IN THIS ISSUE
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From the Office of Grow Wabash County: Resolutions for 2021
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Cover Story: On-the-Job Training: Internships for Local H.S. Students
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New Biz Spotlight: Hampton Inn
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Wabash Co. Offers Several Airbnbs
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News & Notes
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Eye on North Manchester: Allen Feeds Celebrates 40 Years
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Co.Starters: Program Helps Prospective Business Owners
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Business Directory
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Year in Review
The Business Journal is a joint effort between The Paper of Wabash County and Grow Wabash County.
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This quarterly publication is designed for businesses in Wabash County to share their news with other businesses in and around Northeast Indiana. It is our goal to share information on promotions, awards, new products or other items that may be of interest to business people and industrialists in the area. We also hope to bring feature stories highlighting local business and industry, looking at their history, products, employees and more. We welcome you to submit items for publication or suggest story ideas to business@thepaperofwabash.com. Don Hurd Hometown Media President Published by / The Paper of Wabash County A Hometown Media, Inc. Publication Publisher / Don Hurd Editor / Joseph Slacian, Jr. Reporters / Mandy Mahan, Eric Christiansen Sales Representatives / Julie Loehmer, Arlene Long
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Photographers / Harold V. Chatlosh, Eric Christiansen, Joseph Slacian, Jr., Mandy Mahan Editorial Office 606 N. State Road 13, Wabash, IN 46992 (260) 563-8326 business@thepaperofwabash.com https://issuu.com/thepaperofwabashcounty
FROM THE OFFICE OF GROW WABASH COUNTY
Resolutions for 2021
BY KEITH GILLENWATER President and CEO Grow Wabash County
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he end of the year that was 2020 is drawing closer. The holidays are closing in upon us and I think we are starting to hear a collective sigh of relief that the end of this challenging year is near. We are going to make it – not without our challenges, but we are going to make it nonetheless. The holidays are always a time of reflection. We take stock of what we planned, what we did, and from that, we collect the loose ends and place them on our list of resolutions for the new year. I’ve talked before in past editions of the Business Journal about best laid plans and their affinity for not always sticking to the script, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still be making those plans. Here at Grow Wabash County, our plans, our New Year resolutions, if you will, have not changed, nor wavered even during this year’s most challenging moments. We are here for you, our business community, our friends and neighbors, our local students with bright futures ahead of them. In 2021, you can expect some exciting developments in projects that we have spearheaded in alignment with our five pillars of focus: Livability, Entrepreneurship, Business Development, Workforce Development, and Investor Services. The Imagine One85 team is laying the groundwork for a countywide comprehensive plan – a strategic plan that will serve as the roadmap to the future for all of our communities by identifying the projects and actions we as a community can
take to catapult us to the forefront of people’s minds when they think of the ideal place to build their business, start a family or create the life they’ve always wanted. In short – we need Wabash County to be a livable community. And we want you, the people who know Wabash County best to be a part of that action. We want to hear your feedback and your views of what Wabash County could and should be. Be an active part of the conversation by visiting www.imagineone85.org and help us create the community we all know Wabash County can be. One thing we know is true at Grow Wabash County, is that there is no age limit for innovation. We have witnessed students from our very own Wabash County high schools sink their teeth into a passion project and launch business enterprises that we can’t help but marvel at. We want to see more of that. We want to see Wabash County students coming up with the next great idea, the next big thing, and we want them to bring those ideas back to their hometown. We want to see them fill our downtown storefronts and business parks and become an integral thread in Wabash County’s success story. To put all of those grand ideas in motion, we are revamping our student entrepreneurship programs and expanding them into more challenging arenas to further test their creativity and grit and determination to build their business. 2021 will see the return of our INnovate Wabash County pitch competition, a new curriculum from CO.STARTERS (see page XX) geared toward student entrepreneurs and the launch
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
of a local StartED Up chapter that will allows students from Wabash County to collaborate with other student entrepreneurs nationwide and tackle real-world problems presented by real companies and businesses to find viable solutions that can and will be applied by those companies to address those challenges. Grow Wabash County will continue our core charge from the community we serve to spearhead business development efforts in 2021. In 2020, we focused inward to assist as many Wabash County businesses as we could through direct cash grants, loans, and technical assistance in a variety of ways. We will continue those efforts, but will renew our external efforts to seek new business opportunities to locate into our community. We will create new and support existing workforce education opportunities
in partnership with our local schools, Heartland Career Center, Ivy Tech Wabash, and the Community Foundation of Wabash County. And, Lord willing, we will relaunch our many programs and events that were cut short by the global pandemic. Wabash County has always had an eye toward “what’s next?” and it has always served us well. We’ve laid out some of our plans for 2021, and the best advice we can give you is to do the same. As we talked about at the beginning, the best laid plans…if 2020 has taught us anything it is that we are a resilient community, our plans are always subject to change, and it’s better to have a plan than not. Until next time – shop local, rally around each other, lend a helping hand and together we will all boldly walk into 2021. Thank you, Wabash County, for always making us proud. We’ll work as hard as ever to make sure you feel the same.
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On-the-Job Training: Internships Provide Local H.S. Students with Work Experience
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arious organizations in Downtown Wabash have opened their doors to local students, giving them opportunities to take learning out of the classroom and into the real world. Internships last for an entire semester and are generally 10-12 hours a week. Students take normal classes during the school day and for a few hours a day, spend time at their internship learning and developing workplace and career skills. Carly Hawkins, a senior at Northfield High School is participating in this program by interning with Wabash Marketplace. Hawkins is focusing on marketing, event planning, and nonprofit administration during her time with Wabash Marketplace where she joins the other staff members for twelve hours a week. “I am thrilled to be Wabash Marketplace’s intern for this school year,” she said. “Growing up in Wabash, I have always enjoyed being involved in my community. This internship lines directly with my plans after graduation, which include attending college to pursue a degree inmarketing and communications.” Neil Bever, chiropractor at Hoosier Chiropractic, said that he has had a good experience with his intern, Gracen Kelley, a senior at Southwood High School. This is his first year hosting an intern.
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WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
“Gracen has been great to work with, and I’ve been very impressed with the questions she’s had for me and her ability to sift through research for quality information,” he said. “I knew before she started the internship that she was planning on pursuing a career in nursing, so my goals for the internship have been to show her what goes into patient care, writing notes and researching healthcare topics,” he said. “Unfortunately, like many interns, she also gets stuck emptying trash cans. Bever also said that he is happy to be able to support local schools. “One of the reasons I moved back to Wabash was to support the schools in the area, and this seemed like a great opportunity to do that.” Bever, a Wabash native, made it a point to come back to Wabash to practice and raise his family. Kelley, who plans on studying nursing at Purdue University following her graduation, said this internship has been a great way to help her prepare for her education and future career. “I decided to do an internship because I felt like getting hands on experience would be more beneficial to me rather than taking a bunch of classes that I wouldn’t necessarily need,” she said. Patty Godfroy, Vice President of Operations at Wabash County YMCA, said the YMCA has been hosting interns for five years. Natalie Haycraft and Olivia Cummins, both seniors at Southwood High School and Bryant Boggs, a senior at Wabash High School are interning at the YMCA. “We love the opportunity they have to see how a business runs and how customer service works in our business. The intern program also helps us see a prospective from a high schooler’s point of view while we receive the benefits of their capabilities,” said Godfroy. Also hosting an intern is Bellazo, a thrift boutique in downtown Wabash. Owner Darcy Vail said that although only one of the many interns she has had has gone onto study fashion merchandising after high school, she still believes the internship is beneficial. “Public relations and knowing how to interact and talk to people is a lifelong skill that is invaluable,” said Vail, who is sure to incorporate these skills into tasks she assigns her interns. Other businesses in Downtown Wabash hosting student interns include: Honeywell Center, Purdue Extension Wabash County, Tiny Threads, Visit Wabash County, and Wabash County Court Services.
OPPOSITE PAGE: Natalie Haycraft, Southwood High School senior and intern at Wabash County YMCA assists a member with an exercise machine. TOP P HOTO: Gracen Kelley helps Neil Bever, chiropractor at Hoosier Chiropractic, “lm an educationalvideo during her internship. BOTTOM P HOTO: Bryant Boggs discusses weekly plans with Bill Barrows,Director of Sports and Recreation at Wabash County YMCA during his internship. COVER P HOTO: Natalie Haycraft (left) and Olivia Cummins (right) work together during their internship at Wabash County YMCA. .
Photos by Mandy Mahan.
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
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NEW BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT BY JOSEPH SLACIAN
Hampton Inn Opens in Wabash
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he new Hampton Inn was dedicated Oct. 9 during a brief ceremony in the lobby of the new 91-room facility. Suresh Patel of Rahee Hospitality, and Mayor Scott Long cut the ribbon while other representatives from the corporation and Grow Wabash County looked on. “Wabash is a shining star in the state that used to be a well-kept secret but not so much anymore,” Long said before the ribbon cutting. “We’ve got more people coming to Wabash to visit, shop and see what we have here to offer. “This new amenity … adds to our offerings for lodging as people explore our community for the many arts and recreational activities we have available.” He said city officials look forward to growing the relationship they have
had with Rahee Hospitality over the past 20 years, since they opened the Holiday Inn Express. “Congratulations on the opening of this beautiful hotel,” the mayor continued, “and thank you for your continued investment in our community. “The City of Wabash and Grow Wabash County are only a phone call away when you’re ready to expand again.” Keith Gillenwater, President and CEO of Grow Wabash County, called the facility incredible, noting he tries to seek out Holiday Inn Expresses and Hampton Inns in his many travels. “This is a shining example of what that brand is,” he said. “We’ve enjoyed working with Raj and his team in the past. We’re glad to have helped them acquire the facility and the ground here to get this hotel here up and running.
Suresh Patel of Rahee Hospitality and Mayor Scott Long cut the ribbon at the new Hampton Inn.
Photos provided. 10
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
“We want to help our businesses thrive. … It’s an investment in Wabash County that affects so many areas – tourism, business development, our business park right behind here when they bring visitors in.” Gillenwater said he believes then new hotel will help spur development along Ind. 15. Raj Chandat, said he was very thankful to Long and Gillenwater for helping make the new development possible, noting it took less than two years to complete the project. “We closed on the ground in 2018,” he said. “On Sept. 1, 2020, we are open as a hotel. It’s an amazing time frame and can only happen because of the coordination and collaboration … of all combined together. “Looking forward, Grow Wabash is a perfect partner to work with. We were looking for a place for a location and (Gillenwater) is the one to contact Halderman Farms and make it possible to purchase the land here. Because, this did not happen 20 years ago. … Never, ever give up, it can happen.” The hotel rooms have either two queen-size or one king-size bed. The rooms with queen beds have bathtubs, while the rooms with king-size beds have walk-in showers. They all have state-of-the art televisions.
The hotel also has a 15-person meeting room or a 30-person board room which can be rented for various meetings. In addition, there is a swimming pool, exercise room and patio area.
Ricky Patel shows off one of the rooms to visitors during an open house at the new Hampton Inn.
28 Years!
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BY MANDY MAHAN
WABASH COUNTY OFFERS SEVERAL AIR BNBs
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any people worldwide take advantage of cheaper and more homey overnight options when traveling. Airbnb, an online marketplace for vacation rentals, based in San Francisco, California, offers arrangements for lodging and tourism experiences all over the world. During this time of stay at home orders and suggestions not to travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are opting to have “staycations,” getting away from home, close to home. Airbnb offers this opportunity. Wabash County residents have many options when it comes to stay-cations through Airbnb. The site offers access to many places from a goat shed converted into a rustic getaway location in North Manchester, to a lake house in Roann. One of these such stays is in Lagro, called the Riparian House which offers a peaceful stay on the Wabash River. The home can fit four guests and offers serenity with access to bike
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trails and a boat launch to the river, perfect for the outdoorsy type wanting a nature filled getaway. Co-hosts Beverly VanHaaften and Justin said that becoming hosts occurred through circumstance. “We had purchased a property primarily for a historic preservation project,” said Gillespie. “Not totally sure what we would use it for once we finished, it was suggested by someone who owned a successful Airbnb in the area that we should give that a shot.” After considering the size of the home and the fact that Wabash County could use more lodging, the co-hosts decided to give it a go. “Having been up and running for only a couple of months, we have been pleasantly surprised by how successful it’s been,” Gillespie said. Although many don’t think of Wabash County as a major bustling city with a lot of tourist attractions, VanHaaften said that through being a host of an Airbnb, she has come to realize the many beautiful attractions the county has to offer. “Growing up, I never truly realized how much history was present in Wabash County,” she said.
“For the American history buff, it’s a treasure trove of history, from being the first electrically lit city in the world, to Paradise Spring Park, to the story of the Honeywells and Honeywell Center and let’s not forget Modoc, the elephant. If you draw a wagon wheel around Wabash County, with the City being in the center, there are wineries close by, Salamonie and Mississinewa Reservoirs, the Wabash River, and bigger cities and smaller quaint towns all within short driving distance. “I think people are really starting to realize that rural areas aren’t just corn fields and drive through restaurants; they are discovering, or rediscovering, the beauty that lies within rural America. Having an Airbnb available just enhances the experience. Our building was built around 1835 and is a part of history. How cool to stay in a place that once housed those who were responsible for building the Wabash-Erie Canal, the longest canal in North America.” Another unique Airbnb stay within Wabash County is known as The Shed Retreat in North Manchester, hosted by Kurt and Heidi Stout.
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
“Two years ago, we turned our goat shed into a shed retreat in order for it to be a sacred place for people to relax and unwind, soaking in silence and solitude and the beauty of God’s creation,” said Kurt. For the Stouts, they decided to use Airbnb as a way to get the word out about their stay, and while it has helped them see a profit, profit was never the goal. “It was a dream of ours to bless people with time away from the stresses of life to meet with God and renew relationships,” he said. Kurt said that he and his wife have been blessed to have many guests over the past two years and many that have returned multiple times. “We love getting to meet new people and the kindness people share in our journal and online in reviews reminds us there is still good and kindness in the world,” he said. “Several of our guests drive from Chicago to get away from the big city. They find small town living relaxing and quiet. We provide a unique place for them to stay, as well as a kayak adventure option. They can take a short hike, ride a bike to a local ice cream shop, rest in a hammock, or roast marshmallows at the firepit. Some guests are just passing through and need a place to sleep for the night, but most are looking for a special place to get away alone or with a friend.” Along with the Shed Retreat and the Riparian House, Wabash County has many Airbnb stays to offer. To find stays, go to www.airbnb.com and search Wabash County in the location bar.
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
TOP: The exterior of the Shed Retreat, a converted goat shed, located in North Manchester. BOTTOM: A view into the Riparian House located in Lagro, on the Wabash Rover.
Photos provided.
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NEWS AND NOTES
MSD of Wabash County Receives CELL Grant MSD of Wabash County is one of 30 school districts in Indiana named as a recipient of a grant obtained by the Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund. The $4.8 million grant will fund devices and broadband connectivity across nine Education Service Centers and 23 school districts in rural areas across the State of Indiana, as well as supporting professional development to improve educators’ capacity to provide engaging and effective online instruction in a total of 30 districts across the state. The Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) at the University of Indianapolis will partner with the Central Indiana Education Service Center (CIESC) during the next two years to disburse the funds and arrange for training. In addition to providing broadband for rural areas that frequently lack high-speed internet access, $3.3 million in funds will be used
to connect families to the internet as well as to buy equipment such as laptops for students and teachers. The additional $1.5 million is supporting professional development for teachers in the 30 local districts. MSD of Wabash County was awarded $142,381.17 for student and staff connectivity hardware. Another $7,500 was awarded to MSDWC for Train-the-Trainer workshops, which will focus on digital leadership/culture, digital learning, and social-emotional learning. “These grants will allow us to meet the unique needs of rural school districts and ensure that students and teachers have access to the technology they require to succeed. We are grateful to the Governor’s Office for this valuable opportunity to address the immediate concerns of the pandemic and to prepare educators in these school districts for the technological demands of the future,” said Janet Boyle, RECN executive director.
Wabash County Y Receives Emergency Relief Grant Officials from the Wabash County YMCA are thankful to be awarded the Emergency Relief Grant funded by the Wabash County United Fund to aid in continued cleaning efforts at the YMCA. The grant from the Wabash County United Fund allowed the YMCA to purchase an electrostatic backpack sprayer to disinfect equipment more effectively.
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
“As we continue our cleaning efforts to slow the spread of the virus and protect our members and guests, we are thankful for community partners such as the Wabash County United Fund to assist in these efforts,” said Dean Gogolewski, Wabash County YMCA CEO. “We truly appreciate the gift.”
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NEWS AND NOTES
Local Organizations Receive Beacon Grants Nearly 4,800 votes from residents of Wabash County determined the winners of Beacon Credit Union’s 10th annual Project Spotlight program. Thanks to the engagement of our communities, Beacon Credit Union has donated $1,750 to three charitable organizations/projects in Wabash County. The winners for 2020 are: • First place: Lagro Canal Foundation, $1,000 • Second place: Wabash County 4-H Junior Leaders, $500 • Bonus Draw: The Troyer Memorial Library, $250 The program received 68 nominations and over 64,000 votes overall for charitable organizations this year in one month of voting. The voting process was held during the month of July this year. The public was able to vote via social media, Beacon Credit Union’s website, or in one of its 19 full-service member centers. A check presentation took place Aug. 18 at Beacon’s Wabash Wedcor Ave. Member Center, with the winning organizations. Meanwhile in North Manchester, more
than 1,600 votes from residents determined the winners in the Project Spotlight program. Thanks to the engagement of our communities, Beacon Credit Union donated $1,750 to three charitable organizations/projects in North Manchester. The winners for 2020 are: • First place: Manchester Early Learning Center, $1,000 • Second place: Junior Achievement serving North Manchester, $500 • Bonus Draw: Tippecanoe Audubon Society, $250 The program received 68 nominations and over 64,000 votes overall for charitable organizations this year in one month of voting. The voting process was held during the month of July this year. The public was able to vote via social media, Beacon Credit Union’s website, or in one of its 19 full-service member centers. A check presentation took place August 12 at Beacon’s North Manchester Member Center, 1301 Hwy 114 West with the winning organizations.
North Manchester Physician Elected to ISMA Leadership Post INDIANAPOLIS – Dr. J. Elizabeth Struble, a family medicine physician in North Manchester, was chosen as president-elect of the Indiana State Medical Association on Sept. 13. The election and swearing in ceremony took place at ISMA’s 171st annual convention, which was held virtually due to the novel coronavirus public health emergency. Struble, who is affiliated with Kosciusko Community Hospital in Warsaw, has been
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an ISMA member since 2009. She has chaired the ISMA Board of Trustees and served on the ISMA Future Directions Task Force, the Commission on Legislation and the Women in Medicine Committee. Struble earned her medical degree from the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and completed her residency in family medicine with the Fort Wayne Medical Education Program.
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
NEWS AND NOTES
Beacon Appoints Two to New Posts Beacon Credit Union officials have announced the appointment of Jason Souther as Brand Manager at its corporate headquarters in Wabash and Trisha Loker to the position of Senior Vice President of Lending. In his new role, Souther will implement strategic and tactical direction for all of the Beacon Credit Union’s marketing initiatives. Responsible for tracking and analyzing the performance of advertising campaigns and ensuring that all marketing material is in line with Beacon Credit Union’s brand identity. He will use his expertise to lead, build, and maintain a strong and consistent brand through a wide range of marketing channels and develop the marketing staff. Souther brings over 16 years of experience in the musculoskeletal healthcare industry with marketing background and supporting global brand identity at his prior position with Zimmer Biomet. A Hoosier, Souther holds a bachelor of science from Grace College and marketing graduate certificate from Indiana Institute of Technology. He is pursuing a master of business administration in marketing from Indiana Institute of Technology and anticipated graduation is January 2021. He has achieved the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) specialist certification. In the community, Souther has volunteered with Feed My Starving Children MobilePack, to support malnourished children around the world. Souther resides in Kosciusko County with his wife and two children.
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
In her role, Loker will assist the Chief Lending Officer in directing and coordinating all commercial, agricultural and retail lending activities within the credit union, ensuring compliance with credit union lending policy, goals, and objectives and that all credit union policies and procedures comply with designated regulations. Loker has worked at Beacon Credit Union for 10 years. Prior to her promotion, Loker served as Vice President of Credit Administration at the credit union. She has also been employed as Vice President of Credit Administration at Crossroads Bank. Loker received her bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Purdue University and her master’s degree in management from Indiana Wesleyan University. She is a graduate from IBA Commercial Lending, Ag Lending, and Advanced Ag Lending Schools. She has a diverse interest and history in community involvement, including being the Chair of the Wabash County Chamber of Commerce, Treasurer of the Wabash County Fair Association, board member of the Wabash Kiwanis Club, member of the Rural Agribusiness Policy Sub-Committee of the Regional Chamber of Northeast Indiana and member of the Stewardship and Finance Committee at Wabash Friends Church. She is currently attending Lafontaine Christian Church. Loker resides in rural Wabash County with her husband and two children.
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NEWS AND NOTES
Pollonais Named Director of Diversity and Inclusion at MU NORTH MANCHESTER -- Maegan Pollonais has been promoted to director of student diversity and inclusion at Manchester University. Pollonais manages day-to-day operations of the Jean ChildsYoung Intercultural Center and assists in developing and retaining students of color and international students. “I am thankful for this position with its added responsibilities and faith in me,” she said. “I am grateful to Manchester University for affording me opportunities to feed my passions; working to educate students on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, leadership development, as well as the opportunity to continue making music!” Pollonais recently completed her doctoral degree in music, with a concentration
in educational psychology, at Ball State University. Her dissertation focused on the importance of multicultural vocal music as a means of diminishing the achievement gap between students of color and white students. “I am excited to continue working with my amazing colleagues and serving the needs of our students, especially our underrepresented students and helping foster an environment where all students can succeed and thrive,” she said. “It is my hope that our positive initiatives on campus will contribute to a lasting impression on the outside community, exemplifying our commitment to dismantling systems of oppression and truly appreciating the infinite worth of every individual.”
New Dog Grooming Business Open Leigha Carey, Wabash native and 2014 Northfield High School graduate has opened a new pet grooming business in Wabash called Waggin’ Tails Inn. The business only offers grooming services, but soon will be expanding to offer boarding and daycare services as well. Leigha is joined by her mother, Kim Carey who is currently in training to become a groomer, after being in a corporate job for 12 years. Leigha graduated from Animal Arts Academy in Carmel in 2015 after pursuing training that matched her passions.
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“I have always had a love for animals,” said Leigha. “I worked at a large kennel facility in central Indiana for four and a half years as a daycare attendant and groomer. I thought it was time to bring that knowledge and experience to my hometown.” Waggin’ Tails Inn is located at 475 North 600 West, Wabash. Leigha is accepting new clients and can be reached at 260-330-2546. Waggin’ Tails Inn accepts dogs and cats of any size or hair type and specializes in all breeds and grooming needs, offering baths, nail trims, ear cleaning and haircuts.
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
NEWS AND NOTES
Edward Jones Adds Financial Advisor Edward Jones Financial Advisor Sandra Atkinson recently announced that a second financial advisor, Adam Esterline, has joined her office in North Manchester. “We’re very impressed with Adam, and I’m sure my clients will be, too. Edward Jones prides itself on providing the best service possible to those investors who choose to do business with us,” Atkinson said. “Adam will help provide the high level of service investors in North Manchester
have come to expect from us as well as extend our services to new investors.” Esterline will work alongside Atkinson for two years then will continue serving investors throughout the area from his branch office. The branch office is located at 1604 State Road 114 W in North Manchester. The telephone number is 260-982-8650.
Little Norse Preschool Receives Grant Early Learning Indiana recently awarded a $20,000 grant to Metro North Elementary School’s Little Norse Preschool as part of the $15 million Come Back Stronger Fund, supported by Lilly Endowment, to reinforce Indiana’s supply of high-quality early learning opportunities, especially for the state’s most vulnerable children. Little Norse Preschool will use the grant funds to support safety-related expenses and challenges as it continues to serve families in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. “The health and safety of our children, families and staff is our top priority,” said Janette Moore, Metro North Principal. “In order for our community to come back stronger from the pandemic, high-quality
early education is extremely important, and we’re committed to supporting families who need child care by providing a safe and educational environment.” Through the generous support of Early Indiana and the Come Back Stronger fund, Little Norse Preschool will purchase additional classroom materials and add a staff member to assist in the two preschool classrooms during times when limiting group size is necessary. The funding ensures Little Norse students will continue to create, connect, pretend, explore, sing, dance, and build, all while learning about their world in a developmentallyappropriate way that best prepares them for kindergarten and beyond.
SHOP
Wabash County
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
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40 YEARS
A
fter 40 years in business Lalon Allen still loves going to work. Although, he’ll correct anyone who calls it that. “People will ask if I’m going to work and I tell them I don’t ever go to work – it’s just too much fun,” he said. “You have to have a passion with what you’re doing.” Allen and his son Levi together run Allen Feeds on 607 West Main Street in North Manchester. Lalon took over the business from his parents in 1986 with his sister Roxie. While Lalon doesn’t plan to retire anytime soon, he said the next steps are up to Levi. “We have everything in place for the transition for him. He’s made commitment and the rest of the family knows it’s all structured and set up and ready to go,” he said. Levi said he is ready but is in no rush. “Hopefully we can get to the point where he can retire and we get someone else full-time,” he said. “He won’t ever walk away, which is fine with me. He enjoys it and I’m glad.”
Allen Feeds owners Lalon Allen and Levi Allen
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WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
The Beginning Lalon’s parents bought the business on Oct. 6, 1980, from a neighbor who started it in 1978 but decided it wasn’t want he wanted to do. The Allens converted their barn and started their new business there with Lalon and Roxie both working while they were both in college at Purdue University. Roxie started full-time after graduation in 1981 and Allen followed two years later. “Of course even when we were at Purdue, we were working,” Lalon said. Lalon and Roxie purchased the business from their parents in 1986 and continued from the barn located south of Lagro and east of Wabash. “I was driving the truck and delivered to Milford and then would stop and make sales calls on the way back,” he said. “Our business grew in this direction. Every time I’d get done I’d go north and coming up this area to deliver and saw a lot of livestock people all around this area and several in Manchester. I thought it was crazy going back and forth all time so we opened it up here.” Lalon talked about the business evolving. “This started as a Purina dealer. There’s checkerboard wallpaper up and Purina helped us tremendously. But the business has changed,” he said. “We used to sell an unbelievable amount of feed to livestock producers and today we don’t because they are all gone. A very large majority of livestock are owned by what they call vertical integration.” While the business has changed over the years, Lalon’s belief in hard work hasn’t.
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
Former look and new look of Allen Feeds
“We still have chores to do. You can’t beat experience – you can’t learn this in a book and say what is going to work,” he said. “We’re lucky. I’m lucky. I’m just plain lucky because there’s no way in the world you can say I’m going to be in the feed business today and be able to do this. Timing is everything. “You have to have some passion. You have to have some desire. You have to be willing to make sacrifices,” he continued. “There have been many times my wife (Tammy) has said, ‘Just sell the daggone thing, go work for one of your suppliers. You’d make a lot more money.’ That’s not what it’s about. It’s about the people and everyone else. If you love what you do it’s not what you make. You’ll make it work one way or another.”
The Community Lalon learned a lesson early on that made him understand how important community is.
“This community has been great to us,” he said. “There are people who share wisdom with you and you may not know it at the time but as you mature, you figure, ‘huh.’ “A man asked me once who owns Allen Feeds and I told him I did,” Lalon said. “He told me no I didn’t. I said, ‘I’m pretty sure I’m here every day, order the feed, pay the bills...’ He said, ‘But you don’t. Your customers own Allen Feeds. If you don’t have them, you don’t have anything.’ He was very right.” Lalon also described a time when he was building the new warehouse on the east side of his property and how community members were an integral part of that. “We built that building from tear down to starting it back up in 60 days, and with all local people. I was very adamant about that,” he said. “We had five different entities working together in order to get it done. I told them, ‘You all work for me and the first one who points a finger or blames a delay on someone
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else is fired.’ They are all great people and were unbelievably good. “I also couldn’t have better neighbors here,” he continued. “When we were about to do the warehouse I talked to Dave Parker (owner of Quality Quick Lube) across the street to see if he’d rent a spot he wasn’t using on his property to store some equipment. He told me he wouldn’t rent it and just let me use it. “There really are some good people in this community.” The building in a space that used to hold 70 tons of feed and now can hold 220 tons, and Lalon said he’s already out of space. Levi added how much the entire Wabash County community is an important part of Allen Feeds. “It helps that we are from the south part of the county but we come to the north part of the county to work,” he said. “We are involved with all the school systems and you hit all those kids.”
The Challenges “It’s like any challenge. If you want it to be bad, it will be bad; if you step back and open your eyes, shut your mouth, and open your ears, you get through it,” Lalon said. “We’ve had plenty of opportunities for doom and gloom.” He referred to a time when the hog market went below 10 cents twice and broke people. “It would have been easy to say you’re done,” he said. “We were selling 1,800 tons of pig concentrate a month, now we don’t sell hardly any. So you better open your eyes and change with it. “One point in time this whole end was full of decorative stuff, then gas went to $4 and everybody lost their disposable income,” he added. “Not too many places in town that were selling decorative stuff are still here.” Levi echoed his father.
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Levi and Lalon Allen stock the warehouse.
Photos by Eric Christiansen
“It’s gonna be what they allow people to continue doing,” he said. “We’ve struggled with some pet food this year – just distribution problems. Fortunately for us, there is customer loyalty, and they trust us enough to say this is another good product and the come back.” After 40 years in business, Allen
Feeds continues to focus on its customers and neighbors and they were honored during a weeklong event in October. “The big thing is saying thank you to the community,” Lalon said. “We try really hard to treat everybody how we want to be treated. The people have been really good.”
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
BY JOSEPH SLACIAN
Co.Starters
Program Helps Prospective Business Owners
S
ince 2016, Grow Wabash County has helped local entrepreneurs explore the ins and outs of starting a new business through the Co.Starters
program. “In the old economic development group, there was never really a focus being paid on how do we support entrepreneurs,” according to Keith Gillenwater, president and CEO of Grow Wabash County. “Essentially, the only thing we did when someone would come in with an idea to start a business we would introduce them to the small business development rep and see if they could help them through that. Then we would connect them with lenders and that kind of thing, but there was never really any, hey, how do you start a business? You’ve got an idea, how do you take it from that ideation phase to get to do all the things you need to do to get a business up and running?” After looking at several programs, Grow Wabash County officials opted for the Co.Starters program. “It was originally developed in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and it
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was developed around arts based businesses, initially,” Gillenwater explained. “The idea was, ‘OK, if you’re an artist, how do you take your art and turn it into a business? Can you make a living doing what you love to do?’ “That is why it was started. We liked that sort of idea and approach, and so we started this process.” Before offering the program, several people from around the community were trained to become program facilitators.
“We ended up training several facilitators in the county,” Gillenwater continued. “In addition to people involved with my organization – myself, Emily Boardman, Lisa Gilman … we also got some other people in the community as well. David Grant facilitated our first two co-horts for us. Ralph Narragon, who has since passed, Bob Fawcett, who used to own the Main View.” Nine businesses were involved with the first class, and several have taken place since then.
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
The program essentially a nineweek long program that takes people through the co-starters canvas. It essentially takes participants through to looking at everything from who their customer is, to a couple weeks of financing – not only internal accounting but how to finance a business. It also covers such issues as distribution, producing revenue and how to solve customers’ problems. Classes are led by the local facilitator, but there also are guest speakers gleaned from businesses around the area. “Joel Stein has come in and taught the legal portion of it at times,” Gillenwater said. “We’ve had Paul McCann who has come in and talked about accounting, the importance of record keeping and things like that. We’ve had Joe Messer, an entrepreneur in addition to being a (Manchester University) professor, walk through how he has developed certain products in the past and how the product has evolved over the years.” While the program is designed to help those seeking to explore starting a new business, it can be adopted to help others in the business community as well. One class was geared toward social entrepreneurs, Gillenwater noted. “One of the presenters we had was Mudd Love up in Warsaw,” he continued. “Clean water is an initiative that they support, so a piece of their profits goes toward
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
that. We had him come down and speak to people who would love to have a business that they can make money from, but they can also put a portion of the proceeds toward the cause. It can also work for non-profits.” The most recent class, which concluded in late August, “is a rebuild program focused on postCOVID recovery,” according to Tenille Zartman, Grow Wabash County vice president. Three local businesses participated in the nationwide program. Nancy Jacoby, owner of Nancy J’s, was among the local business owners to participate in the program. She said that, as it was with many other businesses, the pandemic was tough on her quilt business. “All the quilt shows that I would go to in the other cities are canceled,” Jacoby said, noting that her next quilt show is not scheduled until March 2021. “I would have been in Kentucky in April and Shipshewana in June. That was all canceled. Those are my big cash flow events.” She decided to join the Co.Starter class after being invited to do so by Zartman. “I didn’t know what to expect,” Jacoby said. “First of all, I think it’s good in that I’ve met half a dozen people. Interestingly enough, all but one that are going through the program are female, and a couple of them have closely related businesses to mine. They aren’t quilting shops,
but they’re sewing related. That’s cool to get to know those girls.” But the class offered more than that. “More than anything,” Jacoby continued, “it’s probably just given me some new things to think about. Some different directions that I may not have thought about myself.” Co.Starter classes are offered about once per year, Zartman said. “We’ve tried twice, but to drum up that many people ready to commit to nine weeks is challenging, honestly,” she said. Classes are $300 and include workbooks, course materials, snacks and drinks. Gillenwater stressed that those interested in attending the program shouldn’t let the cost be a deterrent. “We’re pretty up front with people and say this is a commitment,” he said. “If yo’re committed to doing the class, we’ll figure out a way to make sure you’re doing it. But you have to commit to it up front. “At the end of the day, it’s nine to ten weeks and it’s usually 2½ hours a night. You know we’re getting people who have businesses or they’re working somewhere and thinking about starting a business on the side.” One of the first exercises, he continued, is to have participants chart their time. “That’s really an eye opener for people,” Gillenwater said. “Maybe the best thing we can do sometimes is to show people that maybe this isn’t the best use of their time.”
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Year in Review:
Grow Wabash Officials Reflect on Past Year BY JOSEPH SLACIAN
O
fficials from Grow Wabash County reflected on the good and bad of 2020 during the organization’s annual dinner meeting at the Honeywell Center. Following social distancing guidelines, the dinner was served in both the Honeywell Room and Legacy Hall. Those present were then dismissed to the Ford Theater, were they were seated in groups with various spacing between the seats. In Legacy Hall, Grow Wabash County board chair Patty Grant and President and CEO Keith Gillenwater reflected on the past year. One of the highlights, Grant noted, was the successful completion of Growth Starts Here, a $1 million capital campaign “to support big picture efforts around workforce development, entrepreneurship, business development, livability and industrial services.” Another success was the organization’s partnership with the Community Foundation of Wabash County for a collaborative effort “to shine the cold, harsh but bright light on our county’s declining population and its ensuing damages.”
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“Through Keith’s leadership,” Grant said, “the county collectively embarked on an unprecedented, countywide effort called Imagine One 85 to create a comprehensive plan to address growth and prosperity for all of Wabash County.” Grant also praised local officials with the way they have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the United States and the world hard much of the year. She said Grow Wabash County pivoted due to COVID-19 in order to “address the needs of community by providing current information and news, as well as administer to the business community over $500,000 in combined Rapid Response Low Interest Loans and OCRA Business Recovery G r a n t s .”
The county, like much of the world, is looking forward to 2021 and the eventual end of the threat of the coronavirus, she said. “Significant sacrifices have been made,” she said. “Frontline h e a l t h c a re workers are
“The county, like much of the world, is looking forward to 2021 and the evenual end of the threat of the coronavirus.”
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
constantly at risk. Our teachers other essential professionals are encumbered by masks and restrictions. Our superintendents and school administrators reorganize critical school activities on a daily basis … Families struggle to stay connected and many experience illness and personal loss. Not to mention the disappointments of weddings postponed, family gatherings canceled and initiatives and innovations thwarted. “We all long for the relief of fears and rules, and we seek the freedom to commune again closely with colleagues, teachers, students, family and friends. So, we will be glad to put behind us the coronavirus.”
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
Gillenwater, in his remarks, said he believes Wabash County and its residents have been resilient throughout 2020, especially in light of the aforementioned pandemic. “Viewed in context, we are a resilient community and we’re going in the direction we need to,” he said. Gillenwater also pointed to various programs Grow Wabash County has participated in, including the availability of quality housing at all levels. He called that “critical to the long-term growth of our community.” Grow Wabash County, in cooperation with the City of Wabash and the Wabash Redevelopment Commission, have started acquiring and razing homes along the East Market Street portion of downtown Wabash, making the way for new housing starts. “In addition, we have housing efforts underway with several other partners across the city,” Gillenwater said. “The Town of North Manchester is now selling homes and lots in the new Chester Heights subdivision.”
Again, because of COVID-19, a large portion of Grow Wabash County’s focus has shifted to business support. “We became the clearing house for COVID-19 news for our community’s businesses, and worked together with many of the other organizations here in the room tonight to react and respond to concerns centered around the pandemic,” Gillenwater said. “Since March, Grow Wabash County has administered $450,000 in OCRA business recovery grants, close to $100,000 in Rapid Response low interest loans, and over $50,000 additional grants from our Business in a Box grants to our partnerships with Duke Energy and others. “As new opportunities are expected to arise, we will continue to apply for and provide this assistance to the community until we get through this … and we will get through this. We made this switch because the community needed it. While bringing in new businesses gets us headlines, doing everything we can to help all of you when you need it most pays much bigger dividends.” Wrapping up his comments, Gillenwater again reminded those present how proud he was to be a Wabash County resident. “I never want to miss the opportunity to say that I am proud to call Wabash County my home, Gillenwater said. “I am blessed to have a wonderful team, a visionary board, and a supportive community. Grow Wabash County is firing on all cylinders, but we cannot be successful without all (our investors’) support and involvement.” Also during the annual event, North Manchester resident Jim Smith was named the 2020 Volunteer of the Year; Halderman Farm Management & Real Estate Services was named the 2020 Business of the Year; and Doug Adams was named the 2020 Distinguished Citizen.
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FROM TOP LEFT: Patty Grant addresses the crowd gathered for the Grow Wabash County annual dinner and meeting. Keith Gillenwater, President & CEO of Grow Wabash County, presents the Distinguished Citizen Award to Doug Adams. Keith Gillenwater, President & CEO of Grow Wabash County, presents the Business of the Year Award to Howard Halderman, President of Halderman Farm Management & Real Estate Services. Keith Gillenwater, President & CEO of Grow Wabash County, presents the Volunteer of the Year Award to North Manchester resident Jim Smith.
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WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / WINTER 2020
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