BUSINESS & HEALTH

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The rising cosTs of small business …Fuel 5.4 percent

Though fuel prices go up and down at various times through-out the year, they were 5.4 percent higher in Albert Lea in January of 2013 compared to January of 2012.

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Taxes 4.5 percent

This was the estimated in-crease of Albert Lea city taxes alone from 2012 to 2013. This does not include other local taxes or state or federal busi-ness taxes.

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Water 10 percent

The estimated increase in water rates from 2012 to 2013 is in addition to an estimated 2 percent increase in sewer fees in Albert Lea.

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Food 1.8 percent

Food prices as a whole for consumers went up by this percentage, according to the Consumer Price Index.

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Insurance 8.5 percent

This estimated increase in group health insurance typi-cally correlates with increased costs of medical care.

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By Sarah Stultz

Jake’s Pizza owners Bill Anderson and Jim Johnson know the value

of a good product.When the costs of running

their business increase, they do everything they can to protect that.

“The most important thing is maintaining your product,” An-derson said. “Never, ever sacri-fice your product. That’s first and foremost.”

Jake’s Pizza, which has been in business for 50 years, has seen increases in the last year in the costs of food, fuel and taxes, to name a few. But through hard work and cutting costs where they can — and at times even reducing their own margins — the owners said they are able to move past the challenge and run their business more efficiently.

“It’s basically up to us to keep running a tight ship,” he said. “It’s a lot of juggling sometimes.”

A larger problemIn the last year alone, An-

derson estimated the costs of cheese, meats and grains for the company’s pizza have increased between 4 and 25 percent throughout the year.

“Food is the primary driver for us here,” he said.

Cheese is the company’s most expensive item that goes on the pizza, and rising grain prices in turn affect meat prices.

But those aren’t the only price increases they are seeing.

If gasoline prices continue to rise and get close to $4 a gal-lon, Anderson said the com-pany might have to consider

paying its drivers more for a reimbursement.

He said the company is also anticipating increases in energy costs and taxes.

“Everything is increasing,” he said. “We’re just riding the waves as they come.”

The same is true for Frames-R-Us co-owner Kathy Sabinish.

She said she has seen increases in her company’s taxes and water and sewer bills, but the largest increase she’s seen have been in the costs of insurance — both for her business and for her and her husband’s health insurance.

She said at the beginning of the year she switched to an insur-ance plan with a higher deduct-ible through a local provider so they could get a lower premium.

“That was the biggest monthly expense for us,” she noted. “We cut the premium in half.”

State Farm Insurance Agent Nancy VanderWaerdt said her business has seen increases in the cost of phones, advertising, wages for employees and taxes.

She has three employees. Home Solutions Midwest

President Steve Field said his company, which has 15 employ-ees, has seen increases in fuel, material costs, health insurance and advertising.

Fuel costs are hitting the busi-ness twice, with increases both at the pump and in shipping costs. The company owns eight trucks and 14 trailers, and he said carriers have passed along fuel surcharges about 7 percent higher.

Field said he is seeing an about 8 percent increase in material costs, an 18 percent increase in the cost of health insurance and

about a 4 percent increase in the cost of advertising. Environmen-tal Protection Agency regulations are also driving costs up for certi-fications, training and testing.

“It is always a challenge to deal with rising costs,” Field said. “In order to be successful, we must sell our goods at a profit and still satisfy the customer. If we satisfy the customer and fail to get the profit, we would soon be out of business. If we get the profit but fail to satisfy the customers, we would soon be out of customers.”

UncertaintiesMike Petersen, part owner of

Security Insurance in Albert Lea, said small businesses are fac-ing many uncertainties when it comes to insurance costs, partic-ularly related to health insurance under President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act.

“I’ve been in the business since 1991, and I’ve never seen even close to this much uncertainty, and almost anxiety, because of the changes taking place,” Petersen said. “There’s a huge ar-ray of information out there that everyone is saving a lot versus people are paying more.”

In the last year, health insur-ance costs have increased on av-erage about 8 1/2 percent, which he said is not a surprise consid-ering the correlating increase in medical costs, he said.

Property and liability insur-ance for small businesses are beginning to “firm up,” though many of the carriers are increas-ing their underwriting standards.

These types of insurance rates largely depend on what the busi-ness is and their claims history.

“For those who have above

average losses, the marketplace is starting to adversely affect those,” he said.

“It’s fair to say that over time, those who have done a good job at controlling those things within their control experience better pricing.”

Small businesses are also fac-ing uncertainties over state taxes, after seeing a budget proposal by Gov. Mark Dayton in January.

Beth Kadoun, director of tax and fiscal policy for the Minne-sota Chamber of Commerce, said many of Dayton’s proposals will unfairly affect small businesses and put them at a competitive disadvantage.

“The proposal that the gover-nor put out made the business community concerned,” Kadoun said.

She said Dayton’s sales tax reform would cause hidden costs for businesses, and business-to-business services — or services that small businesses have to hire out for — would end up be-ing taxed.

His plan also increases the top individual income tax rate, which would in turn also affect small businesses that pay taxes through the individual income tax, such as sole proprietors.

Kadoun said studies have shown high marginal income tax rates negatively impact migra-tion into the state and make it harder to attract talent.

Making up for the differenceDespite the uncertainties, local

business owners said they are finding ways to reduce costs so their businesses can survive.

Anderson said Jake’s Pizza tries to handle its cost 4P. 7

Business owners in Albert Lea share their concerns about common expenses going up

4 5 7 8

Page 2 • Albert Lea Tribune • Sunday, February 24, 2013 • PROGRESS 2013

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By Kelli Lageson

Five years have passed since Albert Lea first started seriously thinking about health and longev-ity, and some worksites in the city are still concerned about their employees’ health and wellness.

Alliance Benefit Group is one of the workplaces in Albert Lea that has kept motivating its employ-ees to better their health. Kellie Jordahl is on the wellness commit-tee at ABG and said the company has kept up its goal of promoting healthy living to its employees. As well as doing competitions, the company also helps employees by offering a host of preventative tests.

“Annually we do biometric test-ing that the company pays for,” Jordahl said.

Biometric testing includes checks for blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and more. Jordahl said a nice thing about the testing is that it’s offered also to the employ-ee’s spouse if they’re covered under ABG’s insurance. Last year, 130 employees or spouses participated in the tests. The goal is to let people know if they are at risk for serious diseases. Jordahl said a popular incentive was ABG’s weight-loss competition that mocks the TV show “The Biggest Loser.”

One of ABG’s employees who participated was Jennifer Gilderhus, a flexible accounts administrator, who has worked at the company for almost two years. She started the company’s biggest loser competition in July of 2012.

“It was a three-month program,” Gilderhus said. “We would weigh in every Monday.”

About a third of ABG’s employ-ees participated, and each paid $25. Then the person who lost the most percentage of weight at the end won the money that everyone had chipped in. Gilderhus placed in second, and lost 23 pounds. The competition measured percentage of weight lost, and Gilderhus lost to the first-place finisher by 0.5 percent.

“That was very depressing,” Gild-erhus said with a laugh. “But health-wise I felt totally different.”

She said she felt much healthier after watching what she ate and keep-ing a food journal. The company also had other initiatives where employees could get together once a week and do yoga or dodgeball. Most employ-ees participate in wellness groups, where all the employees split up and the groups compete for small prizes or being able to wear jeans to work. The people in each group keep track of how much water they drank, or if they’re eating fruits and vegetables. A point system decides the winner.

ABG is holding a second biggest loser competition, and Gilderhus said she’s happy to be participating again. There’s camaraderie between participants, and Gilderhus said people share recipes and weight-loss ideas that worked.

Smoke-freeOne of the most noticeable chang-

es at worksites in the 4P. 3

Well? How’s it going?Workplace wellness is a trend among Albert Lea companies

Kelli LagesonThis sign is affixed to a larger Alamco Wood Products sign at the business on West Ninth Street in Albert Lea.

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community has been the advent of more smoke-free campuses. The Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce has a work-site wellness committee, and Executive Director Randy Kehr said having more tobacco-free work-sites has been a goal of the committee.

In 2009, just 4 per-cent of the workforce in Freeborn County worked on tobacco-free work-sites. Now, 25 percent of workers in the county work on tobacco-free campuses.

“I’m really proud of our worksite wellness committee,” Kehr said. “They work really hard.”

There are 14 member businesses represented on the committee. One of those is Alamco. Its human resources direc-tor, Melissa Sexton, sits on the committee, and she’s also the wellness coordinator for Alamco. The company went smoke-free in 2011, and Sexton said employees responded well to the change.

“There were a few that were affected, but they respected the change and if they want to par-take they just leave our property,” Sexton said. “It’s gone very well.”

Sexton said the com-pany also has activities for employees who are on break like a basket-ball hoop and bean bag toss. There’s also more fresh fruit and healthy snacks than donuts.

“We try to cut back on all those sweets,” Sexton said. “It’s been a general initiative.”

Wellness as a wholeA few companies are

leaders in trying to get employees to stop smok-ing, eat healthier and be more active. One of those is Freeborn-Mow-er Cooperative. Judy Jensen, the company’s payroll and financial ac-countant, is its wellness coordinator. She said they’ve had a wellness program for years, but just in the last five years there’s been more of a focus.

“Every year we do bio-metric testing and turn it into a mini wellness

fair,” Jensen said.In addition to the test-

ing, the company brings in various professionals like a dietitian, mas-seuse or fitness instruc-tor. Last year, a Zumba instructor came and Jensen said most of the employees tried out the dance exercise.

Another initiative is fresh fruit on Fridays, where the company of-fers fresh fruit to its em-ployees one Friday each month. There’s also a scale at the office where employees can weigh themselves if they wish.

Freeborn-Mower also offers a points system where employees can earn points by getting healthy numbers on their biometric tests or by competing in local

fitness activities like the Tiger Trot or Relay for Life.

“The points are an incentive that turns into cash,” Jensen said.

Jensen said the well-ness program is sup-ported by its CEO and board of directors. Its next wellness fair will be Feb. 28, and Jensen said the wellness initiative is something the employ-ees seem to like.

“It’s a way that people that are actually doing healthy things or are healthy can be reward-ed,” Jensen said.

Mrs. Gerry’s in Albert Lea is another com-pany that has created a wellness program. It’s facilitated by its human resources assistant, Erin Sauer. Sauer said the company started work-ing on wellness for its employees because of rising health care costs.

“We’re working on changing the culture and changing their mindset,” Sauer said.

The company has done weight-loss competitions, walking programs, given out healthy cooking reci-pes and more. In a stor-age area, they measured a walking loop so that employees who choose to walk will know how far they’ve gone. Sauer said the vending machines have had a bit of an upgrade as well. Though there is still the tradi-tional vending machine fare, there are now a few more healthy options like baked potato chips.

“We used to do dough-nuts once a month for our group meetings and now we’ve switched to every other month,” Sauer said. “And for the people who want to eat healthier we have string cheese, yogurt and fruit.”

Through all the com-petitions and initiatives it can be hard to mea-sure success, but Sauer said she thinks more employees have more knowledge about how to be healthy.

“We’ve had several people who made small changes that add up to a big change,” Sauer said. “We’ve seen a lot of people who are eating healthier or walking more.”

Continued from Page 2

A quarter of the local workforce has a smoke-free environment

Tim EngstromAlliance Benefit Group has gained a reputation for workplace wellness, which in turn has attracted applicants who wish to work there.

14 Member businesses are on the

Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce’s wellness committee

25 Percent of the work-force in

Freeborn County on smoke-free campuses. In 2009, just 4 per-cent of the workforce was on smoke-free worksites.

300 Dollars an em-ployee at

Alliance Benefit Group will receive after win-ning the “Biggest Loser” competition. The busi-ness is in the middle of its second competition. The voluntary competi-tion is being completed by about a third of its workforce who all pay to participate, and the person with the highest percentage of weight loss will receive the pot.

40 Percent of adults engage in no leisure-

time physical activity in the United States.

13 Billion dol-lars annually accrued in

medical fees and lost productivity by U.S. companies. Obesity is associated with 39 mil-lion lost workdays.

Page 4 • Albert Lea Tribune • Sunday, February 24, 2013 • PROGRESS 2013

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By Colleen Thompson

Five small businesses right here in Albert Lea have found ways to not only make ends meet in this economy, but grow their businesses, as well.

1. Albert Lea TailorsAddress: 122 S. Broadway Phone: 373-1714Owner: Adele Helleksen

Unseemly successfulAlbert Lea Tailors has

been in the sewing busi-ness for 30 years. Adele Helleksen has been the owner since 2004 and has been pushing the shop forward with

the times. She, along with her five part-time employees, alter, repair and fix pretty much any material customers bring in.

“We can fix delicate clothing but also the roughest of leather,” Helleksen said.

Formalwear? Old suitcoats? Broken jacket zippers? Jeans that have too much length but not enough for the gut? Al-bert Lea Tailors can fix them all. Prom dresses, wedding gowns, jeans, suits, horse blankets and even lawn mower bags are just some of the clothing articles that Helleksen and her

coworkers can repair. “The lady that owned

the shop before me told me, ‘When the times are bad, people start bring-ing in their old things.’”

Helleksen has seen this proved true. With the downward turn in the economic times, people have started bringing in old items to be “revamped” rather than buying new clothes. She’s seen a lot more 30- to 40-year-olds come in lately instead of the mainly older crowd. She has frequent customers who come from Austin, Mason City, Roches-ter and even the Twin Cities.

Albert Lea Tailors is busier now than ever. Helleksen has seen con-sistency in her workload for the first time, instead of a pattern of dry spells followed by an overflow of projects. She used to have two days a week where there wouldn’t be any work for her to do. Now she has two to three weeks worth of work to do most of the time.

Helleksen has been able to take her work out of the walls of the down-stairs shop, as well. She has been sewing patches on soldiers’ uniforms at the National Guard Armory since 2005, and was asked to come help with fittings at a prom dress exchange in Alden on Jan. 26.

Sew accommodatingHelleksen works to

make her customers’ lives easier. She often goes to customer’s hous-es to pick up or drop off articles of clothing. If elderly customers have difficulty going down the stairs to her shop, she will meet them on the main floor and do their transactions there. She also works with people’s schedules and priorities and will adjust things as needed when there are emergencies.

“The location is hard,” Helleksen said. The business is at an un-derground level, below Celebrations Party & Gift. “It’s been here for 30 years, and I still get people who come in and say, ‘I had no idea this was here!’”

2. A Creative Touch PhotographyAddress: 340 S. Broadway Phone: 373-9211Owner: Steve Tovar

An idea sparkedSteve Tovar first

picked up a professional camera 18 years ago when his daughter was involved in high school sports. He purchased a 35 mm camera and took shots of her when she was cheerleading.

“I’ve always loved photography,” Tovar

said. “But my first pic-tures didn’t turn out so well.”

That was fuel to an already burning flame. Tovar began researching and studying photog-raphy books. He pur-chased and downloaded four computer programs with editing features. He also bought a digital camera and has spent lots of money on the newest photography technology. Art, special backdrops, effects and editing programs have become his specialty. He now has a full-time photography business, which includes photo restorations, abstract photography, art com-posites, photo overlays, custom digital poster prints and banners.

“I needed to improve my ways, and I got pretty good,” Tovar said. “Now it’s my career.”

Where is the focus?“My work is very

important to me,” Tovar said. “It has to be perfection.”

Tovar proofs every picture from each shoot he does. He thinks and plans out different poses and locations for each customer extensively be-forehand. He strives to stay away from generic pictures and expected scenery. He will then spend two to three days editing and enhancing one batch of pictures. He once spent 40 hours per-fecting one high school senior’s photographs.

“I have to read people and than act on that,” Tovar said of his guar-antee that every cus-tomer will get unique photographs. “It’s more complicated and intri-cate than most people think.”

More exposureAlthough Tovar has

more customers and more photo shoots than he’s ever had before and also received Best Photographer last year through the Albert Lea Tribune’s People’s Choice Awards, he doesn’t do a lot of his own advertising. He relies mainly on word

of mouth from satisfied customers. He believes that good work will pay off with repeats and referrals.

“I want the pictures to be so good that you hang it up, and you don’t want to take it down.”

Tovar has customers who have heard about his business through friends of friends and people who have come from Austin, Owatonna and the Twin Cities. Technology has smiled upon him, as well. Not only does he attribute much of his success to his natural love of art, but being able to post his work on Facebook has been very kind to him. Technology has helped him go beyond the normal, Tovar said.

“People like my photos and have started con-tacting me off of Face-book,” he said.

Tovar also cuts hair at his hair styling studio, Tovar’s Styling Salon. He hopes to do more advertising in the future and start hanging his photographs up at Northbridge Mall.

3. Raleigh’s Ace HardwareAddress: 2525 Bridge Ave.Phone: 377-8636Manager: Matt Raleigh

Making the cutGood service is a

noticeable, desired and maybe even genetic trait. Raleigh’s Ace Hardware has been devoted to good customer service since 1994 when Dennis Raleigh first opened it.

His son, Matt Raleigh, graduated from Winona State University and came to work at the hardware store, then called Coast to Coast, in 2003. Dennis passed away from cancer in 2010, and Matt took up the manager position along with the customer service legacy his dad left behind.

“We’re known for our customer service,” Ra-leigh said. “It’s the main thing that sets us apart from Walmart, Home Depot and other compe-tition.” 4P. 5

Steve Tovar stands in front of portraits he has taken. His love of cameras led him to start his business. Maintaining the latest technology allows him to have new approaches and implement fresh ideas.

Matt Raleigh keeps customer service a high priority at Raleigh’s Ace Hardware. That helps the place compete against large retail sellers.

Tim EngstromAdele Helleksen has owned Albert Lea Tailors since 2004 and now has plenty of work for her and for her employees. The economic downtown brought in busi-ness as people sought to repair clothes, rather than buy new clothes.

Growing …

Growing …Growing …

5businesses that are doing well in a tight economy

PROGRESS 2013 • Sunday, February 24, 2013 • Albert Lea Tribune • Page 5

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Knowing what you’re selling and have knowl-edge of the products is also key, Raleigh says. He knows background and brand information on most everything in the store. If customers have a question, he’s the go-to guy.

Raleigh’s Ace Hard-ware has proof that its one of the best. It was voted the Best Hardware Store through the Albert Lea Tribune’s People’s Choice Awards for the past nine years and was one of the top five rated hardware stores nation-ally out of 5,000.

“When we hire new people, we tell them to help the customer,” Ra-leigh said. “That’s what we do best.”

Jack of all tradesBesides stocking its

shelves with carpenters’ favorite things, Raleigh’s Ace Hardware offers many services to better serve its customers. Pipe cutting and threading, hunting/fishing licenses, key cutting, blade sharp-ening, carpet cleaning, machine rental, and glass, screen and small engine repair are all available on location. Housewares, cleaning, electrical, plumbing, hand and power tools, hardware, paint and sundries and automo-tive supplies are what one can expect to find in the aisles. If the store doesn’t have it, someone will order it.

“We’ve seen a lot of growth in customers in both homeowners and contractors,” Raleigh said.

Raleigh’s Ace Hard-ware has seen signifi-cant growth in the past 12 months. It added a popular new line of paint, Benjamin Moore, that was voted the top-performing inte-rior paint by Consumer Reports in February. The hardware store also recently picked up the tool brand Craftsman, which is typically only available at Sears, plus

Clark+Kensington paint. “Brands people know

bring them to our door-step, and our service keeps them coming,” Raleigh said.

Along with expanding merchandise, the physi-cal layout of the store has been updated in the past year, too.

“We were too outdated and needed to open the place up,” Raleigh said. “We reorganized so the stuff wasn’t just thrown on the shelves.”

The store is also offer-ing a brand new instant rebate system. As of January, customers can receive a rebate right at the cash register instead of waiting for it to come in the mail.

“This is new for us and it’s fantastic,” Raleigh said. “Hopefully it will help us grow.”

4. Studio 22 SalonAddress: 2211 E. Main St.Phone: 377-2249Owner: Sarah Ball

Hair they are “Hair is a reflection of

who we are,” said owner and manager Sarah Ball.

Studio 22 Salon has been a full-service hair and nail salon since it opened in 2006. The salon can cut any hair type, style any do and make nails look clean and well-kept. The stylists specialize in cuts, perms, straight-ening, up-dos, dying, highlights, smoothing treatments, pedicures, manicures and waxing.

Ball bought the salon last June from previous owner Carrie Hershey. Ball has been working at Studio 22 for 4 1/2 years.

“All the girls here are really great,” Ball said. “They rent from me so they all have a sense of ownership and equally benefit when we do well.”

The stylists continu-ously attend training and will be attending styling shows in March. Studio 22 also invites a professional to come and hold a class where

they can learn about new styling procedures. The salon’s suppliers often share information, videos and literature on new things going on in the hair styling world.

“We want to keep up with the ‘fresh new looks,’” Ball said.

There are quite a few hair salons in Albert Lea, but Salon 22 likes to stay on top of the competition. The salon has a full staff and the newest employee has already been there for a year and a half. The seven stylists and two receptionists have been there a long time as well, with over 80 years of combined experi-ence, whereas a lot of businesses frequently do staff turnovers, Ball says.

Comb one, comb allKeeping updated and

current is important for both the look and atmosphere of the salon. The building underwent a remodeling in August; walls that used to be gold and red are now gray with black swirl designs.

“We like it to be new with how it looks and what we’re doing,” Ball said.

The salon has seen several improvements in business since January 2012. CND Shellac, a recent breakthrough in Power Polish, has be-come very popular. The new Ombre hairstyle, a dark shade with a lighter shade at the bottom, has become a customer favorite, as well. Studio 22 has been busier than they were in the past and have been attracting new clients that recently moved to town.

“Being involved in the community and really believing in what you’re doing,” Ball said, is the key to having a growing small business.

5. Sanderson Auto RepairAddress: 131 W. College St.Phone: 373-9095Owner: Mark Sanderson

Tim EngstromMark Sanderson leans on a Toyota minivan being repaired at his business, Sand-erson Auto Repair. The company’s staff takes pride in being straight talkers.

Colleen ThompsonSarah Ball, owner and manager of Studio 22 Salon, blow dries Ahnika Jensen’s hair after a cut. Ball bought Studio 22 in June 2012 and has been a stylist there for 4 1/2 years.

Not like the other guysSanderson Auto

Repair takes pride in customer service and honesty.

“I started the busi-ness because I enjoy working with people,” said founder and owner Mark Sanderson.

That’s the philoso-phy behind everything the technicians and mechanics do at Sand-erson Auto Repair. Meeting the needs of Albert Lea’s vehicles since 1985, each of the 14 full-time employees is ASE certified and has an average of 15 to 18 years of experi-ence, with more than 200 years of collective experience.

“Customer service is priority No. 1,” he said.

Engine earsSanderson Auto

wants to make sure its customers receive quality for a fair price. The business mails out 5,000 coupon postcards

a month; each postcard includes discounts and coupons for oil changes and other services. Sanderson Auto recent-ly started a new “Refer a Friend” program, where customers can get a free oil change or mainte-nance visit for intro-ducing a friend to the automobile repair shop. Sanderson Auto is also the only AAA facility in Freeborn County.

“Listen to custom-ers,” Sanderson advised other businesses. “Build relationships to find out what their needs are.”

Automobiles, RVs, trailers, diesels and snowplows can all be serviced at Sanderson Auto. If it’s got wheels, they can probably fix it, Sanderson said. Besides offering service and parts at one location and servicing all makes and models of domestic and import vehicles, the business also sells tires.

In the past year, Sanderson Auto has

become both a Michelin and U-Haul dealer. Advertising through its website, the radio and newspaper has been advantageous for the business. Sanderson increases his advertis-ing budget each year, continuously tries to of-fer more services for his customers and has new customers coming in all the time.

“People seem to be holding on to their cars longer,” Sanderson said. “We benefit from that.”

People have been keeping their cars and focusing on fixing them up instead of purchas-ing a new vehicle in re-cent years. The average duration of a car on the road used to be seven years but has now gone up to about 11 years.

“We try to implement new things that are in-strumental and help us grow,” Sanderson said. “We’re 20 times the business that we used to be.”

Continued from Page 4

Page 6 • Albert Lea Tribune • Sunday, February 24, 2013 • PROGRESS 2013

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Server

What my significant other thinks I do

What my mom thinks I do

What customers think I do

What my friends think I do

What I think I do

What I really do

By Brandi Hagen

Business by the numbersBusiness establishmentsDodge County 421Freeborn County 817Faribault County 453Mower County 859Steele County 1,001Waseca County 501Winnebago County 320Worth County 171

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 dataNote: Establishments means a single physical location

with paid employees at which business is conducted or industry performed and does not include government. See census.gov under “County Business Patterns” for how the data is collected.

Freeborn County establishments by employees1-4 4045-9 18510-19 12120-49 6850-99 24100-249 10250-499 3500-999 21,000 and up 0Total 817

Additional detailsPaid employees 11,224Annual payroll $349,522,000

Freeborn County establishments by sectorAgriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 1Mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction 3Utilities 4Construction 85Manufacturing 54Wholesale trade 42Retail trade 133Transportation and warehousing 37Information 12Finance and insurance 59Real estate, rental and leasing 17Professional, scientific and technical services 44Management of companies and enterprises 5Administrative, support and waste management 31Educational services 7Health care and social assistance 77Arts, entertainment and recreation 13Accommodation and food services 77Other services 115Industries not classified 1Total 817

Freeborn County nonemployers by sectorAgriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 42Mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction (withheld)Utilities 6Construction 294Manufacturing 24Wholesale trade 53Retail trade 236Transportation and warehousing 142Information 16Finance and insurance 69Real estate, rental and leasing 174

Professional, scientific and technical services 140Administrative, support and waste management and remediation services 132Educational services 27Health care and social assistance 165Arts, entertainment and recreation 91Accommodation and food services 26Other services 327Total 1,966

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 data, reissued 2012Note: Nonemployers, as implied, do not have paid em-ployees. They are the majority of U.S. corporations but average a small impact (less than 4 percent) on receipts nationally.

Tim EngstromDowntown Albert Lea saw changes in the past year. The most notable were a coffee shop and restaurant with a bar. They were called Prairie Wind Coffee and 112 on Broadway, and they seemed to bring more people downtown. In the coming year Broadway will undergo a major reconstruction, which is expected to change what downtown looks like altogether.

PROGRESS 2013 • Sunday, February 24, 2013 • Albert Lea Tribune • Page 7

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increases through sav-ings in specials from its food distributors and through cutting costs on its paper products and pizza boxes.

Field said Home Solu-tions is running more efficiently by combining shipments and sched-uling more effective routes. The company has also reduced inventories to only what is needed

and spends more time using social media and the Internet to advertise and promote.

Sabinish said she and her husband take small steps to increase efficiencies in their business.

They turn off the track lighting in their building when nobody is in the store and dress warmer in the winter.

Her husband also sells

telephone systems for a side business.

VanderWaerdt said she handles increases in running her business by working harder and try-ing to keep her expenses down.

“I do work with my income to make it work the best it can and keep it at a financial level that I can afford and still help other businesses too,” she said.

Continued from Page 1

Combining shipments cut costs

Colleen ThompsonDavid Nelson, owner and president of 4 Seasons Companies, sits at his desk in 4 Seasons Vacations Inc. on Clark Street. 4 Seasons Vacations has been planning trips and tours for customers in Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota since 1967.

How did 4 Seasons …… become 3 companies?

By Colleen Thompson

Three sectors to better serve its customers four seasons a year. That’s what the 4 Seasons Companies has sought to bring to Albert Lea for the past 52 years through its travel, coffee and advertising sectors.

4 Seasons Companies was started in 1961 by Lolly Nelson, who is now 92 years old and still works at the company. He was joined by his son, David, in 1980. Da-vid Nelson is the current owner and president of 4 Seasons Companies.

Advertising130 W. Clark St.

Lolly started 4 Seasons Advertising in 1961.

“These were new ideas in the 1960s,” David Nel-son said of the business-es his father founded. “He saw a need for it.”

With an endless need for business advertise-ments and promotions, infinite combinations of logos, products, styles and colors are needed, as well. Calendars, pens, backpacks, mugs, bags and a full line of cloth-ing are just some of the 750,000 items that 4 Seasons Advertis-ing has available. All embroidery and screen printing items are done on location for fast turn around.

Any business trying to market outward knows the importance of meet-ing the needs of a wide audience. But the small-town, local customers are what help keep the company going. They’ve been coming back to 4 Seasons for years, Nel-son said.

Coffee636 E. 11th St.

Lolly continued ex-panding his footprint in the business world by starting 4 Seasons Coffee Co. in 1966.

4 Seasons Coffee dis-tributes several different blends that consist of Colombian, Brazilian, Nicaraguan, Costa Rican and other South Ameri-can beans.

The coffee company delivers to Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Illinois with nine service routes throughout the five states. A 4 Seasons Cof-fee sales representative visits each business once every two weeks to a month to make sure that the equipment is clean and everything is work-ing properly.

“We make sure some-one stops and rotates the coffee stock at each business,” Nelson said. “And our coffee is roasted fresh every time we order.”

Convenience stores, hospitals, offices, res-taurants, coffee shops, hotels and any business that consumes coffee is the target audience.

“I do what I can to market to this area and other states,” Nelson said.

Scandinavian Blend, President’s Blend, 100 percent Colombian, Roaster’s Choice, Star Blend, Kona and Su-matra Mandehling are just some of the coffee selections offered. The company also distributes cappuccino, tea, juice, sweeteners, creamers and syrups, hot choco-late, cider, slush mix, soup and popcorn.

The company makes sure that they always have fresh and 100 per-cent Arabica beans that give 4 Seasons Coffee its signature taste.

Travel130 W. Clark St.

The third and final sector, 4 Seasons Vaca-tions Inc. was started in 1967 by Lolly. In the 1960s, travel agencies were almost unheard of.

“He founded it with the philosophy that Albert Lea could use someone to help them with travel,” David Nel-son said.

Fifty-two years and thousands of travel ar-rangements later, people from Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota are still coming to the 4 Seasons Vacations for help planning vacations, tours, honeymoons and destination wed-dings. It is an authorized representative for all major tour, cruise line, airline, hotel, resort and car rental companies. 4 Seasons Vacations has 10 employees and three tour escorts, Joyce Langerud, Larry Alvey and Sue Barber, with more than 100 years of combined expertise.

“Everyone has a lot of experience,” Nelson said. “That’s important to customers.”

Alaska, the Canadian Rockies and Hawaii are all popular destinations for group tours, which are prepackaged vaca-tions with itineraries and sight-seeing loca-tions laid out. 4 Sea-sons Travel has trips to Glacier Park, Niagara Falls, Mexico, Australia, Europe and China avail-able, as well. The agency also features motorcoach tours of different cities all across the United States.

Whether it’s a travel itinerary for an individ-ual’s vacation, a couple’s getaway or someone just seeking the thrill of a guided journey through a foreign place, this travel business wants to help. 4 Seasons Vaca-tions aims to plan the trip of a lifetime.

“We’re a big company, but we try to make it a small company feel,” Nelson said. “We have a reputation for providing service to customers.”

Page 8 • Albert Lea Tribune • Sunday, February 24, 2013 • PROGRESS 2013

200 North Broadway Avenue • PO Box 171 • Albert LeaPhone: 507-373-8216 Fax: 507-373-6220

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Stress

Vitamin CYour diet can have an adverse effect on your stress level. One of the ways you

can reduce your stress level is to eat fruits and vegetables, particularly food with Vitamin C. Vitamin C strengthens the immune system which our body attacks when we’re under stress. Things like citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwis, guavas, currants, oranges, tomatoes and red peppers are a good place to start.

JournalsKeep a journal of the stressors in your life. Each time you feel stressed, keep

track of it in your journal. Eventually, you will begin to see patterns and com-mon themes that you can use to make changes. Also, keeping a journal can be a good release for pent-up emotions. Write down whatever comes to mind. No one else needs to read it so let your thoughts flow.

GamesWhen you’re stressed try to find pleasure in simple things. Doing things you

enjoy is a natural way to fight the stress. Even if it’s for 15 minutes, take up a hobby, start an art project, or play cards, board games or video games with fam-ily and friends.

PROGRESS 2013 • Sunday, February 24, 2013 • Albert Lea Tribune • Page 9

Northbridge Mall, Albert Lea, MN 56007

507.373.3938 – www.albertlea.org

Find it inFreeborn County!

The Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce's mission is to"Promote and develop a healthy and positive business climate to improve

the quality of life in the Albert Lea-Freeborn County area."

The Chamber of Commerce is the one organization that merges all phases ofour local economy from the smallest employer to the largest. Alwaysstriving to enhance the business environment, we work with local and

state government to create a climate conducive to growth. Look for the Chamber of Commerce membership sticker at our member businesses.

• Living and working here

• Building & expanding their businesses

• Creating new jobs

• Reinvesting their money in our community

• Supporting community activities & local charities

• Buying here to strengthen job security

• Encouraging their employees to spend their money locally

Our membersare the fabricof Freeborn

County!

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Albert Lea, MN

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busters

YogaDeep breathing is a way to rid yourself of stress by easing the tension in your

mind and body. Yoga, tai chi and meditation are ways to do this. Relaxation isn’t hard, but sitting and watching TV doesn’t count. Take at least 10 minutes per day to close your eyes and breathe. The best practice would be to sit comfort-ably with your feet on the floor with your hands in your lap or lie down. Picture yourself in a peaceful place and hold that image in your mind as you practice inhaling and exhaling deeply and slowly.

MusicListening to music is a mental distraction that reduces muscle tension and

decreases stress hormones. So, if you’re feeling stressed crank up the volume and let your mind be absorbed.

PetsYour pet loves you unconditionally so spend time with him or her. Animals

have therapeutic influences on their human companions. By hugging, petting or playing with your animal you can decrease your blood pressure.

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Working together with architects, general contractors or individual business owners

Commercial MillworkOffering design build, delivery & installation

Sources: American Heart Association, Med-Express, Learning Dynamics Incorporated, Mayo Clinic

Page 10 • Albert Lea Tribune • Sunday, February 24, 2013 • PROGRESS 2013

Just a few of the OVER 2,000 PRODUCTSwe manufacture inAlbert Lea

Automated and semi-automated wall panel equipment for the construction industry

panplus.com

Industrial fi nishing and cleaning systems and support products

almco.com

Highly-engineered products for medical, agricultural, food service

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Ultra precision aluminumextrusions and manufacturing

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Innovation drives performance

505 W. Front Street, Albert Lea, MN 56007 • 507-377-8910