hamilton county business magazine february/march 2010

Indianapolis Executive: Airport of the Year

Plus...

February/March 2010

www.hamiltoncountybusiness.com

Andi and Dan Montgomery, Montgomery Aviation, Inc.

Progress in 2009, Plans for 2010HC’s Electric Car Connection

February • March 2010/Hamilton County Business Magazine2

3Hamilton County Business Magazine/ February • March 2010


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Business Resource Directory

Cover photo by Mark Lee, Great Exposures

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ures

February/March

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2009: Year in Review

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Japanese conglomerate SMC opened a new 380,000 square foot warehouse in Noblesville’s Corporate Campus in May.

Next Generation Cars

Airport of the Year

Hamilton County Business Magazine/ February • March 2010 5

Please send news items and photos to [email protected]

Submission does not guarantee publicationFor advertising information contact Mike Corbett

at [email protected] 2010 Hamilton County Media Group.

All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission.

Creative DirectorMelanie Malone ~ [email protected]

CorrespondentsShari Held ~ [email protected]

Deb Buehler ~ [email protected] Tyree ~ [email protected]

Rosalyn Demaree ~ [email protected] Credits ~ Mark A. Lee, Great Exposures,

Bobbie Sutton

w w w. h a m i l to n co u n t y b u s i n e s s . co mPublished six times per year by the Hamilton County Media Group

PO Box 502, Noblesville, IN 46061 • 317-774-7747Editor/Publisher

Mike Corbett ~ [email protected]

ContributorsLaina Molaski MBA PhD ~ [email protected]

David Heighway ~ [email protected] Dulaney DBA ~ [email protected]. Michelle Sybesma ~ [email protected]

Gloria Enoch ~ [email protected] Slaughter ~ [email protected]

Cynthia Waldrop ~ [email protected] Richardson ~ [email protected]

Kyle Lacy ~ [email protected]

Hamilton County’s Only Locally Owned Bank

830 Logan Street • Noblesville • 773-08008 Convenient Hamilton County Locations

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Editor and Publisher

I like joking with my kids that when they’re my age they’ll be reminiscing with their kids about the old days when convenience stores used to sell gasoline. That’s right, used to pull up to the pump, swipe the card and pump gas right into the tank. Their kids will just shake their heads as my kids explain that their folks used to pay $75 in gas just go a few hundred miles.

Just as technology is changing the communications business, making it better, easier and cheaper, so technology will change the transportation business with the same results. Internal combustion is a primitive transportation technology compared to the electric motor, and fortunes will be made by those who figure how to store enough electrical energy to propel a car a significant distance at highway speeds.

It all comes down to the battery and some Hamilton County businesses are on the cutting edge of that effort. In fact, the only mass production facility for electric car batteries is located in Noblesville. In this edition, Shari Held looks at how local companies are participating in the next transportation revolution.

Looking Back, Looking Ahead We also offer the first of our focus sections in this issue. In our progress edition, Rosalyn Demaree reviewed each city and town in the county, spoke to community leaders and summarized their progress in this very challenging environment. We did well against some tough odds, and things are looking even better for 2010.

Unless you fly private planes for fun or business, you may not be aware of the Indianapolis Executive Airport. But for those who need a convenient runway, which includes some influential businesspeople, it is the kind of facility that makes Hamilton County very attractive. Having recently won the airport of the year award, Andi and Dan Montgomery continue to improve this unique county amenity.

New ColumnistsI am gratified that Hamilton County businesspeople continue to find these pages an outlet to share their expertise. Among our newcomers, Cynthia Waldrop helps clarify your credit card processing options and Gloria Enoch contributes this month’s book review. And, yes, those are equations in Emmett Dulaney’s column. Whether you like math or not, break even is a critical business concept and Emmett does a good job of showing us how to figure that number.

We also welcome a few new advertisers, who join those stalwarts who stuck with us through one of the worst years ever for marketing budgets. We are grateful that you choose to spend your ad dollars here, in a locally owned publication that celebrates and promotes our business community. Thank you. Readers, please take note of the ads in these pages and support these businesses and institutions.

Mike Corbett

Letter from the Editor/February • March 2010

Mike Corbett/Editor and Publisher



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What year did the Colts move to Indianapolis?

In the Movie The Proposal," where do Andrew's parents live?

What Indiana county is the Covered Bridge Capital of the World?

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What year did the Colts move to Indianapolis?

In the Movie The Proposal," where do Andrew's parents live?

What Indiana county is the Covered Bridge Capital of the World?

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For more information or to register(and get answers to the the questions above),

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Teams of four compete for prizes and bragging rights. Enter individually, as a team or anything in between Entry fee: $25/person

Food and drink available

Trivia NightThursday, February 25, 6-9

Noblesville Moose LodgeCorner of 10th Street and Field Drive


To compute the variable portion of Cost of Goods Sold, take the difference between the two years (320,000 – 100,000 = 220,000) and divide it by the difference in sales (800,000 – 250,000 = 550,000) to get .4. To compute the fixed portion of Cost of Goods Sold (of which there should be none), simply take the variable portion times Sales and subtract this from the actual cost. In this case, .4 * 800,000 = 320,000 and 320,000 – 320,000 = 0 so this is purely a variable cost with no fixed component. There are also such entries as Rent, which are only fixed and do not contain a variable component in this example.

Such is not the case, however, when it comes to Wages – it is a mixed cost (also known as semi-variable) with both a variable and fixed component as the following illustrates:255,000 – 90,000 = 165,000 (changes in Wages)800,000 – 250,000 = 550,000 (changes in Sales)165,000 / 550,000 = .3 (the variable cost portion)255,000 – (.3 * 800,000) = 15,000 (the fixed cost component)Work out the math for each of the expenses and the results will be those shown in the following table:

These numbers can now be plugged into the basic equation to find the true break-even sales point:

Breaking Down the Break-Even Analysis Emmett Dulaney

While it is questionable how useful a break-even analysis really is, it is guaranteed that it is the one number asked for every time financials for a company are discussed. Long before re-turn on investment or other projections can be focused on, the audience will want to know what magic number in sales is necessary to break even. While the definition of this number is straightforward, arriving at it can be anything but simple if you have mixed costs (those that contain both a fixed and variable component). This article will use the High-Low Points Method to show how to compute break-even by starting with the basics.

Starting PointThe first rule of business is: Sales – Costs = Profits

Since it is break-even we want to find, we know that the value of Profits is equal to zero. The same equation can be modified if you want to find where Profits are equal to $100,000, $250,000, or any other number, but for now the equation is equal to: Sales – Costs = 0

The next thing we know is that Costs can be divided into two components: Total Fixed Costs (TFC) and Total Variable Costs (TVC). Further, TVC is equal to a portion of Sales. If, for example, TFC was $100,000 and TVC was .25 of sales, then the equation could be worked out as follows: Sales – $100,000 -.25Sales = 0 therefore, .75Sales – $100,000 = 0and, .75Sales = $100,000so, Sales = $133,333

What we do not often know, however, are the values for TFC and TVC and this is where the High-Low Point Method becomes important.

High-Low Point To use this method, look at two income statements and take the change in the expense of each item divided by the change in sales and that will tell you what portion of each is vari-able. Next, take that portion times sales and subtract from the incurred expense of each time to determine the fixed portion amount. The easiest way to understand this is with an example, so assume the following is from the income statements for KES Trinkets:

Entrepreneur

Sales

Cost of Goods Sold

Wages

Rent

Utilities

Repairs/Supplies

Depreciation

Net Income (Loss)

2007 2008

$250,000

$100,000

$90,000

$100,000

$36,000

$25,000

$10,000

-$111,000

$800,000

$320,000

$255,000

$100,000

$52,500

$80,000

$10,000

-$17,500

Cost of Goods Sold

Wages

Rent

Utilities

Repairs/Supplies

Depreciation

TOTALS

Variable Fixed

0.4

0.3

0

0.03

0.1

0

0.83

0

$15,000

$100,000

$28,500

$0

$10,000

$153,500


Sales – $153,500 - .83Sales = 0.17Sales – $153,500 = 0.17Sales = $153,500Sales = $902,941

To verify the break-even sales number is correct, it is possible to multiply this by the variable portion of each item and add in the fixed amount for each to derive the break-even income statement:

Break-Even Sales $902,941

Cost of Goods Sold $361,176Wages $285,882Rent $100,000 Utilities $55,588Repair/Supplies $90,294Depreciation $10,000

Total Expenses $902,941Net Income $0

According to this analysis, as soon as the firm reaches sales of $902,941 it will break-even. While using the high-low point method makes it possible to compute this, it should be

pointed out that there is a drawback in that it is only using two sets of numbers and one could have occurred during an un-usual activity period (expenses higher or lower than normal). The more data sets used, the more accurate the results will be and with enough data sets, regression becomes possible to of-fer an even better estimation.

Worth Skimming:One book that has been on the business bestseller lists for two years now is Made to Stick (ISBN: 978-1400064281) by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. It is an insightful look at why some ideas/concepts/stories/things catch on and take on a life of their own while others are quickly forgotten. The key principles to stickiness (think staying power), they assert, are: simplicity, unexpectedness, concreteness, credibility, emotions, and stories. The book is a quick read that you can finish in a day, but it will leave you with questions that you’ll ponder for months.A newer entry is Kevin Maney’s Trade-Off (ISBN: 978-0-385-52594-7) which uses the divide between quality (termed fidelity) and convenience to explain why some products become successful and others don’t. There are a plethora of examples throughout the book and his reasoning on individual products will give you much to contemplate.

Emmett Dulaney teaches entrepreneurship and business at Anderson University.


Hamilton County Fared Better than Most

By Rosalyn Demaree Carmel City Center

ather than singing “Auld Lang Syne,”

Hamilton County busi-ness and government

leaders might’ve been sighing “Whew” -- as in “We made it” – as they rang out 2009.

The county’s unemployment rate was 6.5% in November. In comparison, the state’s rate was 9.3%, and the nation’s was 9.4%, according to the Hamilton County Alliance.

Even so, CNNMoney.com ranked Hamil-ton County the 11th best place nationwide for job growth over the past eight years.

CarmelLast year proved that the county “is not immune but certainly resilient” to a de-pressed economy, said Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard. He cites three reasons:

• Hamilton County’s economy doesn’t rely on manufacturing as much as other counties in Indiana or other states. “We have more high-tech, more medium-sized businesses and a more diverse economy,” he said.

• A single large employer doesn’t drive the county’s economy. In Carmel, 10 to 11 companies comprise the largest employers, and many medium-sized companies have regional and national headquarters there.

• “Local government has been very conservative,” creating a good quality of life for prospective businesses, long-established ones and the still-growing number of residents, said the mayor, who began his 15th year as the city’s chief executive this month.

Hard-core optimists might wonder if everyone doesn’t need a breather once in a while, including local planners and leaders

whose economic development to-do lists had, for several years, been longer than unemployment lines in Detroit.

Perhaps, although Brainard contends that it “would have been nicer to have a softer landing.” He lays blame for last year’s economic trouble squarely on the people hired to oversee the nation’s financial institutions.

“Had the federal government done a better job of regulating lenders, the problems could have been minimized,” Brainard said. “We could have had a mild melt-down instead of a full-blown recession. Unemployed people across the country are paying for the mistakes of seven-figure-salaried regulators.”

In Hamilton County, though, that cost appears to be lower than elsewhere in the state and country. Brainard and other lead-ers here say there were business-related bright spots from 96th to 296th street.

2009:


Cranes lifting steel beams dotted Carmel’s skyline throughout the year. St. Vincent Hospital moved its administrative jobs from 86th Street to nearly fill an empty Thomson consumer electronics building, and economic development deals contin-ued. Brainard said four deals were being worked on in December, although he could not divulge specifics.

Homegrown businesses have a history of success in Hamilton County. The mayor said ChaCha.com, a free answers service developed by Carmel resident Scott Jones and based at Clay Terrace, was making a worldwide impact. ChaCha moved into the Quantcast Top 100 U.S. Web sites in November after it was the fastest-growing Web site that Quantcast tracked for the six previous months.

Noblesville Keeping homegrown businesses in the county seat was a goal of the Nobles-ville economic development staff, which launched an initiative that had nearly im-mediate success, said Mayor John Ditslear.

In the initiative’s early days of calling on large employers, city staff members visited King Systems, where anesthesia and respi-ratory care products have been developed and manufactured since 1977. But the sto-ry the hosts told during the visit couldn’t have been more alarming, according to Judi Johnson, assistant director of eco-nomic development: Executives at Consort Medical, King Systems’ United Kingdom-based parent company since 2005, were contemplating moving the Noblesville facility’s 500-plus jobs to Mexico.

Partnering with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and the secre-tary of state staff, city employees opened

the facility to Fishers, according to hospital spokesman Gene Ford. Ground broke on the project in July 2008 but work stopped early last year due to the economy, then resumed in late fall.

Faultless said you needn’t look any further than the Concourse at Crosspoint office park between 96th and 106th streets near I-69 to confirm that Fishers’ business cli-mate is healthy. The 26-acre, $100 million complex of first class offices opened its first building late in 2009, a good testament, he said, “to how strong the marketplace and economy is in Fishers.”

WestfieldWestfield Mayor Andy Cook keeps his eye on the marketplace as well, although his community “is determined to let the marketplace set the pace” for development, he said.

“We didn’t lose any businesses (in 2009),” Cook continued. “That’s our biggest victory because we don’t have many to begin with.”

He makes it clear that the best is yet to come on the county’s western border, candidly describing his community as “a city of plans.”

The biggest plan is Grand Junction, a multi-year, multi-million-dollar project that will redevelop downtown Westfield. Proponents hope to attract boutique-type shops, tie the retail district to the area’s in-creasingly popular trails and build on the historic character of the Quaker-founded community.

discussions with King Systems and worked with City Council to offer a 10-year phase-in package that will keep generating tax money from the manufacturer as it stays and grows in Noblesville.

The city also had a number of highlights in 2009 that grew out of businesses from outside – some very far outside – the city’s borders.

Among the bigger gains in 2009, Nobles-ville welcomed Cambria Suites, Exit 10’s first major hotel, and SMC, a Japan-head-quartered manufacturer of pneumatic au-tomation products that has 500 good-pay-ing jobs, said Ditslear, who was part of an Indiana economic development delegation that traveled late in the year to China and Japan to establish or nurture relationships with major businesses in Asia.

FishersIn neighboring Fishers, major business developments in the healthcare field high-lighted 2009 business news, according to Scott Faultless, who started his tenth year as Town Council President and his 15th year on the council this month.

The town presented a plan in October to create the Fishers Medical Technology Corridor, a 900-acre project on the largely undeveloped northeast side. If approved as proposed, the corridor would stretch from I-69’s Exit 10 to the county’s eastern border. Town planners have estimated it would bring about 9,000 more technical, healthcare and retail jobs to the area than the number that could be created under current zoning laws.

The corridor will be anchored by St. Vin-cent Medical Center Northeast, the state’s first freestanding emergency center which opened in 2008 at Ind. 238 and Olio Road, and Clarian Saxony Medical Center, an of-fice building and hospital that is proposed to bring 250 hospital jobs to Fishers.

Clarian administrators say that each of those jobs will attract 1.2 jobs unrelated to

Cambria Suites

Concourse at Crosspoint


“We need business here,” Cook said. “There has not been an active economic development program in Westfield for a long time.”

Northern TownsA business boost also is long overdue in northern Hamilton County, say leaders in Arcadia, Atlanta, Cicero and Sheridan. But they add that significant strides toward that goal were made in 2009.

The Arcadia Arts Initiative was created in May 2008 to develop a learning com-munity for artisans as a way to attract businesses and visitors to town, said initia-tive director Ron Adamson. There were three such artisans operating in the town that month, but by the end of 2009, that population had grown to 13.

The initiative’s celebration of art, called Autumnfest, began modestly but grew rapidly; the second festival, held in October, doubled the number of artisans involved in 2008. They lined four blocks of Main Street with 40 booths that featured candlemakers, woodcrafters, fine-art painters and sculptors, fiber artisans, and photographers, among others. A number of workshops were held in 2009, and the initiative plans to offer many more, includ-ing some two-day ones, this year. “It’s quite an aggressive plan,” said Adam-son, adding that the initiative’s effect on business includes looking to bring over-night lodging and at least one restaurant to the town for workshop guests, other visitors and residents.

Having a mercantile may be reminiscent of “Little House on the Prairie,” but ones located in Atlanta and Sheridan played

a role in business highlights last year in those towns.

The nearly 2-year-old Atlanta Mercantile moved a door down on Main Street and expanded its hours to include winter weekends. The store, where locally made crafts, gifts and arts are stocked, is a main attraction when riders deboard Indiana Transportation Museum trains, said Andy Emmert, the 2009 town council president. Those trains bring as many as 125 visitors to the town on any given excursion, he estimated.

The Sheridan Mercantile was one of four businesses that opened in 2009, “a really good year,” said Robert Young, director of the Sheridan Chamber of Commerce for five years. “We have a lot of mom-and-pop-type businesses so the (down) economy has really hurt (them). But none went out of business.”

Sheridan native Erin Merrill returned to her hometown to open a chiropractic office, and her parents opened the Mercan-tile right across the street. “Sheridan has always been a proud com-munity, and it still is,” Young added. It is

Cook, in his first term as the city’s first mayor, calls it a “piece by piece, one-on-one kind of redevelopment” and says “small business, not big-name” retailers are the targets in Westfield’s sights.

The city approved bond sales last year to jump-start the economic development-driving project and completed its portion of the Monon Trail up to 161st Street, “a huge part of the economic development plan,” Cook said. “It adds a unique ame-nity to our city” and will be a pathway to the new downtown.

The amenity will continue to grow. In late December, the city received a $1,096,667 federal grant to build the trail from Ind. 32 north to 191st Street in 2013.

“These are much needed funds and an-other step toward getting complete Monon connectivity in Westfield,” said parks director Melody Jones in a press release.

The private sector took initial steps toward making Grand Junction a reality, too. The process of razing buildings to make way for retail and residential spaces began, and developer J.C. Hart, drawn to Westfield because of the redevelopment project, Cook said, announced plans for an upscale apartment complex on South Union Street.

Union St. Flats apartment complex

Monon Trail, Westfield Arcadia Autumnfest

Atlanta New Earth Festival

Sheridan Mercantile

spots for business news this year. The Ind. 37 site has long been targeted for a water park and retail center, but developers pulled out of that project last year. Faultless could not disclose what might be coming there, but said early talks were under way in December.

In the closing months of 2009, the number of prospective companies “kicking the tires” in Noblesville was rebounding, said Mayor John Ditslear, who could not offer details about the talks or the companies. The interest renews his optimism about the city’s business portfolio, par-ticularly in corporate campus, this year. “The big-gest thing about Noblesville is, we’re positioned to ‘go’ when the money loosens,” said Ditslear.

“I see Sheridan being strong and getting stronger, for a little town. We’re not a Carmel,” said Sheridan Chamber of Commerce Director Robert Young. The town’s new elementary school is scheduled to open this year, and the old one is set to become a center that will attract jobs and business, he said.

Construction could start late this year on an athletic complex that has the potential to make Westfield the Family Sports Capital of America, according to Mayor Andy Cook. He said a location could be chosen in three to four months. “When the developer is chosen,” he said, “we will need a financial plan that sets out what Westfield will provide and what the developer will provide.”


“a town that could easily become a ghost town but the people here won’t let it.”

Steve Wallen may be one of a very few business leaders that would characterize 2009 as a year of opportunity.

Even though several of the town’s busi-nesses closed last year, Wallen, president of the 20-month-old Cicero Economic Development Committee, said the down economy made it an ideal time for his group to be proactive and determine what is the best use for the community’s future crown jewel – its waterfront. If the waterfront is developed correctly, it could attract visitors and businesses to Cicero, Wallen said.

Three moves last year have already made the area more visible: the town built an ac-cess on the reservoir that allows boaters to go ashore and wander through town and two popular eateries, Jackson Street Café and Pizza House, moved to the western edge of the business district. v

Downtown Cicero

Carmel Performing Arts Center

Last year’s tough economy slowed but didn’t stop economic development in Hamilton County. Building permits continued to be issued and new businesses opened. Community leaders shared at least one thing they think will develop in 2010.

Arcadia’s quiet, one-street business district will look substantially different a year from now, said Ron Adamson, director of the Arcadia Arts Initiative. In late December, the state awarded the town $449,160 to renovate five blocks of Main Street – from sidewalks, curbs and ramps to building facades and street lighting.

In Atlanta, the sale of an old Main Street building could be this year’s business spark. According to Andy Emmert, the 2009 Town Council president, the former Spidel Hardware could become a restaurant or a retail business.

Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard expects the comple-tion of the Concert Hall and further retail develop-ment at the Regional Performing Arts Center to be a huge business driver this year and for years to come. The city’s infrastructure investments will pay off, he predicted, as planning will move ahead on an area he refers to as mid-town center – three blocks stretching from the Arts and Design District to the City Center area. Additionally, he expects the $85 million water/sewer extension and the Keystone Parkway projects to be finished. With contracts for every intersection now awarded, Brain-ard thinks the project will come in about $2 million under the original $110 million estimate.

Cicero will use $30,000 from the Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Metro-politan Indianapolis Board of Realtors to develop a waterfront work plan this year. The plan will outline how to tie both sides of Morse Reservoir to the downtown, said Steve Wallen, economic development committee president..

Fishers Town Council President Scott Faultless predicted that the 131st Street - Ind. 37 intersec-tion and area surrounding I-69’s Exit 10 will be hot

Looking ahead: What’s in store for 2010?

Cicero Waterfront

Cynthia Waldrop

Management

Most new business owners, especially retailers, quickly dis-cover the need to process payments other than cash. Their cus-tomers like to use credit cards, debit cards, EBTs and checks. Here are a few things you should know before committing to a merchant processing program.

Card processing is based on interchange rates, the fees a merchant pays in order to be able to accept credit card pay-ments. Interchange rates are set by the card companies: Visa® has more than 60 different rates and Mastercard® has over 70. Interchange rates are typically sorted into modules and determined by whether or not the card is swiped, if it is a mail/telephone order purchase (no card present), if it had to be keyed in manually, or if it is a rewards card, business card or international card. Surcharges are added when a transaction doesn’t qualify for a particular level, such as keying in a card rather than swiping through a terminal.

Types of CardsCard types are numerous. There are the brands such as Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Amex. The types of cards within these brands include consumer, business, check cards, rewards

cards, etc. EBT cards are for electronic benefit transfers such as food stamp benefits. Debit card transactions hold a lower risk and rates are less expensive, especially if the merchant uses a pin pad to capture the pin number.

Fees vary by processing company. There can be annual fees for administrative and marketing costs, batch fees, transac-tion fees, network access fees, statement fees, wireless fees, etc. Some fees are set and others are discretionary.

Contracts are the norm in this industry, though some compa-nies do not require them. The average contract term is three years with an automatic one year renewal. You will usually pay a penalty of around $300 if you leave your current processor for another. As an incentive to get you to move, some proces-sors will reimburse you based on your monthly sales. While most people prefer to use credit cards, checks still ac-count for more than $60 billion in annual spending. Today’s check processing equipment is more sophisticated than ever. Aside from the usual verification, check readers are available

How to Navigate the Merchant Processing Maze

that convert the paper-based process into electronic transac-tions and the paper check can be returned to the writer along with the receipt. No more NSF hassles!

Gift cards give backGift and loyalty cards are still a growing segment despite cur-rent economic conditions. Plastic gift cards outsell paper gift certificates 10 to 1 and the users tend to spend more than the value of the card. Unused amounts average 10% to 16% of the cards’ value, which becomes free money to the merchant. It is a relatively low cost investment with high returns. There are many creative ways to use gift cards. Doctors and dentists can use them to get people to come in for regular checkups they may otherwise put off. Vets and boarding facilities can use them for services such as food, medical purchases and future boarding. Think outside the proverbial box for your own unique ideas.

Equipment is a key component of any program. There are touch screens for restaurants and bars, wired systems for debit and credit transactions along with pin pads, wireless systems and printers for service and trade business in homes or B2B.

There are software applications to make your computer a ter-minal along with card and check scanners. Do you have a high volume of foot traffic? Ever thought about putting in your own ATM machine? They are available for self-service or secured vendor servicing. Some even print out coupons.

Finding funds to grow or expand your business can be difficult in a tight economy. Some merchant processing companies provide business loans with repayment based on your card swipe rates. They actually advance you money based on your anticipated charges. If you don’t want to change processors but still want to save money, some services will negotiate with your current processor.

It’s a complicated business, but with time and help, it is worth the effort to get the right merchant processing program for your business.

Cynthia Waldrop is the President of I Zone Consulting, Inc., a Carmel company that provides business solutions such as merchant processing, entrepreneurial and financing assistance.



Do You Want More Productive Employees?Give them more autonomy

Robby Slaughter

Management

Scientists have studied what connects work and satisfaction. In the opening to the landmark book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, researcher Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi notes that “we have all experienced times when, instead of being buffeted by anonymous forces, we do feel in control of our actions, masters of our own fate. On the rare occasions that it happens, we feel a sense of exhilaration, a deep sense of enjoyment that is long cherished and that becomes a landmark in memory for what life should be like.”

Note how Csikszentmihalyi refers to the difference between unsatisfying and satisfy-ing work. The former is like being knocked around randomly, but the later is about

authority, responsibility and self-awareness. This recognition provides an essential clue to how to improve employee productivity. We must remove the arbitrary and anony-mous elements of work and replace them with meaningful tasks that demonstrate trust, ability and opportunity for growth.

It can be a little challenging to take this message and translate it into practical advice. But try this: instead of giving your employees work, try to give them both du-ties and the right to make the final decision at the same time. Let someone complete

It’s a moment that everyone knows—the pleasure of job well done. When you finish clearing snow from the sidewalk, wrap up a major project or close a deal with a handshake, the sense of satisfaction can be overwhelming. We can’t always say that we work in order to make ourselves happy, but among the greatest feelings we can experience is to cross a task off our list.

The satisfaction derived from work is more than just momentary bliss. Satisfaction is an essential component of productivity. Many studies have shown that people who are most effective at work enjoy much of what they do. Happiness may not sound like a practical employee objective, but it’s an outcome that has tremendous power.

If we know that satisfied employees tend to be more productive at work, what techniques could we use to help them bet-ter enjoy their time at the office? Let’s start with the least effective approach: bribery. Although it may seem counterintuitive, giving employees perks and bonuses will not motivate them to be more productive. Instead, you will only create a culture of expectation. If we want our employees to be more satisfied at work because they are more productive, we have to focus first on the activities which lead to that sense of accomplishment.

a project without supervision. Encourage someone to research options and present their findings and recommendations. Give someone else the authority to sign off on a marketing brochure or completed con-tract. Or best of all: ask them to redesign the procedures for completing a task they already do.

It might feel like the greatest risk of hand-ing over such tremendous responsibility to employees is that they might fail. But in re-ality, whether they succeed or not will only help them to recognize your trust and their ability to contribute. More importantly, if they are working to transform some aspect of their current responsibilities, no one will be more qualified or more committed to the task. The best person to improve workflow is often the person doing the work.

Work is what actually happens in the time when employees are not actively super-vised. When that work results in skillful completion it builds employee satisfaction. When the worker has ownership over their own domain, they have a framework for connecting their own efforts to their own sense of accomplishment. Empower your employees to improve their own workflow. Help them to be more satisfied and more productive by giving them your trust. Robby Slaughter is a principal with Slaughter Development, an Indianapolis-based business process and workflow consulting company. More information is at www.slaughterdevelopment.com


J. Michelle Sybesma

Management

Managing ChaosSeven tips to get organized this year

If a recent New Year’s resolution to “get organized” has begun slipping by again this year, here is good news: you have the right intention, but you may be missing the cause of the chaos. This is not simply a desk issue. Many effective business people sit behind messy desks; however, they have learned to manage their workload. The goal is not an empty task list, but a manageable one! Presuming your issues are not so bad that you can still be found behind your piles of paper, let’s start with seven of the most common issues.

1. Efficiency is in the empty space You are ONLY as efficient as the usable space on your desk (your actual desk and your computer desktop). You naturally work best when you have adequate space. Remove all optional desk items for a few days and test the theory.

2. Beware of overly complicated filing methods Most people have huge file piles. For many, those detailed plastic tabbed hanging folders are only functional their first week and begin to work against you from there. Group paper by month or even quarter of activity, and put things away. This offers a manageable pile; no more over-stacked corners.

3. Saving too much or printing too much Save ONLY paper that is unavailable in an electronic copy, like unique, hard-to- recall, hand written notes. If you know how to run a search on your computer, saving electronic documents recalls them faster than desk digging. If you print because you have trouble reading many electronic documents, PDFs are a better solution. Try converting them. And remember primary desk space is for active tasks, not storage.

4. All work spaces count When you begin to organize, don’t forget all the spaces where work is stored. Our workloads hide in briefcases, on seats of cars, and on kitchen tables. Get it all in view at once to get a full assessment.

5. Use your doorway If something does not belong in your office, give it to whomever it belongs to immediately. Both physical things and responsibilities we should not own often stay on our desks. If you fear you are the only one who can do something ad- equately, reconsider. If no one ever gave you a chance to fail, you would not know how to do some tasks now.

6. Get out of “project mode” Breaking projects you should own into smaller activities is a huge factor in managing chaos. Don’t get caught in the details. Create only four piles: 1. Calls 2. Meetings to be set 3. To-dos (separate yours from others) 4. Research Needed

When it is time to work, embrace the mood. Feeling verbal? If so, place your calls. If you focus best in the early hours, do your research then. This “mood of operation” will make you more effective.

7. Avoid meeting oversaturation If you end up with a huge pile of meeting items, it may be time for some meeting effectiveness training. Start by verifying that you have made all calls, to-dos and research prior to the meeting to be most effective. Often these piles grow smaller when revisited.

To keep yourself manageable year round, remember to be fair about the required time expectation. Schedule an office re-group day once per quarter. The good news is if you are doing well weekly, you often don’t end up needing the whole day. When complete, you can use the extra time for those other activities.

J. Michelle Sybesma is a business consultant who has spent ten years with Professional Skills Consulting specializing in maximizing business success.Visit www.SkillsConsulting.com.

A summer evening spent on Wolfies’ lakeside deck enjoying a few drinks and a meal with family and friends is undoubtedly one of Hamilton County’s best dining expe-riences. Wolfie’s flagship restaurant opened in 2004 and overlooks Morse Reservoir. It has since grown to include a second location in Fishers. A true family enterprise, Wolfies is owned and operated by Scott and Nyla Wolf, daughter Ansley and son Alec. Ansley currently runs the Fishers location and Alec will come on board full time when he graduates from Indiana University this summer.

The Wolfs renovated their Fishers location in 2007. Scott handled the general contracting and much of the carpentry work in addition to his responsibilities at the Noblesville location. While it was a busy time for the Wolf family, the hard work paid off in lower construction costs and improved communication between owner-ship and the subcontractors. Nestled among hotels and fast food chains at 96th and Hague, the Fishers location offers a popular lunch spot and cozy neighborhood pub.

The Back StoryScott and Nyla Wolf have a nearly 35 years combined experience in the restaurant business. Many Noblesville residents will remember their first store, Nyla’s, in downtown Noblesville. When Nyla’s lease was up the Wolfs decided to search for a new location and a change of focus. When the building on Morse Lake became available they could not pass it up. Inspired by their trips to the north woods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, both locations offer a relaxed, forest lodge atmosphere.

The atmosphere and view may draw local residents and boaters in, but a diverse menu of scratch-made American fare and a few surprises keep people coming back. A local focus helps add value and flavor to the diverse menu. Scott and Nyla can be spotted selecting produce at one of Hamilton County’s farmers markets throughout the summer. In addition to local produce, fresh meats and fish are incorporated whenever possible. Locally-raised catfish is fried up in homemade batter every Friday night and all of the pork and beef is raised in the Midwest.

The FoodThe prime rib sandwich highlights the sandwich portion of the menu. The prime rib is slow roasted for five hours, sliced thin, topped with onions and pepper jack cheese and served on a hoagie bun. The Blue Burger is made with the Wolf ’s home-made blue cheese and stands out in a crowded field of great Hamilton County burgers.

Headlining the House Specialty section of the menu is the Baby Back Ribs. Thanks to a homemade dry rub and a slow smoker on site, the ribs offer a flavor that sets them apart from the average steak house. The Horseradish Crusted Sirloin is a Scott Wolf original recipe and a great combination of complementary flavors.

Whether you’re looking for a cozy lodge to enjoy a warm winter’s meal or a sun-soaked deck to gather with friends this summer, Wolfie’s has both the atmosphere and food to make it a great dining experience.

17Hamilton County Business Magazine/ February • March 2010

Dining OutA Touch of the North Woods on Morse Lake and in Fishers WolfiesBy Scott Tyree

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1960’s, expanded onto adjacent land, extended the runway and started selling jet fuel. Under VanSickles leadership, Terry Airport became an Indianapolis Interna-tional Airport reliever facility, handling corporate jets during peak times of air traffic congestion.

Andi and Dan Montgomery took over the fixed base operations in 2000 when VanSickles retired.

“Being responsible for fixed base op-erations, we take care of anyone who comes through the airport,” said Andi Montgomery. “From jet fuel to mainte-nance, to arranging hotel reservations

or booking car rentals, we provide all of the services our customers need.”

A Vision for the Future Hamilton County leaders saw the airport’s potential, purchased it in 2003 for $4.6 million and renamed it Indianapolis Executive Airport.

he Indianapolis Executive Airport (IEA) is one of Hamilton County’s best kept secrets. Owned and operated by the Hamilton County Airport Authority and managed by Montgomery Aviation, Inc., the facility was named Indiana’s 2009 Airport of the Year by the Avia-tion Association of Indiana. Among the factors contributing to IEA’s recognition is its $88 million impact on the county’s economy. The facility is one of the top 10 airports in Indiana.

A History of Success Originally called Terry Airport, the fa-cility was built in the mid-1950’s on the Campbell farm, just west of the Hamil-ton County line on State Route 32, and used as a training facility. Ray VanSick-les purchased the airport in the mid-

The Airport Authority launched a long term strategic planning process in 2005 to steward the facility, identify long-term improvements and meet FAA require-ments for a master plan. Forecasting enabled the Authority to envision future demands on the facility in order to pro-tect and safeguard airspace.

Recently the IEA rebuilt its runway with $3.4 million in federal stimulus funds, putting 75 people to work for two months, the first such airport develop-ment project in Indiana. Future plans include enhancing all-weather utility, in-creasing potential revenues and improv-

By Deb Buehler photos by Mark Lee, Great Exposures

Hamilton County’s Aviation Connection

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ing services for business users. The 10 to 20 year strategic plan focuses on capital improvements such as terminal develop-ment, taxiway lighting and an eventual extension of the existing runway to 7,000 feet. Moving the plan to imple-mentation will include an extensive 2 year environmental analysis, securing FAA grant funding, and seeking funds from local and state resources.

Immediate Business Impacts Since its purchase by the county, the facility has exceeded expectations under the care of Dan and Andi Montgom-ery. Dan launched Eagle Flyers, a flight

school where more than 500 people have earned their licenses. Many have gone on to become plane owners, us-ing hangar space and facility services such as maintenance and fuel sales.

In the beginning, Montgom-ery Aviation was managing

services for 43 based airplanes and selling about 50,000 gallons of jet fuel. By the time a second hangar was constructed 3 years later, the facility housed 100 airplanes and sold 700,000 gallons of fuel.

“By then we really understood how im-portant it was for people coming to our community,” Andi said. “People come here who are looking for corporate office sites or seeking relocation. Site selectors arrive with a checklist of items including the location of general aviation facilities as well as international airports.”

Dan had a vision for furthering execu-tive level of services with the installation of an aircraft canopy. “The new canopy, the only one in the state and in the Mid-west, allows us to keep the weather off people coming in, provides security and adds to the value we have as a business airport,” Andi said.

With more than 45,000 arrivals and departures each year, IEA supports most of the area’s major events. Seven of the top competitive golfers at last Summer’s Senior Open Golf Tourna-ment at Carmel’s Crooked Stick, flew through the airport. Thirty-two percent of arriving traffic goes to the Meridian business corridor in Hamilton County and 19 percent goes to destinations in northern Marion County. Businesses such as Medco, Modular Devices, Inc., Beck’s Hybrids, The Dobbs Group at Graystone Construction, Andretti Green, Zotec Partners and Estridge are among the Hamilton, Boone and Marion County businesses that use Indy Executive Airport. v

Master plan update was unveiled at a recent open house.

“Wby Shari Held


Hamilton County Companies setting tHe paCe for…

…tHe next generation of automobiles

e are at one of those very interesting mo-ments in history where we are witnessing the transition from the gasoline or diesel-fueled engine to the next generation,” says Ron Gifford, president and CEO of Indy Partnership. “We have the oppor-tunity in this community to help shape the direction of the entire automotive industry for the next several decades, and we are positioned exactly at the epicenter of that change.”

Hamilton County has been home to automotive-related companies such as Noblesville’s Warner Bodies, Inc. and Westfield’s Porter Engineered Systems, Inc. and Indiana Mills & Manufacturing, Inc. for years. Recently they have been joined by Noblesville’s EnerDel and Indy Power Systems, pioneers in the develop-ment of the next generation of green technologies for the automotive industry.

After their debut more than 100 years ago, electric cars lost ground to internal combustion vehicles. Will they once again become mainstream? Or will they go the way of modern-day predecessors such as General Motors’ EV1, the electric car developed in Indiana?

“My premise is the electric vehicle is go-ing to be a viable option very soon,” says Brose McVey, founder of Carmel-based Nexpointe Strategies, LLC and Republican candidate for Congress in Indiana’s 5th Con-gressional District, “and central Indiana, including Hamil-ton County…could replace yesterday’s auto-mobile industry as a sustainable, high-tech, high-wage economic driver

of this whole region. And the EnerDels of the world are helping us get there very quickly.”

On the fast trackEnerDel’s headquarters and cell manu-facturing plant are located in northern Marion County, but its battery pack as-sembly and testing center, which employs

40 workers, has been located in Nobles-

ville since 2008.

The company drew upon the rich resource pool of experienced engineers in the area to assemble its team. With a recent $118.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, and a long-term, low-interest loan in the final stages of negotiation, EnerDel is poised to expand.

The company already has the only mass production lithium-ion automotive battery manufacturing facility in North America. EnerDel president Richard L. Stanley, came on-board to help the team scale the business up to become a major global producer, and to carry on central Indiana’s legacy of leadership in innova-tive automotive electrical products.

”Our goal is to increase capacity to 60,000 EV packs per year by 2012,” says Stanley, former president of both Remy, Inc and the Drivetrain division of ATC Technology Corp “We have not finalized the specific growth that will occur at each site, but we are focused on significant growth in central Indiana.”

Rapid growth is essential for EnerDel to continue to stay ahead of the pack in the effort to mass produce lithium-ion batteries for the automotive industry. The company faces stiff competition at both the domestic and international levels.

Recently EnerDel forged partnerships with Norway-based Think Global, manufacturer of the THINK city electric car—Ener1 Inc., EnerDel’s parent com-pany, owns a 30-percent interest in the company—and is slated to supply batter-ies for Volvo’s C30 electric vehicle.

“Volvo is also a critical partnership, as their track record in terms of safety and performance makes their use of EnerDel batteries a valuable proof point for us,” Stanley says.

Other projects include co-funding a research project with Nissan Motor Co. that will be conducted by the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, and producing batteries for California-based Fisker Automotive’s Karma luxury plug-in electric vehicle.

Managing energy for cost savingsAnother Hamilton County player is Indy Power Systems, developer of the Multi-FlexTM energy management system. Multi-Flex combines the energy of high-performance lithium-ion batteries, needed for acceleration and distance, with lower-cost lead-acid batteries, used to power golf carts and GM’s first EV1 electric car. The difference in price is sub-stantial--$1,000 per kilowatt hour versus $200 per kilowatt hour.

“The concept for Multi-Flex came about because there is no one perfect battery for a battery electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle,” says Steve Tolen, president and CEO of Indy Power Systems, who origi-nally intended to develop an electric car. The technology can be used for automotive batteries as well as hand-held electric devices.

Automotive Think Tank Carries OnMost people think Delco Remy developed the EV1 in Anderson. Not so. That R&D project occurred in one of five buildings at 88th and Hague Road, just a few blocks southof Hamilton County. This very technology center is where EnerDel is headquartered today.

“This area has become the de facto Silicon Valley of electric vehicles, and it doesn’t even have a name, says Bill Wylam, former chief engineer for Delco Remy. “You have to know it’s there, but there are more people working on electric vehicles in this 20-acre campus than anywhere in the world.”

Owner Carl Grumann, now deceased, built tools and equipment for Delco Remy in his facility at 410 W. 10th Street in Indianapolis (Arthur and Louis Chevrolet built Indy 500 racing cars in it originally). Delco leased space from him to work on special projects there. When the projects grew in scope, Grumann purchased 20 acres of land at 88th and Hague Road and built several buildings to accom-modate the growth. It soon developed into an unofficial think tank for the automotive industry.

“That’s where I worked on the EV1 many years ago,” Wylam says. “Allison also had a team of people working on hybrid vehicle technology for transit buses and military vehicles then. They are still there today along with General Motors Powertrain, which makes hybrid technology.”

EnerDel Noblesville


Lashonne Buck, Pack Build Team Lead

Tolen started his venture in 2007 and moved it to Noblesville Business Park in 2008. “Hamilton County is in the center of the technology pool left over from the General Motors EV1 development days,” Tolen says. “We decided to locate here because this is where the expertise was.”

One of those experts, Bob Galyen, who was the lead designer of the EV1 battery pack, sits on Indy Power Systems advi-sory board. Chief engineer Bill Wylam, another former Delco Remy employee who developed the battery for the EV1, serves on a company board, as does green-energy advocate McVey.

Indy Power Systems is assisting Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center in develop-ing an electric hybrid drive system for the Humvee, which will be ready to roll in May. The prototype for the company’s hand-held electrical devices should be ready soon, and Indy Power Systems is currently negotiating licensing agreements.

Immortalizing the EV1

Although all major automobile manufacturers were producing al-ternative-energy cars in the 1990s to meet California’s requirements, GM garnered all the attention—both positive and negative—with its EV1, developed here in Indiana. You can discover more about it from:

• Who Killed the Electric Car? - This documentary tells the story of the demise of GM’s EV1. “Mel Gibson and I co-starred in that movie,” quips Bill Wylam, one of the fathers of the EV1. “He had a bigger part than I did. I was only in it for eight seconds.” See the outtakes on the DVD for more of the interview with Wylam. The DVD is available online.

• The Car that Could: The Inside Story of GM’s Revolutionary Electric Vehicle - GM granted author Michael Shnayerson access to all meetings and information surrounding the development of the EV1. His book is available at Amazon.com.


Last year Senator Evan Bayh invited Indy Power Systems, along with four other top alternative en-ergy-related companies in the state—EnerDel, Remy International, Altairnano (an Ander-son lithium-ion bat-tery manufacturer) and Anderson-based Bright

Automotive (creator of the IDEA hy-brid-electric vehicle)—to attend a press conference. “We are truly in a unique position,” Tolen says. “We were the only company there that could work with all the others. We can enable anyone in alternative energy to better manage their energy.”

What’s it all mean?Green-energy automotive technologies could have a significant economic impact on Hamilton County, which stands to benefit from companies located within the county or in neighboring counties.

Electric and hybrid cars certainly have more traction today than they did in the 1990s, and it’s a technology that keeps coming back. According to Wylam, GM worked on a version of the electric car every decade in modern times. “Those cars didn’t really make sense given the battery technology at the time,” he says.

EnerDel, Indy Power Systems and others hope to solve that dilemma—and soon.

“Right now, a lot is being made about costs and range, but as a charging infra-structure begins to develop, range will be much less of a factor,” EnerDel’s Stanley says. “This means we can make smaller, cheaper batteries that make electric drive more affordable for the masses.” v

Senator Richard Lugar visits Indy Power Systems last Fall.


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NewsSheridan/Junkins Win State Awards

Sheridan Main Street’s Michelle Junkins won the Indiana Main Street Outstanding Board Member of the Year award. Michelle was one of the first people to join the Sheridan Main Street group when it was formed in 2005. She chairs the promo-tion and design committees, and this year implemented “Second Saturdays”, which draws people into the downtown area each month.

The town won the Best Design of Down-town Public Improvements for their creation and development of a pocket park and mural restoration. The park replaced a parking lot and a local artist is restor-ing the historic advertising mural on the Opera House.

Conner Prairie Grows Revenue and Attendance

Admission and membership revenues were up 4% last year over 2008 and attendance grew 11% at Hamilton County’s interac-tive history park. President and CEO Ellen Rosenthal credits strategic choices made several years ago as positioning Conner Prairie to weather the recession. The new 1859 Balloon Voyage exhibit doubled its ridership goals. More than 107,000 at-tended Symphony on the Prairie.

Downtown Westfield Hires New Director

The Downtown Westfield Neigh-borhood Asso-ciation has hired Robin Chaddock as executive di-rector to manage events, cultivate cultural activi-ties and increase communication

and community among the city’s down-town businesses and residents. Chaddock is an author and certified life coach who owns Wisdom Tree Resources, specializing in inspirational communication through public speaking. Chaddock has lived in Westfield for the past ten years with her husband and two children.

Rep. Jacque Clements, Michelle Junkins, Lt. Governor Becky Skillman.

Sheridan Pocket Park.


Winery Opens in Fishers

Plainfield-based Chateau Thomas opened a tasting room and wine bar on 116th St. in the Fishers Town Commons Shopping Center. The new bar, which used recycled wine barrels and repurposed hardwoods in its construction, will offer live entertain-ment every Friday and Saturday night. It’s the third location for Chateau Thomas, which was launched in 1984 in Indianapo-lis by obstetrician Dr. Charles R. Thomas and his wife, Jill.

Day Center Opens in Noblesville

The 60 Plus Club has opened an adult day center in Noblesville called the Living Room. Located in the former BMV office on south 10th St., the Living Room offers affordable, professional daytime services to older adults with special needs. The center provides a staff of healthcare profession-als to help members whose activities are limited by injury, age, memory problems such as Alzheimers, or Parkinsons. The non-profit 60-plus club is dedicated to giv-ing Hamilton County residents the means and confidence to stay in their homes and neighborhoods as they grow older.

News

Paul Piltz, Chamber Board President, Ivan Crash, Tasting Room Manager, Dr. Charles Thomas, president, Sheila Kavanaugh, General Manager, Art Levine, Town Council


Now Available at Noblesville’s Historic Model Mill Building

802 Mulberry Street ~ Noblesville ~ Call for Reser vations 317-219-3450

The Per fect Place forWeddings, Banquets, Parties, Business Meetings, Graduations or any other occasion

Raised Stage Area, Elegant Dining in the Historic Model Mill building

Banquet Hall and Conference CenterMILL TOP

Janet TobinHancock Midwest Financial

Paul SchneiderGFS Marketplace

Roger MeyerCSCI

Thomas SvenstrupAmeriprise

Hamilton County Business Magazine/February • March 2010 27

NOVEMBER LUNCHEON

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HamiltonNorth Chamber

70 N. Byron StreetCicero, IN 46034

317-984-4079

Upcoming Events!

Thursday, February 2HNCC Luncheon, 11:30 amRed Bridge Park Community Building, Cicero, Speaker: Cliff Nicholson, Meteorologist

Monday, February 8,Legislative Breakfast, 7:30 am The Mansion at Oak Hill

MARCH 2010

2009 HOLIdAy CELEBRATION

FEBRUARY 2010Tuesday, March 2, HNCC Luncheon, 11:30 am,Arcadia Community Room, Speaker: Allen Patterson, Hamilton County Parks Department

Monday, March 8, Legislative Breakfast, 7:30 am The Mansion at Oak Hill

February • March 2010/Hamilton County Business Magazine28Holiday music was provided by Indiana Academy Bell Choir

New member, Karen Bean, Heartland Herbs and Teas joined the Chamber in October

NEW MEMBER

Chamber members enjoy a festive holiday meal and entertainment

Fork in the Road Catering providesthe Holiday Celebration meal

Paul Wyatt, Small Business Administration was the November Luncheon Speaker at the Hedgehog Music Showcase in Arcadia

NOVEMBER LUNCHEON

UpCOmING EVENTS!

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Noblesville Chamber601 Conner Street

Noblesville, IN 46060317-773-0086

NEW MEMBERS Seek out our new members at the next Chamber event you attend and help make them feel welcome!

John OliverIndiana Kitchen Company

Paul SchneiderGFS Marketplace

Lisa FeeleyGot2Know

Batteries Plus celebrated their grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on November 24. Joining in the festivities were Mayor John Ditslear, Dan and Susan Manwaring, store owners, along with Jay D. Norvell, Matt Eberly, Michel Bishop and Chamber Ambassadors. The store is located at 2640 Conner Street.

FEBRUARY 2010 MARCH 2010February 8 – 8:00 a.m.Chamber UniversityMarketing, Sales & IT PromotionChamber Office - 601 E. Conner Street

February 8 – 7:30 a.m.Legislative BreakfastThe Mansion at Oak Hill5801 E. 116th Street

February 10 – 8:00 a.m. Chamber UniversityCustomer Service SatisfactionChamber Office - 601 E. Conner Street February 11 – 8:00 a.m. NetWORKS!Eddie’s Corner Cafe- 101 N. 10th Street

February 18 – 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Business After HoursBest Buy - 17200 Mercantile Blvd. February 24 – 11:30 a.m.Membership LuncheonGuest Speaker,Indiana Secretary of State Todd RokitaPurgatory Golf Club

March 8 – 7:30 a.m. Legislative BreakfastThe Mansion at Oak Hill5801 E. 116th Street

March 11 – 8:00 a.m. NetWORKS!Harbour Trees Golf ClubCo-hosted by the Noblesville and Westfield Chambers333 Regents Park Lane

March 24 – 11:30 a.m.Membership LuncheonGuest Speaker sponsored by Chamber Legacy Partner Community BankHarbour Trees Golf Club

March 30 – 4:30 – 7:00 p.m.9th Annual Taste of BusinessHamilton County 4H Fairgrounds2003 E. Pleasant Street


Vicci ChamplinSt. Vincent de Paul

LK ShinnemanLK Smart

The Community Pride Award was presented on Thursday, December 10 to the Noblesville Fire Department in recognition of their efforts on behalf of children and families during the holiday season.Receiving the award were Mike Polletta (partially hidden), Shawn McRae, Kevin Livingston, Rob Wonnell, Marshall R. White, Rob Moore, Kevin Hutchens, Mike Cook, Jeremiah Monroe, and Todd Watson.

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New Business in SheridanThe Sheridan Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome these new businesses to Sheridan.

Sheridan Mercantile301 S. Main StreetSheridan, IN

Stuart’s Steak House406 S. Main StreetSheridan, IN317/758-0406http://stuartssteakhouse.com/Open Thurs-Saturday 5-9 pm

Upcoming Chamber LuncheonsFebruary 25, 2010Marti Lindell, Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County - “Senior Hunger”11:30-12:30 p.m.Red Onion3901 W. State Road 47

March 25, 2010Paul Wyatt - Small Business Administration“Big Tips for Small Businesses”11:30-12:30 p.m.Los Cotorros3901 W. S.R. 47, Sheridan

Be sure to visit the Sheridan Chamber Website, www.sheridanchamber.org

for information on all upcoming events!

2010 Officers, Board of Directors, and Staff Parvin Gillim, PresidentGreg Morgan, Vice PresidentBrian Bragg. TreasurerTBA, SecretaryDerek Arrowood. Board MemberGunta Beard, Board MemberKarol Bonine, Board MemberEdna Domingo, Board MemberLinda Feeney, Board MemberJackie Harris, Board MemberErin Merrill, Board MemberKristin Nalbone, Board MemberConnie Pearson, Ex-Officio Board MemberAlex Pinegar, Board MemberRichard Wilson, Board Member

Robert Young, Executive DirectorAshley Gibson, Assistant

Sheridan Chamber407 S. Main Street

P.O. Box 202Sheridan, IN 46069

317-758-1311

Sheridan Mercantile


Save the Date!Sheridan Chamber of Commerce2nd Annual Spaghetti Dinner FundraiserFebruary 26, 2010Sheridan High School5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Sheridan SesquicentennialJune 25 - July 4, 2010

The Sheridan Chamber is looking for guest speakers for 2010! If you or you know someone who would like to speak, please contact the chamber office at 758-1311! We have openings for July, August, October and for the Annual Dinner in September!

FEBRUARY 2010Economic Development MeetingMonday, February 1st ~ 11:30 a.m. Old Country Buffet, Village Park Plaza ~ WestfieldReservations: (317) 804-3030 or [email protected]

Westfield & Carmel Chamber Joint Networking BreakfastThursday, February 4th ~ 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. Charleston’sReservations required by February 1st - (317) 804-3030 or [email protected]

Legislative BreakfastMonday, February 8th ~ 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. The Mansion at Oak Hill ~ 5801 East 116th StreetReservations required by February 5th - (317) 804-3030 or [email protected]

Networking LuncheonThursday, February 18th ~ 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. CrossRoads Church at Westfield191st & Grassy Branch ~ WestfieldReservations required by February 12th - (317) 804-3030 or [email protected]

OUTLOOK 2010 Thursday, February 23rd ~ 7:30 a.m. Ritz Charles, 12156 N. Meridian Street, Carmel, IN 46032More information & Reservations ~ Hamilton County Alliance:317-573-4950

MARCH 2010Economic Development MeetingMonday, March 1st ~ 11:30 a.m. Old Country Buffet, Village Park Plaza ~ WestfieldReservations: (317) 804-3030 or [email protected]

Legislative Breakfast Monday, March 8th ~ 7:30 - 9:00 a.m.The Mansion at Oak Hill ~ 5801 East 116th StreetRSVP by March 5th to (317) 804-3030 or [email protected]

“Networks!” Thursday, March 11th ~ 8:00 - 9:30 a.m. Harbour Tree Golf Club ~ 333 Regents Park Lane, NoblesvilleReservations required by February 26th - (317) 804-3030 or [email protected]

Membership LuncheonThursday, March 18th ~ 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.“Westfield READY”IMMI/Keynote Conference Center ~ 18880 North East Street Reservations by March 12th to (317) 804-3030 or [email protected]

Connect 2!Thursday, March 25th ~ 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.Kelties - 110 South Union Street, Downtown WestfieldReservations: (317) 804-3030 or [email protected]

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MARK YOUR CALENDARS


WEstfiELd ChaMbEr LunChEon dECEMbEr 2009

Executive Committee:Randy Graham, PresidentEric Lohe, Vice President CrossRoads Church at WestfieldTroy Buchanan, Secretary Chick-fil-A at WestfieldDuane Lutz, Treasurer Hoosier Glass Company, Inc.Bob Robey, Member at Large Century 21 Realty Group- The Robey TeamTom Dooley, Past President

Directors:Dean Ballenger Dean Ballenger AgencyKevin Buchheit Krieg DeVaultTodd Burtron City of Westfield Fire DepartmentKathleen Busby Busby Eye CareConnie Chesney Huntington BankMichelle Martin First Merchants BankAndi Montgomery Montgomery AviationHeather O’Farrell McClure & O’Farrell AttorneysNick Verhoff Westfield Washington Schools

Staff:Executive Director: Julie SoleExecutive Assistant: Kathy Kostecka

2010 board of dirECtors

Mission StatementThe mission of the Westfield Chamber of Commerce

is to promote the economic development of the Westfield community, and to be active in all aspects of community life.

The Chamber strives to enhance the educational, recreational, spiritual, and cultural development of the community through the participation of its business, professional, and community

members. This mission is based on the goal to promote a favorable business climate and a positive quality of life.

Randy Graham & Nick Verhoff

Jan Skinner & Paula Hull

Joe BurrisJohn Kerr & Dr. Mark Keen Robin Chaddock

Westfield Chamber130 Penn Street

P.O. Box 534Westfield, IN 46074

317-804-3030


DO BUSINESS PRINCIPLES APPLY TO EDUCATION?

Book Mark

Gloria Enoch is an admissions representative for Indiana Tech – Fishers. She has journal-ism and business administration degrees from the University of New Mexico and Oakland City University and holds Masters in Science Management.

Whew! What a couple of years it’s been in the world of business. Jim Collins

wrote the book Good to Great in 2001, having researched 15 companies who weathered the 1990’s. I wonder, considering the economic climate we’re experiencing in 2010, what Collins would say now if he were to re-write this book.

In his earlier bestseller, Built to Last, Collins explored what made some companies great and how they sustained that greatness over time. During his research, one thing about good companies, of which there are plenty, vexed him. How do you make a good company a great company? Hence, this book, Good to Great!

In the field of education where I’m employed, we recently heard Governor Mitch Daniels proclaim he had to make a sweeping budget cut of $300 million from education in order to balance the state’s budget. If this does not force the state government and

institutions of education to become entities which go from good to great, I’m not sure what would. To have a meltdown of our education systems like what happened with business would be our country’s demise. Should we practice the principles Collins has outlined in Good to Great, I think everyone would win.

Collins, in his second chapter, suggests the concept of Level 5 Leadership. It’s an inverted pyramid of management. Instead of the top managers having all the ideas, making all of the money and taking most of the company profits, empowering those who are actually working with the product or meeting with the cus-tomer would be a major step towards becoming a great company. These are the people who will have the best suggestions and will assist in the marketing of the company’s product. Is it not the same with governmental institutions like the state and educa-tion? Collins writes it is not possible to accomplish great things without great people. He says many companies create a strategy

then try to rally people around it. Great companies start with great people and build great results from their efforts.

Indiana is one of few states in the country with an operating budget in the black. Recently, I read how Governor Daniels requested that his top educators submit ideas that would not in-volve cutting teachers in the classrooms or increasing classroom sizes. A monumental task if you were to ask me, but it showed a leadership style that involved and empowered the people whom the changes would affect the most. Governor Daniels is not leav-ing much room for mediocrity. (I also give credit to those in our state government who passed the law making it illegal for the state to operate in the red.)

Collins explores several other management concepts employed by those 15 companies. Of the 15 he studied, only one, Circuit City, did not survive the great recession of the 21st century.

This is a “must read” book for managers of private and public companies or government agencies who hope to survive these rough economic times. American companies will rise again from the ashes, it’s a matter of who will be left in the rubble. My sug-gestion is to listen to those who are working for you and have a vested interest in keeping their job and your business alive. The global economy demands American companies to be better than good; we are to be great!

Have you read a good business book lately?Share your thoughts with others and helpspread good advice. Send your book reviewto [email protected] andwe may run it in a future edition.

GOOD TO GREAT by Jim Collins Review by Gloria Enoch

David Heighway is the Hamilton County historian.

How Businesses Records Connect us to our Past

Hamilton County History

David Heighway

Local businesses can help historians by keeping good records. Economic interac-tion is a better record than personal diary entries because it reflects what is ac-tually happening at that moment, rather than what an individual might think is happening. When researching their homes, many people want anecdotal information (“This house was on the Underground Railroad” or “Lincoln stayed overnight here”), which is often unverifiable. The most reliable information comes from business transactions and legal documents. Real estate records, insurance records and tax records - all of these are precise, impartial, and bland, and they are a historian’s best friends. What’s more, once it’s interpreted, the information can be just as interesting.

As an example, let’s look at a recently purchased house on 15th Street in Noblesville. According to records at the county courthouse, the prop-erty was transferred to William Vaught in September of 1902. By 1907, the value of the structures

on the land had increased from $600 to $1,880. One source for information on this increase is the Sanborn map collection.

Sanborn MapsThe Sanborn Company began making maps of cities in 1867 for insurance com-panies to determine fire risk. Amazingly detailed, the maps were updated on a regular basis until the company stopped producing them in the 1970s. Since these were created for built-up areas and Hamilton County was largely rural, there are not many maps that cover our cities. Arcadia, Atlanta, Noblesville and Sheridan are the only communities that have them and those maps were only made between the 1880s and the late 1940s.

The Sanborn maps show that the buildings on the 15th St. property were substantially altered between 1898 and 1904 – in fact, they were probably re-placed with new buildings. The footprints (as they are called) of the structures completely changed. The structure relevant to this study is one constructed as a stable for the owner’s carriage horses. A large “X” can be seen on the roof of the building, which was the designation of a livery stable or barn. These were specially marked because of the high risk of fire from the storage of hay. It was also placed at the very edge of the property to give access to the alley.

A second substantial change was made in 1916 when, according to the transfer records, 40 feet of the lot was divided off. It appears from the Sanborn maps that the barn was reconstructed into a house. This accounts for the very plain architectural style of the building. A garage for the automobile that replaced the horses was built between the two houses. Interestingly, the first ten-

ant of the rehabilitated barn was a car salesman. The city telephone books show the tenant occupying the house by May of 1918, but he may have not had a phone before

then. The city directory shows them in the house in 1920. The house probably started as rental, but was sold to the tenants upon the death of the owner in 1922. Legally, the property was in the name of Frances Vaught, wife of William Vaught, and is mentioned in her newspaper obituary. The house went through other owners, and information about the occupants of the building can be found in the city directories, including occupations, businesses they owned, and family members.

Links to todayChecking the old records can have an impact on the property today. The transfer books say that the property was 40 feet wide, but a modern survey says that it’s 35 feet wide. Sometime between 1922 and today, five feet went missing. An-other problem might be that if a property was a rental when it was first built, it might have utilities such as the sewer system tied into the original landlord’s system - which would make for an interesting legal discussion concerning plumbing and city codes today. This all adds up to an interesting and provable story – after all, not every house was originally built to hold horses.

Other types of records can be of value. If a person were researching covered bridges, it’s helpful to know that the ledger of Josiah Durfee, once the main bridge builder in the county, still exists. There are some unusual documents as well. Fraternal lodges would keep certain kinds of information about their members for insurance purposes. Because of that, it’s possible to learn the waistline sizes of most of the leading citizens of Noblesville in 1900. The records are not always complete - original property abstracts are rare and sources can be flawed, but it’s better than no information at all. It’s worthwhile to remember that records for business today, (that people are perhaps grumbling about taking up space in the office storage room), may be incredibly valuable to historians someday. It’s another way of getting a glimpse into the lives of the people of the past.


DO BUSINESS PRINCIPLES APPLY TO EDUCATION?

Sanborn 1905 Sanborn 1922


Monday, 1st 11:30- 1Westfield Economic Development Meeting

Old Country Buffet

Tuesday, 2nd 11:30Hamilton North Luncheon

Red Bridge Park

Wednesday, 3rd 8-9:30amFishers Morning Motivator

Fishers Train Station

Thursday, 4th 7:30-9 amWestfield & Carmel

Joint Networking BreakfastCharleston’s

Monday, 8th 7:30 amLegislative Breakfast

Oak Hill Mansion

Wednesday, 10th Noon-1:30Carmel Luncheon

The Fountains

Thursday, 11th 8:00 a.m.Noblesville NetWORKS!

Eddie’s Corner Café

Wednesday, 17th 7:30 to 9 a.m.Carmel Business Over Bagels

Baker & Daniels

Wednesday, 17th 11:30Fishers Luncheon

Forum Conference Center

Thursday, 18th 11-1Westfield LuncheonCrossroads Church

Thursday, 18th 4:30-6:30Noblesville Business After Hours

Best Buy

CalendarThis information is accurate as of press time. Please check chamber websites for updates.

FEBRUARY Tuesday, 23rd 7-9:15 am2010 Outlook Breakfast

Ritz Charles

Wednesday, 24th 11:30Noblesville LuncheonPurgatory Golf Club

Wednesday, 24th 4:30-6:30Fishers Business After Hours

Location TBA

Thursday, 25th 11:30-12:30Sheridan Luncheon

Red Onion

Friday, 26th 5-72nd Annual Sheridan

Spaghetti Dinner Chamber FundraiserSheridan High School

Monday, 1st 11:30-1Westfield Economic Development Meeting

Old Country Buffet

Tuesday, 2nd 11:30Hamilton North LuncheonArcadia Community Room

Monday, 8th 7:30 amLegislative Breakfast

The Mansion at Oak Hill

Wednesday, 10th Noon-1:30Carmel LuncheonRenaissance Hotel

Thursday, 11th 8:00 amNoblesville/Westfield NetWORKS!

Harbour Trees Golf Club

Wednesday, 17th 11:30-1Fishers Luncheon

Forum Conference Center

Thursday, 18th 11-1Westfield Luncheon

IMMI/Keynote Conference Center

Wednesday, 24th 11:30Noblesville Luncheon

Harbour Trees Golf Club

Wednesday, 24th 4:30-6:30Fishers Business After Hours

Sagamore Advisors

Thursday, 25th 11:30-12:30Sheridan Luncheon

Los Cotorros

Thursday, 25th 5-7Carmel and Westfield

Business Roundabout/Connect2!Kelties

Tuesday, 30th 4:30-7

9th Annual NoblesvilleTaste of Business

Hamilton County 4H Fairgrounds

MARCH

For more information on these events please contact the chambers at these numbers:Carmel Chamber of Commerce 846-1049www.carmelchamber.com

Fishers Chamber of Commerce 578-0700www.fisherschamber.com

Hamilton North Chamber of Commerce 984-4079www.hamiltonnorthchamber.com

Noblesville Chamber of Commerce 773-0086www.noblesvillechamber.com

Sheridan Chamber of Commerce 758-1311www.sheridanchamber.org

Westfield Chamber of Commerce 804-3030 www.westfield-chamber.org

Rotary International

The Noblesville Midday Rotary Club is one of 32,000 local Rotary clubs throughout the world and six in Hamilton County. Open to all persons regardless of race, color, creed or political preference, Rotary brings to-gether business and professional lead-ers to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Each club meets weekly. For more information on the Noblesville Midday Rotary ClubCall Gloria Davis 317-877-0051

Service Club

Freelance Graphic Design

Mezign Design11505 River Drive EastCarmel, INCall Melanie at [email protected]

Mezign Design offers graphic designservices for anything from businesscards to billboards, specializing in printand web advertising. Reasonable rates, modern design and fast turnaround.Give Mezign Design a try. You’ll be glad you did.


BUSINESS RESOURCE DIRECTORYLogan Street Signs & Banners1720 South 10th Street,Noblesville, IN317-773-7200 Open M-F 7-5www.loganstreetsigns.comwww.noblesvilletrophies.comwww.noblesville.com

Digitally printed signs and bannersof any size, vehicle wraps andgraphics, T-shirt printing, laserengraving. Great customer service,fast turn-around. Family Owned andOperated. Serving Noblesville andHamilton County since 1992.Also home of Noblesville Trophies773-7391 Open M-F 9-6 Sat. 10-2

Signs and Banners Commercial Lease SpaceRiver Edge Professional Centerand River Edge Market PlaceNoblesville, INCall John Landy at [email protected]

65,000 square feet of flexible floor plans. Design and build to yourspecifications. Time Share spaceavailable. Retail space also availablefrom 1,600 square feet up.

Easy access and abundant parking!High speed internet. 3 minutes fromRiverview Hospital.

Community Resources

Hamilton CountyAutism Support Group19215 Morrison WayNoblesville, IN 46060

The Hamilton County Autism Support Group provides community awareness and helps support families where lives are challenged by Autism, a disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects socialinteraction and communication skills.

HCASG provides Support Meetings, Autism Siblings Program, Young Adults Social Group, Girls on the Spectrum and more.

For more information, contact Jane Grimes at 317-403-6705Or visit www.hcasg.org

Computer Consulting

Compumed802 Mulberry StreetNoblesville, INSuite [email protected]

• Business Computer Hardware and Software Installation• Custom Application Development• On-Site Support and Service

Commercial Lease SpaceMajestic Plaza Office ParkCarmel, IN 46032(317) 876-1555www.majesticplaza.com

Medical, Professional, and Non Profits welcome. Custom spaces 600 to 20,000 sq ft in campus settingJust off I-465 & Michigan Rd US 421 Ramp. On site Owner/Management team, conference/fitness center, ample parking. Unmatched access to Carmel, Indianapolis & Zionsville. Attractive Rates, net or full service, you choose.“Come grow with us, Make it yours.”

Video ServiceWTVCicero, IN 460??(317) 224-4447

1-minute Walk Thru Video™ introducing you, your company, or your practice.

Fully edited and compiled with a customized professional voice-over narrative.

Posted to video sharing sites such as YouTube for easy propagation to all sites and web apps of interest to your business

Next Edition Focus:

Deadline: February 26

For info: [email protected]

Health Industry

hamilton county business magazine february/march 2010

Documents

transportation business

communications business

highway s

u n t y b u s i n e

mark lee

pump gas

editorpublishermike

electric motor