Growth in the Thumb

HURON DAILY TRIBUNE www.michigansthumb.com

By Casey JohnsonFor the Tribune

BAD AXE— In Italy, the word DaVita means “to give life,” but for Huron County residents, the word is about to mean something much deeper – a better life.

Late last summer, DaVita — an international center for dialysis treatments — began the remodel for a new loca-tion on North Van Dyke in Bad Axe.

“We’re really excited to be in Huron County,” said Amy Peruski, a nurse and facil-ity administrator for DaVita locations in Bad Axe and Cass City.

The lounge, complete with an electric fireplace, over-stuffed chairs and polished wood floors, is ready to greet the 25 to 30 patients already signed up to complete treat-ment in Bad Axe.

The f ac i l i t y employs a dietician, social worker, dialysis technicians, insur-ance coordinator and several doctors.

Equipment is running, and the staff is ready to serve. The only unfulfilled requirement is the state evaluation and certification, which Peruski expects will happen in the next month.

The facility has the capac-ity to run three rounds of dialysis a day six days a week, and may eventually reach that number.

Bu t fo r now, Pe rusk i said they will start by run-ning three shifts Monday, Wednesday and Friday until the need grows.

One of the greatest ben-efits of the new location, according to Peruski, will be the availability of the TAT bus to patients, and a shorter travel distance for nursing home residents in the area.

Peruski said having a DaVita in the county will increase the quality of life for dialysis patients, many of whom come from as far away as Port Austin. And with Cass City being the nearest site, the trip can be anything but convenient.

“Dialysis is not an option for people with kidney fail-ure,” Peruski explained, not-ing treatment is a necessity, so it should be as accessible as possible.

And the process is long, difficult and a major part of life.

Each patient endures three or four hours of dialysis up to three times a week, so it should be as comfortable and family-friendly as possible.

And one op t ion i s t o do all treatments at home. Training for peritoneal dialy-sis — dialysis performed at home by the patient and another family member — is one of the conveniences Peruski said she was excited to offer Huron County resi-dents because it will give patients the opportunity to work around their schedule and live as “normally as pos-sible.”

“DaVita is about doing the right thing for the patients,” she said. “It’s not as much about the process as it is giv-ing back to the community.”

And to Peruski, the best gift is education.

The effects of Kidney fail-ure are phenomenal, with about 450,000 people diag-nosed nationwide, and many

more at risk.“DaVita sees it as part of

their job to keep people off of dialysis,” said Peruski.

Which is why free Kidney Smart classes will be offered once a month at the Bad Axe facility.

Kidney Smart is a pro-gram designed for anyone who wants to learn more about kidney failure, treat-ment and, most importantly, preventative measures.

Peruski said high blood pressure and diabetes are the two main causes of kidney failure, and the “main goal is to keep people from being here.”

Because d ia lys i s i s a lifelong commitment with the only cure being a kid-ney transplant, it is vital that people understand how to stay healthy and receive the right treatment, Peruski said.

“We care about what hap-pens to the patients,” Peruski said.

And for her, the great-est rewards are the patients themselves.

“I’m so lucky to have all this time getting to know them,” she added.

GROWTH

ThumbIN THE

A special section featuring all the ways the Thumb is expanding, improving

and becoming better than ever!

New dialysis facility provides a much-needed service

Casey Johnson/For the TribuneRebecca howard, dialysis technician at DaVita discusses patient health care with Lori Brooks, who began treatment in 2011.

amy Peruski, a nurse and facil-ity administra-

tor for DaVita in Bad axe and Cass City, dis-

cusses patient information

with Larry Wasserman,

who began treatment in

2011.

Casey Johnson/For the Tribune

1

Tribune Staff Reports

E L K T O N — T h e Cooperative Elevator Co. hosted an open house last summer at its Elkton branch to show off the results of its expansion project.

Hundreds attended the event and were treated to lunch, giveaways and tours highlighting the terminal’s new upgrades that have increased both efficiency and the rate of speed in which crops get processed.

“Speed is the key,” said Mike Janowicz, vice presi-dent of bean and grain. “Speed is the big thing. Growers, with the big com-bines they have today, they want in and out fast and want to move onto the next thing.”

Janowicz pointed out that the new truck pit and leg that were added to the terminal are capable of 30,000 bushels per hour, which doubles the previous dumping capacity to 60,000 bushels per hour.

Also part of the expan-sion project was an upgrade to the control room to speed up the probing of trucks and grading of samples, a second truck scale and exit road to smooth traffic flow, a new concrete silo that can be used for wet grain, and a new steel bin for onsite storage.

The 130-foot silo mea-sures 58 feet in diameter, has a 285,000 bushel capac-ity, which has increased wet holding capacity by 150 per-cent.

The massive steel bin is 111 feet at its peak and is 135 feet in diameter, can hold 1.045 million bushels, increasing total onsite stor-age by 33 percent.

To handle the increased power requirements, the company put in its own elec-trical substation, which also sets the plant up nicely for future expansion.

“We put in own power supply because they couldn’t get enough power to feed

the plant off of the grid,” Janowicz said. “And now we’ve got room for expan-sion. The footprint now is set, that we could actually put in an additional eight of the 1 million bushel bins out here.”

Janowicz said as a result of the additional speed, the terminal has added two full-time employees and several more part-time.

He added that plans for the upcoming year include adding a third dryer that would tap into the new wet tank to give the terminal a lot more drying capacity, so they can be drying as fast as they are receiving.

“This would eliminate getting bottlenecked with wet grain during the harvest season,” he said.

Cooperative Elevator, headquartered in Pigeon, also has branches in Akron, Bad Axe, Fairgrove, Gagetown, North Branch, Ruth and Sebewaing.

2 • Saturday, March 29, 2014 • GROWTH IN THE THUMB HURON DAILY TRIBUNE • www.michigansthumb.com

Courtney Manor invests millions in new expansionBy Casey JohnsonFor the Tribune

BAD AXE— This year’s expansion at Courtney Manor is worth millions to rehabilita-tion patients — $2.5 million to be more exact.

Builders broke ground last July at Courtney Manor, and are preparing to present a fin-ished addition to the building in June. An addition that is siz-ably larger than many homes at 200,000 square feet, with a cost of over $2 million.

And while Courtney Manor offers a variety of services from physical therapy to hos-pice, the addition is to bet-ter the care of rehabilitation patients specifically.

“It will be like its own separate community,” said Kay Peruski, administrator at Courtney Manor. “And that will really help the rehabilita-tion process.”

Peruski said patient privacy is a big key to success for peo-ple undergoing rehabilitation.

Currently, the facility has 112 beds with just 12 private rooms. The rest are all double bed residences.

“After the addition is fin-ished, we will have 37 private rooms,” Peruski said.

And according to Linda English, accounts receivable manager, a private room is what “every patient wants.”

That privacy comes com-plete with flat screen TVs, Wi-Fi in every room, and space made to fit.

Peruski said that along with standard bedrooms, there will be two bariatric accommoda-tions for people who weigh up to 700 pounds.

But privacy isn’t the only factor to a healthy recovery. Many other tools are required to help patients back to their feet.

The building will house a therapy gym that will include physical exercise equipment as well as tools for occupa-tional development.

Peruski said a full kitchen will be set up so occupational therapists can help people learn how function at home again. They teach patients how to get in and out of bed, and much more before dis-charging them.

While the focus is physical and mental recovery, recre-ation is not ignored.

Three Salon stations are being installed for hair and nails as well as a multi-pur-pose room that can be used as a chapel or for family gather-ings and events.

Other luxuries include a community dining room, private entrance to the rehab facility, an enclosed courtyard, and a gift shop that will be run by the Family Counsel

(a volunteer group dedicated to raising funds and donating time to the facility).

With so many patient needs being met, a need for employ-ees arises.

Peruski said the facility has not only employed many local subcontractors for construc-tion, but it will be adding 15 to 20 permanent employees.

But one of the most effi-cient new tools, according to Peruski, is a generator with the capacity to power the entire building.

“We are now able to be very self sufficient when it comes to power outages,” she said.

All of the time, energy and money invested in the build-ing lead back to the patients, a c c o r d i n g t o C o u r t n e y Manor’s mission statement which is a commitment to “provide excellent service while promoting health and independence in a home like environment.”

Staff at Courney Manor expressed thanks to the com-munity for its patience during construction and for allow-ing them the opportunity to expand.

“We are all very excited and can’t wait for it to open,” said Peruski.

An open house will be scheduled for June to celebrate the projects completion.

Cooperative Elevator shows its growth

Tribune File PhotoCooperative elevator Co. held an open house last summer at its elkton branch to show off the results of its expansion at that location.

Casey Johnson/For the TribuneFrom left, Linda english, Rachel Voss, Trevor Carriveau, stephanie Ireland and Kay Peruski proudly display blue prints for the $2.5 million addition to be completed in June.

Local bank has a new facilityIndependent Bank in Bad axe this year con-structed a new bank building on north Port Crescent to replace the old one at that loca-tion. The project spans 2,508 square feet on both the first floor and basement, and there also is a 50- by 38-foot drive-thru canopy. The estimated cost of the project was $800,000.

Chris Aldridge/ Huron Daily Tribune

2

FOUNDED IN 19767050 HARTLEY ST • PIGEON • 989-453-3933

Axis Machining Blue ChipHeat Treatment and Machining

Blue DiamondSteel Casting

SANDUSKY 989 West Sanilac (810) 648-2404

CARO 415 Biebel Rd. (M-24 North)

(989) 673-8400

MARLETTE 7454 Van Dyke Highway

(810) 346-2761

BAD AXE 1314 Sand Beach Rd.

(989) 269-9249

SAGINAW 6150 Bay Rd.

(989) 791-1234

BURTON 4135 Davison Rd.

(810) 742-3364

BIRCH RUN 8461 Main St.

(989) 624-9356

REESE 9952 Saginaw St. (989) 868-4165

LAPEER 3120 N. Lapeer Rd.

(810) 664-3798

HURON DAILY TRIBUNE • www.michigansthumb.com GROWTH IN THE THUMB • Saturday, March 29, 2014 • 3

Caseville dental clinic believes in having the best technology for its patientsBy Bill DillerFor the Tribune

C A S E V I L L E — Everyone likes to see a nice smile. It brightens up your day to be greeted warmly, with clean, white teeth shin-ing in a cheerful face. Some people are blessed with nat-urally perfect teeth. Most aren’t, and thats where a good dentist comes in.

Dentistry has changed over the years. In the last few decades, tremendous improvements have come about, making it easier for dentists to improve your smile, and your overall den-tal health.

]The use of technology has played an important part in the advancement of den-tistry. Most dentists have embraced it, including Dr. Scott Redwantz of Caseville Family Dentistry.

This year marks their 20th anniversary.

“ We s t a r t e d i n J u n e of 1994,” Redwantz said. “That’s when we bought the practice from Dr. Eichler.”

A couple years later, in 1996, Redwantz built a new, modern dental office at its present location, 6892 Main St., in Caseville. The busi-ness has grown since then, in part due to the use of tech-nology.

It has revolutionized den-tistry.

“I believe it was in 2000 when we added the CEREC machine,” Redwantz said. “It is a CAD/CAM machine designed to make individu-al crowns right here in the office.”

CEREC is an acronym for Chairside Economical Res to ra t ion o f Es the t i c Ceramics. Another definition is CEramic REConstruction. Basically, the machine pro-vides the means to speed up the process of improving a person’s smile.

“We were one of the first in the Thumb to have that machine,” Redwantz said.

By having the CEREC machine onsite, Redwantz is able to measure for and produce a crown in a very short time.

In his continuing effort to provide the very best in dental care, a new x-ray machine will soon be added to Redwantz’s arsenal of oral hygiene weapons.

“It will allow the techni-cian to take an x-ray with-out having anything in the patient’s mouth,” Redwantz said. “So, no more cardboard in the mouth. Plus, all x-rays are digital now. I think we’re one of the first in the area to have that. It’s kind of nice to bring the technology to the people of Caseville — just because we live in Caseville, we don’t deserve any less

than people who live in the city.”

The office’s use of tech-nology comes in handy in many situations, including emergencies. Because every-thing is digital, even after hours, Redwantz still is avail-able for consultation.

“We do a unique thing on emergencies,” Redwantz said. “I think I’m one of the only people who do this; if people call after hours, my cell phone is on the answer-ing machine, so we can take care of it. Sometimes, they just need a prescription. Sometimes they need to be seen. All of my patients have my cell phone number at their disposal, even if they just have a question.”

The new technology also allows him to be accessible when he’s on vacation.

“If we¹re away, and some-one comes in with a prob-lem, the techs can take an x-ray and e-mail it to me,” Redwantz said. “I can look at the x-ray on my iPad. So, nowadays, even when you’re on vacation, you’re still in the office.”

Caseville Family Dentistry alternates the hours it’s open for the convenience of its patients. The office is open Monday through Wednesday one week, and the next week on Tuesday through Friday.

“We used to be open Monday through Thursday,” Redwantz said. “We changed that because a lot of people come up on Friday. They like to get their dentistry done, and stay the weekend at their cabin. So, in a two-week period, we’re open five days, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We also offer special hours, like if some-body needs to come in on Saturday.”

In this way, the practice is able to provide all the ser-vices people expect from a modern-day dentist.

“We do fillings and restor-ative work,” Redwantz said. “Most of the restorative work we do, we use tooth-colored material — we don’t use the old silver fillings much any-more. We do cosmetic work, as well — we’re really proud of the cosmetic work we’ve done over the years. We also do root canals, and some oral surgery. We do some braces — most of the general offices do that now. If there’s some-thing difficult, we refer them to a specialist.”

Unfortunately, the use of new technology comes at a price — modern dental care can be expensive. Redwantz is aware of this, and is willing to work with his patients on financing.

“We offer a 5 percent dis-count if they pay in cash,” he said. “We also have a referral program, so if a patient refers

someone, we give them a voucher for $15 off their next treatment.”

When a patient isn’t able to pay cash, Caseville Family Dentistry is willing to try and work out a payment plan.

“We work wi th a few finance companies, and some people go to their bank for a personal loan,” Redwantz said. “I don’t think I’ve raised fees in the last three years. We try and keep them low. I look at the numbers, and if everything is falling into the standard in dentistry, then we don’t raise fees. We own our building, so we don’t have to pay rent. We also try to keep the cost of dentistry low by not spending fool-ishly.”

C a s e v i l l e F a m i l y Dentistry has grown over the years.

“When I bought the prac-tice from Dr. Eichler, he had one hygienist, one assistant and one person at the front desk,” Redwantz said. “We have three dental hygienists, two dental assistants, and three people who work at the front desk, so over the years, we’ve expanded a bit.”

Redwantz doesn’t plan any major additions to the staff any time soon.

“I think we have an ideal situation,” he said. “I don’t want to be in a multi-doctor practice. We have a wonder-ful staff — most have been with me for a long time now. They have years of dental experience, and they’re good to work with.”

He likes living and work-ing in Caseville, and is happy with his decision to buy the practice.

“When I came up here there were a lot of For Sale signs,” Redwantz said. “I was a little scared. Then I realized it was a good thing, because that would mean new patients coming in — because they would buy the lake property. We’ve been up here 20 now.”

In that time, Redwantz and his wife, Amy, have seen their kids grow up, and have become part of the commu-nity.

“When we came here, our daughter was 5 months old,” Redwantz said. “Now she’s a sophomore in college. We’re proud to say our kids went to Caseville school. My son is now in the 11th grade. It’s a great school, and a great community. We’re happy to be here.”

He also is happy to see many satisfied customers flashing their bright, cheer-ful smiles on the streets of Caseville, and beyond. It brightens his day.

For more about Caseville Family Dentistry, call 989-856-4096 or go online and visit the dental clinic’s web-site, www.drredwantz.com.

Bill Diller/For the TribuneDr. Scott redwantz and his wife, Amy, in the office at Caseville Family Dentistry.

Huron Casting experiences steady, continuous growthBy Seth StApletonTribune Staff Writer

P I G E O N — H u r o n Casting has been a prime example of steady, continual growth over the years.

The company was found-ed by Leroy Wurst, who got started in the foundry industry over 50 years ago when his family tiling business made the decision to make their own parts for trenching equipment. Eventually, Wurst followed his dream and made the decision to start Huron Casting, Inc. (HCI) in 1976.

Based upon the mission of producing quality shell molded steel castings on time and at a competitive price, HCI team of dedicated professionals have helped the company become the leading producer of shell molded steel castings in the world. With a dedication to reinvesting into the company, it has grown every year since its inception.

Originally, the business was started in a 38,000 square foot shell mold facility, utilizing a unique shot-back molding system. The company poured its first steel in 1977 and has gone through numerous plant expansions since.

The Huron Casting facil-ity today currently is 355,000 square feet, with an addi-tional warehouse at 90,000 square feet and x-ray building at 16,800 square feet. Other facilities in the county under the company include Axis Machining founded in 1988, and currently sits at 81,625 square feet; Blue Diamond Steel Casting founded in 2008 (208,000 square feet); Blue Chip Machining founded in 2010 (97,300 square feet).

The company’s latest expansion was in 2012, when it added a 164,000-square-foot addition to Blue Diamond, upping its square footage to 372,000.

Outside of the county, the international company also boasts Arenac Casting, found-ed in 1999 (40,000 square feet) and Suzhou Huron Manufacturing Co. Ltd. found-ed in 2007 (506,650 square

feet).Today, the company totals

over 1.5 million square feet, with capacity approaching 100,000 tons yearly.

With that kind of work-load, the company easily is one of Huron County’s largest employers. In Huron County alone, it employs 760, with a total employment number of 985.

“We weathered the bad economy pretty well,” said Wurst of how his company continues to thrive. “It affects us like it does everybody else, but this plant is pretty well diversified, so one sec-tor doesn’t take it all the way down.”

Part of that diversification includes the size of the parts made at the company’s vari-ous facilities. Parts as light as just a few pounds to ones as heavy as 5,000 pounds are produced. Wurst said Huron Casting makes parts up to 400 to 500 pound range and Blue Diamond makes parts starting at the 400-500 pound range and goes up to 5,000 pounds.

S o m e t e c h n o l o g i c a l achievements the company has attained over the years includes its shot backed shell molding systems in 1976,

robotic cutoff and grinding of castings in 1986, development of large continuous roller, high temperature heat treat furnaces in 2006, and use of 100 percent ceramic sand for large shell mold and no-bake castings in 2008.

In February, Huron Casting was one stop of a Thumb busi-ness tour by U.S. Rep Candice Miller, a Harrison Township Republican.

“We just had a great oppor-tunity today to visit Huron Castings, and it’s been really fascinating to see how they started this business up here in Pigeon,” Miller said at the time. “I’ve always wanted to stop by here. I’ve been by here, but never had an opportunity go in and actually take a per-sonal tour of this facility. I’m really pleased I’ve been able to do that today.”

Added Miller: “They are just a very high-quality, value added kind of company here not only to the immediate area but the Thumb, the state and the nation as well. They also have international customers, and it’s been very interesting to watch the emphasis on quality they put on their plant here and then safety for their employees as well.”

Seth Stapleton/Huron Daily Tribunehuron Casting, headquartered in pigeon, is easily one of the county’s largest employers.

3

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www.rosegardenseniorliving.com

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Sebewaing Ace Hardware offers more at larger storeBy TRACI L. WEISENBACHFor the Tribune

SEBEWAING — Need a shovel? Have to rent a genera-tor? Want a hunting license or a fishing pole?

Ace is the place — Ace Hardware in Sebewaing, that is — to take care of all these needs.

Now, Ace is a much larger place, offering more products and services than ever, but with the same great customer service people have come to know and rely on.

It’s the kind of neigh-borhood hardware s tore many people can appreci-ate — Tim Taylor (“Home Improvement”) would likely give it four stars, or in his case, four hardy grunts.

It’s the type of hardware store that owners Brad and Laura Polega are pleased to offer the community.

“Ninety-eight percent of our customers are able to find the products they are looking for,” Brad Polega said.

The Polegas have owned Ace Hardware in Sebewaing since 2008, and they moved to their new location last April.

The difference in distance between the old and new loca-tion is pretty short — they moved from the north side of Luke’s Shopping Center (where the store had been for 36 years) to the south side in the former Dollar General store. However, they more than doubled the size of the store — from 4,800 square feet to 12,000.

The entire moving process went pretty smoothly — it took about a month, Polega said.

“We were only closed one day to make the (physical) move,” he said. “We received a lot of community help — we had about 48 people helping us, including high school stu-dents.”

The new location opened April 1. However, the re-open-ing was anything but an April Fools Day prank. In fact, “No Foolin’” stated the sign adver-tising the opening.

One of the new additions to the store since the move has been rental equipment, where people can rent small machin-ery such as stump grinders, log splitters, generators, lawn aerators, etc.

“We plan to continue to expand our rental department,” Polega said.

The bigger store offers a better layout for customers and more room to display items, he noted.

“It’s a comfortable setting,” he said.

The new store also offers a larger selection of products.

“We expanded our sport-ing goods department and increased our overall inven-tory,” Polega said.

He said he’s very pleased with how everything has come together. Prior to the move, he had a picture in his mind of how he wanted everything to go, and it all came out as planned.

“ I t ’s been a pos i t i ve move. Our in-store traffic has increased by about 24 per-cent,” he said. “We’ve received a lot of compliments.”

The product expansions will continue. In May, the store will begin offering Valspar paint to the two brands it already offers: Ace Paint and Clark + Kensington.

Polega said Ace Hardware in Sebewaing wouldn’t be suc-cessful without its employees. The store has four full-time and two part-time employees. He said many are long-term employees, for which he’s very grateful because it adds to the level of customer service that can be provided.

As an example, store man-ager Renee Gunsell has been with the store for 23 years, Polega said.

“She does a wonderful job,” he added.

As for the res t of the employee crew, Sherri Schulz has been with the store for 17 years, Marcus Deering has been there eight years and Julie Kaczorowski has stayed for seven years. Chuck Frank has worked there two years and Bob House has

been there one year.“We have great employ-

ees,” Polega said.He’s also very thankful for

the support local people have given Ace Hardware.

“We’re a good fit for the community,” he said. “We like to support the surround-ing community events, as this is a way of giving back to the community.”

A c e H a r d w a r e i n Sebewaing is open seven days a week. The store offers deliv-ery service, fills propane tanks and sells hunting and fishing licenses. It is a Purina feed dealer for farm animals and pets, too.

Store hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, call 989-883-2740.

Above, a scene from the Sebewaing Ace Hardware’s new loca-tion at the south side of the Luke’s Shopping Center complex.

Left, owner Brad Polega stands in the Sebewaing Ace Hardware’s paint sec-tion.

Photos by Traci Weisenbach/For the Tribune.

L.J. Gascho Furniture plans for substantial future growthBy SETH STAPLEToNTribune Staff Writer

PIGEON — Started as a part-time operation in 1986 on the family farm at its current location of 8308 Haist Road, the L.J. Gascho Furniture Co. has experienced steady growth over the course of its history.

The company’s first big break came in 1989 when it secured an account with Art Van Furniture.

“That’s when we really started to grow,” said company founder Lyle Gascho.

The company has managed to maintain that relationship over the years, and currently has six dining room collections and four bedroom collections for sale through Art Van.

Gascho said his company is pretty much a 24/7 operation, with three shifts and about 80 employees and several inde-pendent sales representatives. To keep up with demand, the company has networked with other small, independently owned shops — primarily Amish and Mennonite — in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Each shop spe-cializes in handcrafting a par-ticular furniture item, which

together make up the Gascho Furniture product line. The products from the sub-shops are then shipped to the Gascho location to be finished.

The facility has continued to expand over the years. In 2013, the company finished its most recent expansion — a 7,200 square-foot warehouse and maintenance facility at an estimated cost of $130,000.

In addition to the added space created last year, the company is continuing to move forward in other areas. As part of a transition into a lean manufacturing facility, the company will be restructuring and reorganizing the entire facilities and grounds with a 37,000 square-foot remodel planned for this spring.

“This will create a state-of-the-art, top-of-the-line, finish-ing line that will give us the ability to take our volume 12 times the current amount that we’re doing in our current facility,” said Brandon Yowler, Gascho Furniture CEO. “It will quadruple our output on one shift, but if we ran three shifts, it would increase our capacity up to 12 times.”

Yowler said this is being done as the company plans for

substantial future growth. “We’re changing the way

we do things and we have to grow to meet the demands of our retailers, so we have to get smarter with our space as well,” Yowler said.

While the founding Gascho now works in a more adminis-trative capacity these days, he still occasionally likes to get his hands dirty and practice the craft he has worked so hard to perfect over the years.

“The most rewarding thing for me is at the end of the day, you can stand back and look at a piece that you made and know that it was built with quality and built to last for future generations,” he said.

Gascho also enjoys working side-by-side with his family each day. He is currently the joint-owner of Gascho Furniture with his wife, Jeannie, oldest son, Trent, daughter, Karla, and son-in-law, Yowler.

“It’s been great (working with family),” Gascho said. “The kids provide energy and new, fresh ideas. It’s been wonderful. We make deci-sions as a team, which takes some pressure off my wife and I. A broader team makes for a stronger team.”

L.J. Gascho Furniture in Pigeon con-structed this 7,200-square-foot warehouse and maintenance facility in 2013. The company has additional restructuring and reorganiz-ing of the entire grounds planned for this spring.

Submitted Photo

4

Scheurer Family Medical Center

168 N. Caseville Road Pigeon

989-453-2141

Scheurer Professional Center 135 N. Caseville Road

Pigeon 989-453-3798

Elkton Family Medicine 4970 Railroad Street

Elkton 989-375-2214

Caseville Family Medicine 7000 Main Street

Caseville 989-856-3449

Sandy Shores Fitness & Physical Therapy Center7925 Crescent Beach Road

Pigeon 989-856-3004

Scheurer Hospital Long Term Care


989-453-5221

Scheurer Hospital Rehabilitation


989-453-5217

Sebewaing Family Medicine

57 S. Center Street Sebewaing

989-883-9656

Sebewaing Health Center Lab Services,

Physical Therapy & Fitness618 Unionville Road

Sebewaing 989-883-2617

www.scheurer.org

Country Gardens Assisted Living Community 203 N. Caseville Road • Pigeon

989-453-7474

Country Bay Village Independent Living

Community 161 Country Bay Drive • Pigeon

989-453-2188

Scheurer Hospital Community Relations 170 N. Caseville Road • Pigeon • 989-453-5252

• Community Fitness Programs • Cancer Support Groups • Caregiver Connection • Ask the Expert Programs • Babysitter Training & More!

SCHEURER HOSPITAL24 Hour Emergency Care • 989-453-3223

Ambulance Service - 911

Scheurer Family Medical Center • Redi-Care Clinic 168 N. Caseville Road • Pigeon • 989-453-3223

Monday - Thursday 3 pm - 8 pm • Friday 1 pm - 8 pm Saturday & Sunday 9 am - 3 pm

People You Trust, Caring For People You Love

For Complete Fitness, Medical, Pharmacy, Senior Living & Vision Care

SCHEURER COMMUNITY SERVICES

MEDICAL ENTERPRISE

Caseville 6568 Main

Street 989-856-2900

Elkton 4970 Railroad

Street 989-375-2121

Pigeon 168 N. Caseville

Road 989-453-2535

Sebewaing 8866 S. Unionville

Road 989-883-3850

Scheurer Family Vision Center 7484 W. Michigan Avenue • Pigeon • 989-453-2025

Scheurer Family Pharmacy:


Scheurer Healthcare Network always is growingBy Bill DillerFor the Tribune

PIGEON —What is now the Scheurer Heal thcare Network began with a mod-est little clinic in downtown Pigeon. Always growing, the network now includes a state-of-the-art hospital, clinics, emergency service, surgical services, pharmacies, an on-site lab, rehabilitation services, exercise facilities, a vision center and various additional services, including elder care. This list doesn’t begin to cover what the network offers the people of Huron County, and beyond.

Of course, a system of this type wasn’t set up overnight. It has taken more than 40 years of hard work and dedication to make the Scheurer Healthcare Network what it is today — and it’s still growing.

“There wi l l p robab ly a lways be some modes t projects in our future,” said Dwight Gascho, president and chief operating officer of the Scheurer Healthcare Network. He has been involved since the early 90’s, and has seen many changes.

“When this hospital opened in 1972, it had 19 long-term care beds,” he said. “In 2005, we built a new long-term care unit. When I started in 1990, we had 130 employees. We are now approaching 500 employ-ees.”

Tha t i s jus t a coup le examples of the growth of the Scheurer Healthcare Network. But it isn’t finished yet.

“Recently, we completed a renovation of our acute care nursing unit,” Gascho said. “It’s a renovation that started a couple of years ago, and was done in three phases.”

Doing the overhaul in stag-es allowed the hospital to con-tinue operating its acute care unit efficiently, and without interruption.

“We had one phase that did about half the unit, and a second phase that did the other half,” Gascho said. “The third phase added a little to the northern access area. Those are now all completed.”

The project increased the size of the acute care unit by 3,380 square feet.

“We did not add more

beds,” Gascho said. “We’re still limited to 25 beds and des-ignated as a critical access hos-pital — a critical access hospi-tal has a limit of 25 beds.”

Instead of increasing the number of beds, Scheurer increased the level of com-fort and convenience for its patients.

“What we did, in essence, is take three rooms and make two rooms out of them,” Gascho said. “The rooms are much more spacious. Many of the rooms are now private rooms, rather than having two hospital beds in them.”

The increased space allows more room for storing supplies in the wing. It’s a double edged sword for the employees. Although the needed supplies are now more accessible, the distance they have to walk to cover all the rooms is greater than before. It does allow them more room to work within the rooms, thereby provid-ing improved service for the patients.

The technological side of patient care also is more effi-cient.

“Scheurer Hospital has been involved, as have all other hospitals across the state and the country, in what’s called the electronic medi-cal record, or EMR,” Gascho said. “We have installed all the technology necessary to make sure we are minimizing the use of paper, and that all the work is being done electroni-cally — at the bedside, and in the hallways.”

This increase in technology allows the nurses, doctors, and aides a standardized method of keeping track of a patient’s progress from the time they’re first seen until discharge, and beyond. A patient’s EMR is available when they’re trans-ferred to another facility by the push of a button. In that way, the level and manner of care is continually and promptly available to medical personnel.

“The technology for the nurse call system has been improved, as well,” Gascho said. “It’s much more sophis-ticated now. Instead of bells ringing, we have cell phones that are activated. It has cre-ated a quicker response and ability to converse with the patient as their needs are being met.”

Another advantage of the additional space is the ability to provide extended periods of care without having to move a patient to long-term care, or transfer them to another facility.

“We’ve been able to des-ignate 10 of those 25 beds in the acute care unit as what are known as swing beds,” Gascho said. “A swing bed is defined simply as a nursing home bed within an acute care unit. So, the beds can be used for nursing home type patients, or patients that are in need of rehabilitative services.”

Instead of having to go to an offsite facility, the patient can stay in the acute care unit, thereby providing a consis-tency of care.

“They can spend up to 100 days, if necessary,” Gascho said. “It gives a sense that they can stay there for recovery of hip or knee surgery, or a stroke, or some other type of condition that would normally neces-sitate a stay in a nursing home or rehab unit. We can provide those services right here in the hospital.”

Which makes it easier to

provide the needed care on premises, instead of sending a patient to a distant facility.

“The patient’s families are grateful from the standpoint that loved ones can be closer to home, and not have to travel to the city,” Gascho said.

It also allows the doctor more options in patient care.

“The doctor can follow the patient’s progress more effi-ciently,” Gascho said. “That’s a big deal.”

Part of the reason for the upgrade was financial in nature.

“It adds a consistency to our staffing patterns,” Gascho said. “By having more patients in that unit, it allows us to keep more nurses employed. In the 70’s and 80’s, much of the business that hospitals did was in-patient related. In today’s world, most of the business is out-patient related — more than 80 percent of our business is out-patient . . . you come for a service, and then go home the same day. Only about 18 percent of our business is in-patient, where you come and spend several days here at the hospital. We made a commit-

ment to spend a significant number of dollars to renovate our acute care unit. One of the things the swing bed pro-gram does is allow us to use those beautiful new spaces, and allows us to dedicate that space to more than 18 percent of our business. It gives us bet-ter utilization of that space.”

The increase in technol-ogy has been a relatively easy, although ongoing, transition.

“A number of years ago, we made the decision to go with a company that provides the major components of the technology in this hospital,” Gascho said. “The systems are designed in such a way that they’re generally uniform throughout the hospital.”

Some medical facilities use what’s called “best of breed” technology, meaning the ER department has a system designed exclusively for that department, and the same for the laboratory or the fiscal services department. That’s all well and good, because it provides optimum tech-nology for that department. Unfortunately, it means that one department’s computers

may have trouble communi-cating with other departments.

“What we did was purchase a system that provides a gen-eral sense of all the systems,” Gascho said. “When we made that decision, four or five years ago, there was an awful lot of training that took place to adapt to this technology.”

The training assured that employees of the Scheurer Healthcare Network could pro-vide the very best in services, and that each department could easily communicate with oth-ers within the network.

“You don’t implement this process in a week,” Gascho said. “There has been an enor-mous amount of training as we go through the process.”

As with any computer system, storing and securing information is vital.

“We have systems in place where information is saved, and stored,” Gascho said. “The storage is offsite. It’s secured, and with the EMR there is an extra layer of insulation where it relates to protection and privacy.”

Bill Diller/For the TribuneDwight Gascho, president and chief operating officer of the Scheurer Healthcare Network, stands beside the nurse¹s station in the newly renovated Acute Care Unit.

See SCHeUrer • 6

5

We live, shop and school our children here—we must try to remember to encourage everyone to shop local—keeping our community growing and thriving is what sets us apart from large cities. We believe we’re here to be part of the communities where we live and work. We want to improve the quality of life in every town in the Thumb.

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Move provides dentist the perfect opportunity for growthBy Casey JohnsonFor the Tribune

ELKTON— When Dr Bradi. Boyce began prac-ticing dentistry, she never dreamed it would bring her to a small office in Elkton.

Nestled on the corner of Wright Street in downtown Elkton, the dental office that once belonged to Dr. Leszek Sulanowski is where Boyce has chosen to expand her own business.

When she first learned that Sulanowski was retir-ing, Boyce said she thought, “Elkton’s pretty cute ... I’ll go check that out.”

It was the beginning of October when Boyce became the town’s official face of den-tistry, and she said she loves it.

Because she still prac-tices in Sebewaing, Boyce schedules appointments for the Elkton office two days a week, and said she hopes the location will be convenient for both existing and new patients.

And Boyce said many patients who once went to Sulanowski were happy to see the dental industry would be sticking around, and have

even become her patients.As for benefits to the local

community, Boyce said she thinks it will bring something that every town needs — traf-fic. And, of course, one less building vacancy.

“We hope that on their way through town people will stop to buy their coffee,” she said, and see what the town has to offer.

The mission, according to Boyce, is to provide the same quality care they offer in Sebewaing, except now patients have the option of two locations.

“Our goal is to be extreme-ly gentle, thorough and really meet peoples needs,” she said.

With business expansion, Boyce said, comes educa-tional expansion.

“Teeth are important,” she said. “Everything you eat and drink goes through your mouth. It’s the window to the body.”

Oral care is vital, according to Boyce, because rampant health concerns from heart dis-ease to diabetes can be caught early by dental exams.

And whether patients are looking for the “bare mini-mum cleaning,” said Boyce,

or more complicated proce-dures such as extractions and root canals, the staff strives to make patients feel as com-fortable as possible in the dental chair.

Boyce said even though she began her career in Detroit, she now could never see herself anywhere but the Thumb.

“I grew up in Owendale,” she said. “So when I came back (from the city), it was like I was treating all my friends and family.”

Boyce said she still feels this way, and even more so now that she’s working on the “other side” of her home-town.

With Owendale in the midd le , Boyce sa id she knew tons of people from Sebewaing to Elkton, which made the move a perfect opportunity for growth.

P l a n s f o r t h e f u t u r e include minor building reno-vations and decorating this spring, and the possibility of Boyce spending more time in Elkton.

“People should come to us,” said Boyce with a smile, “because we love them. We want to provide an experience that’s gentle and pain free.”

From left, dental assis-tant natalie anker and Dr. Bradi Boyce work together to ensure qual-ity patient care.

Submitted Photo

The transition to another system, whether electronic or merely in the way things are done, is never easy. The Scheurer Healthcare Network has seen many such chang-es over the years, and has managed to maintain a high degree of efficiency through-out the process.

“There is not one area of the hospital that hasn’t been touched with either a reno-vation or addition,” Gascho said.

Part of the growth over the last few decades has been in the area of elder care ser-vices.

“We are preparing to cel-ebrate our 20th anniversary of Country Bay Village,” Gascho said. “That was a dream that started several decades ago. This last sum-

mer, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of Country Gardens.”

The network also has added pharmacies, clinics, a vision center and fitness facilities over the years.

Ongoing projects include a renovation of the nutritional services department.

“We were able to enlarge that area to some extent, so we could meet the growing need of the food services we provide for our patients and residents, and for our own employees,” Gascho said. “That area was built in 1972, and has not really been touched since.”

Although there are no major projects planned for the near future, there is always room for expansion — the Scheurer Healthcare

Network has land avail-able to the north of the hos-pital grounds, and across the street, near Country Gardens. I t wil l ensure Scheurer can continue to provide the very best health care available.

“I grew up in Pigeon, Mich., and have lived in the community for practically all my life,” Gascho said. “I’m a firm believer that just because we’re rural, it doesn’t mean we deserve second rate health care. We deserve to have as good health care as anyone in this country, and we work hard to provide exactly that. We have an outstanding, excel-lent staff. We provide what I call intensely personal care by a staff that is superbly trained — second to none.”

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Second Rose Garden facility results in new jobsBy RiCh haRpFor the Tribune

ELKTON — The Rose Garden Senior Fun Living Unit in Elkton opened its doors earlier this month. The facility is the brain child of Hersel Fouladbash, owner of the original Rose Garden in Pigeon.

Fouladbash is perhaps best known in this area as owner of Hersel’s on the Bay and Bella Vista in Caseville. The new-est Rose Garden facility has been built in the old school building in Elkton. Both Rose Gardens have been renovated from former school buildings. The original Rose Garden was built in Pigeon in 2010.

Fouladbash purchased the former Elkton Elementary School in 2009.

“I’m a builder and con-tractor. I’m an investor,” Fouladbash said.

He didn’t know what the building would be when he bought it, but he knew it would be something. That same mindset was in place when he purchased the Pigeon school. At first, he thought he would turn it into apartments. Later, he decid-ed to open an independent and assisted living unit.

He contracted with A & D Health Care Professionals to be the care provider. They would take care of the medi-cal part of the venture and he would take care of the rental end. The rent is income based.

“When we opened in Pigeon, we were the new guys on the block,” Fouladbash said.

“It took one and a half years to get it nearly full. This is different. People now know who we are,” interjected Chris Roth, building supervisor. “We expect to be full in less than 12 months.”

“We’ve had people waiting to get in here since November,”

Fouladbash added.Because of the waiting list,

they have pushed very hard to renovate the building and open it to the public.

“I love this place. This is my baby,” Fouladbash said. “I’m excited (to open) the new Rose Garden.”

In some respects , the Elkton facility will have some different amenities than the one in Pigeon. Both have 20 units. In Pigeon, they are all about the same size. In Elkton, the builder made an effort to create units in a variety of sizes.

“People wanted to get into this new Rose Garden,” Roth said. “They were willing to wait rather than go somewhere else.”

He then told an interesting story about the first customer to move into each of the facili-ties.

“Our first customer in Pigeon (was) the first resident in Elkton,” he said. That resi-dent had lived in the Pigeon Rose Garden. He moved out when his wife passed away. When he heard a new Rose Garden was opening in Elkton, he was the first to apply for residency.

Fouladbash said they decided to keep the name Rose Garden because of the reputation the original facil-ity had gained in Pigeon. He went on to explain some of the things they expect will draw seniors to the new place.

“This is a 24-hour facility,” he said. “We have full staff including nurses and CENAs. The Rose Garden does not have doctors on staff, but they visit regularly.

“We have three meals a day, and they are full meals,” he added. “We have a hair salon, exercise room and a movie theatre. We have regu-lar activities like bingo, sing-a-longs and gardening. (And) we have a library.”

He went on to say they have large celebrations for each resident’s birthday, and they do something special for all holidays.

In addition, the facility boasts a 24-hour security sys-tem.

Regarding personnel , Fouladbash said he does not like to lay people off.

“People have families and need to work,” he said, noting he uses employees from his seasonal businesses to help his building enterprises.

In the off season, main-tenance and other staff from Hersel’s on the Bay and the Bella Vista will help with construction and renovation projects.

“We can keep their families fed and we’re ready to open the Bella Vista in the sum-mer without laying them off,” Roth said.

Fouladbash continued to discuss his business outlook and theory.

“In my logic, (you need) to have passion, intensity, and work ethic with com-mon sense,” he said. “I hire people that are passionate and have respect, and have a good heart.

“My logic in business is you must be good and con-sistent,” he added. “Money won’t help you stay open if you don’t have these things.”

Roth gave some insight to the growth potential of this project.

“We already invested over a half million dollars on this project,” he said. “We’re spending and buying as much in town as possible.”

Likely, the biggest growth from this project will be the addition of new employees.

“We’ll create between 15 (and) 20 new jobs, and they’re not minimum wage jobs,” he said. “The com-munity is excited to have this come here.”

Rich Harp/For the Tribunehersel Fouladbash stands in a unit in the new Rose Garden assisted living facility.

6

COOPERATIVE ELEVATOR CO.PIGEON, MICHIGAN 48755-0619

“In Unity There is Strength”

Pigeon Main Business Office7211 E. Michigan Ave. • P.O. Box 619 • Phone: 989-453-4500 • Fax: 989-453-3942

Branches at: Akron, Bad Axe, Birch Run, Deckerville East, Deckerville West, Elkton, Fairgrove, Gagetown, North Branch, Pigeon, Ruth, Sebewaing

Proud to be serving the community since 1915!

• BEANS • GRAIN • SEEDS • CHEMICALS • FERTILIZER • FEEDS • PETROLEUM • TIRES •

The Cooperative is owned by 1,110 farmer producers and has been in business since 1915. Cooperative Elevator Co. is headquartered in Pigeon, Michigan and has plants in Akron, Bad Axe, Birch Run, Deckerville-East, Deckerville-West, Elkton Elevator, Elkton Terminal, Fairgrove, Gagetown, North Branch, Pigeon, Richville, Ruth, Sebewaing, & Larimore, North Dakota. We provide quality farm inputs to member patrons. These farm supplies include seed, fertilizer, crop protection, and petroleum. Our services include custom applications using variable rate technology for sustainability.

VISIONWe develop long-term

relationships with customers and the

community that exceed their

business expectations.

MISSIONWe provide quality

service, products, and markets to enhance

the value of the Cooperative.

“In UnityThere Is Strength”


Tribune File PhotoOwners Jerald and Charlotte Ignash pose outside the Kinde One Stop.

By Kate HeSSlIngAssistant News Editor

KINDE — Whether sat-isfying a craving for a bag of chips or topping off a gas tank, the Kinde One Stop is open for business.

The business, which is located on the corner of Kinde Road and M-53, is the third gas station opened by Char lo t te and Jera ld Ignash. The couple, both North Huron alumni, offi-cially opened the gas station last fall.

“We have some excellent employees, and the commu-nity has been really posi-tive and excited,” Charlotte Ignash told the Tribune.

The business was busier than anticipated when it first opened in September, but it’s been a slow winter and peo-ple really haven’t been out and about, Charlotte Ignash said.

She hopes business will pick up this spring and sum-mer.

The Ignashes purchased the facility, now called the Kinde One Stop, in December 2012. Prior to then, the prop-erty hosted an Independent Bank branch. The couple con-tacted the bank after learn-ing the branch was closing, and things “just happened,” Charlotte Ignash said.

But it took some time, elbow grease, the help of family and a vault-removing plan to make the business what it is today.

“We had to get a special company to help remove the vault,” Charlotte Ignash said. “ ... It took us a long time to lay out the store.”

But it was well worth all the hard work.

“I was proud of it ... excit-ed,” Charlotte Ignash said as to how she felt the day the store opened its doors to the

public.The Kinde One Stop sells

groceries, dairy products, some fruits and vegetables, frozen foods, fountain pop, beer, wine, lottery, basic health and beauty aids, and other convenience-s tore types of products.

Charlotte Ignash said the couple plans to add some kind of fast food restaurant in the future.

“We haven ’ t dec ided (what restaurant) yet, it’s still up in the air,” she said.

At the gas pumps, drivers have a variety of options for fuel.The Kinde One Stop offers 30, 50 and 85 ethanol blends.

“We do offe r e thanol blends of fuel, which is really great since were in a farming community and ethanol is made from corn,” Charlotte Ignash said.

Northstar Bank continues to grow in more ways than oneBy RICH HaRpFor the Tribune

UPPER THUMB — There are two things Northstar Bank President Debbie Cunningham knows very well — banking and growth.

“I’ve been in community banking for 20 years,” she said. “I came one year after Northstar Bank opened. We opened the bank in 2001, unsure if anyone would walk through the doors.”

The truth is, customers didn’t walk through the doors — they flocked through them.

“At that t ime, we had one branch in Bad Axe, and I was the branch manager,” Cunningham said.

Six years later, Northstar purchased all three branches of Community Bank. Overnight, it grew from one branch to four. The up-and-coming banker was promoted to retail administrator.

“Our sister bank, Seaway Community Bank in St. Clair, merged with Northstar in 2013,” Cunningham said.

Prior to that, both bank sys-tems were operating indepen-dently. They shared ownership and worked under the same holding company — NFGI.

“For them to merge with us was a pretty natural transi-tion,” she said.

In addi t ion , the bank opened a loan production center in Ann Arbor. It was converted to a full service branch of Northstar Bank in December. The bank now has nine branches. The num-bers indicate how well the bank has grown in the past 13 years.

“Since opening our doors in 2001, Northstar Bank has experienced phenomenal growth,” according to informa-tion provided by the bank. “We are currently at an asset level of more than $460 million and continue to be a top-rated bank in Michigan with a four-star rating from the BauerFinancial as of Sept. 30, 2013.”

Cunningham explained the four-star rating is based on a five-star rating system. Only a few banks ever attain

the top level.“Our ratings indicate that

we operate a safe and sound banking operation. We are one of the five top-ranked com-munity banks in Michigan,” Cunningham said.

In 2001, Northstar had 11 employees.

“Today, we have over 130 (at all branches),” Cunningham said. “This office (Bad Axe) has about 35 and there are about 30 more at our holding company on the other side of town.”

The Bad Axe branch is the largest of any in the Northstar group.

Cunningham explained said the bank’s mission statement: “Northstar Bank guides the way with service, leadership and trust. We are dedicated to building successful relation-ships within our community.”

The majority of the bank’s board of directors is from the area. Combined, the board has hundreds of years of experience in the banking and business worlds. To most residents of the Upper Thumb, the board of directors looks like a “who’s who” of knowledge and success.

The Northstar Bank Board of Directors includes: Bill Butler, Louis Bushey, David Hyzer, Roy Klecha, Lowell J. McDonald, Kevin Nelson, Jerry Peplinski, Jeff Rochefort, S. Douglas Touma and Edward W. Walker.

“The most important thing here is to give back to our com-munity,” Cunningham said.

The bank’s ability to give back to the community also has grown.

“As a whole, we contribute to over 250 organizations,” Cunningham said.

Those who have received contr ibut ions have been organizations as large as the American Red Cross and United Way and as small as the Bad Axe Little League and local Special Olympics.

On average, the bank con-tributes a little more than $65,000 annually to various groups and organizations.

“We have g iven over $500,000 since our inception in 2001,” Cunningham said.

The giving doesn’t stop there.

“We volunteer a lot of man-power within the communities we serve,” she said.

Many hours are spent by employees putting on the annual polka party at the bank. They also have sponsored local golf tournaments. Funds raised from the events go back into the community.

“It is obvious we are a very successful bank,” Cunningham said.

She feels the administration and the employees are driven by their own abilities and by the team’s willingness to follow banking rules and regulations.

They also are driven to grow. Their newest venture is in Ann Arbor. At present time, they are located only in Michigan. They would not

be adverse to grow within the state if the opportunity arose.

“Because of our success, we are able to expand our foot-print,” Cunningham said. “If an opportunity arises and fits our business model, we will consider expansion.”

Cunningham said Northstar Bank’s northern market is strong in agriculture.

“We employ some of the most experienced agricul-tural lenders in the state of Michigan who build lasting relationships based on integ-rity,” she said.

She noted Northstar Bank’s entire team provides outstand-ing service and is willing to go the extra mile to satisfy its customers’ financial needs.

For more information about Northstar Bank, visit www.northstarathome.com.

Photos by Rich Harp/For the Tribunepresident Debbie Cunningham, above right, has a conversation with Marie Stafford, center, and Christi Vaerten. Below, Cunningham is seen with the thumb Industries camel that northstar Bank purchased as part of the recent fund-raising camel races. the camel is called the Dorothy Hamill Camel.

Kinde One Stop nets large welcome from local community

See KInDe • 8

7

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Dow AgroScience officials look forward to new additionBy Rich haRpFor the Tribune

HARBOR BEACH — Dow AgroScience provides innovative solutions to farm-ers.

“The products we make very much protect the plants and the yields they provide. It’s like medicine for the crops,” said Rob Chadwick, Harbor Beach plant manager. “Our products made here are sold around the globe. We’re building an asset to produce (goods) that will reach the world. We have over 100 countries where our products are sold.”

The facility in Harbor Beach was created in 1995, after Dow and Eli Lilly formed a venture in 1989. At the time, the operation was known as DowElanco.

In 1998, Dow purchased the Eli Lilly part of the business, and the facility was renamed Dow AgroSciences.

In the 1990s, the agricul-ture portion of the corporate giant, at Harbor Beach and elsewhere, created products worth about $1.5 billion. Today, that figure is a whop-ping $7 billion.

In order to continue meet-ing the variety and quantity of products needed by the world market, Dow AgroSciences needs to grow.

A part of this growth is

expected in Harbor Beach, beginning this spring, via a $10 million addition.

“The project is in place to provide more products to farmers,” Chadwick said.

The construction will cost about $10 million. Chadwick and Kenda Resler-Friend, external communicat ion and media relations leader for Dow, said it will create

between 20 and 40 construc-tion jobs. Engineers already have been on site. The bulk of the workforce is expected to start in late May or early June.

“From a construction stand-

point, it’ll be a 12- to 18-month (project),” Chadwick said.

“A wide variety of skill sets are needed for a plant as wide-ly diverse as the one in Harbor Beach,” added Resler-Friend.

These skills will necessitate hiring mechanical, electrical and civil engineers and other construction personnel.

As always, safety will be a priority.

“Our first priority is to pro-tect our people,” Chadwick said. “We start and end the day with safety.”

He feels they have an excel-lent safety culture at work and they want that knowledge to go home with the employees.

Resler-Friend was pleased to be growing the business in the tip of the Thumb.

“We’re going to be good neighbors,” she said.

And, Dow AgroSciences have been good neighbors. Chadwick noted it has donat-ed to a variety of outreach endeavors in the time the plant has been in existence.

Plant administrators have been contacted by the Harbor Beach School System to work on a joint venture. The project is known as STEMP. It will enable local skilled employees to join forces with and mentor high school students.

“We are partnering and we intend to enhance that,” Chadwick said.

H e n o t e d D o w AgroSciences is providing solutions for a growing world.

“I think it’s great this Harbor Beach site is grow-ing along with the company,” Chadwick added.

Rich Harp/For the TribuneFrom left, engineer Jeremy peterson, harbor Beach plant Manager Rob chadwick and engineer Jason Gierman review their plans for growth.

Tribune File Photo

Goodwill is openGoodwill industries opened its doors for the first time last September, and the local community took full advantage. according to Store Manager Steve perez, more than 100 people lined up for the store’s grand opening, and traffic was steady throughout the day. The new store, located at 780 N. Van Dyke in the former Save a Lot grocery store, boasts 6,000 square feet of retail space for shoppers to peruse, as well as about 6,000 more for an area to accept donations, processing and office work. The new Bad axe location is part of 15 retail thrift stores in nine counties under Goodwill industries of Mid-Michigan inc. The company’s mission is to assist individuals with barriers to employment in making the transition to independence and self-sufficiency.

kinde■■ From 7

“ ... Currently, the ethanol is significantly cheaper than the regular fuel,” she added.

The Kinde One Stop also carries recreational gas, which is great for things like recreational vehicles, chain saws and boats.

“I think we’re the only ones in the county that offer that, and actually, that’s been really popular for a lot of people. They actually travel quite a ways to get that,” Charlotte Ignash said. “It’s a separate

pump, not regular fuel that would you put in your car.

Prior to opening the Kinde One Stop, the Ignashes opened their first gas station in Caseville in 1998. They then opened a sta-tion in Elkton in 2003.

Chris Aldridge/Huron Daily Tribune

Active renovationsEli Kabban’s active physical Therapy and Sports Medicine was the first business to occupy the 128 W. huron ave. facility — formerly the Tom Thumb gas station — in May 2012. in 2013, a permit was filed to remodel portions of the front and back of the building for roughly $55,000. Kabban said the former structure, dating back to the 1920s, was completely gutted of its uneven warehouse floor and retrofitted for a physical therapy clinic. proper cleanup had been a challenge, but the building was “structurally sound for good use,” providing good visibility and parking for current and potential clients, he said. “it’s part of revitalizing the downtown district,” Kabban said. “We’ve been able to build a good reputation.” calling it a “work in progress,” Kabban said the building currently has space for two more offices.

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