Growingthe newsletter of the Farmington Chamber of Commerce

2011 IMPACT Partners

Fostering business success, improving the economic environment and enhancing the quality of life of the Farmington area through:Business Development * Advocacy * Community Engagement * Leadership Development * Member Services

Special thanks to our

TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETChamber kicks o� summer business tour June 20 New program makes asking

for business help easier

Businesses to “go green” July 15 with 6th annual golf tournament

Summer 2011

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Kevin ThurmanChairman

Mary McEntireU.S. BankVice President, Business Development & Advocacy

Lisa SumpterFirst State Financial ManagementVice President, Community & Member EngagementGreg RedfieldRedfield Collision CentersTreasurer

Laura RaymerFarmington Ministerial AllianceImmediate Past Chair

Directors

Tim BartonBarton Insurance Services

Phil BrocklandOzarks Federal Savings & Loan

Terry HawnMRV Banks

Shawn MerrittMerritt Investment Properties

Janszen RingoNew Era Bank

Doug SmithFarmington Press

Michelle SmithUSA Drug

Kraig SutherlandFirst State Community Bank

Mark TotiKREI/KTJJ

Jerry WeemsWealth Concepts Insurance

Marisa ZaricorCentene Corporation

Ex-officio Directors

Greg BeaversCity of Farmington

Doug McDermottFarmington Chamber of Commerce

STAFF

Doug McDermottPresident/CEO

Jessica WellsBusiness Resource Specialist

Tracy McRavenAssistant

302 N. WashingtonPO Box 191

Farmington, MO 63640573-756-3615

farmingtonmo.org

GROWING is a publication of the Farmington Chamber of Commerce. While every effort is taken to ensure accuracy, community and investor submissions are subject to change without notice.

BUILDING CONNECTIONSDoug McDermott

For the last 17 months, the Farmington Chamber of Commerce team - board of directors, staff, volunteers and so many more - have been focused internally, a task that is very important.

We’ve reviewed our mission statement, our vision for the future, and the types of work we do, to make sure our organization is on a track toward success. That work is often a quiet thing. It doesn’t come with much flash, and sometimes it keeps you inside a box.

As you see on the cover, we’re ready to break out of that box to hit the streets.

It’s time for us to visit each and every one of the investors that make up this collaborative organization.

By putting ourselves in your world, we’ll be better poised to help you build connections that lead to greater success in your own business and strengthen the entire Farmington area.

By putting ourselves in your world, we’ll be better able to share your stories and let others know about your work and the contributions you make to our economy and its customers.

By putting ourselves in your world, we’ll develop even stronger strategies to partner with you to make your business or organization stronger.

It’s time to hit the streets, and I humbly ask that as we contact you over the next few months of our “summer road trip,” you’re able to carve a few minutes for our team to stop by, ask questions and generate ideas that will help us all.

We’ve got a map. We’ve got our walking shoes. We’re ready to start “takin’ it to the streets!”

PS: Be sure to watch our blogs at farmingtonmo.org to find out what we’ve learned and find out some interesting things about the Farmington business community you maybe never knew!

The mission of the Farmington Chamber of Commerce is to foster business success, improve the economic environment and enhance the quality of life of the Farmington area and surrounding region.

We achieve our mission through programs in business development, advocacy, community engagement, leadership development and member services.

The Farmington Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit corporation governed by a volunteer board of directors elected from membership, who are charged with ensuring that policies and programs ultimately help achieve our mission of growing a stronger Farmington.

BUSINESS BRIEFSSubmissions

Parkland Health Center Announces Star Service Employees for May and June

Jaime Jaycox and Dee Dee White were named Parkland Health Center’s Star Service Employees for May and June.

Jaycox began working at Parkland Health Center five years ago in the front lobby reception area, and soon became an Emergency Department receptionist for patient access. Jaycox says that her favorite work is serving patiets.

White has worked as a cashier in the dietary department at Parkland Health Center for 15 years. She was nominated for her friendly attitude and compassion toward patients and families.

Parkland Health Center is part of BJC HealthCare which also includes St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, the teaching hospitals for Washington University School of Medicine. For additional information about Parkland Health Center, call (573) 756-6451 or visit www.parklandhealthcenter.org.

Retired KFMO/B104 News Director Honored

Former KFMO/B104 News Director Gib Collins was honored on June 6 at an event held at Serenity Hospice Care Incorporated on the campus of Mineral Area College.

Collins was presented with proclamations honoring his years of service to the community by Rep. Linda Black and Sen. Kevin Engler. The St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department also honored Collins with a plaque for his support of the Shop with a Cop program.

Collins started at the radio station in 1989, and during his tenure served as a morning and evening show host, program director, assistant general manager, acting general manager and news director.

Camelot Administrator Receives Leadership Award

Marilyn Miller, administrator of Camelot Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Farmington since 2002, was presented the 2011 American College of Health Care Administrator’s Facility Leadership Award at the group’s annual banquet in New Orleans, La.

Miller was one of 37 recipients who received the award, which recognizes administrators of nursing homes who have met superior health

care standards.

Founded in 1962, the American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA) is a professional association devoted to meeting the needs of long-term care administrators and executives.

Chaumette Opens New Villa

Chaumette Winery recently opened a custom-designed executive boardroom villa, which contains a boardroom-style meeting room, full kitchen, living area and two bathrooms on the ground level, and a master suite on the second level.

The meeting room will accommodate meetings of up to 18 guests with room for additional guests seated around the room’s perimeter. The room provides access to state-of-the-art technology, including AT&T UVerse, WiFi Internet access, video conferencing and Smart BOARD Technology, an interactive 86” flat-panel interactive “whiteboard” that is controlled by computer and used to access applications such as Powerpoint or Excel.

Additional amenities for corporate guests include spa services and access to the pool and fitness center at The Spa at Chaumette as well as fishing on the property’s many lakes, hiking on designated trails on- and off-property and orienteering.

Established in 1990 by Hank and Jackie Johnson, Chaumette Vineyards and Winery is located in Ste. Genevieve County. For more information on the winery or villa offerings, visit www.chaumette.com

Chapman Purchases Dental Practice from Ross

Dr. Bryan Chapman, DMD, purchased the Farmington dental practice of Dr. Douglas K. Ross, DDS, as of May 31.

Chapman has been an associate dentist at the practice since July 2010.

Chapman is a 2004 graduate of Temple University Dental School in Philadelphia, Pa. He and wife, Rachael, have been married for 13 years, and have three children.

Chapman will continue to offer the First Dental Visit Free program that Ross created in 2006. Any area child under the age of 3 is invited to a first free appointment where they meet the dentist and staff and are acquainted with the dentist’s office to become more comfortable and open to dental care.

Chapman’s office is at 807 E. Karsch Blvd. in Farmington. For more information, contact (573) 756-5760.

MARMC Honors Employees

Rafael Figueroa, Donna Loyd, and Retha Evans were honored for their service by Mineral Area Regional Medical Center in March.

Figueroa, colon-rectal surgeon, was named physician of the month, and he has been employed with Mineral Area Regional Medical Center for two years. Loyd, RN, was named nurse of the month, and she has been employed for two years in the home health department. Evans, a 13 year veteran of the hospital who works in patient access, was named employee of the month for March.

Serving Saint Francois County and surrounding county residents since 1952, Mineral Area Regional Medical Center is a 135-bed acute-care hospital, accredited by The American Osteopathic Association. MARMC is a part of the Capella Healthcare family of hospitals. For more information about MARMC, visit Mineralarearegional.com

For more briefs, visit farmingtonmo.org.

To submit your business briefs, visit farmingtonmo.org/submit news.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Wednesday, July 6 Groundbreaking Ceremony at Culver’s Karsch Boulevard on the former property of Ponderosa Steakhouse 10 a.m.

Friday, July 15 Business Appreciation Day & Chamber Golf Tournament Crown Pointe Golf Course

Thursday, July 21 Monthly Investor Meeting Centene Center Noon

TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETChamber kicks off summer business tour June 20

Summer is all about roadtrips and seeing the world, and it’s no different in the world of the Farmington Chamber of Commerce.

During the summer, staff and volunteers from the Farmington Chamber of Commerce will be takin’ it to the streets to visit members and organizations to listen and to share information.

“For the last year and a half, we’ve been very focused internally as a board and staff team,” said Doug McDermott, president/CEO of the Farmington Chamber of Commerce.

“We took on a big task of reviewing our mission, establishing a strategic plan and honing in on the work we should be doing to be of greatest impact to our members,” McDermott said.

“The next step in growing a stronger Farmington and growing a stronger chamber of commerce is getting out of the office, meeting with our investors and learning more about their businesses,” McDermott said.

The goal of the 2011 summer business tour is to learn more about the specific operations of chamber members with the goal of being better able to share information about those organizations and advocate for them when opportunities arise.

“Many times a year, our investors hear about the work of the chamber’s staff, board and volunteers to grow a stronger Farmington, but now we want - we need - to know more about them,” said Jessica Wells, business resource specialist.

Wells said that these one-on-one visits and drop-ins will help to build a knowledgebase of information that help staff build connections on behalf of investors.

“Every day we take calls and give referrals for businesses and organizations, and need to have a better birds’ eye view to do that in the best way possible,” Wells said.

McDermott and Wells said the opportunity is not only for their information, but that information gathered will be profiled on their

blogs at farmingtonmo.org and in chamber communications so others who read the communications can benefit.

“We are both inquisitive by nature,” McDermott said, “so it will be very exciting to start asking questions, taking photos, and then sharing that information with everyone else.”

Associations, groups, government

14%Retail14%

Health care and senior services

13%Business services and technology

12%

Construction and building services

10%

Hospitality and food service

8%

Other8%

Financial and legal services

7%

Real estate and housing

5%

Home services and personal care

5%

Manufacturing and industry

4%

Distribution of Farmington Chamber of Commerce Members

WHO ARE CHAMBER MEMBERS?

Farmington Chamber of Commerce members can be broken into a number of different categories.

“From not-for-profit and for profit to employee size, we can categorize our members a lot of different ways,” McDermott said.

“The next step in growing a stronger Farmington and growing a stronger chamber of commerce is

getting out of the office, meeting with our investors and learning more about their businesses”

TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETChamber kicks off summer business tour June 20

McDermott said that distribution is important especially for the summer business tour.

“We know that our members and their representatives come from a variety of backgrounds and their operations are very different,” he said. “Some are able to come to our existing meetings and events, while others are not.”

He believes that going out to meet with each of the businesses will connect investors who are not able to build their involvement with the Farmington Chamber of Commerce through existing programs.

“It’s natural that some of our investors are more readily on our radar for opportunities when they come up,” Wells said. “And that’s simply because we’re in more frequent proximity with them.”

But she believes that it is especially important to expand the relationships with more of a broad spectrum of the chamber’s membership.

MAKING IT HAPPEN

Staff from the chamber will be contacting businesses and organizations over the coming weeks in person and by phone.

“Many times a year, our investors hear about the work of the chamber’s staff, board and volunteers

to grow a stronger Farmington, but now we want - we need - to know more about them”

“For some of our businesses, we will do drop-bys, which are always fun,” Wells said. “But for other businesses, we know that appointments will need to be scheduled.”

“All we ask for when we call is to give us a few minutes,” Wells said. “We want to watch, listen and learn.”

Learn more about the 2011 summer business tour as it happens

STAY TUNED TO STAFF BLOGS AT FARMINGTONMO.ORG

BIG RIVER BROADBAND FINALIZES FUNDING FOR BROADBAND INITIATIVE

NEW FARMINGTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBERS SINCE OUR LAST ISSUE

Culver’s of FarmingtonPatricia Mosier525 W. Karsch Blvd.Farmington, Mo 63640

Camp HopeWilliam WhiteP.O. Box 52Farmington, MO 63640910-599-0640www.chrisnealfarm.com

Douglas C. Greene Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Southeast Missouri State UniversityDr. James StapletonOne University Plaza MS0130Cape Girardeau, MO 63701573-651-2929www.semo.edu/cie

Fit To Be CleanJamie Armon121 Lisa Ln.Bismarck, MO 63624573-330-5856www.fittobeclean.vpweb.com

After nearly two years of rigorous application processes and many months of contract discussion, all paperwork has been finalized and Big River Telephone can now start its $33 million dollar broadband build under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to launch a wireless broadband network and services in the seven-county region.

“We are pleased all paperwork has been finalized. We understand the “hurry up and wait” process and commend everyone involved in this project who took extra time to ensure due-diligence,” said Kevin Cantwell, President of Big River Telephone. “Now we’re ready to begin the next steps to be able to offer wireless broadband service to the seven-county region.”

The seven-county region includes Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Madison, Perry, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve and Washington counties. Now that funding has been finalized, tower construction can begin, with project completion expected within 20 months.

“In our commitment to these communities, we’ll soon roll out free Wi-Fi to many downtown locations in this seven-county region. This is the first sign that wireless broadband will soon be available in your area,” said Cantwell.

The $33 million project is a combination of federal stimulus funds made up of $12.2 million in grants and $12.2 million in loans. Big River will also be committing $9 million to the broadband initiative.

Several local people have already been hired at Big River Broadband for the wireless initiative. They are part of the 74 resources to be hired in Big River Broadband.

“During the due diligence process Big River Broadband was moving forward, despite funding not having been finalized. Thanks to our preparedness, we’re ready to move forward without delay now,” he said.

Big River Broadband will continue hiring at a much more rapid pace now that funding has been finalized said Cantwell. The economic impact of the wireless broadband initiative will be evident throughout the seven counties.

Big River’s website and social media outlets are the first place to go for current information on job openings and broadband efforts.

“Our goal is to keep consumers interactive and engaged throughout this process. We’ve dedicated specific areas on our website just for wireless broadband updates and will be engaging through Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels regularly,” he said.

Big River Broadband’s initiative is also part of MoBroadbandNow, a public-private partnership to provide high-speed Internet access across the state. Big River’s initiative will bring high-speed wireless broadband access to 90 percent of residents in the seven-county region.

East Missouri Action Agency is partnering with the United Way of St. Francois County to host a poverty simulation on Thursday, June 23, at the MAC North College Center in Park Hills.

Participants will learn through this fun and interactive simulation what people living at or below the poverty level experience all while trying to achieve two primary objectives: keep shelter and get food.

The simulation will be from 9-10:30 a.m. There is no charge to participate, but seating is limited. Contact Stacy Spradling by emailing sspradling@ozarksfederal.com or by calling 573-756-6622.

POVERTY SIMULATION GIVES OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO FEEL IMPACT OF POVERTY FIRST-HAND

Asking for assistance is often the first and most difficult step in making improvement both personally and in business.

That step will be easier for businesses in the Southeast Missouri region because of a partnership between the Douglas C. Greene Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) at Southeast Missouri State University and the Farmington Chamber of Commerce.

The Farmington Chamber of Commerce has become a community advocate for Operation Growth Start, a new program designed to connect business owners and leaders with no cost strategic business counseling.

“We are so excited to be working with this program,” said Mary McEntire, vice president for business development and advocacy with the Farmington Chamber of Commerce and a vice president for treasury management at US Bank.

“Every day, we see business owners who struggle with financing, and it’s often related to their business model and operations. Helping to increase their chances for success will help the entire Farmington business community and throughout Southeast Missouri,” McEntire said.

The Farmington Chamber of Commerce staff team will provide preliminary needs assessments to interested businesses, and will help provide connections to an appropriate business counselor.

Interested businesses may contact the Farmington Chamber of Commerce at 573-756-3615 to schedule a 1-hour appointment to discuss their business operations, strengths and weaknesses, after which, staff will make a connection between the business leader and an appropriate counselor who can work with them on such areas as finance, marketing and management.

“It’s tough for a business leader in a smaller community to find the help they need, and often times, they just need an unbiased, confidential sounding board that will help spur new ideas,” said Doug McDermott, president/CEO of the Farmington Chamber of Commerce.

“For us to be able to make that connection is directly in line with our mission of growing a stronger Farmington and helping to strengthen the business community,” McDermott said.

McDermott said that the program wasn’t limited only to Farmington businesses.

“In the economy, there are no walls between cities. Customers and employees are fluid and travel, so a sense of regionalism is very important,” McDermott said.

McDermott said that the Farmington Chamber of Commerce will soon begin outreach in St. Francois, Madison and Ste. Genevieve Counties to share the opportunities of the program.

Asking for Help Just Got Easier

Business leaders overcome obstacles through customized personal business counseling

“When individual communities lost their own Small Business Development Centers nearly a decade ago, there was a hole left in the role of business counseling and training. This is an amazing opportunity to bring those training resources back into the local communities, roll up our sleeves and really help our business owners grow stronger,” McDermott said.

Operation Growth Start is a spin-off program from Operation JumpStart, a program designed to train prospective business owners how to develop a business plan and prepare for success.

After administering the OJS programs for six years, it became apparent to CIE leadership that although the program has helped numerous individuals start businesses, about half of the participants chose not to start their business after completing the training.

The 2011 Operation Growth Start is a pilot program being launched throughout southeast Missouri, utilizing community champions, such as the Farmington Chamber of Commerce, to help reconnect past Operation Jump Start graduates and to provide growth resources and referrals to existing rural businesses that need help to expand their operations.

The mission of the Farmington Chamber of Commerce is to foster business success, improve the economic environment and enhance the quality of life of the Farmington area and surrounding region. That mission is achieved through programs business development, advocacy, community betterment, leadership development and member services.

For more information, contact the Farmington Chamber of Commerce at 573-756-3615 or farmingtonmo.org.

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Day&Golf Tournament

Crown Pointe Golf Club11:30 a.m. Lunch1 p.m. Tee Time4-person Scramble

6th annual

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Hole Sponsorship $100 (Text only or Logo)

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Exp. Date CVV

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July 15