Siouxland Magazine - Feb. 2019

DESIGN 

ISSUE 20 

19 

Volume 1, Issue 1

W W W . G U N D E R S O N S . C O M 

The Forevermark 

Tribute Collection 

FOR ALL 

THAT YOU ARE 

A diamond for each 

of your qualities 

© Forevermark 2018. Forevermark ® , 

® 

, and Forevermark Tribute are Trade Marks used under license from The De Beers Group of Companies.

Welcome to Siouxland Magazine 

Siouxland Magazine | Design Issue / 3 

New Owners | Becca Feauto and Stacie Anderson 

It’s in these pages that we hope to educate and inspire, even more importantly, to create a community that thrives on connecting 

with one another. At our core, we all want to connect. When we seek to understand, by listening more intently, we find that our 

relationships deepen and our community strengthens as a result. With our appreciation for the power of connection through 

meaningful conversations, it only made sense to name our business Empowering Conversations. 

It all starts with a conversation; with a desire to learn; to see things from another perspective; to seek 

truth. The truth is, we have more in common than we have differences. Well, maybe it would be 

more accurate to say, what brings us together is stronger than anything that divides us. 

We would never want to marginalize our differences. We love the words of Audre Lorde, “It is not our differences that divide us. It is 

our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” We are unique in vast and complicated ways. It’s our hope that 

we can come together with our unique strengths, perspectives and ideas to build a community with a powerful narrative of “us.” 

Through this humble publication, we will start having conversations. This is an ambitious and beautifully optimistic attempt to 

shine light on all the things that make our community strong, but also discuss, in a productive and compassionate manner, the 

challenges we face. 

We are doing our small part in building a cohesive community by creating conversations that refocus our attention on our 

similarities. We are bringing people together; replacing judgment with understanding. Perspective is powerful. 

We’ll continue unfolding our vision for this magazine over the next several issues, but now we want to 

hear from you. As a “Siouxland” magazine, we feel it is imperative to understand what the 

community wants and needs. Share your vision and dreams for Siouxland. 

We want you to lean into the conversation and participate in the discussion. 

E m p o w e r i n g 

Conversations, LLC 

siouxlandmagazine.com

So beautiful, you may want to design 

your home around it. 

The Genuine. The Original. The industry leader for 

over 85 years, Overhead Door garage door systems 

add beauty, distinction and value to any home. 

We service all makes and models of doors and openers. We sell doors and openers for new homes and replacement. 

The Overhead Door Co. of Sioux City, Inc. • 2500 Dace Ave. • Sioux City, IA 51106 • 712-252-4431 • www.siouxcitydoor.com 

This could be yours! Express your office space! 

expressyourspaces.com 605.242.4242 633 N. Derby Lane, North Sioux City 

c 712.259.0411 

e Marissa@expressyourspaces.com

Table of Contents 

Editors Note...........................................................................................................................7 

Intro to Design Issue.................................................................................................9 

DESignS 

FEH.......................................................................................................................................................10 

PLaN..................................................................................................................................................14 

CMBA...........................................................................................................................................18 

Spaces............................................................................................................................................22 

Modern Kitchen Design....................................................................................24 

Thompson Interior Design...............................................................................26 

CONVERSE 

Conversation Starters.............................................................................................28 

Taco-Inspired Conversations........................................................................31 

INSPIRE 

Making a Difference...............................................................................................33 

A Sweet New Year...................................................................................................36 

Life Lessons from a Different Lens........................................................38 

GROW 

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone.............................................................40 

How To Charm A Billionaire.........................................................................42 

How Can SBDC Help My Business?...........................................45 

Iowa West Coast Initiative..............................................................................46 

Small Businesses Moving My Economy.....................................48 

Sioux City Scoop...........................................................................................................49 

BalanCE 

Access Presence: a Radical Pause......................................................51 

EXPloRE 

What’s The Big Deal?..........................................................................................54 

Up From The Earth.......................................................................................................56 

ENJOY 

Entertainment.......................................................................................................................58 

DESIGN 

ISSUE 20 

19 


If you want to be included in our April issue of 

Siouxland Magazine, contact us soon! 

Deadline to reserve space is 

February 25th! 

Media Kit at siouxlandmagazine.com 

Special tHanKS 

graphic design by Kari Nelson | Creative Director 

beautiful photography by Sarah Gill | Sarah Ann Photography

Easton Pike Dining Collection 

Amish Craftsman at HOM Furniture 

Quality bench made furniture crafted in America's Amish communities. 

Stocked as shown with thousands of custom order options available.

Editors Note 

It’s often in the quite moments of reflection that 

everything becomes clear. Life looks back at you 

as you gaze softly into the stillness. It unfolds 

it’s beauty through the good and the bad. It’s 

all there. I’ve been on a crazy journey that’s 

solidified my purpose - to raise our vibration, 

to connect with people while speaking to 

audiences, to conversing one-on-one, and now 

through the pages of this magazine. All that I’ve 

been through, good and bad, has shaped my 

life and given me greater appreciation for our 

shared human experience. I love the charge, 

when a spark goes off, while getting real and raw 

in conversation. We need to engage. Everything 

is possible once we begin to open ourselves to 

the possibilities and dive into the conversation. 

I’m excited to begin this journey, and through this 

humble publication, find a community that shares 

my passion for life and chooses to live boldly. 


A year ago, things were hard. It was the kind 

of hard I knew I would recover from, but it was 

hard. I had to get back to center, truly head back 

towards my passion. I had a moment where I 

was sitting at my desk and took everything 

away. White round table, me and my paper 

and pen. I had cleared my desk and my head. 

It was time to simply focus on my happiness, 

to explore what was always within me. “What 

do I want to do?” I gave myself a few seconds 

to respond. Clear desk, clear head, clear heart. 

I wrote, “to write.” My purpose is to write, to 

tell stories of those who may not tell them, for 

various reasons. I decided the year of 2018 I 

would focus on projects to allow me to fulfill my 

purpose. So it was an easy decision to purchase 

this magazine. You know why? Cause I knew we 

could tell some really amazing stories. 2019. 

This is the year of some great stories. 

Siouxland Magazine is owned and published by Empowering Conversations, LLC. All materials contained in this magazine (including text, content, and 

photographs) are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published, broadcast or 

modified in any way without the prior written consent of Empowering Conversations, LLC or in the case of third party materials, the owner of that content. 

You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of this content.

ARCHITECTURE 

MASTER PLANNING 

INTERIOR DESIGN 

WWW.CMBAARCHITECTS.COM 

“ 

Creativity is 

allowing yourself 

to make mistakes. 

Design is knowing 

which ones to 

keep. 

– Scott Adams 

”

FEH PLaN CMBA 

SPACES 

ModeRN 

KitCHen 

DESign 

Thompson 

Interior 

Design 

New Design All Around 

Our first issue -- the Design Issue -- is the perfect 

way to introduce our new magazine with a sleek 

and modern look. We’ve dug deep to bring you 

relevant and valuable content, ensuring you take 

away something good each and every issue. 

In the following pages, you’ll see designs featured 

from three talented architects: FEH Design, PLaN 

Architecture and CMBA Architects, a well as three 

interior designers: Spaces Interior Design, Modern 

Kitchen Design and Thompson Interior Design. 

Each project tells a story. You’ll read about their 

vision, the process they underwent and materials 

used. You’ll also find out how they overcame the 

inevitable hiccups along the way making sure to 

deliver to their client’s expectations and producing 

something stellar. 

We’re also bringing together a diverse group of 

people, to have meaningful conversations that 

are driven by you, our readers. We’ll focus in on 

community issues and explore ways to approach 

these challenges with integrity, compassion and 

creativity. We will share not only ideas manifested 

from these discussions, but even more importantly, 

share the integral process of healthy productive 

conversation. 

Looking further into the issue, you’ll notice six 

different sections designed to help you expand 

in all the different areas of your life - Converse, 

Inspire, Grow, Balance, Explore and Enjoy. They 

are full of stories from our locals including a small 

business, non-profit, families, how you can get 

involved and articles for inspiring growth. 

We’re committed to constantly evolving this 

magazine and creating something dynamic that 

you be talking about with your friends. You won’t 

want to put it down! 

About The Cover 

For our very first cover, we shot in the new Career Academy, designed by FEH Architects. Our talented photographer, Sarah 

Ann Photography, made the shoot fun and relaxed. See her work at https://sarahann.photography/.

Siouxland Magazine | Design / 10 

The Sioux City Career Academy 

FEH Design 

Lead Designer | Matt Basye, aia, Principal 

fehdesign.com 

As the newest of only three established career academies 

in Iowa, the Sioux City Career Academy allows students 

to make a connection between their education and their 

future with meaningful, real-world experiences. FEH 

Design was excited to continue their long partnership 

with the school district and eager to help create this new 

educational concept. 

“We created the Sioux City Career Academy for our students 

to be successful and gain adaptable skills, which will serve 

them as they enter a highly competitive workforce,” says 

Dr. Paul Gausman, Sioux City Community School District 

Superintendent. “The Sioux City Community School 

District understands that students today need knowledge 

and hands-on experiences to meet the demands of the 

ever-changing economy. This renovated downtown space 

has given students the opportunity to further explore 

their passions and develop applicable skills.” The Sioux 

City Career Academy offers thirty pathways for students 

to explore. Each pathway is a career-focused sequence 

of high school courses that integrates core academic 

knowledge with technical and occupational knowledge. 

FEH Design and the Sioux City School District have worked 

together on several projects to make the full Career Academy 

a reality. As of this year, most of the Career Academy Programs 

are housed in the Educational Service Center’s Career 

Academy Campus. The newest space houses the computer 

technology and repair, Project Lead The Way (engineering), 

graphic design, interior and fashion design, education, ACT 

prep, advanced placement, and business programs. The 

project also includes administrative space, meeting rooms, 

a staff professional development classroom, dining space 

with traditional and convenience store food services, and a 

student store. Continuing additions involve an agriculture 

program and space for virtual reality technology. 

The new design concept incorporates ideas of open, versatile, 

adaptable space to produce an experience more similar to 

higher education than high school. Aged steel beams were 

used for structure and aesthetics to provide a more industrial 

feel and to unify non-compatible spaces. Glass garage doors 

and oversized windows were installed to promote space 

versatility and openness. Large graphics were designed to 

add an element of industrial/commercial flair, while hanging


acoustical baffles contributed noise control. The space also 

includes colorful, versatile furniture, energy-efficient systems 

and LED lighting, and, of course, bright colors to convey a 

sense of creativity, fun and trendiness. Construction began 

in March 2018 and was completed by the start of school in 

August 2018. 

High school technical education has a new look and feel with 

this modern career academy space. The District was extremely 

interested in providing something different than a standard 

educational facility design, fitting with the design motto: “If it 

looks like a traditional classroom, we have failed.” Educational 

curriculums have been designed to inspire students and 

enhance the learning experience as they gain relevant 

knowledge and skills. 

FEH Design is a service-based firm with experience in a wide 

range of facilities including: municipal, civic, library, public 

safety, corporate, commercial, government, recreation, 

museum, worship, and education. FEH’s roots trace back to 

1898, when Andrew H. Foss began designing railroad depots 

throughout southeastern Minnesota. FEH has since grown 

into one of the region’s longest operating Architecture/ 

Engineering/Interiors firms with offices in Sioux City, Des 

Moines, and Dubuque, Iowa, and Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. 

With more than a century of building design experience, FEH 

creates designs that are sustainable and enduring. Through 

thoughtful planning, process facilitation, problem solving, and 

vision, we enable our clients to achieve their goals.

Siouxland Magazine | Design / 12



Gilchrist Learning Center | Sioux City Art Center 

PLaN Architecture 

Lead Designer | Nathan Kalaher 

Plan-arch.com 

After much hard work and anticipation, the Gilchrist Learning 

Center opened in fall of 2018. PLaN Architecture Lead 

Designer Nathan Kalaher, worked in collaboration with BNIM 

Architects, True Engineering, Performance Engineering and 

West Plains Engineering on this modern, minimalist 11,000 

square foot facility that houses the art-making studios of the 

adjacent Sioux City Art Center. 

The Learning Center contains essentially three types of space: 

art-making studios, classroom space and support spaces. 

The four principal areas (three studios and one classroom) 

are expressed architecturally with four white aluminum 

‘cubes’. The southern cube that houses the classroom space 

is pulled further apart from the studio spaces illustrating the 

space is different from the others, but also cluing visitors as 

to where to enter the minimalist structure. 

One of the more unique dichotomies is how smooth and 

minimal the forms are at the exterior as compared to inside 

the studios. In the studios there are marks, scuffs, and all 

sorts of remainders of the processes involved in making art. 

Even architecturally, the mechanical and electrical systems 

are left exposed above, along with the roof structure. The 

interior spaces of the cubes are active working spaces in 

stark contrast to the passive display spaces in the corridors 

and the exterior. The interior design features ground and 

polished concrete floors, with white sheetrock walls. The 

minimal surfaces help make the artwork the star. 

The remaining spaces within the cube-forms serve to 

connect the four white cube-forms together with glass 

walled hallways. These flex spaces/corridors also serve 

as galleries with LED lighting, showcasing student work, 

making it visible from the sculpture garden at the exterior. 

Another interesting dichotomy is the exterior sculpture 

garden becomes part of the gallery when viewed through 

the glass from the interior corridors. Essentially, the artwork 

at the interior is displayed to those at the exterior; and the 

artwork at the exterior is displayed to those at the interior. 

This project was unique for a number of reasons, one of 

which was the design of the building is as much or more 

about what’s around it than it is about itself. The idea is that 

the Learning Center needed to have a good presence but


not distract from either the existing Art Center building or the 

sculpture garden. In a way, the building needed to be both 

beautiful in its own right, but also a beautiful backdrop for 

other elements. 

One of the ongoing design challenges was how form and 

materiality can help illustrate the four different spaces from the 

exterior. The minimal white aluminum panels were selected so 

the building surface is able to be lit at night to better serve as a 

backdrop for outdoor sculptures or shadows, or even possibly 

projections. In many ways the building’s exterior serves as a 

canvas. The end result is a building that has as big of a presence 

at night as it does during the day. 

PLaN Architecture is a full service design firm that has 

developed a strong niche in adaptive-reuse and public-private 

partnership projects. One of the core beliefs at PLaN is that 

in order to succeed professionally, we must be active in the 

future of our community.




MMCRU Career Tech Education Addition 

CMBA Architects 

Matthew Erion, aia, Principal 

Eric Coleman, aia 

cmbaarchitects.com 

Technology in the classroom is essential to education 

today. The fast-growing industrial technology program at 

MMCRU School District in Marcus, Iowa was bursting at the 

seams in their outdated, too-small, shop buried in the back 

corner of the building. The limited space meant a limited 

number of courses for students, a challenge that the CTE 

instructor found quite frustrating. Wanting to expand the 

course offerings and provide an opportunity to every 

student that was interested, a new addition was necessary. 

When working with the MMCRU School District on their 

new CTE addition, the goal was to design a space and 

environment that shed the perception of a boring, stale 

“shop”. The project represented a chance to be a source 

of pride for the school district and a resource that could 

positively impact students from all around the region. 

Following the vision from the staff, CMBA went to work 

to break down that stereotypical “boring concrete box” 

identified with most shop spaces by introducing expansive 

windows, purposeful use of color, and a material palette 

that not only reflected the functional needs of the space 

but also the industrial aesthetic of the programs. 

The interior spaces focused on the most important aspect 

of the CTE instructor’s vision: flexibility. With numerous 

educational opportunities available to students, the space 

needed to be flexible year-in and year-out. A large woodworking 

group this year can give way to a large welding 

group next year, all in the same space. The large expansive 

windows ensure natural daylight is always available to the 

students and that no matter the configuration of the room, 

the natural light would always be there. A single, large IT 

classroom created from two existing classrooms is connected 

to the new CTE space with a large ceiling feature – a seamless 

connection between the “learning” environment and the 

“doing” environment. Full-height windows between the IT 

classroom and the CTE space allows the natural light to filter 

into a space that normally wouldn’t see light. 

The exterior of the addition speaks to the industrial and 

technological aesthetics of the program. The functional 

and durable materials will keep the CTE program running 

for years to come, while the use of color and texture in 

the metal panels and screens create visual interest. The 

most impressive feature of the exterior, the oversized bi-


folding door, combines standard architectural materials with 

impressive engineering and provides a unique aspect to the 

new “front door” of the MMCRU school district. 

CMBA Architects is recognized as a regional leader in the 

education, collegiate and healthcare sectors, with over 50 

employees and offices in Sioux City, Iowa; Des Moines, Iowa; 

Spencer, Iowa; and Grand Island, Nebraska. With the firm’s 

history stretching back to William Steele, the architect of the 

magnificent Woodbury County Courthouse, CMBA has a rich 

heritage of producing significant, exhilarating designs for their 

clients for over 100 years. 

CMBA believes that design of our built environment directly 

affects how we live, work, and play. As designers, they have 

the opportunity and responsibility to enhance the quality of 

people’s lives through design. “For us, it’s not what we do, it’s 

who we do it for!”




Holiday Inn Express and Event Center & Outdoor Space 

Spaces Interior Design 

Owner and Project Lead | John Stevens 

Lead Designer | Marissa Merchant 

Assistant Designer | Taylor Den Beste 

Expressyourspaces.com 

When you build a relationship with your clients, it opens the 

door to success. Recently, Spaces Interior Design had the 

privilege to partner with the new Holiday Inn Express Hotel 

located in Dakota Dunes, SD. While the design of the hotel 

side was fitted to the Holiday Inn Express standards, the 

Spaces team was asked to get creative and put their skills to 

use in the event center and outdoor space. 

The biggest goal of the event center was to create a “wow” 

factor when guests walked in the door. It was also important 

to create a space that was both unique to the area and offered 

style and flexibility. This meant selecting everything from 

flooring and wallcovering, to lighting, furniture, and artwork. 

Another goal of the space was to be multi-functional. Events 

from weddings and private parties to full day conferences 

meant having a versatile color palette was important. This 

palette was inspired by the customized carpet in the main 

event space, while strong beautiful accents of metallic gold 

and silver really add a finishing touch. 

There is no doubt guests will immediately be drawn to the 

light, airy feel of the space. Selected by the design team 

at Spaces, details like tiles and lighting were all taken into 

consideration to create a bright space, especially with the 

show stopping acrylic and gold burst lights. The silver, 

black and gold finishes help create a good blend to warm 

the space while still making a bold and modern statement. 

With the continued goal of keeping the space flexible, 

a light colored tile color was chosen as well as textured 

wallcovering to add interest and incorporate the timeless 

neutral color palette without overwhelming the space with 

a bold color or pattern. The textured side panels in the 

main event space also adds a softness while still making a 

dramatic statement at a grand 18 feet high. 

One of the best features of the whole space is the outdoor 

patio. The space was designed to allow an easy transition 

from indoor to outdoor entertaining. The Spaces team 

worked on the layout so the flow continued naturally and 

felt like one large space. Lead Designer, Marissa Merchant


states, “We were able to get creative with some fun 

elements like sun sails, locally-made live-edge wood 

table tops, and a locally made custom fireplace we 

designed and incorporated to make a really big 

statement.” 

The outdoor patio works well for any kind of occasion. 

It offers plenty of seating, features sun sails to 

provide shade, and the customized privacy panels 

to really create a unique space. All of these elements 

complement nicely around the massive custom 

fireplace. The Spaces team was a part of every design 

decision. “Inspiration was driven by the owner of the 

hotel. We had to hone in on trends, but keep it classic 

enough for any event or party.” Merchant stated, “We 

wanted it to be different and a little shocking so we 

have included interesting sculptures and striking 

finishes. And custom artwork in the power of multiples 

was also a must to give this space a big impact.” 

A great part about this project was the team had plenty 

of time to complete it and get it done the right way. 

The Spaces team worked alongside BlankenshipMeier 

Painting throughout the whole project. John Stevens 

stated, “There was a vision and concept cast from the 

beginning, the owner understood the time needed to 

execute and was excited to let all of us do our thing. 

The process went smoothly and our team was able to 

get the work completed to create another impressive 

and welcoming space for Siouxland.” 

Spaces Interior Design is a commercial and residential 

design business. The Spaces team gets to know you 

and your style so they can tailor a functional design 

that fits your needs, budget and space. In addition to 

planning and overseeing, Spaces is able to manage 

and implement your project. The Spaces team strives 

to meet and exceed your design expectations.


A Kitchen Made for Entertaining 

Modern Kitchen Design 

Lead Designers | Breezy Struthers Drake & Steve Struthers 

modernkitchendesign.com 

A 1970’s home style has no place in the 21st Century. 

In a recent project, Modern Kitchen Design took on a 

family home that was built in the 70s and updated it to 

create an open space that blended with other areas of the 

home. Lead designers, Breezy Struthers Drake and Steve 

Struthers, met with the clients to develop a wish list for 

how they wanted the space to flow and function. Before 

starting, it was important to identify what specific uses and 

needs the client had, in order to create a flow that worked 

specifically for them. 

The previous space was closed in, choppy, and dated; after 

a few brainstorming and bantering sessions, the designers 

presented the clients with a plan for a gorgeous remodeled 

kitchen to wow any guests. 

Finally, a color palette and artistic finishes were chosen 

to complete the design, ensuring that everything would 

live up to the clients’ expectations. After bringing in the 

contractor, Charlie Harrington, it was time to get to work. 

The materials used included DutchMade Inc. cabinetry in 

quarter-sawn white oak and walnut accents, GE Monogram 

Appliances, and Caesarstone Countertops. For visual flair, 

they also utilized an iridescent glass backsplash, Cali Bamboo 

Flooring, and TEC and LBL lighting. 

With any remodel, there will be a few hiccups, and although 

this job had a few, Modern Kitchen Design rolled through 

them seamlessly, making the experience painless for the 

clients. The end result was a space the clients are thrilled 

with. Even after months of living in the remodeled area, they 

say they wouldn’t change a thing. 

The final space is now open with clean lines, perfect for 

entertaining. Amenities such as a hidden bar, drawer dish 

storage, and a pull-out pantry were sequestered out of 

sight for maximum functionality. The monochromatic color 

scheme with some subtle touches of color in the pendant 

lighting and backsplash made the space timeless, accented 

by a custom stain on the quarter sawn white oak, which is 

anchored by a walnut soffit and floating shelving.

Modern Kitchen Design is a family owned and operated 

kitchen and bath design firm that brings new possibilities to 

homes like yours. Modern Kitchen Design proudly provides 

its clients with high-quality, expertly crafted building products 

for use in remodels, designs, and installations of kitchens and 

other amenities such as bathrooms, libraries, home offices, 

entertainment centers, flooring, and more. With a team of 

expert consultants and designers, Modern Kitchen Design 

guarantees every family individual service to construct the 

spaces of their dreams. 



Master Bedroom Retreat 

Thompson Interior Design 

Owner and Project Lead | Nicole Hospers 

ThompsonInterior.com 

Not unlike most homebuyers, when the Macfarlane 

family found a house in Wynstone they knew it would 

need a remodel to bring it up to date. After working with 

Thompson Interior Design in the first phase of their home 

renovations and furnishings (living room, kitchen, dining 

room, entry), they were excited to tackle their next major 

project together. “Nicole is so talented and wonderful to 

work with. I felt very comfortable handing over the project 

to her especially after we had a great experience updating 

our kitchen and living room with her guidance.” noted 

Susan Macfarlane. 

The master bedroom and bathroom renovation were part 

of the second phase of updating the home to fit their 

current needs and style. The design was inspired by classic 

interiors, a layered neutral color palette complimented by 

charming details. The bath was imagined as a bright, clean 

lined, and crisp with movement in light and textural tile. 

The best view coming up to the second level of the home is 

looking right into the master bedroom. Enhancing this view 

and creating a larger focal point, the furniture was reoriented 

and a full feature wall with a rectangular repeating pattern 

makes the room feel intimate and inviting. Bringing in the 

deep color, allowed each additional layer to soften and add 

depth to the space. The goal was to elevate this space to be 

a calming environment with a luxurious feeling. To create 

a calming experience, the furniture was chosen in simple 

form with a sophisticated finish and unexpected details, with 

a light mix of soft neutrals and tones. A custom bed in a 

linen blend fabric adds texture and ease to the room while 

the white bedding gives a crisp classic look. The room’s 

complete styling keeps the essentials at hand without 

cluttering the ambiance. 

One of the most important functions for the Macfarlane’s 

in their master bathroom is having proper storage. The 

existing bathroom lacked storage. By removing a large 

unused jet tub and extending the vanity along the wall and 

designing a well-functioning his and her custom cabinetry, 

more storage was possible. This layout opened up room to 

include a makeup area in the most ideal and lighted space. 

A statement chandelier continued to bring the eye down the 

room, enhancing the size. “Since, we weren’t able to change 

the footprint dramatically, we analyzed the room to identify 

the best use of space and storage. Another area we gained 

more storage space was adding shallow depth cabinets in 

the shower room. It is small, but ideal for storing linens,” said 

Nicole. 

An oyster finish on the cabinet keeps the room light but not 

too bright. Quartz material was chosen for the countertops 

because of their durability and resistance to chemicals and 

ease of maintenance and cleaning. A custom glass enclosure 

continued the effortless, transitional style.


Along with design and build out of the master bedroom and bath, 

the rest of the second floor was updated during the same phase 

which included an additional complete bathroom renovation, two 

bedroom updates and converting a bedroom into a multi-functional 

office space for the whole family to utilize. Although this was a large 

undertaking for the family at one time, plenty of time was dedicated 

to the design and planning stages in order to maintain an effective 

construction timeline. 

Thompson Interior Design provided all the furniture, lighting, window 

treatments, accessories as well as manage the design direction, 

space planning, details, and professional trades used to complete 

the renovation. 

Working with a team of experts and clients who trust the process 

while enjoying it are essential to a successful project. 

Thompson Interior Design is full service interior design studio 

focused on creating custom environments that are beautiful while 

still being functional for everyday life. Project work ranges from 

new construction and extensive renovation to interior furnishings 

and consultations for both residential and commercial interiors. 

Our process begins with discovering your needs and wants while 

developing a style preference designed to you and your family. We 

oversee and manage your project so you can enjoy the luxury of 

having our expertise while you watch your space transform. We work 

tirelessly to transition your home or business into a true reflection of 

your style, a space you actually use, and a place you love to live.

conveRSe 

curious 

Cultivating Meaningful 

Powerful narrative of “us” 

truth seekers 

Conversation Starters 

We come together with a 

singular purpose – to participate 

in a dynamic conversation that 

moves our community forward 

and upward. In the depth of a 

good conversation lies endless 

possibilities. 

We are bringing together a diverse group of 

people, a slice of Siouxland if you will, to have 

meaningful conversations that are driven by you, 

our readers. We’ll focus in on community issues 

and explore ways to approach these challenges 

with integrity, compassion and creativity. We 

will share not only ideas manifested from these 

discussions, but even more importantly, share 

the integral process of healthy productive 

conversation. 

We’ll arrive to the table with humility that we don’t 

know what we don’t know, that our perspective 

is one of many. Showing up with a commitment 

to listening intently, without judgement, before 

choosing our words and sharing. Thus, allowing 

everyone to contribute to the conversation. 

All of us share a desire to reach a greater 

understanding; to broaden our perspective. We’ll 

start from a common foundation, and amongst all 

these voices, we will find all kinds of possibilities. 

It is our intention to simply share our ideas. We 

are tossing seeds. And to give you a glimpse on 

how we navigate through challenging discussions 

with the complexity of diversified stances. It is our 

hope that you’ll continue the conversation and 

grow these ideas, seeing them through to their 

potential. Together we can change the world by 

starting in our own backyard with a simple, and oh 

so beautiful, conversation. 

David Bernstein 

Officer 

State Steel Supply Company 

Economic Development Advocate 

Quality of Life Protagonist 

Dumper of Gasoline on Complacency 

Renae Billings 

Business Development 

Coordinator, City of Sioux City 

Technology & Innovation 

Entrepreneurial Development & Education 

Community & Business Growth 

Amy Chabra 

Executive Director 

Mary J Treglia Community House 

Celebrator of Humanity 

Social Justice Change Agent 

Welcome. Educate. Advocate. Empower. 

Ragen Cote 

Executive Director 

Downtown Partners 

Finder of Ways 

Mother of Awesome 

Champion of Change

strengthening our community 

Conversations exploring perspectives 

coming together 

open minded 

focused on common good 

Dr. Paul Gausman 

Superintendent of Schools 

Sioux City Community School District 

Serving Students in Public Education 

Advocating for Civil Discourse 

Preparing Future Leaders & Citizens 

Ben Knoepfler 

Multi Generation Business Owner 

Family Man 

Downtown Sioux City Optimist 

Ike Rayford 

Audio/Visual Guru 

KES Productions 

Leadership Nut 

Growth Believer 

Customer Service Savant 

Brett Gill 

Wells’ Enterprises 

Continuous Improvement 

Perpetual Learner 

Single Father of Three 

Tech Junkie 

Peggy La 

Owner 

Hong Kong Supermarket 

Independent Woman Who Loves & Leads 

Eager & Determined Entrepreneur 

Local Asian Food Provider 

Lillyan Rodriguez 

Positive – Growth – Community 

Love of the Arts 

Connector – Building Relationships 

Dr. Cyndi Hanson 

God, Family, Friends, Hard-work 

Listening = Learning 

Getting Involved is Easy – Just Say Yes 

Treyla Lee 

Faith 

Education – Resources/Support 

Diversity – People, Thought and Gender 

Angie Schneiderman 

Business, Real Estate and Litigation Attorney 

Volunteer Impacting Child & Education 

Cyclist, Outdoor Enthusiast, & Adventurer 

Jim Jung 

Collaborate – Seek Common Ground 

Beautify – Enrich Our Environment 

Preserve- – We are Caretakers 

Daniel Pecaut 

Chairman of Pecaut & Company 

Inner Peace Cultivator 

Spelunker of Emotional Reactivity 

Spoiler of Grandkids 

Alex Watters 

Career Development Specialist 

Morningside College 

Social Connector 

Community Advocate 

Positivity Amplifier

SAVE THE DATE! 

IBC Annual Safety Conference 

March 27, 2019 

Delta Hotel Conference Center 

“Make Safety the New Norm” 

Register online: ibcins.biz 

Benefits | Flex Admin | Wellness | Property and Casualty | Work Comp | Safety

Siouxland Magazine | Converse / 31 

Taco-Inspired Conversations 

By Tony Micheals 

I’ve never been in a bad mood while eating 

tacos. 

In seventh grade, my best friend Don and I would walk out 

of Mrs. Cheisas’ Language Arts class and head straight to 

our favorite taco restaurant about a mile away. That was 

the setting for EPIC conversations I still remember today. I 

narrowed down my career path during one of those trips 

to be either the shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates or to 

have a job where I talk to interesting people. Since 2001, 

I’ve had thousands of fun conversations with residents of 

Siouxland as part of the KSUX morning show. 

Fast forward to a recent trip to pick up my sons from 

school, I counted 13 of 15 parents in their cars on a Friday 

afternoon fixated on their cell phones. Unfortunately, I saw 

no students on a sojourn with their best friend to a taco 

shop. The young scholars I saw were walking, isolated 

away from discussion and focused on their earbuds and 

headphones. A feeling of sadness overwhelmed me as 

it became apparent YouTube videos have supplanted 

spirited discussion about the adorable Paula Abdul. (That 

was our lead topic during our late 80’s taco run.) I don’t 

know what the equivalent is of that topic in junior high 

schools now. Can you have an in-depth convo about how 

hilarious a Fortnight dance is? 

I’m happy to report, conversation is alive and well at the radio 

station; from revelations about “Bird Box”, straight up honest 

talk about society, rumors about when a Runza will ever grace 

Siouxland with its beefy and cabbage filled goodness and 

visceral gut reactions, to all the concerts in the area. 

Think back to the very BEST conversations in your lifetime. 

When was your last really good chat? 

Instead of the predictably silly and dangerous “Bird Box” 

challenge, accept this “Tony’s Taco” challenge from me, Tony 

himself. 

For 3 minutes, stop scrolling through social media. Use the 

call feature. Arrange a taco meeting with a loved one with 

whom you truly enjoy their conversation. Taco bout (sorry) 

whatever gives you joy. It is these conversations you will 

remember years later. 

Tony & Candice morning show host / conversationalist

AND HERE. 

Dakota Dunes, SD 

Vermillion, SD 

Exceptional care. 

Right here. 

AND HERE. 

Cherokee, IA 

Dennison, IA 

Hawarden, IA 

Ida Grove, IA 

Lake City, IA 

Le Mars, IA 

Moville, IA 

Onawa, IA 

Orange City, IA 

Primghar, IA 

Sac City, IA 

Sioux Center, IA 

Sioux City, IA 

Spencer, IA 

Storm Lake, IA 

AND HERE. 

Norfolk, NE 

Pender, NE 

Ponca, NE 

Wayne, NE 

Schedule an appointment today. 

CNOS.net | 605-217-2667

Inspire 

Making a Difference, 

Jr. League of Sioux City 

Co-written by Katie Kruse and Stacie Anderson 

The women of Junior League don’t settle. 

Lessons learned from stories in our community. 

people 

non-profits 

Sponsored by Regina Roth 

We are women who are passionate about contributing beyond what’s asked 

of us. You know who we are because you see us out in our community. We 

feel a personal responsibly in making the world a better place, especially for 

children. It is our legacy. 

When out and about, you’ll find Jr. League touches everywhere. The old 

school house by Perry Creek Elementary, Jr. League. Sioux City Art Center 

Hands On Gallery, the playground at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center, even in 

LaunchPAD. You’ll also find leaguers helping behind the scenes in projects like 

community gardens, blankets given to children removed from their homes, 

helping to paint and update community areas, and volunteering at different 

events around town. Jr. League women are all about making a difference, no 

matter how big or small. 

families 

small business 

Junior League has evolved into one of the oldest, largest and most effective 

women’s volunteer organizations in the world, encompassing 140,000 women 

in 291 Leagues in four countries. Proudly, Sioux City is one of the earliest 

established Leagues. Next year is their 99th year with big plans to celebrate 

their 100th anniversary! 

Established in 1921, the Junior League of Sioux City is an educational and 

charitable organization comprised of women of all races, religions, and 

national origins with one goal: to better the community through volunteerism 

and leadership training. 

Members get training through hands-on experience. New community 

projects are chosen annually from project applications submitted by League 

and community members. The projects, after being reviewed and voted on 

by League members, are then tackled by the League. “We give financially, 

but even more importantly, we roll up our sleeves and get to work.” said Katie 

Kruse, president elect. 

Previous projects have included: 

• Hands-On Gallery at the Art Center 

• Backpacks for Foster Kids 

• Dorothy Pecaut Playscape 

• And More! 

The projects are financed through the Junior League’s thrift store, the 

Discovery Shop. Donated items are sold, and then the profit returns to the 

community in the form of outreach. “We are always grateful for donations. 

Most importantly, it’s imperative to shop locally, especially at places like the 

Discovery Shop. They are not immune to the struggles and challenges that the 

big box stores are facing,” explains Kruse. “As online shopping has become 

a cultural staple, thrift store sales all around have declined.” Kruse adds, “We 

pride ourselves for the cleanliness of the shop, quality items on the floor, and 

also the impact that each dollar brought into the store is turned back into 

bettering Siouxland.” 

The Junior League of Sioux City 

accepts donations of clothing, 

furniture, and other household items 

to offer quality merchandise to the 

Siouxland community while funding its 

charitable goals. 

Junior League is always welcoming 

to new members. “The goal of Junior 

League to allow women to wear 

different hats and grow as individuals 

has remained a constant. Junior League 

reaches everybody differently, based 

on what people need. Any woman 

who wants to benefit the community 

and gain new skills is welcome in 

Junior League.” said Kruse. 

Junior League enrolls provisional 

members in the fall and winter. 

General Membership Meetings are 

held on the second Thursday of each 

month, August through May, with 

other gatherings also available that 

teach about the history of Junior 

League. There are no longer volunteer 

requirements for members. Kruse 

says, “At the end of the day, if there 

is a project that tugs the heartstrings, 

you’re going to sign up because you 

want to—not because you must.”

Siouxland Magazine | inspire / 34 

Junior League Project: This Is Personal 

Co-written by Katie Kruse and Stacie Anderson 

Human trafficking is modern day slavery. If you 

thought that we had seen the end of slavery, think again. 

There are more people being “trafficked” in today’s world 

than before the abolishment of slavery. Sex trafficking is 

estimated to make up 80-85% of all trafficking, making it 

the biggest criminal industry in the world! Make no mistake, 

those involved in sex acts are not always consenting. As far 

as sex trafficking is concerned, these individuals are victims. 

They are either under the age of eighteen engaging in 

sexual acts or sexual acts are conducted due to force, fraud, 

and/or coercion. Anyone buying into such activity and/or 

benefiting or facilitating in the transaction is participating 

in illegal trafficking. 

Right here, in our very own backyard, sex trafficking is a 

reality. Siouxland is at significant risk because of the sheer 

level of traffic that comes through our corridor, but often 

times, buyers don’t want to engage in this activity where 

they live. They don’t want to get caught or exposed, so 

they are willing to drive an hour and a half. Sitting in the 

middle of two bigger cities, it’s no surprise Sioux City is a 

hot spot for trafficking. Except it is. It’s absolutely shocking; 

especially if you’re hearing about it for the first time. This 

isn’t your everyday topic of conversation, but addressing 

these uncomfortable conversations is the only way to 

become informed and empowered. 

Junior Leagues across the nation have been on the forefront 

of social reform, identifying problems - pollution, illiteracy, 

domestic violence, foster children without a safety net - 

and finding solutions. The women within this organization, 

tackle the tough issues head on and make an impact in their 

communities. Currently, The Association of Junior League 

International has a large initiative on stopping child sex 

slavery, and building on their efforts, the Junior League of 

Sioux City has begun their initiative to combat this problem 

in Siouxland; starting the conversation at local hotels and 

motels. 

Last spring, Omaha’s Coalition on Human Trafficking 

approached the Junior League of Sioux City about bringing 

hotel/motel training to the Siouxland area. Currently, 75% of 

sex trafficking occurs within the walls of hotels and motels. 

Operating there avoids detection and isolates the victim. Any 

establishment is at risk, even the most reputable and highend 

establishments. Junior League had 35 volunteers from 

the League and the larger community sign up to be trained 

on how to deliver educational presentations to local hotels 

and motels. 

Since Junior League is an organization primarily made up 

of women, this is a project League immediately embraced. 

Although victims can be of any gender, the primary victims 

are women. Members consider raising awareness and 

providing education about sex trafficking in Sioux City to be 

of the utmost importance. 

Junior League is encouraging the community to continue the 

conversation and increase awareness in our community. It’s 

especially important for parents to host open dialogues with 

their children about stranger danger and bodily autonomy. 

Traffickers don’t only take advantage of homeless children 

or runaways—some victims return home to their beds each 

night as their trafficker is a school peer. Traffickers can be 

anyone who can lure the victim by first gaining their trust and 

then invoking false promises, expectations, and coercion. 

Traffickers may seek out potential victims who are traveling 

alone, are separated from their group, or have low selfesteem. 

Social media is often a factor. Therefore, it is important 

for children to understand what conversations, requests, and


activities are acceptable and unacceptable. 

The Junior League of Sioux City is committed, as 

demonstrated over the last century, to improving 

their community through education and action; 

through the shear force of persistence. Each 

person, each conversation, each action, has a ripple 

effect. Please help by continuing the effort to bring 

awareness to this sensitive topic and put an end to 

modern day slavery. 

Katie Kruse is the manager of Field Services at SAP 

Concur, an expense management company. She 

has been a member of Junior League for 5 years 

and is currently the President Elect. She has served 

on the Membership, Community, and Placements 

committee, served as the VP of Community, and will 

be President 2019-2020. 

Stacie Anderson 

As a Jr. League Sustainer, I feel extremely passionate 

about our highlighted project to help identify and 

protect women from Human Trafficking. Thank you 

to all the women in our community who are working 

to create change.


A Sweet New Year 

An Interview with a Bee Keeper 

By Justin Engelhardt 

“One of the things I most admire about bees 

is their tireless work ethic. They literally start 

working from day one and work until their wings 

fall off.” 

SM: Justin, how did you get started in beekeeping? 

Justin Engelhardt: In 2011, I was driving to my roofing job, 

and listening to NPR. An interview with Professor Thomas 

Seeley of Cornell University was on the broadcast. He had 

just published a book called, Honeybee Democracy. The 

book outlines a series of experiments Professor Seeley 

conducted to discover how bees make collective decisions. 

It all sounded so fascinating, I thought that I should get a 

hive! Things just grew from there. 

SM: Describe your operation today. 

Justin: We have about a hundred hives and we keep them 

in Woodbury and Plymouth counties. The hives are placed 

near good nectar sources. Although bees can fly up to 

six miles from the hive to find food, they generally forage 

within a two-mile radius, so location is important. We 

generally harvest twice a year. The timing depends on the 

nectar flow and the flow depends on the weather. We don’t 

use any heat whatsoever when we harvest; this is important 

because heating the honey can adversely affect the taste. 

We use an old-fashioned uncapping fork, and a hand crank 

extractor to keep the enzymes that give the honey its full 

flavor. We then bottle and seal it at the kitchen table. 

SM: Tell me about your relationship with the bees? 

They are very beautiful creatures. One of the things I most 

admire about bees is their tireless work ethic. They literally 

start working from day one and work until their wings fall off. 

So I certainly admire their work ethic, it’s very moving. 

It’s also very neat to see how the bees interact with each 

other. Sometimes a bee gets hurt and it’s moving to see 

her sisters come to her aid and try to help her. They also 

clean each other, it shows that they are beautiful creatures. 

When you see them excited, it’s really a treat. If you go to a 

queenless hive, and you put the queen in, you can hear the 

buzz of excitement. They are very communal. 

Another trait I find fascinating is the bee dance. When a 

bee finds a nectar source, it flies up into the hive and climbs 

onto the comb and performs the Waggle Dance. The dance 

indicates both the direction and the distance to the nectar 

source. All the bees will stop what they are doing and watch. 

And if the bee does the dance again and again and again, 

they know it’s a really good source. They are really amazing. 

SM: How did you convince stores to carry your product? 

Justin: I walked in the door with samples, a product listing, 

a squeeze bottle of honey, and some fresh bread so the 

owners could taste the product. At the end of the day, it’s 

easy talking about something you really enjoy, and a product 

you love. After we were in two stores, we were then contacted 

by others.


Fun fact 

Honey is the only food that never spoils. It will harden, eventually; but heat it a 

little, and it will melt back into a liquid. Or, you can eat it after it has hardened, 

or “sugared up”. Some people really enjoy it that way. 

SM: In December of 2017, vandals destroyed all your 

hives. Have you recovered and what did you learn 

from the experience? When starting over, did you do 

anything differently? 

Justin: We have recovered, and it is in large part due 

to the generosity of the people of Siouxland. Several 

Go-Fund-Me sites were established, and thanks to 

kindness of the people of this community, we had 

enough capital to rebuild. We received so much 

support because the people in this community have a 

lot of heart, have a connection to agriculture, and value 

local small businesses. I think we also received the kind 

of support we did because we have very high standard 

when it comes to the quality of our product. 

When we re-established our hives, we did so with an 

eye on security. We placed them carefully so that they 

are completely inaccessible to passersby, and directly 

observable from houses of people we trust. We also set 

up cameras. The technology is amazing – you can see 

and hear what’s going on in your beeyard any time. 

SM: Declining honeybee health has been in the news 

for several years now. What’s going on, and have there 

been any recent developments? 

Justin: The honeybee decline is caused by multiple 

factors. Certainly, the widespread use of neonicotinoid 

pesticides has had an impact. Some research indicates 

that exposure to these pesticides affects the ability of 

honeybees to fly and impairs the reproductive health 

of male honeybees. Practically all corn in Iowa is 

treated with this type of pesticide. More than a third of 

all soybeans are, too. Honeybees also have fewer wild 

areas in which to forage. 

SM: Is there anything people can do to help 

Justin: Installing pollinator friendly plants in your 

landscape is a good start (there are lists online to guide 

you). This is good not only for honeybees, but for native 

bees as well. We have mint, echinacea, anemone, 

salvia, sage, anise hyssop, and sedum in our front and 

side yards, and they attract an array of pollinators. 

SM: What are some 

of the health benefits 

of honey?The health 

benefits of honey 

to people with 

allergies are well 

documented. By 

eating local honey, 

someone with 

allergies is exposed 

to trace amounts 

of pollen. A local 

honey contains 

the pollen of the 

local plants which 

are causing the 

allergic person to 

suffer, so it’s important to get honey from nearby. Honey is also 

antimicrobial. It has a chemical composition similar to that of 

hydrogen peroxide. However, it tastes quite a bit better! 

SM: What different types of honey do you have? 

Justin: In addition to our raw, liquid honey, we also make 

creamed honey, and cinnamon creamed honey. Creamed honey 

is honey which has crystallized to a consistency of soft butter and 

is a spread. It tastes great on bread and pancakes. 

SM: Where can our readers purchase your honey? 

Justin: Wild Hill Honey is for sale at Sioux City Gifts, Coffee Works, 

Palmer Candy, Stone Bru, and Health One. We’re also excited to 

partner with local Siouxland businesses and restaurants. 

SM: Any parting thoughts? Why honey? 

Justin: Because it’s fantastic! When you hold a pound of honey 

in your hand, you are holding the nectar gathered from about 

two million blossoms. To get the nectar for this one pound of 

honey and bring it back to the hive, the bees travel a collective 

55,000 miles. In a good year, an outstanding hive might produce 

100 pounds of honey. That’s a lot of flowers, and a lot of miles. 

Justin Engelhardt is the owner of Voluntas Construction and 

Co-Owner of Wild Hill Honey with his wife Tori in Sioux City, IA.


Life Lessons from a Different Lens 

By Debbie Bernstein LaCroix 

“Don’t worry, I shall change the world. Hopefully 

for the better. If I change it for the worse, it was 

an accident.” Alex LaCroix 

As a parent, we plan to teach our children the way of the 

world. However, I think our children end up teaching us 

more about life. This is especially true when you have a child 

who processes life differently. 

We always knew my son, Alex, was different. At the age of 

three, he was interested in science and history. People, not 

so much. He was also a lot more stubborn than most kids. 

But he was creative and full of imagination. He could be 

very social if you were willing to listen to the latest scientific 

principle he was studying. But he didn’t “fit in”. In preschool 

he was diagnosed as PPD-NOS (basically another way of 

saying Autism without saying Autism). What it meant to us 

is that Alex experiences the world through a different lens. 

Once my mind shifted into acceptance, I began to try and 

see things through Alex’s eyes. My perspective on what 

is important in life changed. I had no idea how much my 

son would change me. Alex never really cared what other 

people thought, so he never made decisions based on 

those consequences. 

When Alex got his first participation trophy, he wanted to 

toss it. This plastic trophy that said “…congrats, you showed 

up…” meant nothing to him because he knew he really 

didn’t do much. If Alex earned an award, he wanted to earn 

it. He didn’t understand the justification to being rewarded 

for acting your best or doing your work. 

The first time he was excited about a medal was when he 

placed 2nd in weapons at a Taekwondo tournament. He


glowed. I’ll never forget his words, “This is the first medal that 

I felt like I deserved getting.” He practiced. He worked hard. 

He knew it was something earned. 

But the most important lesson Alex has taught me is that what 

matters most is what you think of you. If someone needed 

help, Alex is right there, be it helping another student pick up 

his books he dropped or opening doors for someone who 

has their hands full. He also has the gift of honesty. If you ask 

him if he likes your new sweater, and he thinks it is ugly, he’ll 

tell you. And if you ask, he’ll give you reasons why. He’s great 

to take shopping with, except he finds it boring and frivolous. 

He never does things to impress others. He wants success in 

life, but because he earns it. 

Alex has taught me that our expectations of the world are 

focused on the wrong thing. We should be more worried 

about the environment, being the best we can be, and letting 

go of our need to impress others with a superficial reality. 

Alex has taught me life is not about fitting in, it’s about being 

you. If someone is going to judge you on the way you dress, 

what you do, or dissect everything you say, they are not 

worth your time. If you did something stupid, own up to it. 

If something isn’t working, change the way you are doing it. 

We’ve taught him too. The first thing we focused on was 

people have feelings, so be careful on the words you choose, 

no matter how honest. We have also taught him to expand 

his palette for life. It’s important to push yourself and try new 

things. It’s been hard, but he has learned to stretch himself. 

712-255-1163 

lohrfamilydentistry.com 

When you have a child with Autism, things you might take for 

granted are a really big deal. Our family is blessed that we’ve 

all grown together. 

This article is Alex approved. When I ran it by him, his 

response was: 

“My examination of the document is to my liking. I feel that it 

sums up my early years and experiences nicely, though your 

interpretation of course.” 

Debbie LaCroix is a mother to two, freelance writer, children’s 

book author, and owner of Just Because.

grow 

personal growth 

Don’t fear failure. Embrace it. It’s where the learning happens. 

leadership 

business development 

determination 

Want to Grow? Get Out of Your Comfort Zone. 

By Stacie Anderson 

Did you give your best today? Think about it. 

Don’t compare yourself to others, but think of 

your growth and contribution. 

This moment of reflection is all about you. Take this time, 

sit back, relax and sip on your favorite brew. 

Focusing our attention inward is a powerful shift. It is here 

that you have complete control; in your attitude and your 

ability to grow. Each of us has a unique gift that only we 

can bring to the world. It is our responsibility to be the best 

version of ourselves and share that with others—showing 

up every day uncompromising in authenticity. 

To do our best, be our best, we must live with intention. 

Growth doesn’t happen automatically. We must decide 

to invest in ourselves and align our actions with our 

intentions, taking action to improve ourselves every day. Living 

greatly will require time for self-reflection and personal growth. 

It is a continuous process of daring greatly, pushing our limits, 

learning from wins and losses, and staying the course. Do you 

want a better tomorrow? Then show up today and own it. 

Growth begins when you’re out of your comfort zone. Don’t 

fear failure. Embrace it. The worst case scenario, it’s where the 

learning happens. You’ll win either way if you dare to grow— 

sometimes even in unexpected ways. 

As someone who has always leaned towards the nerdy side, I 

have found myself at more seminars, classes, and workshops 

than I can count. In recent years, I’ve found myself thinking that 

I could deliver this material. I could lead. Well the truth is, it’s 

easier to be in the audience than up on stage. It’s hard to do the 

actual work and do it well.

I’ve dreamt of speaking to audiences for years, but it wasn’t 

until I committed to developing my speaking skills that it 

became a possibility. It’s interesting that something I felt 

drawn to do also gave me great anxiety. The fear of speaking 

is very real, but I was determined to overcome it. Knowing 

the power of continuous focus and constant improvement, 

I decided to join an organization that harnessed the power 

of habit to create great speakers - Toastmasters. Here, I 

found my tribe. 

Week by week, project by project, I was able to push my 

limits and improve. 

While serving as the club’s President, I encouraged the 

members to stretch themselves. Our club hadn’t participated 

in International Contest for awhile and I challenged 

everyone to compete. It wasn’t about the win, but about 

pushing our individual limits. I had been a member for 

less than two years and the thought of competing seemed 

beyond my abilities, but I had to lead by example. 

I’d gone out on a limb and told a very personal story about 

my struggle with grief and depression; how the loss of my 

mother when I was child destroyed me for a moment in time; 

how I journeyed through the healing process and made it 

to the other side. This story, with its ability to resonate with 

the audience, made it three levels deep. I was humbled to 

say the least. 

When I went to compete at Division, the third level, I had no 

idea that experience would create a shift for me. I left there 

with a second place trophy and a heavy heart. Although I 

hadn’t expected to go as far as I did in those few months, I 

was still disappointed not to win…devastated actually. 

To my surprise, losing that contest shook me to the core. 

Because it wasn’t just a contest, it was a chance for me to 

share my story. I had experienced the power of connection 

and wanted to continue to have a platform to help others. 

That ended when I took second place. I wouldn’t move on 

to compete and share my story with a larger audience. 

I spent the next couple of days reflecting on that experience 

and I realized how much I had grown over those few months. 

I had stretched myself and couldn’t see myself going back 

to anything less. I wanted more, to do more, be more. 

Consider how your daily actions over time create your life. 

Are you designing your best life? You need a clear vision of 

success, or a sense of purpose, to gauge whether or not you 

are in alignment. Then at any point, you can compare where 

you are with where you want to be, and take action to close 

the gap. The key is to constantly check your alignment. 

But how do you fill the gaps? Striving for perfection does 

not serve us, but doing our best—at this moment in time with 

what we have available to us—is how we make progress. In 

all reality, as we fill our gaps, new gaps should appear. That 

will be the case if you are committed to personal growth. We 

never really arrive. We must enjoy the journey. 

It’s in our nature to continue to dream. But we can’t dream 

our lives away. It’s a delicate balance between being fulfilled 

and wanting more. 

Can you have more? Sure, but it will require you to give 

your best day after day. It will demand that you make 

sacrifices. You’ll have to be growth-oriented, a constant 

learner, remaining curious and open. And you need to get 

comfortable being uncomfortable. The world and everything 

in it is constantly changing. You are going to need to evolve 

too. 

Continually learning and developing your skills is the best 

determination of your future success. Growth is a process. It’s 

gradual, but it also creates momentum. The challenge is to 

forge forward even when you can’t see where you’re going. In 

time, the investment is compounded. You will notice, people 

will notice, and most significantly, your life will improve. 

The big question is...are you willing to invest in yourself and 

make it a priority? 

Stacie Anderson is a Certified John Maxwell Speaker, Trainer 

and Coach. She recently worked alongside John Maxwell 

and his team in Costa Rica; helping train leaders in their 

government, educational system and businesses. She 

shares personal stories and experiences when working with 

others on creating transformation in their personal lives and 

business. 

Siouxland Siouxland Magazine Magazine | Grow | Grow / 41 /41 

If I would have kept moving forward without taking the time 

to reflect, I would have missed these important lessons. This 

process reinforced the power of intentional growth and 

helped me see my purpose more clearly. 

So what about you? Do you know your purpose? 

Some people have a strong sense of purpose, but for many 

of us, it’s not so clear. Taking time to sit with that question 

can be revealing. What do you love to do? What draws 

your attention and consumes your free time? Thinking on 

this over time can be enlightening. Journaling can also be 

a valuable tool for self-discovery. Don’t fall into the trap of 

thinking your purpose has to be grandiose to be important. 

Making the most of each day by improving ourselves and 

adding value to others is a powerful place to start. 

Photos from left to right: 

Speaking at a local Siouxland event. 

Ike Rayford presenting a Toastmaster award to Stacie. 

Stacie with John Maxwell at the kick off event for 

Transformación in Costa Rica 2018 meeting the local 

interpreters to help with the program training. 

Stacie with other John Maxwell Mentors who trained 

15,000 Costa Rican leaders in one week sporting the 

Costa Rican soccer jersey.

Siouxland Magazine | Enjoy / 42 

How To Charm A Billionaire (or really anyone) 

By John Engel 

Last Sunday I enjoyed a steak dinner with a 

billionaire. It must have gone pretty well because after 

an hour conversation he asked for my business card. You 

see when I sat down to eat I had no idea who was sitting 

next to me. I found out from my server neither did she 

and she has served him several times. How did I charm 

a billionaire to not only reveal his identity but ask for my 

contact information so he could speak with me again? 

I did the same thing I do with everyone I meet, whether 

they be a barista or a billionaire, everyone wants to be 

spend time with someone who is interesting and fun to be 

around. 

1. Don’t be boring. How many conversations have 

you had in your life that started out with some variation on 

“What do you do for a living?” and “Where are you from?” 

I NEVER ask these questions. If the person I am talking 

to wants to reveal them to me they will in their own time. 

Who wants to relive a conversation they’ve had hundreds 

or even thousands of times again? 

I usually open a conversation by observing something 

about the person. If they are wearing a Garmin GPS watch I 

talk about endurance sports. If it’s a woman I will ask about 

the most distinctive piece of jewelry she is wearing. If 

I am in their office or home I will look at what books or 

other items they display and use that as a starting point. 

I am always carrying a book with me so sometimes I will 

start by referencing something from the book and ask a 

question about it. Then based on whatever they might say 

I ask follow up questions and let the conversation flow. The 

more diverse topics you read, the more interesting you will 

be because you’ll be able to ask related questions to the 

person’s comments. 

3. Have perceived power to make the life of the person 

you are speaking with better in some way. This can be anything 

from having the ability to make amusing but appropriate 

comments to being insightful about a topic of conversation 

bringing a viewpoint that the person you are speaking with 

may not have considered. For example, I once told the Chief 

Economist of a major Japanese bank that Japan was the only 

economy that got socialism to work. Then I proceeded to tell 

him what I meant by that comment. He liked what I had to say 

so much that he invited me to meet his entire staff. 

“ 

Focus on what 

you can do 

to help the 

person you are 

speaking with 

in some way. 

” 

2. Be present in the moment. Really listen to 

what the person is saying. Have you ever tried to 

have a conversation with someone but the entire time they 

are just going on about whatever it is they are interested 

in and not paying any real attention to you? Don’t be that 

person. You learn more from listening than from talking. 

Dale Carnegie says in the classic How To Win Friends and 

Influence People the best conversationalists are the ones 

that listen and ask related questions. Everyone likes to hear 

the sound of their own voice so give the person you are 

speaking with the opportunity to express themselves. In 

our multi-tasking world it can be hard to focus for a long 

period of time. You need to train your brain to be able 

to maintain a laser focus when you need it. I recommend 

practicing simply clearing your mind and focusing on 

your breathing. This is a common method of mediation 

and is highly effective at developing the ability to focus 

when needed. You can practice this before you go to bed 

at night. Practice being more present with your family, 

friends, and coworkers. You will be very pleased with the 

results. 

4. Be empathic. Show that you really care about the person 

you are speaking with. Whether you are a Republican or a 

Democrat you have to admit Bill Clinton was a master at this if 

you remember his town meetings. He seemed to be able to 

make an immediate connection with anyone he met. One of 

the top executives that mentored me was one of the founders 

of the consulting firm Accenture. He taught me that the more 

you help other people the better your life and your business 

will become. Focus on what you can do to help the person you 

are speaking with in some way. I usually give people one or 

more of the following; 1. Knowledge about a topic they show 

an interest - ideally from an article I contributed to or wrote 2. 

The opportunity to get PR - everyone likes to see their name 

in the paper. 3. An opportunity to generate revenue or a role 

they might be interested in with a company. These gifts cost 

me very little out of pocket but can have a significant impact 

on the life of someone I help.hat I had to say so much that he 

invited me to meet his entire staff.

5. Have a clear purpose. I have a clear purpose 

in my life that drives everything I do. What is this 

purpose? In the next ten years, I want to help 1 

million students. This isn’t just a pie in the sky goal 

this is something I am actively pursuing on a number 

of fronts and in fact everything I do feeds into it. The 

profits from my recruiting business support my 

nonprofit, Project Be The Change, which teaches 

entrepreneurship to young people by addressing 

social problems and provides advice from some 

of the most accomplished people in the world for 

free. My life has meaning and that meaning informs 

everything I do. When you have a purpose, whatever 

it might be ,you are significantly more interesting than 

someone who is just focused on gain purely for the 

sake of greed or personal accomplishment. 


6. Always be truthful. At the end of the day your 

value in the eyes of others is going to be in who you 

know and what they trust you to do for them. Never 

violate trust. Never pretend you know something that 

you don’t. Be honest and people will respect you. For 

example, if someone asks me a question about golf I 

will say I don’t really play golf and then I will bridge 

(change the subject) into my passion for endurance 

events like triathlons. 

7. Practice. Practice. Practice. I practice everyday 

connecting with everyone I meet. I make a sincere 

effort to make people laugh, smile, or at the very 

least have a positive experience when they are with 

me. I am paid back for this a million fold because 

everywhere I go from my bank to the coffee shop to my 

students to the gym I always hear the positive refrain, 

“John’s here!”. People greet me as the fun guy they 

love to talk to. That positive energy is self reinforcing 

and I rarely if ever have a bad day because most of 

the people I encounter on any given day are sending 

positive vibes my way. Try this for a few weeks and 

see what it does for you. We are all more similar than 

different. The more you practice at connecting with 

everyone the more you will be able to connect with 

anyone you meet. 

I’m currently reading the book, Joe Girard’s 13 

Essential Rules For Selling. Joe was the Guinness 

Book of World Records #1 Salesman for 12 years in 

a row. Joe advises in the book to treat everyone you 

meet like they are a millionaire. Joe lets bump it up a 

notch and say treat everyone you meet as you would if 

they were a billionaire. Because you just never know 

who might be sitting next to you at dinner. 

des moines sioux city 

dubuque oconomowoc 

architecture / engineering / interiors 

John Paul Engel, consultant, executive recruiter, ghost 

writer, International Man of Mystery has contributed to 

articles in Inc,. US News, Fast Company and 250 media 

outlets. He has worked in 13 countries for some of the 

fastest growing firms in the world. Phi Beta Kappa 

University of Iowa MBA University of Chicago. 

fehdesign.com

Top O Morning 

Mid-American Building 

401 Douglas Street 

Community Room, By Check-In Desk 

Meets Every Monday, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. 

Contact 712.203.2052 with questions. 

WIT Masters 

Western Iowa Tech Community College 

4647 Stone Avenue 

Overlook Cafe, Room L110 

Meets Every Tuesday, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. 


Reddy 

Northeast Community College 

1001 College Way 

Room 122 

Meets Every Thursday, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. 


Siouxland Ciceros 

Great West Casualty 

1100 W. 29th St. 

Cafeteria Conference Room 

Meets the 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the Month 

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. 


Sweet Talkers 

Blue Bunny Corporate Office 

1 Blue Bunny Drive 

CC224 Chocolate Room 

Meets the 1st & 3rd Wednesday of the Month 

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. 

Contact 712.540.6511 with questions.

Siouxland Magazine | Grow / 45 

How Can SBDC Help My Business? 

By Todd Rausch 

Are you thinking of starting a business? Are you 

an owner and want to expand or do a project? Do 

you want to know what resources are available to 

small business owners from the Federal and State 

level? 

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, contact your 

local SBDC. The Small Business Development Centers are 

the local help to small businesses at the Federal and State 

level. Here in our region, the SBDC is hosted by Western Iowa 

Tech Community College. The Small Business Development 

Centers are exactly what our name implies, we are here to 

help develop small businesses in our region. That means 

we are here for all phases of your business. From startup to 

during your growth, and even when or if you decide to exit 

your business either through selling or through succession, 

we are here to help at every step along the way. 

Our mission is 

to support the 

c o l l a b o r a t i v e 

e c o n o m i c 

development of 

Iowa by providing 

e n t re p re n e u r s 

Over the past five years, 

America’s SBDC Iowa has: 

• Worked with nearly 17,000 clients 

• Helped create 7,450 new Iowa jobs 

• Helped start 1,354 new businesses 

and businesses 

with individual consultation and educational resources 

necessary to assist their businesses to succeed; to be an 

innovative source for empowering business success in Iowa. 

During the past five years, our small business clients have 

increased their sales over $335 million and obtained more 

than $342 million in capital. 

What we do: 

• No Fee, Confidential, Customized Business 

Counseling in all 99 Iowa counties 

• Offer a variety of workshops and classes that are 

relevant to today’s businesses 

• Counseling Services 

• Cover a wide range of business topics and issues. 

America’s SBDC Iowa can help with any of the 

following topics and more: 

• Business Planning 

• Customer Discovery 

• Financing Opportunities 

• Cash Flow Projections 

• Financial Analysis 

• Loan Proposal Assistance 

• Business Growth Strategies 

• Marketing Strategies 

• Business Transition 

• Export Assistance 

• Startup Assistance 

Workshops and Classes 

Can be found in all areas of the state include topics such as: 

• Search Engine Optimization 

• QuickBooks 

• Social Media Strategies 

• Startup Basics 

Please Contact us: 

Todd Rausch, Regional Director 

712-274-6454 

todd.rausch@witcc.edu


Iowa West Coast Initiative Wants to Help Your Business 

By Renae Billings 

Looking to connect with people and resources 

to kick off or grow your small business? As the 

Business Development Coordinator for the City of Sioux 

City, one of my many roles is to connect and engage with 

entrepreneurs and small business owners in the community. 

Over the last four years the City has partnered with the 

economic development organizations in Plymouth, Monona 

and Woodbury counties to form Iowa’s West Coast Initiative, 

a collaborative effort to increase entrepreneurial activity in 

Northwest Iowa and support small business growth. As a 

region, we are working together to create opportunities for 

people explore their own entrepreneurial ideas and inspire 

them to put those ideas into action. 

In an effort to build a supportive culture and foster 

entrepreneurial thinking, our regional partners host 

networking events for entrepreneurs to make key 

connections. In addition, they assist in organizing business 

idea competitions for a chance to win startup capital, provide 

specialized educational programs and technical assistance, 

and connect entrepreneurs with available resources, events, 

and services to help their business succeed. 

Check out the many resources and 

events available to entrepreneurs 

and small business owners in our 

region. Additional information can 

be found at www.IAWestCoast.com. 

ENTREPALOOZA 

Over twenty organizations will team up this 

year to co-sponsor Entrepalooza, a twoweek 

long celebration of the entrepreneurial 

spirit in Siouxland. This year’s Entrepalooza 

will take place from February 11-21, 2019. 

Various events will be held around the 

region including networking opportunities, 

business idea competitions, educational 

programming and more. 

INNOVATION MARKET 

Great Ideas…we’ve all had them, but many 

ideas never leave the idea phase. The 

Innovation Market strives to bridge that 

gap from inception to reality! Put on by 

Sioux City Growth Organization (SCGO), 

the Innovation Market is one of Sioux City’s 

business competitions. Individuals submit 

their ideas online to take part in one of the 

biggest think tanks in the area. Innovation 

Market will take place on Thursday, 

February 21, 2019 at 4:30 p.m. in the atrium 

of the Ho-Chunk Centre. To learn more, visit 

www.siouxcitygo.com. 

Renae Billings, City of Sioux City, 

Economic Development

RESOURCES 

IAWESTCOAST.COM I 866.537.6052 

Entrepreneurs and small business owners now have 

access to an information specialist who can assist you 

in finding solutions to your most pressing questions by 

facilitating connections to the right people, data, and 

resources. 

IASOURCELINK.COM I 866.537.6052 

IASourceLink is the premiere business resource in Iowa 

for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Free 

business webinars, expert advice, and a searchable 

directory of organizations that assist Iowa businesses can 

all be found on IASourceLink. 

IOWASBDC.ORG I 712.274.6454 

Do you need free, confidential and customized business 

counseling? Contact SBDC for advice on developing a 

successful business plan. 

SIOUXLANDEDC.COM I 712.279.6430 

Siouxland Economic Development Corporation offers 

financial assistance programs and services to assist 

small and medium sized businesses in getting started or 

expanding. 

MAKERSPACESIOUXCITY.ORG I 712.251.6050 

MakerSpace Sioux City offers shared space for hobbyists, 

inventors, artists and innovative people to come together 

to create and teach through hands-on learning. 

SPRINGBOARDCOWORKING.COM I 515.809.0052 

Springboard Coworking offers shared office space in 

downtown Sioux City for entrepreneurs that combines 

the best elements of cafe culture with a productive, 

functional, and affordable work environment. 

ISUSTARTUPFACTORY.ORG I 515.294.7444 

ISU Startup Factory is designed to help businesses bring 

new products to the market and work with companies to 

make them attractive to outside capital investors. 

VENTURENETIOWA.COM I 515.471.1300 

VentureNet Iowa connects ideas to resources, 

management, and investors, to create jobs and build 

businesses in Iowa. If you have a business idea in the 

areas of Biosciences, Advanced Manufacturing, Value- 

Added Ag, or Information Technology, you may qualify 

for assistance through VentureNet Iowa. 

EVENTS 

IAWESTCOAST.COM 

Biz Brew is a networking event that aims to bring people 

together who are interested in fostering a startup community 

and creating a positive environment for business to grow. 

SPRINGBOARDCOWORKING.COM 

Join local small business owners, entrepreneurs, community 

leaders and other like-minded individuals for coffee and 

networking the first Friday of every month. A great way to meet 

others and share stories, struggles and successes. 


An opportunity for entrepreneurs and small business owners 

in rural Northwest Iowa to network through sharing ideas, 

knowledge, experiences and resources. 


Launch It College Games brings college students together, 

from all areas of study, to pitch their business ideas, form teams 

around the top ideas, and create a business in the course of a 

weekend. 

DREAMBIGGROWHERE.COM 

Entrepreneurs in Northwest Iowa counties can submit their 

business expansion or startup ideas for a chance to win 

thousands in cash prizes. 

SIOUXCITYGO.COM/INNOVATION-MARKET 

Innovation Market is an annual business idea competition 

hosted by the Sioux City Growth Organization that aims to take 

ideas and turn them into reality. Financial awards are given to 

the top ideas. 

BRIARCLIFF.EDU/SHARKS 

Swimming with the sharks is an annual event in which 

entrepreneurs vie for mini-grants by pitching their business 

ideas to a panel of experts. 


A week-long series of events related to innovation and 

entrepreneurship is held annually and aims to promote 

collaboration and encourage entrepreneurs to turn their ideas 

into action. 


IOWAJPEC.ORG/COMMUNITY/VENTURE-SCHOOL 

Venture School is a program designed to aid aspiring 

entrepreneurs in accelerating the startup process 

through real-world experimentation and valuable 

feedback.


small business 

EXPO 

Tuesday, April 16, 2019 

4:30 - 6:30 PM 

Holiday Inn Express - Dakota Dunes Event Center 

Free and Open to the Public 

$100 cash door prizes 

(must be present to win) 

Complimentary Appetizers 

Small Businesses Moving Our Economy 

By Katy Karrer 

America’s small businesses are moving our 

economy more than ever. The U.S. Small Business 

Administration reports that more than 50% of Americans 

either own or work for a small business and small businesses 

create about 2 out of 3 new jobs in the U.S. each year. Small 

businesses power our nation’s economy and the same is true 

at home, evident in the fact that nearly 75% of the Siouxland 

Chamber of Commerce’s membership is comprised of 

businesses with 20 or fewer employees. 

To spotlight our area’s outstanding small businesses the 

Siouxland Chamber Ambassadors host the Small Business 

EXPO each year. The 8th annual Small Business EXPO will 

be held at Dakota Dunes’ newest venue, the Holiday Inn 

Express & Suites Event Center on April 16, 2019 and is free 

and open to the public. The location provides a spacious 

exhibit area and exquisite indoor and outdoor seating areas 

perfect for networking with Siouxland’s business leaders. 

Hors d’oeuvres and drinks along with many giveaways make 

for an atmosphere full of energy. 

The event is much like a trade show, with 50 exhibitors from 

a wide array of industries: health and beauty, business 

services and consulting, insurance and finance, food and 

beverage, non-profits, and personal services. Guests will 

learn about many businesses they may not be familiar with. 

The EXPO allows those smaller companies that may not 

be able to get away during the day, to attend a Chamber 

event. What better event to attend than one in which you 

get to talk about the advantages of your own business and 

personally answer attendee questions and show them how 

the company’s products and services can meet business and 

personal needs. 

A popular feature of the EXPO is the Taste of Siouxland which 

highlights area food and beverage vendors who provide 

complimentary samples of their culinary delights. Along with 

many giveaways and drawings including cash drawings from 

the Chamber, vendors will be displaying and selling their 

products so attendees will want to be prepared to purchase 

unique items that will be available. 

The EXPO is free and open to the 

public. Watch for more details 

on the EXPO on the Chamber’s 

website, siouxlandchamber.com, 

or Week at a Glance newsletter. 

Vendors must be Chamber 

members. To inquire about vendor 

opportunities that may still be 

available contact the Siouxland 

Chamber at 712-255-7903. 

Katy Karrer, Director of Events, 

Siouxland Chamber of Commerce

Sioux City Scoop 

By Alex Watters 

Four years. That’s how long a 

member of City Council is elected 

to serve the citizens of Sioux City, 

Iowa. I’m just getting started in my 

first full term as a Council member 

and am thankful to our citizens for 

entrusting me to be their voice. 

I’m honored to work with Mayor 

Bob Scott, Mayor Pro Tem Dan 

Moore, Councilmember Rhonda 

Capron and Councilmember Pete 

Groetken to grow our community. 

The City Council has a unique opportunity every year to 

work with city staff in prioritizing where to spend taxpayer 

dollars. We recently spent a Saturday reviewing projects in 

the capital improvement program, or CIP, budget for the next 

five years. With more than 500 pages to study, the budget 

book can be quite daunting, but it’s important to go through 

every department’s proposals and see what they would like 

to prioritize. Going into this budget hearing, the city’s aging 

streets, with an average age around 60 years old, were first and 

forefront on my mind. Infrastructure improvements proved to 

be a top priority and Council members discussed over the 

next five years directing $33.5 million to waste water treatment 

plant improvements, $32.5 million to street reconstruction 

and $15.2 million to riverfront redevelopment. The City 

Council will also review the operating budget before 

ultimately approving both budgets in early March. 

As your City Council, we do not make these decisions 

lightly. Our goal is to determine and prioritize the best 

use of your hard-earned money to make Sioux City 

a place people are proud to call home and excited to 

visit. If you’re interested in being a part of that process, 

I encourage you to get involved on a city board or 

commission, attend a Council meeting, or send an email 

to ccouncil@sioux-city.org. I’m looking forward to the 

future of Sioux City and I think that together we can truly 

make a difference. 

Alex Watters, City Council of Sioux City 

www.sioux-city.org 


At Le Mars Beauty College, we are committed 

to inspiring our students and teaching them 

the skills they need to be successful in any 

area of our ever expanding beauty industry. 

Class Start Dates: 

March 5 & June 11 

Go to LeMarsBeautyCollege.com to apply. 

128 Central Ave SE | Le Mars IA 51031 

712.546.4195 | info@LBC4U.com

alance 

Inside and out. 

indulging 

fitness 

meditation 

nutrition 

Sponsored by Le Mars Beauty College

Access Presence: a Radical Pause 

By Jianna Hoss 

“Last year, I had one of my yoga teachers say 

in class that life exists between the first inhale 

and the last exhale, so we better be breathing 

well in between.” 

Those words stuck like glue. I began to realize how 

much I unconsciously took shallow breaths, or held it all 

together. When I realized it about myself, I started seeing 

it in others, too. 

Siouxland Magazine | balance / 51 

The reasons for this are probably endless, but I imagine 

living in a world that is fast paced and filled with 

distractions doesn’t help this. We live with constant 

notifications, access to the news on demand and 

connection with family and friends. 

Perhaps none of this is what you imagine to be “stressful,” 

but studies are now being done that observe the link 

between constant stimuli and the nervous system 

responses. In using mindful breath techniques, we can 

“hack” the nervous system. This means that through a 

deep breath, we can signal to our system that the “fight/ 

flight/freeze” response is not necessary, and begin to 

calm down. 

One of the biggest benefits of yoga is it weaves together 

the movement with the breath. Every pose or sequence 

in class has a breath to tie it in; inhales for expansion, 

exhales for contraction, and easy breathing in between. 

We look at yoga as a moving practice, but at its heart, 

is first a breathing and meditation practice. Only from a 

state of regulating out breast are we able to move and 

sit with ease. 

Yoga isn’t the only movement discipline that uses breath 

work: runners have their own method based on steps, 

climbers have forceful exhales on hard moves, and 

swimmers rely heavily upon the breath. 

Not only is breath necessary in movement practices, but 

it can also become part of your toolkit to radically pause 

in day-to-day life: how often has a deep breath helped 

you calm down? 

Being able to control your breath, in some ways, gives 

you a chance to control everything else. In times when 

we’re stressed, we can breathe a bit deeper to signal to 

the nervous system and brain that everything is okay. 

If we find ourselves in an emotional situation, a breath 

gives us a chance to process before we react. Or, if we’re 

outside for a walk, taking a deep breath allows us to reign 

in the present moment. 

When we consciously take a moment to pause and 

breathe, as to create a radical shift, our body responds. 

We create PRESENCE, and that is a radical act in a world 

PUT IT INTO PRACTICE Circumferential Breath 

Often, people only breathe through one point, usually 

the belly or chest. A circumferential breath instead treats 

the torso as a globe - the breath won’t just move in one 

direction, but through many different areas. 

Try laying down on the ground in a comfortable position. 

• Take a breath in for 4 counts. Image the torso like a 

globe, breathing into the circumference of the belly, 

ribs, and back. UP into the belly, DOWN into the back, 

and OUT into the ribcage. 

• Hold the top of the breath for 4 counts. 

• Slowly exhale for 6 counts. 

• Hold at bottom for 4 or more counts, drawing out the 

retention. 

Notice how your system responds to the top of the breath 

and the bottom. Repeat a few times. 

that is quick and evolving constantly. With a single breath, we 

get a gentle reminder to pay attention to this moment. 

Life exists between first inhale and last exhale. Everything in 

between matters just as much. The best thing we can do to 

make sure it counts is to breathe more deeply. Perhaps, that will 

translate into the rest of your life: living full, living deep, with 

purposeful action 

Jianna Hoss Is a local yoga teacher and movement practitioner. 

In her free time, she loves to climb, slackline, and be outside 

regardless of the season. You can practice movement and yoga 

with her at {be} Studio downtown or learn more about her at 

jiannahoss.com.


Stop suffering 

with chronicpain 

Joint & Back Pain | Neuropthy 

Enhance Your Body’s Natural Ability to Heal 

Regenerative Stem Cell Therapy 

Find relief without surgery 

& start enjoying life again! 

Stem cell therapy is now available, in office, at Multicare 

Clinic. As a minimal risk, high benefit alternative to surgery, tem cell 

procedures are typically able to compel the body to do what it was 

meant to do – heal naturally. Whether you choose to use your own, 

or ethically and safely donated stem cells, we abide by strict protocols 

including rigorous testing and processing at only FDA registered biologic 

laboratories. Stem cells procedures help with reduction or elimination of 

pain and inflammation, minimizing scar tissue, and promoting soft tissue 

growth. The future of Medicine is here, making our goal of addressing the 

source of your pain more obtainable than ever. 

Foot/Arm 

The Power of 

Regenerative Medicine 

can effectively treat: 

Eunice E. 

Hip Pain 

“My worst pain was in my right 

hip. To sleep at night, I could only 

lie down for a few hours at a 

time or the pain would get really 

bad, shooting down my leg. I was 

actually kind of excited to find a 

new treatment. I felt results right 

away. The first night I was able to 

sleep through the entire night. It 

was amazing!” 

Harold I. 

Hip & Knee 

Back/Neck 

Knee/Hip/Shoulder 

Neuropathy 

Arthritis/Bursitis 

Sports Injuries 

Planter Fasciitis 

Tennis/Golfers Elbow 

Tendonitis/Ligament Injuries 

Multicare Health Clinic 

3930 Stadium Drive 

Sioux City, IA 51106 

MulticareClinic.com 

(712) 276-4325 

“It seemed like I’d been suffering 

forever. The pain was in my left 

hip and both my knees. Since I’ve 

had it done, my arthritic pain has 

disappeared. I have ambition. I 

feel like doing something. I don’t 

sit in the car waiting for my wife 

to shop. I actually go with her, 

which I don’t know if that’s a 

good idea, but that’s what I do. I 

didn’t realize it would change like 

it has. Life’s great! I look forward 

to doing things every day now. I 

would recommend it to anybody, 

and I have. I don’t know why you 

wouldn’t.” 

Stem cell therapy is still considered 

experimental by the FDA.

Where Do Stem Cells Come From? 

We all have Stem Cells within our bodies. They are called our Master Cells because they can turn into almost 

any type of tissue. By the same process that Stem Cells are used to remarkably create every baby, they are 

used by us to help rebuild the cartilage within our arthritic joints. Many have heard of this amazingly safe 

and effective alternative to surgery, but the #1 question we are currently asked is: WHERE DO STEM CELLS 

COME FROM? So let’s start there… 

In select hospitals, after mothers have successfully completed their scheduled C-section, if they are under the age 

of 35, they have a choice. They can throw them away as usual, or they can give their consent to be compensated 

approximately $2000.00 for the hospital to keep their umbilical cord & amniotic fluid/membrane. 


Of course, as it is thankfully illegal, fetal & embryonic tissues are NEVER used to obtain ANY Stem Cells in this 

process. 

After the mother has been thoroughly screened for essentially every known disease, the umbilical cord and amniotic 

products are sent to an FDA registered lab for them to re-test it once again before they start the process of extracting 

the Stem Cells from these tissues. 

Our Stem Cells are never concentrated any higher than when we were first born (when a remarkable high number of 

1 out of every 10,000 of our cells were once Stem Cells). 

Alternatively, we can also get Stem Cells by putting a needle into the bone marrow of our own hip. However, by the 

time we are the age of 50, we have 90% less Stem Cells to use than when we were born. This, along with the fact 

that you can develop some chronic hip pain from this process, is why we don’t recommend this 

process for anyone over the age of 50. It is however an option you have at Multicare. 

This is also largely the reason why 99% of the people that are asking us for Stem Cell Therapy, are interested in using 

Stem Cells from donated umbilical cords. Currently, over 20% of all umbilical cords from C-sections are currently 

being used for their Stem Cells. 

The laboratories are able to utilize an intricate twelve step process to prepare a biologic (product from someone else’s 

biology) that contains millions of Mesenchymal Stem Cells. 

This process is highly regulated by the FDA to ensure complete safety and purity. 

This biologic not only contains millions of Stem Cells, but additionally offers a matrix of other highly valuable products 

of cytokines and growth factors etc. for additional anti-inflammation and re-building properties. 

This is immediately cryogenically frozen to -171°C at the laboratory and shipped to us on dry ice the same day of 

your procedure. 

The Stem Cell product is thawed 10 minutes prior to being used at our office and is introduced by way of an injection 

by and image guidance by our highly trained medical staff to the area of need to start the Regenerative Medicine 

process that only Stem Cells can provide. 

Next issue: How Do Stem Cells Work 

and The Conditions They Treat 

To Get the Date and Time of Our Next Seminar: 

Attendees 

Receive 

Special 

Offer 

Can’t wait to learn more… 

Attend One or Our 

FREE Educational Seminars 

Call Us 

(712) 276-4325 Office Hours 

(712) 266-6294 After Hours 

Like Us 

@MulticareHealthClinic

explore 

Get dirty. 

breath 

get outside 

protect 

deep 

play 

Sponsored by Compressed Steel & State Steel 

What’s the Big Deal? 

By Carrie Radloff and Melissa Campbell 

What comes to mind when you consider 

environmental issues in Siouxland? Do 

we need to recycle more, or focus on using less 

overall? Why does it matter how our electricity is 

created? Where does litter come from, and who is 

responsible for dealing with it? What’s the big deal 

with water quality anyway? Why should we care 

about what’s growing in our yards? 

Water quality, renewable energy, wildlife 

conservation, recycling, waste reduction, climate 

change… it is undeniable that environmental 

issues affect our quality of life. Improving our 

environment provides benefits beyond clean 

air, water, and land; it makes Siouxland a better 

place to live, improves our appeal to visitors and 

potential businesses, and provides a better future 

for our children. As Siouxland continues to grow, 

we must do it sustainably by investing time and 

resources on protecting our natural environment. 

In this year’s Siouxland Magazine, Melissa 

Campbell and Carrie Radloff will introduce you to 

the issues and to some of the people working on 

them, as well as provide information on how you 

can help make a difference, too. 

We are excited for this opportunity to address 

some things you may have wondered about, and 

introduce you to things you may have never given 

a second thought about. 

Melissa 

Campbell is the 

Environmental 

Analyst for the City 

of Sioux City. 

Carrie Radloff chairs the 

Northwest Iowa Group of 

Sierra Club and serves on 

the Sioux City Environmental 

Advisory Board. 

Mark your calendar for these 

upcoming events! 

Sioux City Litter Dash on Friday, April 19: Volunteer with litter 

clean-up team. 

Siouxland Earth Day on the riverfront in South Sioux City on 

Sunday, April 29: Booths, speakers and activities. 

Loess Hills Prairie Seminar near Onawa on June 1 & 2: 

Experience the flora, fauna, history, and science of the Loess Hills. 

Want to learn more? 

Contact these organizations to learn more about what they do and 

how you can be involved: 

Northwest Iowa Group of Sierra Club 

facebook.com/NorthwestIowaSierraClub 

County conservation boards, parks, and nature centers: 

Loess Hills Audubon Society (birds) lhas.tripod.com 

Loess Hills Wild Ones (native plants) facebook.com/ 

LoessHillsWildOnes 

Sioux City Environmental Advisory Board www.sioux-city.org/EAB 

Friends of Stone Park friendsofstonepark.blogspot.com 

Loess Hills Alliance loesshillsalliance.com 

Iowa Department of Natural Resources iowadnr.gov

Siouxland Magazine | EXPLORE /55

Siouxland Magazine | EXPLORE / 56 

Need 

Excess Produce 

Up 

From 

the 

Earth 

Existing 

Infrastructure 

Up from the Earth Chops Away at Food Insecurity 

By Pamela L. Mickelson & Randy Burnight 

Did you know that one in six adults and one in 

five children in Siouxland are food insecure? 

That means on a regular basis they don’t always know 

where their next meal is coming from. Translation: about 

12,000 to 13,000 local Siouxlanders are facing hunger 

regularly, or 13.4% of Woodbury and 8.5% of Dakota 

County residents. State wide over 400,000 Iowans and 

over 225,000 Nebraskans are food insecure. Feeding 

America sites that 1 in 89 people in the US struggle with 

hunger and food insecurity. 

After learning this, something had to be done to help 

those in our own community, thus Up from the Earth was 

born. In 2014, Up from the Earth started as a voluntary 

system for connecting excess produce from home 

gardens to people in need. The group facilitates the 

collection and distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables 

through an existing pantry system in the community. They 

started with ten pilot sites and collected 7,000 pounds 

of produce. Currently, collection sights are all over the 

area. Six sites are in Nebraska, five on the Northside, ten 

in Midtown and Westside and eight in the Morningside area. 

That’s almost 30 sites in Siouxland! 

After finishing their fifth growing season, a grand total 

exceeding 100,000 pounds (over 300,000 servings of fresh 

fruits and vegetables!) were collected and shared with those

in need. A true testimony of the concern, generosity and 

commitment to address hunger in our community. 

Partners with Up from the Earth include Master Gardeners, 

Women United, NACCHO, ISU Extension at Woodbury 

County, Dakota County Voices for Food, Morningside 

College Creative Edge Advertising, Blue Zone Pop-up 

Park and Siouxland District Health. 

So, what can you do 

this time of year? 

In January, the 

Zucchini Guy 

(aka Mark 

Raymond) 

received all 

of his seed 

catalogs, 

looked 

through 

them and has 

ordered a few new 

packets of seeds (it’s immaterial 

whether there will be room to plant 

them all!). He tries at least three new 

vegetable varieties each year, such as 

winged beans, purple carrots or 

Japanese cucumbers. 

How can you help? 

You can get seeds and start growing too! A few favorite 

places for seeds are Kitazawa which specializes in Asian 

vegetables (so much Bok Choy, so little time) and Baker 

Creek Heirloom Seeds (www.rareseeds.com). 

First time gardeners, it’s getting time to start looking for 

places to plant a small garden. Start collecting garden 

tools and review the types of plants and seeds you will 

need. Our local garden store Earl May has trained people 

year-round to help as needed. 

Already have a garden? 

Make plans to expand your existing garden and grow an 

extra row. 

Want to get involved? 

Check out the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ 

upfromtheearth and reach out through the website at, 

https://upfromtheearth.wixsite.com/siouxland. 

Pam Mickelson is a retired professor and chair of the 

Business and Accounting Department at Morningside 

College. She is a leader in the marketing community and 

a garden enthusiast. 

Randy Burnight is a retired dentist and the founder of Up 

from the Earth. He is a master gardener and a recipient of 

the American Red Cross Heroes of the Heartland. 

Siouxland Magazine | EXPLORE / 57 

You’re ready to reach your business goals. 

We’re ready to help. 

Social Media. Website Design. Photography. Copywriting. Graphic Design. Video. 

Pulse w pulse co.com 

MARKETING 

c 712.898.9727 

e becca@pulse co.com 

Becca Feauto 

Creative Lead/Owner

enjoy 

You only live once. 

culture 

have fun 

entertainment 

gather 

The Symphony 

Activities 

THE AMADEUS EXPERIENCE 

(The Life of Mozart) 

February 23, 2019 

Experience the music of Wolfgang 

Amadeus Mozart and learn why Mozart 

was considered a genius and how he 

became famous. You will be immersed 

in an evening featuring the talented 

musicians of the SCSO as soloists 

and the Briar Cliff University Chamber 

Choir. Hear Mozart’s first composition 

he wrote at age 5, music from his teens 

and 20’s and works written during his 

final years up unto his untimely death. 

AN EVENING OF SYMPHONIC 

DANCE 

March 9, 2019 

Witness this thrilling collaboration 

between the award-winning, 

Manhattan-based contemporary 

dance company, Dance Heginbotham 

and the stellar Sioux City Symphony 

as both dancers and musicians share 

the Orpheum stage! If you are a fan of 

dance or music, this concert is a can’t 

miss event. 

A SPACE ODYSSEY 

April 6, 2019 

The Symphony welcomes back Musical 

America’s 2017 Composer of the 

Year, composer/DJ Mason Bate. The 

program will focus on one of Mason’s 

more provocative works, Passage, 

for mezzo-soprano, orchestra, and 

laptop. The work examines the theme 

of American exploration through the 

visionary words of Walt Whitman and 

actual recorded fragments of JFK’s 

“moonshot” speech. 

Sioux City Public Museum 

Programs 

Christmas Toys through the 

Decades 

On display through March 24, 2019 

A display of classic toys from the 

personal collection of local KSCJ radio 

personality Larry Fuller as well as items 

from the Sioux City Public Museum’s 

collection. 

Sioux City History Projects 

March 16 - May 11, 2019 

The 28th annual display of models 

and posters created by Sioux City 

4th grade students of local historic 

landmarks, people, and events. 

History at High Noon: Sioux City 

Grocery Stores 

Thursday, February 21 • 12:05 p.m. 

Presenter Tom Munson, Archives 

Manager, will trace the history of local 

shops starting with Sioux City’s first 

general store in 1856. 

History at High Noon: Sioux 

City’s First Banker 

Thursday, March 21 • 12:05 p.m. 

Presenter Haley Aguirre, Archival 

Records Clerk, will explore the story of 

George Weare and his bank, and how 

the Weare family impacted Sioux City 

high society from the Victorian era and 

beyond. 

History at High Noon: The Great 

Depression in Sioux City 

Thursday, April 18 • 12:05 p.m. 

Presenter Matt Anderson, Curator of 

History, will reflect on the economic 

turmoil of the 1930s. Featured images 

illustrate the challenges local citizens 

faced during the Great Depression & 

how they handled with them. 

Sioux City Art Center 

Activities 

Youth Art Month Exhibition: 

High School Students 

February 16 – April 14, 2019 

Reception and Awards Ceremony: 

Sunday, February 17, 1:30 – 3 p.m. 

One of the Art Center’s favorite traditions 

is the celebration of Youth Art Month, 

March, with a exhibition of artworks 

produced by high school students in 

Siouxland. 548 entries were received 

from more than two dozen schools. 

Make sure to visit this exhibition to be 

inspired by the talent of our local high 

school students. 

ARTcetera ’19 

On view through March 10, 2019 

Auction: Saturday, March 2, 6– 9 p.m. 

The Art Center’s fantastic art auction is 

back! The selection of art from local and 

regional artists is currently on display 

in the Main Gallery and it’s all available 

for purchase, with proceeds benefiting 

the exhibition and education programs 

of the Art Center. Tickets are $75 per 

person and include hors d’oeuvres & 

a selection of wines, beers, and other 

beverages. Artworks can be viewed 

online at http://bidpal.net/artcetera19. 

Spring Classes at the Gilchrist 

Learning Center 

Classes begin March 18 

Tap into your creativity with classes & 

workshops at the Gilchrist Learning 

Center. The class schedule is filled with 

classes for toddlers and preschoolers, 

after-school classes for schoolchildren, 

and many evening & weekend 

classes for adults. Visit https://www. 

siouxcityartcenter.org/education or the 

Art Center for a schedule of classes & 

workshops.


Personal, Resourceful, Results. 

With attorneys licensed in the 

tri-state area of Iowa, Nebraska and 

South Dakota, we have professional 

team members prepared to help 

you plan and respond to personal 

and business issues ranging from 

complicated commercial transactions, 

real estate, estate planning, wills and 

trusts, to litigation. 

501 Pierce Street, Ste. 300, PO Box 3207 

Sioux City, IA 51102 

Tel (712) 252-0020 | Fax (712) 252-0656 

MooreHeffernanLaw.com

Why go anywhere else? 

We Beat Big Box Store Prices! 

When you buy from Pflanz you get: 

• Professional sales staff 

• All the best brands 

• Best prices in town 

Oh, and we’re here to help you after the sale. 

That’s just what we do. 

Locally owned, proudly serving 

Siouxland for 60 years!

Siouxland Magazine - Feb. 2019

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?