cedar valley business monthly - sept. 2011

THE COURIERPAGE 2 FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2011CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY cvbusinessmonthly.com

Thursday, September 22nd

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THE COURIER PAGE 3CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLYcvbusinessmonthly.com

Photos by MATTHEW PUTNEY / Courier Photo Editor

Codie Steele, above, crop-dusts a corn fi eld for Hoppe Airspray in August near Beaman. At left, Raymond Lock of Okmulgee, Okla., installs a rebuilt engine on a crop-dusting airplane.

By JIM OFFNER

[email protected]

BEAMAN — This time of year the Cedar Valley sky is fi lled with crop-dusters — also known as “aerial applicators.”

It’s a seasonal job. Many fl iers come to the area from Southern states to treat Iowa corn and soy-bean fi elds with insecticides and fungicides from June through September and then head back home until the next summer.

Pilots and crop-dusting com-pany operators know the risks are great. But their love of what they do is even greater.

“I like dealing with the farming community,” said Glenn Speas, owner of Speas Aviation near Belle Plaine, which operates 12 planes and 12 helicopters. “I’ve fl own as an airline captain for about 10 years, fl ying commer-cial 727s, 737s, before I got out in 2000. With the way things are going, I’m glad I’m not with the airline industry anymore.”

The business has changed, and the need for crop-dusters has become more consistent year after year, Speas said. “In the past, crop-dusting was sort of a feast-or-famine type of situa-tion,” Speas said. “We basically depended on insect runs.

However, in recent years farm-ers have come to recognize the value of regular dusting appli-cations to fi ght other problems, Speas said.

“It improved yields immense-ly,” he said. “It has helped our

industry out; it’s good for the farmer and good for our aer-ial applications. Now, we can expect to have more of a steady business year after year, rather than real good one year and next year starve to death. So, now it’s evolved into a real big thing here in the Midwest, in the Corn Belt.”

Pilots say they know it is a risky occupation.

“It’s defi nitely in the back of your mind at all times,” said Charlie Purvis, 25, a four-year pilot for Beaman-based Hoppe Airspray who estimated he fl ies 20 to 30 jobs some days.

Airspray

Volume 5 ● No. 10

ON THE COVER BUSINESS MONTHLY STAFF DIRECTORY

Cedar Valley Business Monthly is published monthly. It is a free publication direct-mailed to more than 6,500 area businesses. For distribution, call Courier Communications at (319) 291-1527 Contact Cedar Valley Business Monthly at P.O. Box 540, Waterloo, IA 50704.

Codie Steel sprays farm chemicals on a corn fi eld for Hoppe Airspray of Beaman.

www.cvbusinessmonthly.com

See DUSTERS, page A4

EDITORIAL CONTENTNancy Raffensperger [email protected](319) 291-1445

Jim [email protected](319) 291-1598

ADVERTISINGDavid [email protected](319) 291-1403Jackie [email protected](319) 291-1527Sheila [email protected](319) 291-1448

SEPTEMBER 2011

Farmers increasingly look to crop-dusters to keep fi elds healthy, bring in lofty profi ts

THE COURIERPAGE 4 CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY cvbusinessmonthly.com

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“Defi nitely, the wind up here in Iowa is a big factor,” said Purvis. “It’s always blowing so hard. When it’s real hot, also, planes don’t respond well or perform as well as they should. It’s part of the business.”

So is deciding when an application is needed, said Tom Smidt, a crop consultant with Smidt Crop Management of Greene.

“If issues were at a level suffi cient to cause dam-age to a crop, we’d suggest to get sprayed some-how,” Smidt said.

Most applicators charge between $9 and $10 per acre, plus fuel, Smidt said.

Purvis, a resident of Tallulah, La., is like many crop-dusters who cover the Iowa fi elds, fl ying in for the season and then heading back home when the season is done late in the summer.

Hoppe co-owner Dan Tonner said crop-dusters have to multitask constantly to survive, much less get the job done.

“It takes a very skilled pilot and a guy who’s very aware of the environment he’s operating in,” said Tonner, himself a former crop-dusting pilot. “There’s a lot of diff erent hazards that can reach out and grab you. You’re watching the GPS to stay on their swath. They also have to watch for

obstacles, avoid drift and fl y 130 to 150 mph.”As for the perils of looping around farm fi elds,

Tonner said, good pilots have a knack for dealing with them.

“It really depends on the individual,” he said. “Some guys when they start can have more trou-ble. It also depends on if they’ve had a good men-tor, an older ag pilot they’ve worked with. That makes them a safer ag pilot.”

Speas said safety has improved with technology.“They used to fl y by the seat of their pants.

Now everything is high-tech,” he said. “We use GPS. We have computerized programs and upload maps into the GPS and can download it at end of day for the farmers.”

What of the future? Are there new pilots enter-ing the business?

Speas said no.“There’s not that many younger guys getting

into the business because of insurance require-ments. Because an aircraft costs so much, it’s hard to fi nd younger pilots qualifi ed as far as insurance is concerned.”

That didn’t dissuade Purvis, although he acknowledged it isn’t an easy line of work to choose.

“It’s very hard to get started,” Purvis said. “If you get your foot in the door, you won’t have any trouble coming. But you have to love it. If you don’t love it, you’ll hurt yourself.”

DUSTERSFrom page 3

MATTHEW PUTNEY / Courier Photo Editor

Tom Wilson of Marshalltown mixes fungicide for airplanes to spray on corn fi elds for Hoppe Airspray near Beaman.

SEPTEMBER 2011


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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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As one plies the byways of Iowa in the waning days of summer, it is easy to see what truly drives the state.

A common sight along Iowa highways this time of year is fi elds dotted with truckloads of newly harvest-ed grain, roads clogged by lum-bering combines and slow-roll-ing sprayers that hug the road’s shoulder in order to allow traffi c to slip cautiously past. The circus-

like loops of crop-dusting planes are ubiquitous in the Iowa sky.

Those, along with the grain elevators that dominate the landscape of every small town, are visible signs of agriculture’s presence in the state. But agricul-ture’s reach across Iowa is much broader and runs far deeper.

It is safe to say that agriculture defi nes Iowa. It certainly plays a central role in the business foun-dation of the Cedar Valley.

It seems only natural that each fall the Cedar Valley Busi-ness Monthly turn its attention to agriculture, since the sector’s fi ngers reach into virtually every aspect of the local economy.

The history of the region and its farming heritage is as rich as the soil that produces more corn than any other state in the U.S.

The region’s marriage to agri-culture dates to its birth. Planted fi rmly in the middle of the corn capital of the country, the Cedar Valley has served as host to some of the most fertile — and profi t-able — enterprises in the nation. In addition to corn, there are soybeans, hogs, dairy operations and even, in-season, fresh fruits

and vegetables. Off -season pro-duction of tomatoes and other vegetables is gaining traction in a growing hothouse industry.

And then there is Deere & Co., which employs more than 5,500 area residents.

That is just some of what built our region into a major agricul-tural production center.

And thanks to contributions from corporate leaders like Deere and some of the brightest minds from institutions of higher learning, such as the University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University, our attention is turn-ing toward the future.

Cedar Valley TechWorks is on a path to becoming the region’s crown jewel for ag-based tech-nology. The TechWorks build-ings, formerly occupied by Deere’s tractor and component works, form the nerve center of an idea that melds the best of technology with our agricul-tural pedigree. Deere donated the land and buildings. Planners have been hard at work gutting the property and retrofi tting the buildings to house a research and development center to focus on developing biofuels and tech-nologies that will turn this region into the agricultural and techno-logical center of the Midwest.

This issue of the Cedar Valley Business Monthly, in addition to providing thought-provoking opinions on the state of business in the region, will off er insights into the role agriculture has played in the region’s past and its growth in the future.

Thumb through the following pages and appreciate the diverse knowledge base that is serving to bring our region to the forefront of technology, as that fi eld blends with agriculture in ways that will serve our region’s growth for decades to come.

Jim Offneris the Courier

business editor. Contact him at jim.offner@

wcfcourier.com.

Agriculture remains backbone of Iowaand local economies

SEPTEMBER 2011


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SEPTEMBER 2011

Good Morning Cedar Valley at WartburgWartburg College invites

members of the Greater Cedar Valley Chamber of Commerce to

visit our cam-pus for Good Morning Cedar Valley Thurs-day, Sept. 29.

The event is an opportunity for us to tell the Wartburg story and for the Waverly busi-ness commu-nity to discuss its successes. It will be held in the Wartburg-

Waverly Sports & Wellness Cen-ter (aka “The W”) — a facility that is worth a visit on its own merits — from 7:30 to 9 a.m.

Both the college and Waverly have experienced steady growth during the past decade. Wart-burg’s enrollment has increased from around 1,400 in 2000 to nearly 1,800 today, spurred by an overhaul of the campus infrastructure — new construc-tion and renovations — and an

increase in faculty.During that decade, Waverly’s

population grew by nearly 4.3 percent to 9,359.

Holding Good Morning Cedar Valley at The W is signifi cant because it symbolizes the sym-biotic relationship between Wartburg and Waverly. The W is one of the few “hybrid” rec-reational facilities in the nation — shared by a college and the wider community. It also gives Waverly a business recruitment advantage as one of the few Iowa communities to off er fi rst-class, year-round recreational oppor-tunities, including:

A 6,000 square-foot fi tness center with a wide array of work-out equipment and a climbing wall.

A natatorium with a zero-depth entry, six-lane pool, waterslide, vortex pool and a hot tub.

Four multipurpose courts plus an “auxiliary” basketball court, two tracks and two racquetball courts.

Wartburg and Waverly are partners in many other ways.

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Wartburg had operated at seven diff erent sites since its founding in 1852, including a Waverly campus established in 1879 with junior college and teacher preparation programs. In 1933, the American Luther-an Church closed the Waverly campus and moved those pro-grams to the four-year Wartburg College campus in Clinton.

Delegates at the 1934 ALC con-vention in Waverly revisited that decision. Impressed by Waverly’s hospitality and the campus facil-ities, they voted to close the Clin-ton campus and reopen Wartburg College in Waverly as a four-year school in the fall of 1935.

Waverly residents embarked on a $100,000 fundraising cam-paign — a remarkable undertak-ing during the Great Depression

— to clinch the deal. That investment has paid big

dividends over time, including these numbers from the 2010-11 academic year:

The college had 470 employ-ees — nearly 350 full-time and 301 who lived in Waverly.

The college’s payroll, pur-chase of goods and services, and spending by students and visitors were estimated at $43 million.

The college paid $50,000 in local property taxes.

Wartburg spent $16.3 million (not including salaries, benefi ts, buildings and fi nancial aid) for goods and services, primarily in the Cedar Valley.

Aside from the economic num-bers, there’s Wartburg’s civic involvement. The college’s Cen-ter for Community Engagement

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was designated by the city to lead the 2008 fl ood recovery eff orts and was later recognized with a Governor’s Volunteer Award.

Wartburg faculty and staff are involved in virtually every civic and community organiza-tion. Wartburg students work as Chamber of Commerce interns — available to assist local busi-nesses — in marketing, tech-nology and public relations endeavors.

A “Walk Out” during student orientation familiarizes fi rst-year students with Waverly retailers. Hospitality packets are provided at Wartburg events that bring large groups to cam-pus to promote local businesses and off erings.

Saul Shapiro is director

of news and community relations at Wartburg College.

See WARTBURG, page 7


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Leadership. Service. Faith. Learning.

I grew up on a family farm in New Hampton, where I saw the challenges farmers face.

I discovered banking and insurance as a way to pursue my true passion: creating my own farming operation.

Wartburg College helped me realize my career goals and made me a well-rounded person capable of succeeding in other ways, too.

I became a vice president of ag and commercial banking, and now I help farmers insure their crops.

My Wartburg education enabled me to help the people I care about most.

— Bruce Lantzky, ’93, BA

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The college is working with the city and other groups on a busi-ness incubator project.

Good Morning Cedar Valley also is an opportunity for Wart-burg to thank all the Cedar Valley businesses that have provided our students with internships. Those real-world work expe-riences are invaluable. It’s one reason why nearly 74 percent of our Iowa graduates remain in

the state to pursue jobs or grad-uate school, while 24 percent of our out-of-state U.S. graduates relocate to Iowa.

So take the 20-minute drive to Wartburg from Waterloo-Cedar Falls and learn what Wartburg and Waverly have to off er. If you haven’t been on the cam-pus in the past decade, you’ll be amazed by the transformation.

And take full advantage of The W while you’re here. Anyone attending Good Morning Cedar Valley can use the facility that day for free.

WARTBURGFrom page 6

SEPTEMBER 2011

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Five reasons for investors to be encouraged despite economyIt’s easy to become over-

whelmed by the constant stream of negative news about the state

of our country and the world. This feeling also makes it diffi cult to invest with confi dence.

At times likes these, a little per-spective might be in order. Remem-ber smart invest-ing is not depen-dent on today’s headlines. It is about build-ing wealth over a

long period of time. Here are fi ve important reasons you should feel encouraged about your long-term investments:

Room to growThe stock market (as measured

by the S&P 500, an unmanaged

index of stocks and a benchmark measurement of the broad stock market) has regained much of the ground it lost between 2007 and 2009. In the 12 months end-ing June 30, the index generated a total return of more than 30 percent. Yet halfway through 2011, the index stood 15 percent below its peak nearly four years ago. Historically, the stock mar-ket trend has been growth, and there seems to be plenty of room for more. But even in light of the current market cycle, investors should expect the stock market to fl uctuate along the way.

Companies are profi ting Though the economy is not

growing at a sizzling pace, U.S. companies represented in the S&P 500 Index have the potential to generate record profi ts in 2011. Many fi rms have found ways to generate products and services in a more productive and cost-

effi cient fashion, which positions them for additional growth dur-ing more prosperous periods.

‘Echo boomers’ emergingAn estimated 75 million chil-

dren of baby boomer parents are now coming of age. They were born between 1979 and 1995 and are already a part of (or will soon enter) the professional world. As they begin receiving incomes, they will buy homes, cars and other essential (and non-essen-tial) items. They make up the next great consumer class in America.

Worldwide capitalism Free markets are more wide-

spread than ever. Many of us grew up in a time when the U.S. and only a few other countries were capitalist centers. Now it is prevalent in places we wouldn’t have dreamed of a generation ago, including China, Russia and most of Eastern Europe. This trend

is creating a burgeoning global middle class, and real consumers are emerging by the millions in many new markets, some with extremely large populations. This creates huge business opportu-nities for companies that are well positioned to capitalize on them. Growth is alive and well in many of these newly developing free markets as well as in established markets across the world.

Pessimists have been wrongInvesting in stocks means

believing in the potential of businesses for years to come. Although pessimists in the cur-rent market call these “unprece-dented times,” the same assump-tion was incorrectly made at other times throughout history. After a rough decade for stocks in the 1970s, one magazine ran a cover story on “the death of equities.” That was followed by two decades of record returns for

stocks. In the midst of the Great Depression many questioned whether capitalism was still via-ble, but in the decades to follow America emerged as the world’s strongest economic power. There will always be doomsday pessimists. But while problems exist, our history shows count-less examples of companies that uncovered innovative solutions to problems confronting con-sumers, businesses and society that allowed these fi rms to thrive. That process leads to new jobs, more economic prosperity and better returns for investors.

As an investor, consider wheth-er the current market challenges are a roadblock that will prevent investment success, or the foun-dation of new opportunities for future profi ts. If history is any guide, investors who can aff ord to ride through short-term mar-ket swings will have the potential to realize future profi tability.

Larry K. Fox is a private

wealth adviser with Ameriprise Financial, Inc. in

Waterloo. Contact him at 234-7000.


The University of Northern Iowa invites Iowa’s communities

to participate in “Reaching for Higher Ground: Community after 9/11.” This series reflects

on the 10th anniversary of 9/11,

a time for remembrance, honor,

understanding and discussion of

why 9/11 happened and what it

means to be a community.

A series of signature events is

planned for the fall to promote

civil discourse around the Sept.

11 attacks, while honoring

those lost, the survivors and

discussing the impact to U.S.

foreign and domestic policies.

COMMUNITY AFTER 9/11www.uni.edu/higherground

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Community-supported agriculture shares risks

Entrepreneurs evaluate risk carefully. They understand that to get the reward, risk is involved.

Farmers also understand risk and reward. They have to contend with weather, pests and mar-kets, among other variables.

Anyone who has ever planted a gar-den can appreciate the risks of weath-er, rabbits, weeds, insects, and other factors that work against a juicy, red tomato.

The concept of risk — shared risk actually — is cen-tral to communi-

ty-supported agriculture. Over the past couple of decades,

farmers have been offering “shares” (usually a box, bag, bas-ket, etc.) to the public for farm products like vegetables or meat. The consumer gets fresh, local, seasonal food directly from the farmer. The farmer gets to know his customers and receives pay-ment for products earlier in the season, which helps cash fl ow.

CSA partnerships are thriving as customers seek the best prod-ucts and farmers seek “partners.”

Everyone involved in a CSA partnership understands the risk. If a storm takes out a crop, everyone is disappointed. If the weather is perfect and crops are bountiful, everyone benefi ts.

In Northeast Iowa there are three farms involved in the CSA program. Andrea Geary at the North Iowa Food & Farm Part-nership at the University of Northern Iowa has championed the program. Several families benefi t from these partnerships.

Mike and Alli Ingman had friends in Minneapolis and Mad-ison who were part of a CSA, and wanted to know from where their food was coming.

“It’s been fun to try new things. The refrigerator is full of fresh vegetables. We are surprised at the quantity, and we don’t want to be wasteful so we have vegeta-bles with every meal,“ said Alli.

Alli notes Rob and Tammy Faux were great about explaining what buying a share meant and about not making promises with regard to the harvest. Alli says it is con-venient to pick up the food at Roots Market every week and to get recipes for cooking the veg-etables from the Fauxs.

Kevin and Laurie Watje joined a CSA partnership because gar-dening did not fi t their lifestyle, but they enjoy having fresh fruits and vegetables. They are also sharing eggs and chickens.

Laurie noted, “It’s not for everyone. You truly are partner-ing with a farmer. If it is a good season, you reap rewards. If it is a bad season, everyone’s baskets are less full.”

Laurie enjoys the challenge of creating recipes for her produce. She also enjoys knowing she could go to the farm to help weed, if she wants.

Laurie and Alli enjoy the com-munication from the farm-ers in the form of emails, blogs and Facebook. It helps them feel involved in the partnership. Alli hopes to get into the fall pro-gram for more of the “cellar vegetables.”

“It would be great to see more farmers and customers involved. It is a great program,” she says.

From an entrepreneurial per-spective, CSA works because the producer (the farmer, or should we say, agriculture entrepreneur) is close to the customer fi nding out from the customer what he or she really wants and the cus-tomer is able to hear from the producer specifi cally why certain products may not be available. Everyone reaps the rewards when the risk is shared. Understanding is increased. Community is cre-ated. This is the purpose of com-munity-supported agriculture.

Katherine Cota-Uyar is associate

director of the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center at the University of

Northern Iowa. Contact her at 273-5732 or

[email protected].


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SEPTEMBER 2011

Maintain customer service while remaining profi table

Customer service should be a core value for any business. In sales- and service-based industries, customer service is many times what your reputa-tion is created from. In many companies the question is how

to provide the service your cus-tomers expect while maintain-ing profi tability.

This problem is discussed by the integrat-ed solutions departments at many John Deere dealers. As John Deere releases more advanced technologies to fi t the needs of the agriculture industry, grow-ers expect more customer ser-vice out of John

Deere, but more importantly, from their local dealer.

The problem plaguing prof-itability at dealerships is the amount of time spent help-ing customers based on their purchases. Some dealers have implemented support agree-ments to remain profi table. However, support agreements serve a two-fold purpose — they also help dealers achieve a high-er level of customer service.

When customers purchase support agreements, the dealer is able to deliver more advanced service. The dealer may cre-ate special training curriculum for customers and ensure that all employees are competent. These support agreements may be structurally diff erent throughout diff erent compa-nies, but are created with the same objectives.

With narrow weather win-dows to get the valuable crop in the ground, it is important for the grower that the deal-ership takes a proactive path in providing customer service.

The dealer must recognize that having an advanced technology without training may equate to having a piece of broken equip-ment or one not being used to its full potential.

Training programs can greatly enhance customer service and eliminate the risk associated with the unknown for these technologies. With custom-tailored training programs, dealerships can ensure custom-ers have the tools and knowl-edge to effi ciently operate their equipment. Classes help users become more independent and effi cient in their opera-tions, leading to higher levels of productivity.

When customers become more competent, it allows deal-ers to focus on software, tech-nical and mechanical problems that may need to be addressed. As customers begin to under-stand the system, the dealership can showcase more advanced features to the grower. Both John Deere and the dealer are still there to provide customer service, but they are structur-ing the customer support pro-cess in a way that leads to more customer independence.

While developing service agreements the dealer must keep in mind diff erent custom-ers require diff erent levels of service. It is important the deal-ership takes this into account when creating the customer support plan. Businesses must deal with four diff erent genera-tions in the workforce and their diff erent ways of communicat-ing and performing their work. The training required (or want-ed) by some may be deemed to be a waste of time and resources by others. Creating training for “super users” can provide the dealership with an internal learning opportunity as well.

The work for many dealer-ships is implementation of cus-tomer support plans.

Brandon L. Johnson is marketing/advertising

specialist with Waterloo-Sumner-Waverly Implement.

Contact him at 573-9042 or

johnsonbrandon@waterlooimplement.

com.

See SERVICE, page 11


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It is important to extend the company’s core competencies and realign customers’ expec-tations. As dealerships enhance customer service strategies, building on core competencies will ensure that every customer receives a high level of support.

As dealers implement support agreements, they should consid-er conducting “Lessons Learned” sessions with their customer to learn what they could have done better, what went well, and then incorporate those learnings as they move forward in their devel-opment of these agreements. At a minimum, these strategies must be analyzed on a yearly basis to

ensure the dealership is main-taining and developing the level of customer service that the John Deere name was built on. Cus-tomer service must be a part of a “Kaizen “ event where the dealer looks to continually improve how the company and customers to grow with the new technologies.

In closing, John Deere will con-tinue to create new technologies that will appeal to the grower and will present opportunities for its dealers. As these new technolo-gies are implemented into farm-ing practices, John Deere and the dealer must work together to continue to provide a level of customer service which is more advanced than the technology they serve. In that way, the deal-erships will be able to maintain customer service while main-taining profi tability.

SERVICEFrom page 10

SEPTEMBER 2011

Agricultural sector still growing strong

A bright spot in the U.S. econo-my has been the strong condition of agriculture in the Midwest, especially in Iowa.

Corn and soybean pric-es have been at extremely high levels in 2011. Cash corn prices are at the $7 per bushel level. Cash soy-bean prices are in the $12- to $13-per-bushel range. Unfortu-nately for grain producers, crop input expenses

have also increased with grain prices. Energy prices have driven commercial fertilizer prices sig-nifi cantly higher.

The livestock industry has been more of a mix. The cattle, hog and dairy industries were chal-lenged in 2008 and 2009. High feed costs and lower prices caused signifi cant losses. How-ever, profi tability has been much stronger in 2010 and 2011.

High grain prices and strong profi tability levels have increased farmland prices. Several tracts of farmland have recently sold for over $11,000 per acre. Recent reports indicate farmland val-ues have increased by 24 per-cent within the last year. Along with increased land values, cash rental rates have also increased substantially in recent years.

Grain marketing has become much more diffi cult with the large swings in grain prices. Now more than ever, producers need to understand their cost of pro-duction and have a profi tability goal. Grain must be marketed accordingly. Producers should work closely with their lender to complete detailed cash fl ow projections. Producers need to strengthen cash or working cap-ital position with the increases in prices and cost of production.

First National Bank has an experienced staff to provide agribusiness products and ser-vices to our customers. Contact us by phone at 352-1340 or visit-ing our website at www.myfnb-bank.com

Steve Willemssen

is an executive vice president

at First National Bank in Waverly.


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WO-082611005WO-082611073

SEPTEMBER 2011

For investors, like farmers, insuring the future takes planningSomeone who doesn’t know

much about farming may not realize there is more to growing

a crop than put-ting a seed in the ground and wait-ing to see it grow. And there’s more to a good fi nancial strategy than put-ting money in the bank and waiting to see it grow.

Growing up on an Iowa farm and getting into the fi nancial ser-vice industry, I’ve come to real-

ize there are a lot of similarities between the two professions. Both are ever-changing — from new equipment and innova-tive seed to legislative changes and fi nancial products. Howev-er, some things have proven to eff ective and continue to serve their original purpose. Farm-ers still use some of the same equipment that they used years ago, and some of your fi nancial “equipment” may consist of products you put in place years ago. Things can change quickly, so regular evaluations should become a habit. It makes sense to update your equipment with the latest technological advances as it can cost you less to oper-ate and improve farm safety. It also makes sense to revise your fi nancial “road map” with regu-lar reviews and up-to-date prod-ucts that off er you more fi nancial safety.

Farming is a process, and with proper preparation you try to safeguard yourself. No farmer wants to head out into his fi eld in the fall to fi nd a poor crop. Every year farmers grow their crops in unpredictable weather and pur-chase crop insurance to off set this risk. According to the Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute, over 80 percent of major crop acres are enrolled in a crop insurance plan. Being able to minimize risk with insurance is a great thing.

The same is true of your fi nan-cial process. The unknown can

happen to any individual just as easily as to a crop. With appro-priate preparation, you can be ready for life’s fi nest and also be prepared to weather life’s storms. Unfortunately, only 30 percent of the workforce has long-term disability protection, according to the Social Security Adminis-tration. This should be a major concern to individuals as it can signifi cantly impact your fi nan-cial picture if ignored. Wheth-er it’s putting things in place to ensure an income if Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate or pro-tecting your family if something happens to you, appropriate steps should be taken to ensure you don’t lose what you’ve spent your lifetime building.

Long-term care and life insur-ance are great avenues for pro-tecting and for passing assets from one generation to the next. Long-term care insurance can provide benefi ts that will help fund care for yourself or a loved one and can help prevent the liquidation of your assets. Life insurance can help when it comes to passing a farm from one gen-eration to the next, especially if there are family members who

are not interested in continuing the farming legacy. Families can be torn apart after the passing of a loved one when the inheritance is viewed as favoring one person over another. Properly structured buy-sell agreements funded with life insurance can be a great solu-tion to this problem.

While researching this arti-cle, an interesting fact emerged regarding the demographics of these professions. The average age of farmers and advisers con-tinues to rise, with farmers aver-aging 57 years of age, according to npr.org. The average adviser is just shy of 49. These facts pres-ent both a cause for concern and excitement. With the average age climbing there will be more retirees, leaving a greater oppor-tunity for the next generation of advisers and farmers. It does raise concern as to where these industries are heading. Will there be enough interest among our next generation to continue these family-focused professions?

I grew up on a family farm that was recently recognized as a Century Farm. I know there is a lot of pride and nostalgia in our multi-generation family farm. I

think it would be a tragedy to lose that piece of American cul-ture. Today, I work with a group of multi-generational advis-ers. I’ve learned that the same values found in farming exist in the fi nancial service industry, which made me feel even more at home with the choice of my dual career.

It all takes proper preparation — from growing a crop to put-ting proper protection in place, to get younger people involved in these industries. This is what the future is all about, and steps need to be taken to ensure that these professions continue to thrive and keep their values and tradi-tions alive.

Kris Wegner is a career

representative with Financial Decisions Group in Waterloo.

Contact him at 233-8476.


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Job in new department feels like kindergarten

By MARIE G. McINTYRE

Q. After working as an admin-istrative assistant in human resources for 15 years, I recently transferred into the fi nance department. I thought that changing jobs in the same com-pany would be easy, but was I wrong!

The two co-workers assigned to do my training have com-pletely ignored me. The vice president’s executive assistant makes negative remarks about everyone and has an infl ated sense of her own importance. If I mention my previous depart-ment, she says, “I don’t care what you did over there, because we do things diff erently here.”

These women seem to enjoy making others feel bad, and I believe they are threatened by my knowledge and experience. How should I handle this?

A. Even within the same com-pany, diff erent departments

often have very dissimilar cul-tures. Unfortunately, as you have learned, they can also become territorial and competitive.

Along with the apparent departmental rivalry, you are also dealing with some extreme-ly childish adults. Co-workers who greet newcomers with hos-tility and queen-bee assistants who bask in the boss’s refl ected power are not exactly role mod-els for maturity.

To avoid antagonizing these juvenile colleagues, steer clear of pointless power struggles and stupid arguments. Just remain friendly, focus on your tasks, and don’t say much about your pre-vious position. If this place con-tinues to feel like a kindergarten, you can always apply for another transfer.

Marie G. McIntyre is a work-place coach and the author of “Secrets to Winning at Offi ce Politics.” Get free coaching tips at www.youroffi cecoach.com, or follow her on Twitter @offi cecoach.

SEPTEMBER 2011


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SEPTEMBER 2011

Exploring NE Iowa’s agricultural heritage

Every part of our lives is touched by agriculture, from the food on our tables to the ethanol

used to fuel our vehicles. While agriculture’s influence is w i d e s p r e a d and 98 percent of the country’s p o p u l a t i o n once worked in an area related to agriculture, many people today have lost this con-nection. For more than 15 years, Silos & Smokestacks National Heri-tage Area has been working

to preserve and share this impor-tant part of our country’s heri-tage, helping people reconnect to America’s agricultural story.

Headquartered in Waterloo, Silos & Smokestacks emerged in 1991 when a group calling them-selves the “kitchen cabinet” set out on the mission of revitaliz-ing downtown Waterloo. Plans to utilize the Cedar Valley’s heri-tage as a catalyst for revitaliza-tion soon revealed a much larger story. Following fi ve years of hard work by a dedicated grass-roots group of citizens, a 37-county region of Northeast Iowa was designated by Congress in 1996 with the goal of preserv-

ing America’s agricultural heri-tage. Recognized for its unique combination of natural, cultural and historic resources, Silos & Smokestacks is now one of 49 National Heritage Areas and the only one dedicated to preserving the story of agriculture.

Even today, the Cedar Valley continues to play an essential and ever-evolving role in agri-culture and preservation of this important story. Early accounts of the region’s agricultural and agri-industrial heritage can be found in the exhibits of local museums like Waterloo’s Grout Museum District and the Cedar Falls Historical Society.

At the Bennington No. 4 One-Room Schoolhouse visitors can step back in time as they explore this early 1900s school. Still located on its original site amid active farms in rural Benning-ton Township, the schoolhouse is listed on the National Regis-ter of Historic Places. The school was also recently featured in the documentary “Country School: One Room-One Nation,” a fi lm by Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, which explores the dramatic true story of Mid-western one-room schools and their contribution to building our nation.

Showcasing the art and artists from the region, a large variety of agriculturally inspired art can also be found in the Cedar Valley.

Aaron Steinmann is marketing &

communications manager for Silos &

Smokestacks National Heritage Area in

Waterloo. Contact him at 234-4567 or asteinmann@

silosandsmokestacks.org.

See SILOS, page 15


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The Waterloo Center for the Arts is highlighting our local agricultural heritage with larger-than-life outdoor public art in downtown Waterloo.

The Center for the Arts is also educating youths through pro-grams and exhibits at the Phelps Youth Pavilion, an interactive museum focused on cultural and agricultural exploration. Chil-dren can explore Grants Farm by driving a tractor through a Grant Wood painting or milking the “Milk and Moo Cow.”

Other great experiences for children and adults alike include Hansen’s Farm Fresh Dairy in Hudson. This working dairy farm lets visitors milk a cow, feed a calf or make butter from real cream. The best part of visiting Hansen’s Dairy is trying the ice cream that is made at the dairy. Hansen’s milk and dairy prod-ucts can be found throughout the Cedar Valley, including Moo Roo in Waterloo and Hansen’s Outlet in Cedar Falls.

While the region’s heritage is sustained through existing exhib-its, countless stories can only be uncovered by talking to the peo-

ple who lived them. In collabo-ration with the Grout Museum District, Silos & Smokestacks is working to preserve the stories of Iowa farmers through the record-ing of oral video histories. By col-lecting these important narra-tives, stories that may otherwise be left untold can be preserved for future generations.

Silos & Smokestacks is also working with two planned proj-ects on the Cedar Valley Tech-Works campus in downtown Waterloo: the John Deere Water-loo Tractor and Engine Muse-um and the Ag Technology and Renewable Energy Center. These projects preserve America’s agri-cultural past and share the story of its future in biotechnology.

As you visit Silos & Smoke-stacks partner sites throughout the Cedar Valley and surround-ing region, be sure to look out for the newly installed partner site signs. These signs help bring a cohesive identity to the Heri-tage Area and let visitors know of the agricultural stories they can uncover during their visits.

For more information on the Heritage Area, including a com-plete listing of the over 100 Silos & Smokestacks partner sites, visit www.silosandsmokestacks.org or call 234-4567.

SILOSFrom page 14

By MARIE G. McINTYRE

Q: After two days at my new job, I have not yet signed a payroll form or been told about my work hours. This is a small family busi-ness that has been quite success-ful, but seems very disorganized. I have made two appointments with the owners to discuss my schedule, but they forgot both times. Is this a bad sign?

A: While this confusion may be disturbing, it is not unusual. Many successful small com-panies expand so quickly that their processes and procedures can’t keep up with the growth. To compound this problem, the founders are often entrepreneur-

ial types who are not the most organized people in the world.

Whether this is a bad omen or an excellent opportunity depends largely on the nature of your position. If you have an administrative job, you may have actually been hired to help bring order out of this chaos. In that case, your organizational skills will soon make you indispens-able. On the other hand, if your work leaves you at the mercy of these muddled managers, you may soon need a crash course in stress reduction.

Marie G. McIntyre is a work-place coach and the author of “Secrets to Winning at Offi ce Politics.” Send in questions and get free coaching tips at www.

Disorganization at small company doesn’t mean it can’t be a success


Change has seemed to become the normal course of doing

business for the past 20 or so years. For the most part, we can do more with less equipment and people. New technology in some shape or form has played a big part in driving down operating costs, increas-ing production and enhancing

margin.When it comes to production

agriculture in general, I would have to say that that statement rings true for most. When is the last time you noticed the size and type of equipment it takes to plant, grow, harvest and transport an acre of corn or soybeans to market?

Corn planters have gone from 12, to 16, to 24, to 36 and fi nally to 48 row which came on the

market just a couple of years ago. Combined with GPS guid-ance, larger planters give the producer the ability to cover more acres in less time and eff ort. With more acres come larger harvesting equipment and larger equipment to bring the grain to market.

As farmers have become more effi cient their produc-tion has been able to play a role in more diets. Did you know that 75 years ago it took one farmer to feed 10 people? Today one farmer can feed over 155 people. In the future, farmers will have to feed more people. If not in the U.S., then certainly around the world. By the year 2050 the world population is expected to grow by over 30 percent while dur-ing the same period food pro-duction will need to grow by an estimated 70 percent. It is also estimated that over 70 per-cent of the world population’s income will be considered aver-age compared with 35 percent today. Over the next 35 years it is expected that over 90 per-

cent of the global population growth will come from devel-oping countries.

As the world continues to grow and developing countries begin to establish better diets through the consumption of more pro-tein, effi ciency in agriculture through the use of new equip-ment and technology will play a vital part in feeding the world.

In a recent poll of large U.S. farmers, more than 80 percent stated they have plans to increase their acreage by at least 30 per-cent over the next three to fi ve years. If this is true, it would indi-cate that companies such as ECI will have to make improvements in our fi xed assets in order to pro-vide that local producer with the speed and effi ciency needed to cover the additional acres.

ECI’s fi rst step in preparing for the future of production agri-culture will open in September. Located on the northern edge of Cedar Falls and Waterloo, the area’s newest grain handling facility will off er area produc-er’s competitive prices with a layout that will promote for quick unloading time to allow farmers to haul more grain in a days’ time.

The facility will have a capaci-ty of just under 1 million bushels and have the ability to unload trucks and load unit trains at a rate of up to 30,000 bushels per hour — two to four times tradi-tional speeds. Additional truck unloading effi ciency will come from having one inbound scale and one outbound scale. The state-of-the-art facility will

also have the ability to dry up to 7,500 bushels of corn per hour, two to three times the speed of most commercial dryers. Plans call for space to hold up to two million additional bushels and additional trackage for loading larger unit trains.

Other future plans within ECI call for up to an additional one million bushels of grain stor-age at the company’s Jesup location and up to two million bushels of capacity at the com-pany’s La Porte City location. Included in the expansion plans are upgrades to each facilities receiving and load out capacity.

The future of agriculture is bright. ECI is positioning itself to play a role in helping local grain producers become more effi cient and successful.

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SEPTEMBER 2011WWW.GREATERCEDARVALLEYCHAMBER.COMPAGE 18

Thursday, Sept. 8thOverman Park, Cedar Falls

Gold Sponsor Hospitality Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors Band Shell Sponsors Overman Park Sponsors

Food Vendors

Silver Sponsors

Cunningham ConstructionFPCI/PMGGlass Tech

Libery Bank

Iowa Laser Technology, Inc.Lincoln Savings Bank

Magee Construction CompanyMidWestOne Bank

Cedar Falls TimesIowa Metal Spinners

Mudd AdvertisingNext Generation Wireless

On Media

This community event held every September in Cedar Falls’ Overman Park attracts 2000 people. Attendees enjoy an evening of music provided by the always popular Bob Dorr & The Blue Band, while sampling a variety of good food and ice cold beverages. A limited number of Alliance & Chamber members serve their version of “wings and other things”. This chamber event is open to everyone. Tickets are available at any of

the food vendors or either Waterloo or Cedar Falls Alliance & Chamber offices. Cost is $7.00 in advance; $10 at the gate. Please call the Alliance & Chamber office at 232-1156 for more information.

5:00 -8:00 pm

Oakridge RealtorsPrairie Lakes ChurchTEAM Technologies

WWW.GREATERCEDARVALLEYCHAMBER.COMSEPTEMBER 2011

Friday, Sept. 23rd8:00 a.m. - Noon

Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, 3421 W. 9th St., Waterloo, Classrooms 10 and 11

Cedar Valley Diversity & Inclusion Summit

The Cedar Valley Diversity and Inclusion Partnership is an initiative designed to strengthen the Cedar Valley through promoting diversity, full inclusion and cultural competencies in business. One of the first efforts is to inform CEO/Leadership and the Human Resources professionals. This summit will

focus on the importance, impact, and benefits to business of effective diversity & inclusion practices in business. Please RSVP by calling the Alliance & Chamber office at 232-1156 or email Mary Jo at [email protected]

Premier Sponsor

Bronze SponsorGold Sponsors

The next Good Morning Cedar Valley is scheduled for Thursday, September 29th, 7:30 a.m. at the "W" in Waverly. (Wartburg-Waverly Sports & Wellness Center). Good Morning Cedar Valley is a quarterly networking breakfast, educating Alliance & Chamber investors on current events. The

brief program includes the Cedar Valley and Waverly Mayors and a county board of supervisors representative. Updates are also given by other community business leaders. There is no cost to attend. RSVP is required. Please email Bette Wubbena at [email protected] or call

232-1156. Alliance & Chamber networking events are open to all Alliance & Chamber members and their employees. Thank you to our sponsors for their support!

Good Morning Cedar ValleyThursday, Sept. 29th

Wartburg CollegeThe "W"

7:30 -9:00 am

In conjunction with Premier Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

PAGE 19

MARCH 2010 WWW.GREATERCEDARVALLEYCHAMBER.COMPAGE 20 SEPTEMBER 2011

Total Resource Campaign will Kick-off on Tuesday, Sept. 13

Governor's Transportation 2020 Citizen Advisory Commission sets public meeting schedule.AMES, Iowa – July 29, 2011 – The Governor’s Transportation 2020 Citizens Advisory Commission (CAC), established earlier this spring, is announcing a series of seven public input meetings for August and September.

Governor Terry Branstad tasked the CAC with assisting the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) in completing its legislatively mandated review of the sufficiency of the current and projected funding levels of Iowa’s Road Use Tax Fund to meet the projected construction and maintenance needs of city, county and state governments. A vital part of the CAC’s effort is seeking public input across Iowa on the current

conditions of Iowa’s public roadway system, the importance of roads to Iowans and options to address funding shortfalls.

To accomplish this part of its mission, the CAC will hold seven public input meetings across Iowa as detailed below. At these meetings, there will be a short presentation to provide background information, with the balance of the meeting for soliciting public input.

Public input ground rules:Persons wishing to speak must check in prior to the start of the meeting and register on the presenters’ list. Presenters will be called in order

beginning at the top of the list. Verbal comments may be limited in time based on the number of persons wishing to speak. Verbal comments will be recorded so that they can be considered later by the CAC.

Written testimony:In lieu of or in addition to verbal comments, the CAC will also accept written testimony. Written comments will be accepted at any meeting or may be submitted electronically via the CAC’s website at - http://www.iowadot.gov/transportation2020/.

More information regarding the CAC is available on its website at: www.iowadot.gov/transportation2020.

Contact: Stuart Anderson at 515-239-1661 or [email protected]

Federal and state laws prohibit public accommodation discrimination on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, gender identity, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran’s status. If you believe you have been discriminated against, please contact the Iowa Civil Rights Commission at 800-457-4416 or Iowa DOT’s affirmative action officer. If you need accommodations because of a disability to access the any of the public input meetings, contact the Iowa DOT’s affirmative action officer at 800-262-0003.

Waterloo Public Input Meeting 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 14Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center

Room 23, 205 W. Fourth St.

Cedar Valley Techbrew - First Anniversary CelebrationThursday, Sept. 1st

Park Place Event Center, Cedar Falls5:00 -7:00 pm

TechBrew Cedar Valley, everyone's favorite industry mixer, is celebrating its first anniversary and we couldn’t be more excited! Catch up with other TechBrew regulars and meet new friends as you engage in some stimulating conversation. If you are new to TechBrew events, they are informal gatherings hosted by the Technology Association of Iowa for entrepreneurs, technologists, business people and funders to have the opportunity to get together to talk over a beer (social lubrication). RSVP required, please contact Patrick Quinn at Technology of Iowa at 515-280-3729 or email [email protected] or call the Alliance & Chamber office at 232-1156.

Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber members will be visiting businesses in the Cedar Valley Economic Region to secure sponsorships for a wide variety of Alliance & Chamber activities, events, and initiatives as well as recruit new members/investors. Those interested in sponsorships or becoming involved with the "Building Something Greater" TRC campaign, please call the Alliance & Chamber office at 232-1156 or email Molly Brown at [email protected].

Sponsored by

WWW.GREATERCEDARVALLEYCHAMBER.COMSEPTEMBER 2011

Premier Sponsor 19th Hole Sponsor

Thank you to all of the Fall Golf Classic Sponsors!

Putting Green Sponsor Beverage Cart Sponsor Flag Event Sponsors

Veridian Credit Union

Northwestern Mutual - The Funk Group

Hole Sponsors

Healing Body Massage120 W 4th St. Ste. 3Cedar Falls, IA 50613Phone: 319-404-9475Contact: Carissa ShimaCategory: Massage Therapy

Kwik Star7500 Nordic Dr.Cedar Falls, IA 50613Phone: 319-239-0352Contact: Kimberly KeilCategory: Convenience Store

Single Source4807 University Ave, Ste. 201Cedar Falls, IA 50613Phone: 319-277-0808Contacts: James P. Christensen and Steph Weiland Category: Architects& Master Builders

Interior Viewpoints1262 270th St.Janesville, IA 50647Phone: 319-239-2900Contact: Carolyn SandkampCategory: Interior Decorators/Designers/Supplies

Release and Waiver—In consideration of my entry, I , intending to be legally bound for myself, my heir, executors and administrators, waives re-lease and discharge and all claims which may hereafter accrue to me against the officials of the run, any vendors on site and John Deere for anyand all accident or injuries incurred by me at this event. I further state that I have trained adequately and am in suitable condition to compete inthe race I have entered.

Signature (Guardian if under age 18)_________________________________________________ Date__________________

Family Pack: with the purchase of 2 adult entrieschildren under age 12 are free.

Entry forms must be filled out for ALL participants.

Family activities will include a balloon artist, face painting, animals from the Cedar Bend Humane Society.

There will also be John Deere Tractors on display!

John Deere12th Annual

5K Run/WalkTECH WORKS PARKING LOT

on Westfield Ave.Downtown Waterloo

September 25th, 2011Start time 2pm

Registration begins at 12:30

*Each family member must fill out and sign a copyof the form and all forms must be paid for together.

Entry Fees include:

T-shirt & goody bag

with a hotdog and

hamburger lunch!

Kids Race After the 5k!

Race day services provided by:

Thank you to all of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber Premier Members.

PAGE 22WWW.GREATERCEDARVALLEYCHAMBER.COMSEPTEMBER 2011

Welcome New Members!

Answer Plus, Inc.ATC Associates, Inc.Baird IndustriesCedar Falls TimesCoffman Body ShopDuncan, Uyntha

Elements Therapeutic MassageEuropa Cycle & SkiFamous Dave’s Bar-B-QueFerguson Enterprises, Inc.Iowa Laser Technology, Inc.Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo

KBBG-FM 88.1 Radio StationLaser Designs & Graphics, Inc.Loy & Associates, L.L.P.LSB MortgageMaiers, D.D.S., WilliamStandard Distribution Co.

Sulentic Fischels Commercial GroupSuper 8 Cedar FallsThe Supervisors’ ClubTrapp RealtorsTropical InteriorsUpper Cervical Health Centers

Aug. 30-Sept.1 TRC Training, MidWestOne Bank, 8:00am

Sept. 1 Thurs. TechBrew 1st Anniversary Celebration, Park Place Event Center, 5:00pmSept. 6 Tues. TechWorks Board Mtg., Waterloo Boat House, 3:00pm Alliance Board of Directors Mtg., Waterloo Boat House, 4:00pmSept. 8 Thurs. Wing Ding, Overman Park, 5:00pmSept. 13 Tues. TRC Kick-Off Breakfast, Sunnyside Country Club, 7:30amSept. 14 Weds. Finance Committe Mtg., Alliance Board Room, 8:00 am Diplomats Mtg. , Cabin Coffee, 9:00amSept. 15 Thurs. Investor Relations Committe Mtg., Cedar Falls Office, 8:00amSept. 23 Fri. Cedar Valley Diversity and Inclusion Summit, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, 8am-12pmSept. 29 Fri. Good Morning Cedar Valley, The “W” in Waverly, 7:30am

How Tablets FIT INTOBusiness

Wednesday, Sept. 21Date:

Hosted by:

Breakfast – 7-9 AMAfter Hours – 4-7 PM

Times:

Isle Hotel & Casino— Ballroom

Location:

[email protected] call 319-269-2743

RSVP Today!

September Calendar of Events

The Alliance & Chamber is on FACEBOOK!Visit us today at Greater Cedar Valley Chamber of Commerce

or at this FACEBOOK account- I Love the Cedar Valley!For more great information about the Cedar Valley visit

www.CedarValleyAlliance.com www.GreaterCedarValleyChamber.com

Follow our Tweets on Twitter at CedarValleyofIA!


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Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC

Wayne A. JacobsonInvestment [email protected]

Erica J. Feldick, CFP®

Investment [email protected]

SEPTEMBER 2011

Investing in employees can help your business growIt’s not always easy for a busi-

ness owner to invest back into the business during a tough eco-

nomic cycle. Yet for a busi-ness to grow, it must be tended to. Investing in your busi-ness may help it weather the next storm.

As you decide how to invest in your busi-ness this year, consider one of the company’s most valuable resources: its

employees. Businesses have a greater likelihood of fi nding and keeping quality employees when they off er competitive benefi ts. A professional staff delivering excellent service may set your business apart from the compe-tition. A company-sponsored retirement plan can assist you in recruiting and retaining top-notch employees.

Workers can divert a portion of their compensation into a tax-

deferred investment account and are either off ered a share of company profi ts, or receive an employer match up to a certain percentage of their contribu-tion. This match gives employees incentive to participate.

Don’t just invest in your employees; invest in yourself as well. Business owners tend to tie up a lot of personal capital in their companies, causing the owner’s fi nancial plan to suff er. A com-pany retirement plan can provide balance and help business own-ers pay themselves fi rst.

Company-sponsored retire-ment plans also off er employ-ers deductions for any contribu-tions made to the qualifi ed plan in the year those contributions are made, providing some much-needed tax relief.

Some common company-sponsored retirement plans are featured below:

PROFIT-SHARING: Employees share in the profi ts of the com-pany. Employers do not have to contribute each year, but con-tributions should be “substantial and recurring,” according to the tax code. No employee deferrals

included in this plan. Contribu-tion limit varies according to plan formula.

401(k) — Often coupled with a profi t-sharing plan, employ-ees can defer a percentage of compensation. Tax-deferred earnings accumulate until the employee withdraws the money. Salary deferral limits for 2009 tax year are $16,500 and $22,000 for employees over age 50.

SIMPLE IRA — For employ-ers with less than 100 employ-ees, SIMPLE stands for Sav-ings Incentive Match Plan for Employees. Employees make sal-ary deferrals while the employ-er makes a match based on one of two contribution formulas. These plans are cost-eff ective for businesses because plan admin-istration is simplifi ed. Salary deferral limits for 2009 tax year are $11,500 and $14,000 for par-

ticipants over age 50.SEP-IRA — A great option for

the self-employed individ-ual who is the company’s only employee. SEP stands for Sim-plifi ed Employee Pension. SEP’s provide for employer contri-butions to employees’ IRA’s. Because the employee owns and manages their IRA, administra-

tion expenses are basically elimi-nated. Contribution limits for 2009 may not exceed the lesser of 25 percent of compensation or $49,000.

Consult with tax and fi nancial professionals before establishing a plan to determine which would be of greatest benefi t for your company.

Erica Feldick is a fi nancial adviser

with Jacobson Financial Services LLC in Cedar Falls.

Contact her at 266-2445 or [email protected].

THE COURIERPAGE 24 CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLY cvbusinessmonthly.com SEPTEMBER 2011

Floyd County farmer embraces role as face of U.S. corn growers

TIFFANY RUSHING / Courier Staff Photographer

Pam Johnson, a sixth-generation corn and soybean farmer north of Floyd, will become the fi rst female president of the National Corn Growers Association in October 2012.

By MATTHEW WILDE

[email protected]

FLOYD — Pam Johnson is a self-described “raging introvert.”

More than a decade ago, the corn and soybean producer from rural Floyd would be at the back of the room during commod-ity group or other farm-relat-ed meetings. She would listen intently, soaking up all the infor-mation, but rarely said a word.

Now, Johnson is at the head table and will soon be the face of the American corn grower.

The sixth-generation farmer was elected fi rst vice president of the National Corn Growers Asso-ciation on June 15 by its board of directors. The post starts Oct. 1.

After a year as second-in-command, Johnson will become the fi rst female president of the powerful commodity organiza-tion beginning in October 2012.

The prospect of being the go-to person for corn by the media, federal lawmakers and foreign diplomats is nerve-wracking and exciting at the same time, Johnson said, but one that she embraces.

“I’ll try to be a genuine, authen-tic voice of what’s happening on the farm,” Johnson said. “It sounds corny, but it is an honor to be an advocate.”

More than a week after the vote, Johnson said the signifi cance is just starting to sink in. NCGA offi cials said four of 15 board members — Johnson is the only female — wanted the job, includ-ing fellow Iowan Dave Nelson of Belmond.

Johnson’s selection was ratifi ed in July by a vote of NCGA del-egates at the July 13 Corn Con-gress in Washington, D.C.

Corn Queen

See CORN, page 25


WO-082611083WO-082611052

“It’s historic, and I understand that,” Johnson said. “It’s impor-tant to me women are at the table and treated as equals. This is the place I want to be; the respect I have for the board and that I get in return.”

Northeast Iowa farmers and industry offi cials said Johnson has earned it.

Ron Litterer, a grain producer near Greene, said Johnson is the perfect person to lead the corn growers. Litterer should know what it takes; he was president of the organization from 2007-08.

For more than a decade, Lit-terer and Johnson have worked together promoting economic development in Floyd County and agriculture nationwide.

NCGA leadership positions tra-ditionally have been male-domi-nated. Litterer said it’s about time a woman led the group, especially one with excellent lis-tening and communication skills. Plus, her knowledge about farm-ing, agronomy and ag policy is remarkable, he said.

“I think she’ll do a great job. She has the background and his-tory ... to be a great offi cer,” Lit-terer said. “It’s good to have more of a balanced approach.”

Getting to this point wasn’t easy, Johnson said.

The 60-year-old farms 2,700 acres of corn and soybeans with

her husband, Maurice, and two sons. They manage a seed busi-ness and have ownership stakes in ethanol and biodiesel plants.

For years, Johnson was con-tent with rasing a family, crops and livestock. The family got out of the hog business a few years ago. She belonged to commod-ity groups, but didn’t actively participate.

Ironically, a woman encour-aged Johnson to get involved. Helen Inman of Bancroft, the fi rst female chair of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, recruit-ed Johnson to join the group in 2000.

About the same time, Johnson attended a Iowa Farm Bureau Federation leadership class.

Leaving comfort zones and thinking out of the box were

stressed, she said.“The instructor said, ‘You guys

don’t like being out in front, but the world needs you.’ That clicked in my head,” Johnson said. “I jumped in with both feet and never looked back.”

Johnson is a director of the Iowa Corn Growers Association and past chairwoman of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. In 2009, she was elected to the NCGA Board — the fi rst woman to rep-resent the state. She currently serves as board liaison to the NCGA Grower Services Action Team. Previously, Johnson served on the NCGA fi nance and bylaws committees and Research and Business Development Action Team.

Johnson knows the time com-mitment will escalate with the promotion. Being NCGA presi-dent is like having a second full-time job, she said.

“Maurice and I always thought it was responsible to give back and promote our own product,” Johnson said.

Rick Tolman is the NCGA’s executive director. But make no mistake, he said, the president runs the show.

“It’s a big responsibility. She will be the primary spokeswom-an and report to the board for

budget accountability,” Tolman said.

The fact that a female will even-tually take over has electrifi ed the membership and staff , he said.

“We’re really thrilled,” Tolman added. “But she wasn’t selected as a ‘she,’ but as a great leader. (Johnson) is a great talent and has a lot of experience.”

At a time of unprecedented corn prices and uncertainty, industry offi cials are confi dent Johnson is

the right person to move corn growers forward.

Craig Floss, CEO of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, is thankful Johnson will lead the way.

“Anytime an Iowan assumes a leadership position, their back-ground and experience started here fi rst,” Floss said. “(Johnson) has to look at the entire country’s needs, but I know we will look at what Iowa corn growers (need).”

CORNFrom page 24

Get your money’s worth

Advertising in the Cedar Valley Business Monthly is an effi cient way to spend your advertising dollars. If you want to place a display ad, call an account executive at 291-1497 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Fri-day. Our account executives and creative department will be happy to help you establish a campaign, step-by-step, that will sell. Before you set next year’s budget, give us a call.

“It’s historic, and I understand that. It’s important to me women are at the table and treated as equals. This is the place I want to be.”

Pam Johnsonfuture president National Corn Growers Association

SEPTEMBER 2011


2 1 2 M a i n S t ., D o w n t o w n C e d a r F a l l s w w w . i t e c h c f . c o m

on mainW

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Investing in education benefi ts both local students and donorsBy ALI PARRISH

The back-to-school sales are over and school is in full swing once again. Many folks have recently watched someone close to them head off to college for the fi rst time. College-bound students and their families often experience a broad range of emo-tions varying from excitement and anticipation to fear and anxiety.

Financing a quality education can be one of the main contrib-uting factors to the fear and anxi-ety felt by high school graduates and their families. Federal and state budget cuts in education and tuition infl ation are just two facets of the rising costs of edu-cating today’s students. While you may fi nd many confl icting reports detailing the exact fi g-ures on college aff ordability in our country, concerns about the topic are valid.

Community foundations off er good options for local phi-lanthropists to help students achieve their lifetime dreams — from preschool to postgraduate. These options include establish-ing a scholarship endowment fund to benefi t local students in

your community or establishing a fi eld of interest endowment fund for education.

By creating a permanent schol-arship endowment fund at a local community foundation, you can invest in your commu-nity’s future and show students you care. A community founda-tion provides expertise to help you meet personal goals and awards scholarships to deserving students.

Creating a scholarship endow-ment fund through a community foundation is a simple process.

You make a gift to your com-munity foundation (cash, appre-ciated securities, real estate or other assets).

The community foundation sets up a scholarship fund in your name, in the name of your fam-ily or business, or in honor of any person or organization you choose.

Your gift will be placed into a permanent endowment that is invested over time.

You receive tax benefi ts in the year your gift is made.

The community foundation staff helps you determine eligi-bility requirements for the schol-

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arship – whether they are based on a student’s fi eld of study, aca-demic achievements, extracur-ricular activities, fi nancial need,

background or geography.The community foundation

handles all the administrative details and awards scholarships

■to deserving students in the name of the fund you establish.

See EDUCATION, page 27


WO-082611071

Remember to call the ELK'S CLUB to book your company Christmas party. What better way to show your staff you really appreciate all their hard work.

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You receive updates on the impact your gift is making.

Another philanthropic option is to establish a fi eld of interest endowment fund for education. Field of interest funds allow you to target your gift to address needs in an important area of community life, such as educa-tion. In an education fi eld of interest endowment fund, the community foundation board makes grants to local organi-zations and programs that are specifi cally making a diff erence in education. Your gift stays fl exible enough to meet com-munity education needs as they

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change over time.Investing in education through

a community foundation can benefi t donors, too. Iowa boasts one of the most coveted philan-thropic programs in the nation. Through Endow Iowa, donors are eligible to receive a 25 per-cent state tax credit in addition to normal federal deductions for charitable gifts. These tax credits are available to donors who establish or contribute to a permanent endowment fund at a qualifi ed community founda-tion, like the Community Foun-dation of Northeast Iowa.

Also, through Dec. 31, indi-viduals 70 ½ and older are able to transfer up to $100,000 from their IRA tax-free to the charity of their choice. If the transfer

goes to a permanent endow-ment fund at a qualifi ed com-munity foundation, the donor is eligible to receive the 25 percent Endow Iowa tax credit on their gift as well.

Investing in your local com-

munity foundation is a good way to support quality educa-tion in your community and help reduce the fi nancial burden of education felt by local high school graduates and their fam-ilies, while also rewarding your-

self with some nice tax savings.

Ali Parrish is director of development and public relations at the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa. Contact: [email protected] or 287-9106.

EDUCATIONFrom page 26


SEPTEMBER 2011


Sometimes shopping for a used vehicle can be a challenge. While there are many good used vehicles off ered for sale, there are others that have been wrecked

or fl ood-dam-aged with the damage con-cealed in some way. Most used car sellers are honest about the condition and history of their vehicles. But others may conceal infor-mation or sim-ply may not know a car suf-

fered major damage. Undisclosed damage history

hurts consumers. The retail val-ues of these vehicles are much lower than average, and consum-ers may overpay. Also, cars that once had major damage can pres-ent safety hazards and — espe-cially in the case of fl ood dam-age — can result in problems that have yet to surface. The vehicles may require expensive repairs and create other headaches.

So consumers may want to check car histories before buy-ing. There are companies that off er vehicle history reports. Some “guarantee” to tell you if a used vehicle you’re considering buying was previously wrecked, but no service includes informa-tion on all wrecked vehicles.

Take these steps to reduce the chances of buying a used vehicle with undisclosed damage:

Have the vehicle inspected by an independent auto technician and body shop before making an off er. People who work on cars for a living know what to look for. Never make an off er to a seller who won’t let you take the vehicle to someone you trust for advice before making an off er.

Take the vehicle for a test drive. Look for signs of water damage such as a musty smell or a damp trunk. Look around the engine for signs of unusual corrosion.

Check the vehicle’s history

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online. Look for information showing the vehicle had been titled as salvage, fl ood or rebuilt or has been in a wreck. Go fi rst to www.VehicleHistory.gov, which links to services with low-cost information from the NMVTIS database overseen by the U.S. Department of Justice. Then

consider also buying reports from companies such as Autocheck or Carfax. Remember that no his-tory report captures all informa-tion, nor is it a substitute for hav-ing the vehicle inspected.

If you find out that you unknowingly bought a vehicle with past signifi cant damage,

you may fi le a complaint with our offi ce at (888) 777-4590 or online by going to www.IowaAt-torneyGeneral.gov. You may also

mail a complaint letter to us in writing: Consumer Protection Division, 1305 E. Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50319.

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Avoid buying a salvage, damaged or fl ooded vehicle

Tom Miller is attorney general

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THE COURIER PAGE 31CEDAR VALLEY BUSINESS MONTHLYcvbusinessmonthly.comW

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Agriculture affects us all in Iowa, even the city folkLike many people in the Mid-

west, I know of agriculture not much about agriculture. I’ve

always been familiar with aspects of a farmer’s life and vocabulary but unfamiliar with how much agri-culture impacts my life, my community and my state.

However, in my new role as a pastor in Osage I have become acutely aware of how much of an impact agri-culture has on

our state. I’ve also become aware of how ignorant I’ve been in the past. I have recently been intro-duced to a whole new world. I

talk to farmers on a daily basis. I am more concerned with the weather. I marvel at the long hours put in by those in the agri-culture and livestock businesses. I know and care about livestock and crop prices. In fact, I recently held my fi rst pig, learned about how a lot of chickens are butch-ered and often have the “bless-ing” of smelling the sweet fra-grance of manure.

The success of agriculture and ag-related fi elds is the key to economic stability and growth in the Hawkeye State. Consider the following:

Agriculture, livestock and ag-related businesses account for nearly 30 percent of Iowa’s economy — or roughly $71 billion annually.

Ag-related jobs including livestock in Iowa total roughly 400,000, or one out of every six .

In 2007, Iowa produced 2.37

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million bushels of corn at a price of $3.50 per bushel. That equaled $8.3 billion of the state’s income. With corn prices well above $6 a bushel currently, that fi gure like-ly will be more like an estimated $15 billion to $20 billion this year.

The state of Iowa is roughly 98 percent farmland.

John Deere employs 5,300 people in Black Hawk County alone.

Just over 20 percent of Iowa’s counties get over half of their income and employment from agriculture and ag-related fi elds.

With these facts come a real-ization of how dependent Iowans are on the health of our agricul-tural and livestock sectors.

Not only are agriculture and livestock crucial to our economic growth, but the challenges fac-ing these fi elds are many. It is diffi cult to imagine any fi eld of employment more volatile. Think

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of all of the variables that aff ect the life of the local farmer. Start with weather. If the weather is too hot or too cold it impacts their fi elds. Too little rain is bad. Too much rain can be worse. Storms can strike fear into even the most seasoned farmers. Wind and hail damage can be paralyzing.

Then consider other poten-tial enemies for farmers, like gas and crop/livestock prices. Pric-es can fl uctuate greatly. Add to these concerns the high costs of machinery and repairs and a host of other concerns, and it’s easy to see why agriculture and livestock are challenging fi elds.

The more I understand the challenges facing farmers, the more I appreciate all that they do for our communities. Our econ-omy and future depend on them. As a pastor I have the privilege of shepherding and leading a church that has a high percentage of

people involved in agriculture. It has taught me volumes about the value of hard work, community and loving one’s neighbor. It has impacted what I pray for and how I pray. Agriculture and livestock aff ect us all, even this formerly suburban pastor. Next time you have the opportunity, take some time and thank someone in the agricultural and/or livestock industry for all the hard work that they do for their community, our Cedar Valley and the great state of Iowa. Our future depends on them and their children.

(Statistics taken from www.cvedc.com /major_private_employers.htm; U.S. government data (2007 Census of Agriculture and National Agricultural Statis-tics Service) and 2009 All-Iowa Ag Economic Contribution Anal-ysis by the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers; and www.exten-sion.iastate.edu/)

SEPTEMBER 2011

Chip Uhrmacher

is pastor at Prairie Lakes Church Osage campus. Contact him at (641) 832-2913

or chip.uhrmacher@prairielakeschurch.

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Locally grown food is winning formula, casino offi cials say

MATTHEW PUTNEY / Courier Photo Editor

Thomas Griffi n, left, executive chef at the Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo, speaks with local farmer Carl Blake about hogs at a July 12 meeting to discuss using more local food at the casino.

By MATTHEW WILDE

[email protected]

WATERLOO — One of the area’s largest businesses is betting that serving more locally grown food will nourish its bottom line.

The Isle Casino Hotel Water-loo’s gaming revenues totaled nearly $81 million in fi scal year 2011, according to the Iowa Rac-ing and Gaming Commission. Casino offi cials hope a plan devised in April will lure even more new and repeat customers through the doors.

The way to gamblers’ hearts, offi cials surmise, is through their stomachs.

Casino representatives hosted two meetings in July with local food producers to gauge interest in supplying the business with more locally grown fresh food for the complex’s buff et and res-taurants. A handful of farmers attended.

Employees shared the casino’s culinary vision.

“The trend crossing the nation is people want to know where their food is coming from, and people know what good is. When they see something not fresh, they know it,” said Thomas Rob-erts, senior director of hospital-ity operations at the Isle. “If you want to be a quality operation, you got to give people what they want to eat.”

That means buying as much fruit, vegetables, dairy products and meat from local producers as possible, Roberts said. Informa-tion about farmers will be dis-played with corresponding food.

Last year, the Isle spent $3.4 million on food, and offi cials said the business is on track to spend about 6 percent more this year. The goal is to keep as many of those dollars as possible local.

Fresh? You bet!

See FRESH, page 33


Minneapolis Star Tribune

MINNEAPOLIS — It looks like an oversized cash machine. But instead of spitting out green-backs, it dispenses prescription medicine.

The Eden Prairie, Minn., company InstyMeds is bringing vending machine convenience to the world of medicine. The number of the machines has doubled in the past three years, with 200 installed in 33 states and the District of Columbia, mostly in emergency rooms and urgent care centers.

Advantages include a reduced risk of giving a patient the wrong drug, according to the company. But pharmacists also point to limitations, such as the machine’s inability to counsel patients.

The machines dispense up to 100 of the most commonly pre-scribed drugs, including pain relievers, antibiotics, asthma inhalers and remedies for the cold and fl u.

Patients tap out a number from their doctor, answer a few ques-tions and make a payment. A robot triple-checks the request

against a barcode, sticks on an instruction label and drops the medicine out a chute.

A phone attached to the machine is staff ed 24 hours a day by insurance specialists.

Some pharmacists have not been so quick to embrace the concept. They worry patients need face-to-face counseling, especially those taking multiple drugs that might interact.

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The property used 75,000 pounds of beef, 68,000 pounds of poultry, 80,000 pounds of pork and 115,000 pounds of produce last year. Isle offi cials told farmers as long as they meet insurance and quality guidelines, receiving docks are open to their products.

Local farmers who attended the meeting are excited to have another major buyer. Dozens of schools, restaurants, hospitals, retirement homes and other food service providers already feature menus with locally grown food.

According to the Northeast Iowa Food and Farm Partner-ship, sales were estimated at $2.65 million in 2010.

Menno Hershberger, presi-dent of the Wapsie Valley Pro-duce Auction near Fairbank, envisions pallets of strawber-ries, tomatoes, cantaloupe and other fruits and vegetables grown in the region and mar-keted through the auction end-ing up at the Isle.

Financially, it will be a big boon for producers, he said.

“A lot of growers say we need more buyers,” Hershberger said. “This will help us get ahead and pay expenses.”

Andrea Geary, partnership executive director, said there’s a shortage of growers and food processors in the area. The Isle’s commitment could encourage farmers to expand and capitalize on new investment and busi-ness opportunities, she said.

Geary said the real winners are Northeast Iowa farmers and the local economy. Producers sell-ing food locally keep 80 to 90 cents of every dollar, and that money circulates in the com-munity, local food experts say.

“It’s an exciting develop-ment,” Geary said. “This truly proves there’s economic poten-tial in the local food industry.”

That benefi t isn’t lost on Isle offi cials. About 25,000 people eat at the casino’s buff et each month.

Roberts said buying local may cost a little more, but it’s worth

it. There’s no plan to pass along the extra expense to customers, he added.

“We want to reinvest back in the community,” Roberts said. “We’re willing to do whatever it takes to get product in. We know it will be a challenge.”

The Isle currently uses a small amount of locally grown pro-duce and chicken in its salad bars. Executive Chef Tom Grif-fi n said rave reviews prompt-ed the business to substan-tially increase the amount and scope of purchases from area producers.

Griffi n said freshness and taste of tomatoes grown nearby and consumed within hours or days of being picked is 10 times bet-ter than those shipped in from the West Coast. That goes for all food raised and processed in the area, he added.

It’s not that food from pur-chased from distributors isn’t good, Griffi n said, but fresh is so much better.

“Any time you eat a tomato from the garden and a tomato from a store, you can tell the diff erence,” Griffi n said.

Producers interested in selling to the Isle can contact Carrie Shanks, purchasing manager, at 833-2152.

SEPTEMBER 2011

FRESHFrom page 32

Drug kiosks ease access to medication


How has the Cedar Valley agriculture economy benefi ted your business?

Once known as the “Land of 100 Smokestacks,” the Cedar Valley has long been an agri-industrial hub for the nation and continues to be to this today. This extensive history has laid the groundwork for many nationally signifi cant stories and makes it the perfect place for the home of Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area, the only National Heritage Area in the country dedicated to preserving America’s agricultural story. From working with the Grout Museum District to preserve the history of the agricultural businesses that helped build the Cedar Valley to John Deere where the future of agricultural is being shaped, Silos & Smokestacks is helping share not only the Cedar Valley’s but America’s agricultural story.

Aaron SteinmanSilos and Smokestacks

My business is defi nitely affected by agriculture; whether we are directly writing coverage to farmers and businesses that serve agriculture or providing insurance to the employees that work for the companies that serve agriculture. It is amazing to consider all of the jobs that agriculture supports when you stop to think about it.

Scott ParsonsAll State

It is my opinion that the agricultural economy in the Cedar Valley is the “backbone” to the community’s success because we are basically an ag/rural community with many businesses tied to agriculture in some fashion or another. That has been the case for many years and will probably continue in that way for many years to come. Farming today is becoming more and more Hi-Tech with the equipment being used, the different seed varieties, and other inputs, but it still boils down to mother nature providing the much needed sunshine and moisture at the right times to make farmers successful. Every facet of agriculture (income, expenses and purchases ) is higher today than where they were a year ago, so farming today takes much more capital to be successful. This capital costs money and the Banks who fi nance a farmer’s ongoing input costs have to be able to step up to help their farm customers now more than ever before. There are fewer farmers every year due to the age of the farmers and the industry, so those that survive will be getting bigger and bigger and will require more capital yet to pay for their inputs and purchases. Again, a Bank needs to be prepared to help this section of our community continue to thrive and be successful, because when our farm sector is successful, those that are associated with it in anyway are successful as well.Todd L. Rohlfsen, President/CEOFarmers State Bank

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Emmetsburg plant would use farm detritus to make ethanolMinneapolis Star Tribune

EMMETSBURG — Each fall in corn country, big combines prowl through the fi elds, stripping the valuable kernels from ears and spitting out bits of cornstalk, leaves and empty cobs.

The residue, which used to lie on the ground and rot, has become a money crop for the next generation of biofuel. Poet LLC, the nation’s leading etha-nol producer, says it is deter-mined to open a commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in 2013 next to its existing corn-ethanol plant in this northern Iowa community.

The $250 million project could be the fi rst such plant in the nation. Last month, the U.S. Energy Department condition-ally committed to a $105 million loan guarantee for it.

“The technology is there — it is defi nitely to the point where

we can build the best-in-class plant, and the trick is getting these plants up,” said Brooke Coleman, executive director of the Advanced Ethanol Council, which represents many of the approximately dozen U.S. com-panies working to commercialize cellulosic ethanol.

Cellulosic ethanol is no diff er-ent from corn ethanol except that it can be made from non-food material, including wood waste, garbage, wheat straw, prairie grass and the residue from corn called stover. At least 25 compa-nies around the world, including Poet, have pilot or demonstra-tion cellulosic ethanol plants, Coleman said.

Four years ago, the federal government predicted a rapid ramp-up in U.S. production to 250 million gallons of cellulosic biofuel by 2011. As recession hit and lenders got the jitters, not a single commercial cellulosic

ethanol plant got built — and just 4.1 million gallons is projected to be produced this year.

Poet, based in Sioux Falls, S.D., says it hopes to break ground this fall on the 25 million-gallon-

a-year cellulosic ethanol plant known as Project Liberty. The project already is causing pro-found changes in Emmetsburg, a town of 3,578 surrounded by corn and soybean fi elds.

What’s happening here off ers a glimpse at Poet’s vision for its 26 other Midwestern corn-ethanol plants.

See CELLULOSE, page 39


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Rules of etiquette for the cubicle and any open offi ceBy JOYCE E. A. RUSSELL

The Washington Post

It can be easy to irritate oth-ers in close open spaces, and co-workers who disregard offi ce protocol and commit cubicle faux pas can aff ect productivity and stress levels.

Some say today’s younger, tech-savvy employees aren’t as concerned with having their own offi ce and instead prefer an open environment of creativity and collaboration. This may be true for some, but in other places, workers may need more privacy or quiet time for thinking and refl ection.

I conducted an informal survey asking people what most annoys them regarding their workspace. What I found may sound famil-iar. With an eye toward your organization’s corporate culture, here are some rules of thumb for coexisting in a cubicle culture or in any open offi ce.

Be respectful. Knock (on their cubicle wall) and ask fi rst if your neighbor has time before you start talking. I know they may not “look busy,” but sometimes they could just be thinking. Your interruption could set them back in their work.

Don’t “take” or “borrow” things from a co-worker’s desk just because the area is open (unless they have already told you it is OK). Staff who have desks in a common area often run into the problem of people taking their staplers, tape dispensers, scissors or rifl ing through their desks in search of paper and pens, etc.

Avoid trying to talk to some-one who is on the phone or send-ing an e-mail. By waving your hands, using sign language, or talking louder, you are interrupt-ing them.

If someone is out, don’t hang out at their cubicle reading what’s on their desk (e.g., memos, faxes, letters).

Don’t yell across the room. Walk over to someone to have a conversation.

Don’t peer over the top of your cubicle wall (called prairie-dog-

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ging) to see what the next person is doing. Respect their privacy.

Avoid speakerphone and don’t discuss personal or confi dential issues at your desk, even on the phone. Remember, your conver-sations travel.

Make sure your cell phone is set on “silent,” or at least set to a low volume ring tone that won’t disturb others.

Watch out for strong smells. Don’t leave “old food” in your space or bring in food with really strong odors. Avoid wear-ing strong perfume or cologne, which impacts the breathing of those near them, especially those with allergies.

Speaking of food, eat in the lunchroom. Eating at the desk is one area that seems to high-ly upset co-workers — all the sounds people make when chew-ing ice or gum or eating seeds, carrots, nuts and other loud and crunchy foods.

Your cubicle is a place of work. Don’t use it as a dressing room or a place to put on makeup, fl oss your teeth, cut your nails, etc. The restroom can’t be that far away.

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Avoid loud music. Use head-phones and make sure you are not singing or humming out loud.

Keep your cubicle clean, neat and organized — it sends a mes-sage about your professional brand. You can personalize it, but be careful not to decorate with so much stuff that no one can fi nd any of your work.

Watch out for off ensive pic-tures, posters, slogans, etc. Check out your company’s code and use common sense so that your workspace is not a place that others might fi nd off ensive.

When in doubt about what to have in your cubicle, think about whether you would be comfort-able having the president of the company see in your cubicle.

Keep in mind that your primary objective in the offi ce is work. Sure, you should have fun while you are working, but your cubicle is part of the offi ce, and others around you still need to get their work done. Respect for your co-workers and enhancing the har-mony of the workplace will go a long way to making sure you succeed in your career.

Joyce E.A. Russell is the direc-

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tor of the Executive Coaching and Leadership Development Program at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Busi-ness. She is a licensed industrial

and organizational psycholo-gist and has more than 25 years of experience coaching executives and consulting on leadership and career management.

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At each plant, the company says, a companion cellulosic plant eventually will be built. Ethanol from corn kernels won’t go away. Instead, farmers would expand into biomass harvesting and earn more money from their cornfi elds.

Harvesting the new money crop turns out to be not so simple. That’s why Poet began work-ing on its biomass supply three years before it expects the plant to open.

“I didn’t think it would be this hard,” said Emmetsburg farmer Bruce Nelson, describing his work last fall and winter to bale and transport thousands of tons of stover to Poet’s massive stor-age yard at the edge of town.

The yard, with long lines of round bales stacked four high, was built by Poet last year for $3.5 million and occupies an area the size of 17 football fi elds. It can hold 40,000 bales of stover. Most are roughly 5 feet in diameter and 6 feet wide. One round bale can make 40 to 60 gallons of ethanol.

Yet the yard holds only enough biomass to supply the plant for a few weeks. About 15 times that much residue will need to be gathered and trucked all year long from cornfi elds within 30 miles, Poet says. It is seeking residue from about one in four corn acres in that radius. Stover is collected like hay from fi elds in

late fall after the harvest — a time when early snows can bury it. That worries some people work-ing on cellulosic ethanol.

“We felt it was too risky to bet your whole plant on,” said Doug-las Rivers, director of research and development for ICM, an ethanol company based in Col-wich, Kan., that will test a range of crops at a pilot cellulosic plant being built in St. Joseph, Mo.

Many farmers didn’t harvest stover in the past. It’s used for cattle bedding and mixed with feed, but Emmetsburg and many

other places in the Corn Belt didn’t have a big market for it. To create one, Poet last year paid 85 local farmers to harvest 56,000 tons of it, and will expand col-lections this fall. Most bales were burned for energy at another Poet plant since they weren’t needed for ethanol. After farmers collect stover, the bales are stored tem-porarily at the edge of fi elds. But problems happened when farm-ers tried to move the bales to the plant over the winter.

“What we found is that the bales freeze to the ground,” said Nelson, who with a friend launched a contract-baling busi-ness last year.

Kyle Elbert, 20, who lives on a family farm south of Emmets-burg, entered the biomass busi-ness last year, buying specialized baling and loading equipment and contracting with local farm-ers. This fall he plans to buy another baling machine, hire two full-time employees and haul 10,000 stover bales to Poet.

“It is time-consuming and not much fun,” Elbert said of his long winter of loading, strapping down and hauling corn bales on fl at-bed trucks. But he said he is making money.

Other challenges for cellulosic ethanol have been technology

and fi nancing. The green parts of corn, unlike the starch in kernels, don’t easily give up their two kinds of sugar for fermentation into alcohol. Acid, then enzymes are required to strip glucose and xylose from plant fi ber. Then the sugars are fermented simultane-ously with special yeasts, said

Dave Bushong, a chemical engi-neer who directs Poet’s research center and cellulosic pilot plant in Scotland, S.D.

“It is a new venture,” he said of the push to commercial produc-tion. “We have done everything we can do to de-risk it. ... There are still challenges.”

RICHARD SENNOTT / Minneapolis Star Tribune

A driver straps down a load of corn husk bales in Emmetsburg. The husks are used to make cellulosic ethanol.

CELLULOSEFrom page 36

SEPTEMBER 2011


Brady A. Gruhn, CCIM

Dustin W. Whitehead, CCIM

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cedar valley business monthly - sept. 2011

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