says Miller. “We also give discountson insurance premiums. But there’sHealthy mind, body and spIRIT Franciscan Allianceemployees work on 10,000-steps-a-day program.only so much I can do. The employeeshave to be motivated to takeadvantage of the opportunity.”Of his 200 employees, Miller sayshalf are members of the Omni FitnessCenter in Schererville. In thecompany’s regular newsletter, Milleremphasizes the importance of wellnessand fitness by including healthyrecipes.Tami Janda is the wellness coordinatorfor Centier Bank, which hasits own fitness gym. “We’ve seenthat when employees are healthierit lowers the cost of insurance,and they’re happier,too.”Janda has been with Centierfor 15 years and says thebank was one of the region’spioneers when it came toemphasizing employee fitnessand wellness. “It takestime to build a program,” shesays. “It starts with properscreening. What are we goingto do with the data? What are theemployees going to do with the data?“There are so many wellness servicesthat are available, the firstfocus needs to be engagement. Youhave to get people engaged first.”At Centier’s corporate officein Merrillville, employees, theirspouses and significant others cantake advantage of the onsite gym,says Janda. “We can design programsfor each individual. We have trainerswho go over your goals to set upsomething specifically for you.”Health & Healing:The Mind-Body ConnectionKeynote Breakfast withJoan Borysenko, Ph.D.Thursday, May 24, 2012 • VU/Harre Union • $25Kick off your long weekend with breakfast and thisdynamic presentation! Dr. Joan Borysenko, world-renownedexpert on the mind-body connection, shares evidence, life stories,practical tips and perspectives on health, healing and wellness. Yourpresence at this special event supports mental health programs andservices benefiting Northwest Indiana communities - join us!66 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

Recreational Health & FitnessJanda says the program alsoincludes education classes on nutritionand services ranging fromreflexology to massage therapy.Any costs associated with the programcan be included as a payrolldeduction.“We have learned through trialand error that there has to be a monetarycommitment from the employees.They have to feel like they’reinvested in the program in order totake full advantage of it,” says Janda.Over the years, Janda says Centierhas seen its insurance costs decline.“There have been a couple of spikeswith a bad year or two, but the trendhas been going down.”Currently, Centier is focusing onweight loss and obesity. “Weightmanagement programs are importantright now.”One benefit of the program, saysJanda, is low employee turnover.“Over the last two years, our turnoverrate was only 7 percent. “Productivityis part of the reason thebank does this.”At Horseshoe Casino in Hammond,the approach leans moretoward education, says Dawn ReynoldsPettit, regional vice president ofhuman resources.“We have a wellness nurse onstaff,” says Pettit. “She meets witheach employee and their spouse andprovides biometric screening and awellness guide. She hosts brownbagseminars at lunch and also dealswith mental wellness.”While Horseshoe does not havean onsite gym, Pettit says the companyprovides discounted membershipto area gymnasiums.“For the past three years we’vedone what we call the Big Meltdown.It’s a 12-week program whereemployees lose weight. We emphasizehealthy meals. Diet and exercisego hand in hand. The winning teamgets discounted insurance rates anda Wii Fit. Education is a huge part ofwhat we do.”During the spring and summer,Horseshoe Casino hosts a farmer’smarket where fresh fruit and produceis sold. Pettit says the nurseholds education classes at themarket and explains how the itemsbeing sold can be included as part ofa healthy diet.“The bottom line is that employeesaren’t very educated about wellness,”says Pettit. “We think if we educate themit can drive down the cost of insurance.That’s why we do screenings.Neurologic_NWIB_April_Layout 1 3/23/12 1:08 PM Page 1MigrainesMemory LossSleep DisordersDementiasStrokeSeizuresNumbnessTingling521 E. 86th Ave.Merrillville, IN219.769.0777TheNeurologicalInstitute.comOccupational Medicine & Sports exams.Serving NW Indiana since 2003US Hwy 30 & Burr St—SE corner “Pointe”219/769-1DOC (1362)“And with the screenings, we’vebeen able to do early detection ofcancer and it’s literally saved a person’slife. You can’t put a price onsomething like that,” says Pettit.“When folks feel better about themselves,they’re happier and whenthey’re happier, they perform betteron the job.”Neck PainBack PainMuscleWeaknessParkinson’sDiseaseMultipleSclerosisBalanceMovementDisordersYour firststep to abetterqualityof life!Our highly skilledmedical staffoffers over 240years of collectiveexperience,state of the arttechnology,and a timely,accuratediagnosis.As a leadingprovider ofNeurologicalservices we workcollaborativelywith theClevelend Clinic,the Universityof Illinois andIndiana University.7am—10 pm 7 days 365 days a yearincluding ALL holidaysAlWAyS seen by a PHySICIANMost major insurance, cash, check, credit/debit card.No appointment. No hospital fees.Children & adults Illness & InjuriesSpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 67

NOTEWORTHY NEWS BITSvisitors to the park in nearby communitiesfor food, lodging and gasoline.In addition, the park supports658 jobs. In 2010, the park attractedmore than 2.1 million visitors with24,000 of them staying overnight. …Speros Batistatos, president andCEO of the South Shore Conventionand Visitors Authority, said ina report that tourism contributed $1.6billion to Lake County’s economyin 2010 and generated 14,000 jobs.… The South Bend/MishawakaConvention and Visitors Bureauhas awarded $75,000 in grants to18 events and organizations. Theyare the Fischoff National ChamberMusic Competition, Stude-continued from page 14center will be devoted to outdoorand environmental research projects.… ommyx Ltd. a water monitoringand management companybased in Israel, has opened an officein the Purdue Research Park inMerrillville. The company monitorswater for flood warnings, sewagesystems, water tanks and fuel tanks.The company was founded in 2007by Alon Schwartz and Aviv Peled.TOUrisMA study by the National Park Serviceshows the Indiana Dunes NationalLakeshore contributes more than$63 million to the local economy.That’s the amount of money spent bybaker Driver’s Club InternationalMeet, Susan G. Komen Race forthe Cure, Sunburst Races, DowntownSouth Bend Inc. Artbeat,Oliver Mansion, ContinentalAmateur Baseball Association,Bike for Hospice, South Bend FireDepartment River Rescue School,IUSB Denyce Graves Weekend,St. Joseph County Parks SugarCamp Days, Pastime Tournaments,Broadway Theater League“My Fair Lady,” South Bend ParksBlues & Ribs Fest, Summer RestaurantWeek, Studebaker NationalMuseum Come See the Muppets,Studebaker-Bendix Trail and Callto Action Conference: Bethel.Building GreenEnergy audits, sustainable building and consumer education.In December, President BarackObama announced a $4 billioninitiative to increase the energyefficiency of buildings over the nexttwo years. “Upgrading the energyefficiency of America’s buildings isone of the fastest, easiest and cheapestways to save money, cut downon harmful pollution, and creategood jobs right now,” Obama saidin a statement.According to the United StatesGreen Building Council, buildingsin the United States are responsiblefor 39 percent of carbon dioxideemissions, 40 percent of energyconsumption, 13 percent water consumptionand 15 percent of GDPper year, making green building asource of significant economic andenvironmental opportunity.For businesses, a commercialbuilding energy audit is often the firststep toward sustainability. As seniordirector of sustainability services atChicago’s Delta Institute, Valparaisoresident Abby Corso helps businessesidentify energy-saving opportunitieswhile pinpointing capitalcosts and implementation payback.Delta also offers assistance with retrofitenergy efficiency improvementsand LEED (Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design) certification.Jeff Eriks, partner and manager/LEED AP Cambridge Construction inGriffith, says that it is relatively easyto integrate sustainable building practices,especially if they are plannedinto the design process. Some strategiesinclude: encouraging daylightingto minimize interior lightingloads, using high-efficiency HVAC,using bio-swales for natural managementof runoff, and the list goes on.The recently formed NorthwestIndiana Green Building Alliancefocuses mainly on the residentialmarket. Since early 2011 local areahome builders, developers, subcontractors,material suppliers andindustry representatives, architects,real estate professionals, energyauditors, appraisers and local conservationistsand preservationistshave been sharing best practices andhosting events.Sarah Oudman of Treasure Homesin DeMotte serves as the spokespersonfor NWIGBA. “Education is key.Consumers will not buy what theydo not value, and they do not valuewhat they do not understand.”Kathy Sipple, founder and CEOof My Social Media Coach in Valparaiso,offers social media marketingtraining and strategic consultingservices for businesses. Her involvementin sustainability includeswork with the Valparaiso chapter ofGreen Drinks International and 219GreenConnect.68 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

trANSPortAtioNThe Indiana High Speed RailAssociation has partnered withbusiness students at Indiana UniversityNorthwest to provide themwith real-world experience in studyingtransportation needs. The studywill look at the potential of highspeedpassenger rail service throughNorthwest Indiana … The Gary JetCenter recently dedicated a new40,000-square-foot, $5 million hangarat Gary/Chicago International Airport.Gary Jet Center has three hangarsat the airport and 48 employees.… Gary/Chicago InternationalAirport has signed an agreementwith Hertz Rental Car and EnterpriseRent-a-Car to serve passengersfrom Allegiant Airlines, whichbegan flying from the airport earlierthis year. Both companies signedone-year leases for $180 a month plus10 percent of their gross receipts. …The Northern Indiana CommuterTransportation District, whichruns the South Shore Railroad commuterline, will install free Wi-Fi forpassengers. NICTD signed an agreementwith Q Rail LLC to provide theservice, which should be availableby the end of the year … The St.Lawrence Seaway System in 2011reported that its 53rd shipping seasonposted a 2.5 percent increase in tonnageto 37.5 million tons. It was ledby increases in iron ore, bulk liquids,salt and scrap metal, while declineswere reported in grain. … Greyhoundhas announced it is closing itsHammond terminal after 50 years ofoperation. Although 20 buses a daywill continue to stop at the location,the services inside the terminal havebeen closed. The only full-service terminalin Northwest Indiana is at theGary Metro Center. … South BendRegional Airport has completedwork on a $14 million upgrade andrenovation of its passenger terminal.There will be more amenities for passengers,including a newly designedsecurity screening area that shouldmake it easier for passengers to get tothe boarding area. … Napleton RiverOaks has announced it is moving isLincoln dealership from Hammond toCalumet City, Ill. … Gary ChicagoInternational Airport, the CanadianNational Railway and theRegional Development Authorityhave reached an agreement that willallow the airport’s main runway to belengthened. Canadian National willmove its tracks to allow the expansion,which is a $166 million project.The RDA is funding $30 million ofthe project.UTILitiESKathleen O’Leary has been namedpresident of NIPSCO and will overseeall regulatory and economic developmentefforts. Previously, O’Learywas with NiSource, NIPSCO’s parentcompany, and before that was withColumbia Gas of Virginia, anotherNiSource subsidiary.SpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 69

SPORTSCubs vs. SoxChicago teams playing ball with fresh leadership and rosters.by Rick A. RichardsThere are barely 10 milesbetween Wrigley Field wherethe Cubs play on Chicago’snorth side and Cellular One Field onthe city’s south side where the WhiteSox play. Somewhere between is aninvisible boundary that separatesfans from both teams.But in Northwest Indiana there isno boundary. Even though CellularOne Field is closer, White Sox fansand Cubs fans are mixed together. Itmakes for vigorous debate, but thisseason fans of both teams are takingsecond glances to figure out justexactly who is who on their roster.That’s because after both teamscompleted a disappointing 2011,the front office of both the Cubsand White Sox cleaned house. Bothteams have new managers. TheCubs have a new general manager.The White Sox lost their ace pitcherto free agency.Brooks Boyer, senior vice presidentof sales and marketing for theWhite Sox, says marketing a sportsteam isn’t like marketing other products.“I really like Diet MountainDew. I know what it’s going to tastelike every time I drink one,” saysBoyer. “Baseball isn’t like that. Wehave to look at it differently becauseit’s not the same packaged productfrom year to year.“What happens outside the whitelines is something we can control.Inside the white lines, it’s the ultimatereality television show,” saysBoyer. “You don’t know what’sgoing to happen.”If the White Sox were a TV show,its primary actor, World Serieschampion manager Ozzie Guillenis gone. In his place, the WhiteSox have turned to former White“The ulTIMATE realITY televISIon show” The pitching ace and manager of theChicago White Sox are gone, but there are still plenty of familiar faces on the roster.Sox infielder Robin Ventura.Although he’s never managedbefore, Ventura spent 16 years withthe White Sox and last year was inthe front office as an adviser.But just because Guillen is goneand ace pitcher Mark Beuhrle isgone, there are plenty of familiarfaces on the roster – Paul Konerko,A.J. Pierzynski, Gordon Beckhamand pitcher John Danks.“Our marketing this year is builtaround the theme ‘Appreciate theGame,’” says Boyer. “We have agreat following and what we offerfans in Northwest Indiana is conve-70 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

“A lot of CuBS fans in NoRThWEST IndIANA” Though the Chicago Cubs marketthe team, for a lot of fans the Wrigley Field experience is enough of a draw.nience because we’re close and it’seasy in and easy out.”The White Sox are putting up billboardsalong the main interstates inNorthwest Indiana. “We think thearea is fertile ground for us,” saysBoyer. “We have a training academyfor youth in Schererville. We thinkit’s important to connect with thenext generation of fans.”And to keep things affordable,Boyer says the White Sox has KidsDay where children get in for $1with a paying adult, and ValueMondays where discounted pricesare available for families. “We’vedropped prices by 40 percent at 42of our games this year,” says Boyer.For the Cubs, the biggest offseasonnews was the hiring of generalmanager Theo Epstein. It wouldn’tbe a stretch to call the hiring a mediafrenzy. Before he was named presidentof baseball operations for theCubs, he was general manager of theBoston Red Sox. In 2004, they wonBoston’s first World Series championshipin 86 years, something theCubs hope he can duplicate. It’sbeen more than a century since theCubs won a World Series.Wally Hayward, executive vicepresident and chief sales and marketingofficer, says that whileEpsetin’s hiring was the biggest offseasonnews, he’s not being featureddirectly in any of the team’s marketingefforts.“But the inspiration for our campaigncame from Theo,” says Hayward.“In his first comments inChicago, he made the statement thatbaseball is better at ballparks likeWrigley Field.”So “Baseball is Better” became theCubs’ marketing theme. “This alsoshows the commitment the Rickettsfamily has to improving the team,”says Hayward. The Ricketts family,which owns the brokerage T.D.Ameritrade, bought the team twoyears ago.“We know we have a lot of Cubsfans in Northwest Indiana,” says Hayward.“We did a survey last year thatshows 4 percent of our ticket buyersare from Lake, Porter and LaPortecounties. They’re very loyal and onaverage, they’ve attended games for10 years, and 92 percent of themattend more than one game.”Like the White Sox, the Cubs haveshifted their marketing focus awayfrom print to digital advertising.Pop-up ads featuring players appearon the team’s home page and othersites.For the Sox, Danks and Konerko,along with Ventura are featured,while the Cubs feature players StarlinCastro, Kerry Wood, and TonyCampana along with new managerDale Sveum.“We market the team but a lot ofpeople come just to take in WrigleyField and its experience,” saysHayward.The Cubs also are doing everythingpossible to make a visit to theballpark affordable for the wholefamily. “We still have a lot of $8 ticketsavailable for the season and morethan 25 percent of all our tickets arepriced under $25,” says Hayward.SpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 71

TechnologyHead in the CloudAllyson KazmuchaBusinesses should evaluate virtual services and file storage.Mobile devices like theiPhone and iPad havemade technology moremobile than ever. Businesses areditching laptop computers for smartphones and tablets on an almostregular basis.Many professionals have alsodeveloped a need to access filesand information remotely. We live inan information age where we can’tafford to be tethered to one computeranymore. Remotely accessingfiles via a virtual private network(VPN) and other methods have longbeen the only ways business userscould access their files when not inthe office. Not only are these methodsconfusing to an average user butthey’re tedious to set up and managefor any IT department.Online file storage services suchas Dropbox and Box.net havemade it easy for businesses toadopt cloud storage services. Goneare the days of needing to VPN orremote login to your main computerin order to access and editfiles when you’re out of the office.Most major players offer applicationsfor iOS, Android, and Black-Berry. Users can access all theirfiles from their mobile device ortablet from virtually anywhere.Setting the convenience factoraside – cloud storage is often moreaffordable for many small andmedium sized companies – there’sno need for expensive servers andan IT department to manage them.With minimal startup costs and lowmonthly fees, cloud storage is agreat option for growing companies.Many businesses now offer BYOD(bring your own device) initiativesand allowing employees to use theirown devices at work. It’s a way tocut technology costs even furtherwhile allowing the employee to usethe platform they’re most comfortablewith.Small and medium-sized companiesaren’t the only ones using cloudstorage. Many large corporationshave cloud systems in place as well.Box.net currently plays host to over100,000 companies including SixFlags, FedEx, and Pandora.Apple relies on cloud storage inits newest iteration of iOS. iCloudwirelessly stores and syncs dataincluding photos, documents,applications, e-mail and settingsbetween all your mobile devicesand computers. Apple’s recentannouncement of OS X MountainLion further shows a commitmentto integrate the mobile and desktopexperience. The fusion of iOSand OS X shows Apple’s relianceon cloud services. Consumers arenot only becoming used to the ideaof storing their data in the cloud,they’ve come to expect it.The iPad has seen a high adoptionrate in corporate settings. MostFortune 500 companies have rolledout iPhones, iPads or both. Ways toaccess data remotely has never beenmore important. Enterprise servicesand automatic downloads havemade pushing applications and datato employees instantaneous andmore cost efficient.I depend on mobile devices to runmy business. I store client files withDropbox, use apps such as Evernoteduring consults, and take paymentsfrom anywhere directly on myiPhone. When I get back to my desk,all my data is already on my iMacAs mobile technology drives its way into thework environment, the need for businessesto adopt cloud-based services is a must. It’smore important than ever for businesses toevaluate their current technology.where I can pick up from where Ileft off.My clients enjoy the fact that I canshare files with them. I can keepthem up to date on my progress andthey can see changes in real time.They enjoy the experience they getand I get to be more productiveby reducing the amount of e-mailsI have to send out with projectupdates.As mobile technology drives itsway into the work environment, theneed for businesses to adopt cloudbasedservices is a must. It’s moreimportant than ever for businessesto evaluate their current technology.Is it benefiting you cost and productivitywise? And more importantly, isit benefiting your client base?Allyson Kazmucha is a graduateof Purdue University and currentlyruns her own IT company, PXLFIX,in Michigan City. PXLFIX specializesin IT consulting and iPhone, iPadand iPod repair.72 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

Legal AdviceDivorce Flu?The timing of business valuation is important.Paul A. Leonard Jr.When a business ownerdivorces in Indiana, thebusiness is most ofteninventoried as a marital asset, andmust be valued for purposes of equitabledistribution between husbandand wife. The date of valuation canbe a critical issue.Indiana uses the date of filingas the date defining what is in themarital estate, but then traditionallylooks to a valuation date closest tothe date of final hearing when theactual division of assets is to takeplace. Justification for this is generallythe discretion of the trial courtin determining an equitable divisionof assets between husband and wife.Evidence developed through discoverywhile the case is pending,and legal argument based on theevidence, supports a valuation dateclosest to the date the division ofassets is to occur, which is generallyfinal hearing. However, there aregood reasons why an earlier valuationdate, closer to date of filing, ordate of separation, should be usedinstead with the family business.Where one spouse is in operationalcontrol of the business, theremay be the temptation to allowdivorce issues to influence businessdecisions, resulting in a decline inbusiness activity, or the passing onavailable business opportunities.There is plenty of anecdotal evidenceof sole proprietors and otherbusiness owners reporting a significantdecline in income derived fromthe business at about the time adivorce is filed, and thereafter. Thisphenomenon has sometimes beenreferred to as a case of “divorce flu”from which the business owner notsurprisingly rapidly recovers as soonas the final decree is issued. Allow-ing for an earlier valuation date is acounterbalance to this phenomenon.Aside from the misbehavior of anowner, another common reason fordate of filing valuation is where thefinancial performance and value ofthe business is primarily dependentupon the individual efforts of thebusiness owner. Where the partieshave separated in fact, or where thejurisdiction presumes a separationas a result of filing, such as Indiana,profits or enhanced value resultingfrom the efforts of the businessowner generally are considered separateproperty, and not part of themarital estate. The justification ofcourse is that with the family businessoperated by one spouse, itsvalue is generally a reflection of thepersonal skill, industry and guidanceof the operating spouse.Where both spouses are active inthe operation of the business, the sameargument now supports the use of thetrial date as the valuation date, sincethe value as of the trial date is a reflectionof the joint efforts of both spousesin the operation of the business. Everyeffort should be made to arrive at anagreed date of physical separation tofacilitate a business valuation that bothparties can agree upon.Does this settle the issue of thevaluation of the family businessfor the division of property in thedivorce? No, it does not, becauseeven though an increase in value ofthe business during the separationperiod may be considered separateproperty of the business owner,there is still the question of whetherall of the increase in value duringthe separation period is attributableto the owner, or also to other factors,such as greater demand for the business’sservices, or greater marketshare due to the exit of a competitor.Where one spouse is in operational control of thebusiness, there may be the temptation to allowdivorce issues to influence business decisions.If these factors, or others likethem, are present, then the valuationmust try to isolate the contributionsto increased value during separationderived from the owner, and resultingfrom external business conditionsfavorable to the business. Thiscan be exceedingly difficult as it isfact sensitive, and may involve bothmicro and macro economic considerations,such as a move to a morefavorable location, or the deregulationof a whole industry.Paul A. Leonard Jr. is a partnerin the law firm of Burke Costanza& Carberry LLP. He practices exclusivelyin the area of family law,with emphasis on traditional clientrepresentation, and mediation. Heis a Certified Family Law Specialistby the Indiana Family Law CertificationBoard, a Fellow of theAmerican Academy of MatrimonialLawyers, Past-Chair of the IndianaState Bar Association Section ofFamily and Juvenile Law, listed inthe Family Law section of The BestLawyers in America since 2007, andis also listed in Indiana Super Lawyerssince 2004.SpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 73

Professional AdvicePre-EmploymentScreeningSusan RidderingReduce costs and boost productivity, retention and morale.Test. Just the word may makeyour palms a little sweaty.But employers have no needto sweat over pre-employment tests.This is a test you want as a strategicpart of your hiring process.Employers face a number ofhuman-resource challenges, anumber of reasons to sweat, andrecruiting the right employee is oneof the most critical. Long gone arethe days we can rely solely on aresume and interview.When used with traditional hiringtechniques, pre-employment screeningis the single best way to identifythe best candidate for the job. Thesetests help a company’s hiring processby increasing the likelihood ofhiring candidates who will performwell on the job. In this tight market,hiring the wrong candidate can bedetrimental to a business and costly,to say the least.Pre-employment tests take theguesswork out of hiring. Extensiveresearch supports the use of preemploymenttesting, citing majorbenefits to employers, including:• Higher productivity.• Increased employee retention.• Improved employee morale.• Reduced costs associatedwith turnover (hiring andtraining costs).Pre-employment tests provide themost accurate means of predictingperformance because they measurethe candidate’s capacity to performwell at a particular job. It also identifiesthose who may not do so well– and identify slow learners, poorproducers and those affected by astressful environment.The assessment tool can also beused to benchmark positions andmeasure how applicants compare toemployees who are already successful.Basically, employers assess thepersonalities of their star performersand determine which of the traitsare most important to be successfulin a specific position or even at thecompany.Next, each new applicant is giventhe personality profile as part of theapplication process and comparedto the star performer benchmark.Finally, those test results are usedto recognize candidates who areinterview worthy and help direct theinterviewer to pertinent follow-upquestions in the interview process.Having accurate data leads tomore successful decisions. Improvingthe success rate of your selectionmethodology leads to higher productivity,better employee retention,and reduced costs associated withturnover.One recent study comparedemployees’ pre-assessment scoreswith their hourly sales volume ata clothing store. The employeeswho received high scores on thetest sold, on average, $106.35 ofgoods per hour, while those whoreceived low test scores sold only$83.27 per hour. For this employer,incorporating pre-employmenttests into its selection processresulted in a 28 percent increase insales productivity.Once your organization hasdecided to include pre-employmenttests in hiring, the next step is find-ing a partner to design and implementprofessionally developed andproperly validated employmenttests. Tests are an effective screeningtool only if they measure theknowledge, skills, and abilities thatwill be required for a particular job.A poorly designed test will produceskewed results. And the test must beEEOC-compliant.Many employers are curiouswhat a pre-employment screeningmight be like. A simple GoogleWhen used with traditional hiring techniques,pre-employment screening is the single bestway to identify the best candidate for the job.search will yield hundreds of sampletests. NorthStar360 offers a complimentarypersonality profile on itswebsite, www.northstar360.com/assessments.It’s also important to rememberthe pre-employment test is just onepiece of the hiring puzzle. It givesmanagers and HR professionalsadditional data to make hiring decisions.Other factors such as references,resumes and interviews areinvaluable components. When usedtogether, the results are powerfuland can increase productivity andretention while reducing costs.Susan Riddering, vice presidentof NorthStar360 Business Solutions,helps businesses maximize their successthrough comprehensive hiringpractices and in-depth employeedevelopment programs. The Dyercompany customizes its trainingand tailors its development programsto meet the specific business goals ofits clients.SpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 75

Executive Retreat?Awaken to a gourmetbreakfast, meet for a while,enjoy lunch, continue yoursuccessfulretreat, relax in your Jacuzzi,dress for a 5-course dinner andan evening with friendsfollowed by dessert and a goodnight’s rest. Perhaps, make it aMystery Dinner for fun.Own The Inn for your next businessmeeting and guarantee success!Gift Certificates:Order Inn at Aberdeen Gift Certificates toshow your family, friends and business associates that you REALLY care.The Inn at AberdeenBed & Breakfast and Conference Center3158 South State Road 2 • Valparaiso, IN 46385-7765Toll Free 866-761-3753 • 219/465-3753 • www.innataberdeen.comAs seen in Midwest Living, Chicago Magazine and Chicago ABC TV’s 190-North.Voted BEST B&B by readers of SHORE Magazine & TIMES newspaper.Voted BEST Meeting Site for Small Groups by the readers of Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly.Cover StoryWRITE-INSBest Up and Coming ArchitecturalInterior Design Company:Design House Studio, Valparaiso.“Small company that offers A+Service.”Best Automobile Repair Shop:Bob’s Auto, Hammond. “Excelcontinuedfrom page 44Family YMCA; Fitness Point, Munster;and Porter Adult Fitness.“We’re very excited over thishonor,” says Marci Crozier, regionaldirector of marketing and sales forOmni 41 Health and Fitness. “Thistakes us to another level. I’m proudof our club and this is validationfor our Thin and Healthy programthat’s encouraging people to walkthrough the door.”Best ExECUtiVEMEN’s StoreWinner: David’s Men’s Clothier,Valparaiso.Runners-up: Cicco’s Menswear,Merrillville; L.R. Clothier, La Porte;Zandstra’s, Highland; and Men’sWearhouse, Hobart and Merrillville.Best ExECUtiVEWomen’s StoreWinners: Seasons on the Square,Valparaiso; and Macy’s, Chicagoand Merrillville.Runners-up: Ann Taylor, LighthouseOutlet Mall, Michigan City;and Fashion Affair, Merrillville.Best CoLLEGiatesPECtator Sport in tHErEGionWinner: Valparaiso UniversityBasketball.Runners-up: University of NotreDame Football and University ofNotre Dame Women’s Basketball.Best ProFEssionalsPECtator Sport inNortHWEst IndianaWinner: Gary Southshore RailcatsRunners-up: Chicago White Sox;Chicago Cubs; Chicago Bulls; andChicago Bears.SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

OMNI_Corp_Fitness_2012_Layout 1 3/27/12 1:06 PM Page 1IS GOOD BUSINESSBEST HEALTH AND FITNESS FACILITYFranciscan Omni 41 Health and Fitness,Schererville and Chestertonlent service, knowledgeable andhonest.”Best Collision Repair Business:Tom & Ed’s Autobody, Merrillvilleand Schererville. “Quality of work isexcellent, repair costs as estimatedor lower.”Best Chamber for BusinessNetworking: Crossroads RegionalChamber of Commerce, Merrillville.“This is very true indeed.”Best Computer Repair Company:Three Dog Net, Hobart.“Great customer service and affordablerepair rates.”Best Title Company: ProfessionalsTitle Services LLC, Merrillvilleand Valparaiso. “Everyone gives 110percent and goes beyond the call ofduty.”Best Clinics for OccupationalHealth: WorkingWell, MichiganCity, Crown Point, Hammond, Munster,and Valparaiso. “Simply thevery best in NWI.”Best Professional StaffingCompany: Staff Source, Hammond.“Employs over a thousand people ayear throughout Northwest Indiana.”Get more info onOMNI’S FITNESS ISGOOD BUSINESSprogram today!810 Michael DriveChesterton, IN 46304219.983.9832221 US Highway 41, Suite ASchererville, IN 46375219.865.6969Fit employees are productive employees!■ Reduced Health Care/Insurance Costs■ Better Customer Service■ Increased Productivity■ Improved Employee Health & Vitality■ Reduced Absenteeism■ Increased Employee Morale■ Increased Group Camaraderie■ Reduced Employee Stress■ Enhanced Benefit Program■ Faster Return After Illness■ Fewer Accidents■ Improved Company Image to Employees,Customers & Public■ Reduced Employee Turnover■ Better Recruiting ToolsVoted BEST in NorthwestIndiana Business!SpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 77

CORPORATE COUNCIL FOR THE ENVIRONMENTClean waterThe Nature Conservancy is the leadingconservation organization, workingaround the world to protect ecologicallyimportant lands and waters for natureand people.Healthy forestsThe Corporate Council is agroup of environmentallyconcerned corporate citizenswho share The Nature Conservancy’svision to save our natural heritage,here in Indiana and all over the world.Good businessFor more information, contactChuck Adams at cadams@tnc.org.CORPORATE GUARDIANS($10,000 and above annually)BizVoice MagazineDow AgroSciencesIndianapolis Business JournalNorthern Indiana LAKES MagazineNorthwest Indiana Business QuarterlyAEP Indiana Michigan PowerAM GeneralBarnes & ThornburgBusiness People MagazineCitizens Energy GroupCummins Inc.Enbridge Inc.Evansville Business JournalEvansville Business MagazineAlcoa, Warrick OperationsCardno JFNewCoca-Cola Bottling CompanyDeFur Voran LLPEcoLogicFaegre Baker DanielsFESCO – Fire Equipment Serv. Co.First Merchants CorporationFlanner and BuchananGoelzer Investment ManagementHeritage Financial GroupBIG WALNUT, PUTNAM COUNTY © CHRISTOPHER JORDANCORPORATE PROTECTORS($5,000 - $9,999 annually)Duke EnergyEvansville Courier & PressMediaSauceOld National BankSubaru of Indiana, Inc.Toyota Motor Mfg. IndianaVectren CorporationCORPORATE CONSERVATORS ($2,500 - $4,999 annually)CORPORATE ASSOCIATES ($1,000 - $2,499 annually)Huntington Herald-PressIndianapolis Power & Light Co.Johnson Ventures, Inc.The New Albany Tribune &The Evening NewsSamtecSouth Bend TribuneThe Star PressWild Birds UnlimitedHoosier Energy Rural Electric Coop.Ice Miller LLPJF NewLake City BankMead Johnson NutritionMuncie Power ProductsNIPSCONiSourcePeine Engineering CompanyRaytheon CompanyTaft Stettinius & Hollister LLPF.A. Wilhelm Construction Co.www.nature.org/indiana

Making A DifferenceA Lasting LegacyLargest estate gift funds St. Joseph’s College scholarships.by Michael PuenteFor two years beginning in 2008,Maureen Egan provided vitalinformation about St. Joseph’sCollege in Rensselaer to a completestranger. She had no idea what thisperson was going to do with theinformation or to whom they weregoing to pass the information.She provided details about howthe 121-year-old small, private Catholiccollege helps low-income studentspay for their education, howthe school maintains its agrarianroots, and its commitment to sustainableliving.“I dealt for two years with a blindinquiry. For two years, they had medoing homework like no other,” saysEgan, vice president for institutionaladvancement and marketing for SJC.“The person I dealt with alwaysended our meetings with: ‘Trust me.This is worth it.’”Turns out, Egan’s work was worthit. In December 2009, she and otherSt. Joseph’s administrators found outwho was the behind the blind inquiry.Juanita Kious Waugh lived 30 milesfrom the college in White County,where her parents were very influential,affluent and above all else,very private. “She was a very privateperson,” says David Bechman, whoserves as co-trustee for the JuanitaK. Waugh Revocable Living Trustand overseer of Waugh’s extensivefarm property in White County. “Herfamily had been in the Brookstonarea for a long time, several generations.They owned a bank andacquired a lot of land.”Waugh, in fact, owned 7,634 acresof land in White County, right nextdoor to Jasper County, where St.Joseph’s College is located. Thevalue of Waugh’s land was put at$40 million.Bechman says Waugh inheritedPOWERFul GIFT Wind turbines help the land generate $1.5 million a year for the college.the land from her parents and grandparents.She graduated from TudorHigh School in Indianapolis andlater attended Indiana University.“She lived in Brookston in the veryhouse her grandfather had built. In heryounger days, she traveled quite a bit,”Bechman says. “But above all else, shewas very much a business woman andvery interested in agriculture.”Waugh developed a close friendshipwith SJC President F. DennisRiegelnegg.In December 2009, Waugh toldRiegelnegg she would gift the collegeher 7,600-plus acres, the largestin the college’s history. Just twomonths later, on Feb. 6, 2010, a daybefore her 88th birthday, she died.“This is an extraordinary gift forSaint Joseph’s College,” Riegelneggsays. “We are both humbled by andgrateful for Juanita’s generosity.Naming the college as beneficiarytook many years of deliberation andwe are also thankful for the wisecounsel she sought.”The only stipulation for the collegeis the land can never be soldand must remain agricultural. Waughdid approve wind turbines beinginstalled on the land as a way togenerate money, and today, 32 windturbines are scattered over the land,with many easily visible by motoriststraveling Interstate 65.Egan says the land generates about$1.5 million a year in revenue for thecollege, which has about 1,000 students.Those turbines generate 1.6megawatts of electricity, enough topower 12,514 homes.“We dedicate all of those funds forscholarship aid for poor students,”Egan says. “We award about $14 milliona year in financial aid. That $1.5million is a tremendous help.”Despite the months and months ofnegotiations and dealings with thecollege, Waugh’s decision to donateher land to SJC may have ultimatelycome down to the president of asmall bank in White County withwhom she dealt.“She was very impressed with him.She would find out that he was a St.Joe’s graduate,” Bechman said. “Shedecided in her mind that ‘if he is thetype of people they are turning out,this is where I want my farms to go.’So, we never know when our impressionswill have a huge impact.”SpRINg–SummER 2012 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY 79

ViewpointShort Session,Long on ImpactSen. Ed CharbonneauState’s legislature worked hard to help Hoosier businesses.Indiana’s recently concluded2012 legislative session mayhave been short – just over twomonths – but it will have a long-termimpact on Hoosier businesses.Chief among major issues taken upby lawmakers this year was passageof a law that, simply put, prohibitsany requirement that a person be amember of a labor organization or payany labor organization fee as a conditionof private-sector employment.While this issue stirred politicaland public debates throughoutmuch of the first half of the session,after its passage, legislators movedon to consider other policies aimedat creating an environment conduciveto economic growth and jobcreation through legislation focusedon tax policies that encourage businessinvestment in our state andensuring a well-educated workforcein the future.After decades of failed attempts,lawmakers this year successfullycrafted a plan to phase-out Indiana’sinheritance tax. Indiana isone of only eight states with sucha tax, which places an extra burdenon family businesses, farmers andentrepreneurs who stimulate theeconomy and provide jobs. Ourstate’s sound fiscal position allowsus to stop this form of double taxation,while helping Hoosiers passtheir assets down from generation togeneration without penalty.Indiana’s tax treatment of businessinvestment in personal propertyis out of step with our neighboringstates. We tax it, they don’t. Inan effort to foster local economicgrowth and encourage employers tomake Indiana their home, I authoreda new law expanding the numberof technology companies that mayqualify for personal-property taxexemptions.To receive exemptions, entitiesmust offer high-paying jobs whileinvesting at least $10 million in Indiana.Equipment qualifying for theproperty-tax exemption includeshardware and networking systemsused for computing, networking anddata storage, as well as equipmentused to supply power to these items.Exempting this equipment will makeour state more attractive to technologycompanies that might otherwiselocate to neighboring states wherepersonal property isn’t taxed. Toremain competitive long-term Indiananeeds to eliminate taxation ofbusiness personal property.With the unemployment rate ofveterans nearly 40 percent higherthan the national average, lawmakersare working to accelerate the hiringof highly trained military membersreturning from duty to the workforce.Under a new law waiving sometraining requirements for certainprofessional licenses, Hoosier businesseswill have more opportunitiesto employ veterans equipped withunique and needed skills learnedduring their military service.Many businesses and restaurantsthat serve people age 20 andyounger – including their bar areas –need to prepare for the July 1 statewidesmoking ban requiring mostpublic spaces and work places to besmoke free.On the education front, severalbills were passed that will havelong-term implications in helpingto prepare students to meet futureworkforce requirements.Legislators considered policies aimedat creating an environment conducive toeconomic growth and job creation.We invested $80 million to fundfull-day kindergarten, promoted fastercollege completion by ensuring collegestudents will be able to transferfrom one state school to another withoutneedlessly repeating certain generaleducation courses, and promotedcollege affordability and completionby authorizing the Commission forHigher Education to crack down ongrowing credit requirements at statecolleges and universities.As we move into the summermonths when state lawmakers taketime to study key issues for futurelegislative action, I hope areaemployers – who are also taxpayers,parents and homeowners – will stayin touch and share their views.State Sen. Ed Charbonneau representsPulaski County and portionsof Jasper, LaPorte, Porter and Starkecounties. He is the ranking memberof the Senate Committee on Appropriationsand serves on the SenateCommittee on Energy and EnvironmentalAffairs; Health and ProviderServices; and Rules and LegislativeProcedure. Contact him at 800-382-9467 or by e-mail at Senator.Charbonneau@iga.in.gov.80 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012

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