SBJ - December 2009

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The Southern Business Journal (USPS #019988) is apublication of The Southern Illinoisan. Contact us via mailat 710 N. Illinois Ave., Carbondale, IL, 62901, or at P.O.Box 2108, Carbondale, IL, 62903. Also reach us on theWeb at www.sbj.biz and via e-mail [email protected]. The Journal is published 12times per year monthly, and mailed to businesses,community development leaders, chambers of commercemembers and other professionals in Southern Illinois.Periodicals Postage Paid at Carbondale, IL. Copyright2004 by The Southern Illinoisan, all rights reserved.Postmaster: Send address changes to: SouthernBusiness Journal, P.O. Box 2108, Carbondale, IL 62902.A subscription may be obtained by calling 618-529-5454or 618-997-3356, or by visiting our Web site.

Contact usPublisher: Dennis M. DeRossett n618-351-5038

Editor: Gary Metro n 618-351-5033

Advertising: Abby Hatfield n 618-351-5024

Circulation: Trisha Woodside n 618-351-5035

Database Coordinator: Mark Doman n 618-351-5042

make the most of gatherings tocope with problems or address opportunities by learning how to facilitate a meeting that concludes withspecific goals and action plans. Columnist Jane Sanders offers 10steps for successful facilitation, whichinclude an agenda, small groups and awrap-up activity.

n Page 11

INDICATORSAn encouraging sign: As the yeardraws to a close, there are signs of an improving economy, both in theyear-long upward climb of the stockmarket and in a key regional measure of business health. Unemployment decreased in 12 of 18Southern Illinois counties for September, the most recent month for which complete statistics are available. Other measures were lessencouraging for the month: Car sales and home sales were down from the prior year in most counties.

n Pages 12-13

ACHIEVEMENTSCatch up: Find out who has beenhired, who has been promoted or who has received an award for efforts in business. If you know of a business or business person who deserves special recognition for advanced training, a unique honor or an expansion of business, please let us know at [email protected].

n Page 18

InsideArchitechniques, LTD. .......................... 5

Auffenberg of Carbondale .................... 5

CTS Technology Solutions, Inc. .......... 14

Egyptian Electric Cooperative.............. 20

Dream Steam .................................... 23

Feirich, Mager, Green & Ryan ................ 5

Health Alliance .................................. 15

Henry Printing .................................. 18

Jim’s Mobile Offices & Homes .......... 14

John A. Logan College .................... 9, 10

Pepsi MidAmerica .......................... 3, 20

Samron Midwest Contracting ........ 12-13

SchoolCenter .................................... 17

Southern Electronics & Telephone ...... 22

Southern Illinois Healthcare.................. 8

Southern Illinois University ................ 24

Stiles Office Equipment ...................... 15

Your Jeweler........................................ 18

Directory of Advertisers

COVER STORYRetailers hope for holiday sellingsurge: There are many questions surrounding the Christmas shoppingseason, but some retailers are hopingto buck a tough national economythrough a variety of strategies. Some predict shoppers will seek bargains, and retailers will stresslower price points. Some stress theimportance of local ownership,high-quality merchandise and superior customer service. Somemight believe big-ticket sales will be hurt, but that’s not necessarily thecase. Correspondent Les O’Dell offers a closer look at what will beselling and why.

n Pages 4-5

STATE FOCUS State’s report card not so rosy:Recent media reports about statesthat are challenging California for economic chaos include Illinois,which earned a grade of C-. Such agrade is nothing to brag about,but it’s actually a gross exaggerationof the state’s true fiscal fitness,according to Columnist J. Fred Giertz.Illinois needs to spend less and bring in more revenue, a double-edged problem Giertz believes willrequire a modest tax increase and real restraint on state spending.

n Page 6

YOUR BUSINESS Learn how to succeed as a facilitator: Skilled managers can

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DECEMBER 2009 SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL 3

Mark Your CalendarDec. 1

Beginning Access 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan CollegeCenter for Business & Industry, 700 CollegeRoad, Carterville. Cost: $55.

Dec. 2Beginning Excel 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,

Room F112, John A. Logan College Center forBusiness & Industry, 700 College Road,Carterville. Cost: $55.

Dec. 3Beginning Word 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,


Dec. 4Beginning Access 2003: 8:30 a.m. to

4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan CollegeCenter for Business & Industry, 700 CollegeRoad, Carterville. Cost: $55.

Beginning QuickBooks 2009: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F111, John A. Logan CollegeCenter for Business & Industry, 700 CollegeRoad, Carterville. Cost: $55.

Dec. 7Beginning Excel 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,


Dec. 8Intermediate Access 2007: 8:30 a.m.

to 4 p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan CollegeCenter for Business & Industry, 700 CollegeRoad, Carterville. Cost: $55.

Dec. 9Intermediate Excel 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4

p.m., Room F112, John A. Logan CollegeCenter for Business & Industry, 700 CollegeRoad, Carterville. Cost: $55.

Beginning, Intermediate Adobe Photoshop:8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Room F111, John A.Logan College Center for Business & Industry,700 College Road, Carterville. Cost: $55.

Dec. 10Intermediate Access 2003: 8:30 a.m.


Dec. 11Intermediate QuickBooks 2009: 8:30 a.m.


Food Service Sanitation Refresher Course:8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Shawnee CommunityCollege Anna Extension Center, 1150 E. ViennaSt., Anna. Cost is $38. Call Ruth Kessel,instructor, at 618-827-4930 or Candy Eastwoodat 618-634-3231.

Dec. 14Intermediate Excel 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4


Dec. 15Advanced Access 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4


Time & Stress Management: 8:30 a.m. to 4p.m., Room F110, John A. Logan CollegeCenter for Business & Industry, 700 CollegeRoad, Carterville. Cost: $90.

Dec. 16Advanced Excel 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,


Dec. 17Intermediate Word 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 4


Dec. 18Advanced QuickBooks 2009: 8:30 a.m. to 4


Dec. 21Beginning Word 2003: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,


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On the heels of a national economicdownturn and double-digitunemployment, retailers across the nationand throughout Southern Illinois say theyare facing a tough holiday season. Andexperts and observers have as manyopinions on what it will take to make cashregisters jingle as there are ornaments ona Christmas tree.

The National Retail Federation projectsholiday season retail sales this year willdrop 1 percent from 2008. The forecastcomes a year after holiday sales weredown more than 3 percent. Locally, manybusinesses that rely on holiday shoppingfor the majority of annual sales areapproaching the season with cautiousoptimism.

“My best guess is that we’ll be flat tomaybe up as much as 2 percent this year,”said Samuel Cox, co-owner of MyFavorite Toys in Carbondale. “Whilewe’ve had a good year overall, acombination of the calendar and the un-Christmas-like weather we’ve had inNovember has had us down so far thisseason.”

According to the NRF, the officialholiday sales season runs throughoutNovember and December, with Saturdaysbeing the big day of each week. Cox saidthat unfortunately the first Saturday inNovember was seven days into the month.Additionally, for many retailers, theseason really picks up after Thanksgiving,which was late in November this year.

It’s one reason many business ownersare taking a wait-and-see approach.

“It’s a big unknown this year; I reallydon’t know,” said Jim Skiersch, owner ofMarion’s UPS Store. “I’m expecting theChristmas season to be down about thesame as business has been trending allyear. We’ll be busy, but I hope to beincredibly busy.”

Bob Hardy, general manager of IllinoisCentre mall in Marion, said he hopesSouthern Illinois will fare better than thenation.

“It is my hope that all of our retailerswill do well, and that we could surprise allof the pundits and naysayers,” Hardy said.“I’m hoping the season will be a positiveone. It’s a tough climate out there; eventhe chain stores are struggling.”

What exactlyare the keys toa positiveshoppingseason forretailers? Itdepends onwhom you ask.Someobservers saythis will be theyear shopperslook for lowprices andexceptionalvalues; otherssayoutstandingcustomerservice willdriveconsumerspending.

The year of bargain-shopping?

The bottomline this year will be price, according toanalyst Cavanaugh L. Gray of theEntrepreneur Café in Carbondale. Graysaid locally-based businesses need to takecues from what large retailers are doing.

“Wal-Mart is making a big push onprice, and Amazon has already taken astance that way, too,” he explained. “Thestores that are going to do well, in myopinion, are going to be the ones makingmoves on price plays.”

He expects many consumers who haveshopped at one price level to step down toa perceived lower level this year. For thatreason, he’s encouraging retailers toconsider diversifying the items on theirshelves.

“If the retailer is doing a good job,they’re going to put out a variety of greatitems with great prices,” Gray said.

“This means some retailers are going tohave to shift their inventory and introducelines that are a step below what theynormally offer, while stressing quality andvalue.”

Service and selectionOther experts said the priority has to be

customer service.“If you’re trying to sell on price,

there’s always going to be someone,somewhere who is a dollar lower,”Hardy explained.

For that reason, he recommends

ART SERVICESRetailers are hoping for lots of holiday shopping.

DECEMBER 2009SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL4

Cover StoryHoliday retail outlook not so bright

There are many strategies to explore, but it’s still a tough sellBY LES O’DELL

SBJ CORRESPONDENT


retailers stress high-quality customerservice.

“In this day and age, it’s impossible formost retailers to offer price, high-qualitymerchandise and great service alltogether. I tell them to emphasize servicefirst and quality second,” he said.

Dean Thomas, owner of VillageJewelers in Du Quoin, said that while hisstore has not changed the level of servicegiven to customers, shoppers are noticingit more because of a lack of quality serviceelsewhere.

“We’re stressing customer service anddoing things that the big box stores don’tdo,” he explains. “Every little bit helps,and it’s increasing our traffic.”

Customer service is paramount at manysmaller stores, such as the Carbondale toystore Cox owns.

“We can’t compete with the monstermarts in some ways, so for us it comesback to selection and service. Customerservice is a big part of what we do,” Coxsaid. “We know toys, and that’s importantfor our customers. It is an edge for us.”

Selling an experienceTo be successful this year, some

retailers are emphasizing experiences,

both in terms of the shopping experienceand in selling intangible items.

“People are being really thoughtful intheir buying this year, and that meansthey’re often giving experiences ratherthan things,” said Liz Estes, director of theHerrin Chamber of Commerce.

She said spa packages, certificates forservices and other gifts of things to do arepopular this year.

“The experiences and the memoriescan last just as long as a shirt,” she said.

Steve Musselman, a manager withCalico Country Sew and Vac ofCarbondale and West Frankfort, saidmany shoppers are looking to shareexperiences with gift recipients.

“We have a lot of grandmothers whoare buying a first sewing machine for agrandchild,” he said. “They want to sharethat experience.”

Musselman said including in the priceservice after the sale in the form of classesand special training is especiallyimportant.

“We’re not only selling an item, we’reselling an experience and teaching a skill,”he said.

Other retailers are making certain theshopping itself goes smoothly.

“Shoppers are haggard and tested while

shopping during the holiday season,”Illlinois Centre’s Hardy said. “When storeemployees know their product lines andknow the store to help people find things,those services are of great benefit.”

Gray agreed.“Service will always be considered by

customers,” he said. “That’s a big part ofthe buying experience, so stores have tocreate the expectation that a high level ofservice will never go away. If service is nota large aspect of the buying experience,customers will take their businesselsewhere.”

A big-ticket ChristmasWith the emphasis on price and

service, will shopping bags be filled withnothing but gift cards and small items?Maybe, according to Skiersch. He saidhe’s seen a decrease in the size andnumber of presents being shipped torecipients from his store.

“We don’t order as many of the largeboxes as we used to,” he said. “The boxsizes have been coming down over the lastcouple of years.”

Hardy said he expects electronics andrelated items will continue to be hotsellers, and Thomas said luxury items are

still popular in his Du Quoin jewelry shop.“From what I’ve seen, there are

customers who have money, but they’respending wisely,” Thomas said.

He said he is seeing an increase in salesof what he called “higher-end pieces,” butindividuals who used to purchasemultiple items often are carefullyselecting only one.

“I think there is always a market forbig-ticket items,” Musselman said. “Evenwith sewing machines, people want thelatest in technology.”

He said many manufacturers arediscounting more expensive items andoffering added-value promotions, such ascabinets and accessories.

“The manufacturers are well aware ofwhere they need to be, and they’reworking with us to make things ideal forChristmas,” Musselman said.

An ideal Christmas for many retailers inthe region would be one with sales thatmatch or improve on last year’s numbers.

“I hope to see lots of shopping bagsthroughout the mall,” Hardy said.

It’s a feeling that Skiersch and manyothers share.

“Like everybody else, we’re dependenton people going out and buying things,”he said.

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Don’t believe report card results: Our state’s budget woes continue to deepen

In mid November,the Pew Centerreleased a reportdetailing the fiscalproblems faced byvarious states duringthe current economicdownturn, BeyondCalifornia: States inFiscal Peril. In whatmust be considered a

case of gross grade inflation, Illinoisreceived a grade of C-, ranking only theninth worst among the states based onhow “a state takes a long-term perspectiveon fiscal matters, the timeliness andtransparency of the budget process, andthe balance between revenues andexpenditures.”

While they may exist, it is hard toimagine eight other states as poorlygoverned in fiscal matters as Illinois.

As someone who writes often aboutIllinois state budget issues, the challenge isto avoid repetition. How many times canthe terms “irresponsible,” “shortsighted,”“smoke and mirrors,” “sleight of hand,”“expedients,” “temporize” and the like beused without becoming tedious?Nevertheless, fiscal problems still plaguethe state and, in fact, are growing worse.

Illinois is experiencing a budgetshortfall estimated between $10 and $13billion. This is the result of the combinedeffect of an annual deficit plus theoverhang of unpaid bills from past years.Illinois’ problems can be thought of as theresult of three distinct shortcomings.First, the state has faced a ssttrruuccttuurraallddeeffiicciitt problem for many years, whereexisting revenues grow at a slower pacethan the cost of promised programs suchas health care, education and public safety.

The long-term structural problem hasbeen aggravated by a ccyycclliiccaall ddeeffiicciittresulting from the recession. Staterevenues have become increasingly

volatile since the early 1990s with rapidincreases during expansions and steepdeclines during recessions. This is causedby the increasing instability of theindividual income tax that is driven bylarge variations in capital gains andbonuses and stock options during thebusiness cycle.

The most serious problem Illinois facesis a ddiisscciipplliinnee ddeeffiicciitt in its elected officials.In recent years, the state has beenunwilling to address its fiscal problems.The inability of the state to do so is notcaused by a lack of capacity. Althoughslow growing, Illinois is still a high-income state with a moderate tax system.The problem in Illinois is will, notcapacity.

The way to deal with the state fiscalproblems is a matter of simple arithmetic.The problem must be addressed by somecombination of restraining the growth ofspending or increasing the rate of growthof revenues. While the arithmetic issimple, the politics of the problem are not.When Gov. Blagojevich assumed office in2003, the state was experiencing a largedeficit resulting from the 2001 recession.

The new governor, with the consent ofthe General Assembly, chose to not dealwith either the spending or revenue side ofthe equation. Instead, he financed theshortfall by a continuing series of short-term fixes such as borrowing, asset sales,the raiding of non-general fund balances,

the continued underfunding of pensions,and the non-payment of bills to stateservice providers.

Instead of using the period of economicrecovery from 2003 to 2007 to get thestate’s fiscal house in order, Illinoiscontinued its undisciplined behavior withthe result that it was singularlyunprepared to meet the added challengesof the current (possibly recently ended)recession. The two most recent budgetsapproved in 2008 and 2009 ended thecharade of fiscal prudence when theGeneral Assembly approved budgets withappropriations far exceeding expectedrevenues, asking the governor to take care

of the imbalance.Note that the ill-conceived policies did

not end with the removal of Blagojevichfrom office. Gov. Quinn relied on JohnFilan, Blagojevich’s budget adviser, indrafting his first budget which continuedmany of the budget gimmicks used be hispredecessor. Eventually, the arithmetic ofthe state’s budget problem will forcepoliticians to act. The question is when.Unfortunately, the current gubernatorialcampaign provides little reason foroptimism. The numerous Republicancandidates suggest that all can be maderight with budget cuts and austerity.

What they do not realize or at least donot acknowledge is that the size of thestate’s current deficit cannot be closedwith minor cuts and the elimination of afew clearly wasteful programs. Solving theproblem with cuts alone would require alevel of austerity beyond anything seen inthe state with major cuts in education,health care, and public safety — ones thatwould never be approved by the GeneralAssembly.

The two Democratic candidates areproposing tax increases that are sounrealistic they will never be approved.Quinn wants a large income tax increaseaccompanied by tax cuts for familiesbelow $50,000 while Comptroller Hyneshas a plan to tax only those making morethan $200,000. Quinn’s plan got nowhereduring the last session and Hynes’ plan isdead on arrival since it would require aconstitutional amendment that has nochance of being approved.

What the state really needs is a modesttax increase such as a rate increase for theincome tax and base broadening of boththe sales and income taxes accompaniedby real restraint on the spending side. Boththe arithmetic and politics of such a planmight work if only it were considered.

— J. Fred Giertz is a professor of economicswithin the University of Illinois’ Institute ofGovernment and Public Affairs. He can bereached at 217-244-4822.

State FocusL E G A L | G O V E R N M E N T | T A X E S

Giertz

BY J. FRED GIERTZ SBJ CONTRIBUTOR The new governor, with the consent

of the General Assembly, chose to not deal with either the spendingor revenue side of the equation.Eventually, the arithmetic of the state’s budget problem will force politicians to act.The question is when.

ART SERVICESIllinois is experiencing a budget shortfallestimated between $10 billion and $13 billion.

www.thesouthern.com/mcandrew


One day courses available at JALC.Among those offered are Word

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Issue facing health care reform: Time to get Medicaid out of long-term care?

Medicaid is thelargest provider oflong-term care. Itspent more than$100 billion lastyear, more than one-third of the Medicaidbudget. Indeed,Medicaid pays morethan 40 percent ofthis country’s long-

term care bills. In some counties inSouthern Illinois, Medicaid pays 80 to 90

percent of the nursing home bills.It has been said that there is one set of

laws for the well-informed and anotherset of laws for the uninformed. This isparticularly true when it comes toMedicaid and its use to finance long-termcare. For the well-informed, Medicaid hasbecome the primary way the middle-classpays for long-term care.

Many have questioned why Medicaid issupplying long-term care services to themiddle-class elderly. They ask “whyshould seniors and their spouses have toimpoverish themselves to get access todesperately-needed medical care?”

Recently, much attention has been

focused on just a few of the provisions inthe Health Care Reform Bill that waspassed by the U.S. House ofRepresentatives. One provision of that bill,which has received little attention, is aproposal for the federal government tooffer long-term care insurance. TheCLASS Act, short for Community LivingAssistance Services and Supports, isincluded in both the House and Senatehealth-care reform bills. The proposal forfederal long-term care insurance wasoriginally proposed by the late Sen.Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. Under theCLASS Act, Americans would pay apremium, originally estimated at $65 per

month. After they had contributed for atleast five years, participants who neededlong-term care would be eligible for amodest benefit to pay for a range ofservices that would help them stay in theirhomes. The benefit would depend on thedegree of incapacity, but would average$50 a day.

In its preliminary analysis of the Housebill, the Congressional Budget Officeprojected that because the CLASS Actwould pay out far less in benefits than itwould receive in premiums over the 10-year budget window, it would reduce

Health CareH O S P I T A L S | W E L L N E S S | B E N E F I T S

BY RICHARD HABIGERSBJ CONTRIBUTOR

Habiger

SEE HEALTH CARE / PAGE 15

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Your Business10 tips for successful facilitation:

Go for the results!

As the pace in thebusiness worldcontinues toescalate, executives’minds are whirlingwith ongoing andnewly hatchedproblems andopportunities. Inmany cases, theirminds are spinning

and groaning simultaneously.Groans be gone! Skilled managers of any

size company, department or team canfacilitate a productive and effectivemeeting, walking out with specific goalsand action plans addressed and achieved.Below are 10 tips to help managersfacilitate more successfully.

To further ensure success, if possible,use a professional facilitator for yourproblem solving, brainstorming, andstrategic planning meetings or retreats.This strategy ensures objective and expertwork, sends a message to the group thatthe meeting is of considerable importance,significantly diffuses any potentialconflict and contentious tone, and helpsplan and achieve desired goals andobjectives. A professional facilitator canalso help set realistic expectations for thegroup relevant to process, tone, purposeand behavior.

Tips for more effective facilitationIdentify clear objectives. What

specifically do you want to leave themeeting with? An action plan forachieving fiscal year 2010 goals? Anemployee recognition program? Moreproductive work processes? Cost-savingideas? Customer service ideas? Organizedsharing of best practices? Solutions to aspecific problem? Be very specific andclear about exactly what you want toaccomplish in the meeting.

Plan the agenda. Determine activities

to accomplish your objectives and the timerequired for each. Include time foropening comments, instructions, breaks,lunch, etc. Don’t schedule too tightly, asmeeting segments and activities often takelonger than estimated, especiallydebriefing and discussion of small groupactivities.

Establish and post ground rules.Effective ground rules communicate aprofessional tone and set appropriateexpectations. They can include timeliness(begin and end at the announced times,including breaks, regardless of latearrivals), participation (encourageparticipants to contribute and askquestions), respect for others,commitment to the meeting’s objectives,open-mindedness, no rejection of ideas,no side-talking, confidentiality, trust, avolunteer spirit, taking notes, no cellphones, etc.

Use effective facilitation skills.Choose a credible, objective facilitator,someone experienced with facilitation andpreferably with no attachment tooutcomes. As recommended above anoutside professional facilitator may beyour best choice. Suggested facilitationskills include but are not limited to: Befriendly and sensitive but focused, firm,non-judgmental, committed to results,knowledgeable about group dynamics, andaware of time parameters. Reduce first-offense side-talking by walking over andstanding next to the offenders. Be a littlemore direct with repeat offenders —remind the group (not the offenderspecifically) that they have a lot toaccomplish in little time and you needeveryone’s attention and contribution inorder to get the best results. If the tonebecomes contentious or aggressive,remind the group of its commitment tothe objectives, thank the participant forhis/her involvement and passion, respondto the issue to the degree appropriate forthe situation, then transfer attention toanother volunteer or question. Watch timeclosely and stay on track.

Create a name. Assuming enough time

in the session and several activities to becompleted by small groups, ask them (seeTips Nos. 7 and 8) to take five to 10minutes and brainstorm a name for theirteam to help establish a bond,commonality and commitment. This tipmay sound trite, and is small, but mighty.Small group names also generateownership, camaraderie and a littlefriendly competition.

Use warm-up and creativityexercises. These activities help the groupfocus on matters at hand, work togethermore effectively, think outside the box andhave fun. Appropriate exercises aredescribed in training books/guidesavailable from most large bookstore chainsor online.

Employ the small-group approach.Meetings consisting of more than five tosix participants should split into smallgroups to maximize everyone’sinvolvement and help ensure a variety ofsolutions. Depending on the number ofobjectives to tackle and the time available,either both groups can work on the sameissues concurrently, or one group canaddress two goals and the other group theremaining goals.

Manage the small groups. For everyactivity, first determine a leader for eachsmall group. Then assign the specific goaland parameters, and monitor the time. Forexample, parameters for an action planinclude specific action steps, by whom(this is why the volunteer spirit is animportant ground rule), by what date,resources needed and milestones tomeasure progress. Each group records andreports their findings, and then the entiregroup determines the best course ofaction, usually a combination of all smallgroups’ suggestions. Keep in mind thatconsensus by the entire group of eachteam’s findings often takes more time thanthe brainstorming itself. Remember thatcomplete consensus is not alwayspossible.

Schedule and assign next steps.Determine who will complete whatspecific action step by what date. The

facilitator should summarize anddistribute all findings to the entire group.It is vital to schedule regular follow-upmeetings to maintain momentum andensure plans or solutions are beingimplemented appropriately.

Close with a wrap-up activity. Endthe meeting or retreat with a “warm-fuzzy” exercise to further bond the group,reinforce findings, and disband on apositive note. One such activity, “Share aThought,” involves participants writing aresponse per facilitator instructions on aseparate sheet of paper. For example, “thebest thing about working here is … ” or,“An important thing I learned today is … ”Everyone wads their papers up and throwsthem across the room, then picks one up.Volunteers share the thoughts written onthe paper they picked up.

Meetings are notoriously unproductive!Break away from average results andfacilitate a high-energy, fun, verysuccessful session. Preparation of thisnature is critical to continued success,teamwork and growth. Don’t fall into thecomfortable yet high-risk lull of justtaking what comes. Plan now and followthese steps to help ensure the futurevitality and success of your department,team, company, off-site retreat orplanning session.

— Jane Sanders, president of GenderSmart®Solutions, is a consultant, speaker, trainer,and facilitator located in Mount Vernon, Ill.Combining an MBA with several grouppsychology courses and more than 30 years ofsuccessful business experience, Sanders usesexpertise in meeting facilitation, teamwork,motivation, planning, sales, marketing, andcreativity enhancement. She teachesfacilitation and, as a consultant, effectivelyfacilitates groups, teams, and meetings ofvarious lengths, agendas, and industries.Sanders is a gender issues andcommunications expert who often usesfacilitation to achieve clients’ objectives.Sanders can be contacted at 877-343-2150, orby e-mail at [email protected]. Her Website is www.janesanders.com.

Sanders

BY JANE SANDERSSBJ CONTRIBUTOR

S O U T H E R N I L L I N O I S I N D I C A T O R S

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Chicago Fed MidwestManufacturing IndexThe CFMMI is a monthly estimate by majorindustry of manufacturing output in the SeventhFederal Reserve District states of Illinois, Indiana,Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. It is a compositeindex of 15 manufacturing industries, includingauto and steel, that uses electrical power andhours worked data to measure monthly changesin regional activity. It is compared here to thenational Industrial Production index forManufacturing (IPMFG). Base year is 2002.Starting in November 2005, the index excludedthe electricity component.

IPMFG Sept 0999.0

CFMMI Sept 0982.3

SOURCE: FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF CHICAGO

Williamson County RegionalAirport passengers

144 230 q 37.4%

719 872 q 17.5%

Oct 09 Oct 08 Change

2008 Change

YTD TOTALS

MONTHLY TOTALS

Anna 76.1 113.3 112.3 111.7 109.7 112.2 p 0.98%Benton 46.8 71.4 72.4 75.0 70.4 71.6 q 0.28%Carbondale 369.6 587.7 607.4 610.4 579.4 544.9 p 7.85%Carterville 25.5 40.1 40.3 39.9 32.7 32.4 p 23.77%Chester 35.0 51.5 51.7 54.0 51.1 50.8 p 1.38%Du Quoin 66.7 91.9 94.4 103.1 95.0 99.9 q 8.01%Harrisburg 129.2 179.3 173.6 168.5 164.9 160.2 p 11.92%Herrin 97.4 135.9 134.4 137.5 127.9 122.4 p 11.03%Jonesboro 8.2 12.4 11.3 11.5 11.5 10.7 p 15.89%Marion 454.9 673.4 662.4 592.7 545.9 525.3 p 28.19%Metropolis 51.1 75.9 79.8 74.8 69.4 73.4 p 3.41%Mount Vernon 318.7 482.8 461.5 501.0 475.3 462.4 p 4.41%Murphysboro 86.3 117.1 94.9 93.0 94.6 90.5 p 29.39%Nashville 59.4 101.8 105.2 105.7 101.1 103.6 q 1.74%Pinckneyville 24.7 39.0 35.8 41.7 38.0 37.9 p 2.90%Red Bud 46.2 77.7 73.7 82.5 82.5 75.9 p 2.37%Sparta 82.7 130.5 129.5 133.1 127.7 121.7 p 7.23%Vienna 24.3 40.5 39.8 36.9 32.7 32.7 p 23.85%West City 61.9 89.6 82.8 77.7 70.8 70.9 p 26.38%West Frankfort 74.1 111.2 111.4 106.8 102.3 105.9 p 5.00%REGION $2,138.8 $3,223.0 $3,174.7 $3,157.6 $2,983.0 $2,905.3 p 10.94%ILLINOIS $92,095.0 $237,438.0 $180,162.7 $173,362.8 $167,459.0 $159,201.4 p 49.14%

YTD Aug 2009City 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004% change

04-08

Retail sales for Southern Illinois cities

SOURCE: LATEST STATISTICS AVAILABLE FROM THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. FIGURES ARE IN MILLIONS.

Labor force Jobless Sept 2009 Aug 2009 Sept 2008 Change month Change year

Unemployment rates for Southern Illinois counties, state and nation

Alexander 3,393 380 11.2% 11.9% 8.8% q 0.7 p 2.4Franklin 17,436 2,554 14.6% 15.0% 11.1% q 0.4 p 3.5Gallatin 2,637 291 11.0% 10.5% 8.4% p 0.5 p 2.6Hamilton 4,046 377 9.3% 9.8% 6.7% q 0.5 p 2.6Hardin 1,756 224 12.8% 12.2% 10.2% p 0.6 p 2.6Jackson 32,338 2,372 7.3% 7.6% 5.8% q 0.3 p 1.5Jefferson 20,343 2,034 10.0% 9.8% 6.7% p 0.2 p 2.3Johnson 4,998 518 10.4% 11.0% 8.2% q 0.6 p 2.2Massac 7,209 574 8.0% 9.1% 7.3% q 1.1 p 0.7Perry 9,308 1,112 11.9% 12.3% 10.0% q 0.4 p 1.9Pope 1,870 199 10.6% 10.7% 8.8% q 0.1 p 1.8Pulaski 2,905 347 11.9% 11.9% 9.9% 0.0 p 2.0Randolph 14,945 1,411 9.4% 9.5% 7.0% q 0.1 p 2.4Saline 12,425 1,391 11.2% 10.8% 8.9% p 0.4 p 2.3Union 8,292 898 10.8% 11.0% 8.0% q 0.2 p 2.8Washington 7,993 637 8.0% 8.1% 5.9% q 0.1 p 2.1White 7,683 659 8.6% 8.3% 6.5% p 0.3 p 2.1Williamson 34,527 3,318 9.6% 9.8% 7.5% q 0.2 p 2.1 .,REGION 194,104 19,296 9.9% 10.5% 8.1% q 0.6 p 1.8ILLINOIS 6,604,860 674,692 10.2% 9.9% 0.3% p 6.4 p 3.8U.S. 154,006,000 15,142,000 9.8% 9.7% 6.0% p 0.1 p 3.8SOURCE: ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. FIGURES ARE NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED. 2,636 2,521 p 4.6%

2007ANNUAL TOTALS

www.samroninc.com

N O I S I N D I C A T O R S

Prices at the pumpAverage price per gallon of regular, unleadedgas as of Nov. 17 and Oct. 14, 2009.

694Murphysboro

Consumer credit scoreCredit scores are numeric reflections of financialbehavior and credit worthiness, and they are basedon information included in a credit report. Rangingfrom 330 to 830, a higher score means a lowercredit risk. Scores are from November 2009.

692U. S.

699State

698Region

SOURCE: EXPERIAN

SOURCE: AAA

Metro East $2.61 $2.43 $1.92Springfield $2.58 $2.51 $2.00Illinois $2.69 $2.53 $2.14U.S. $2.63 $2.48 $2.09

Nov 09 Oct 09 Nov 08

208

200

204

206

A

210

’08

212

M

214

A M

216

J

218

J

220

SS O N D J’09

F

Consumer Price IndexThe CPI measures average price changes of goodsand services over time, with a reference base of 100in 1982-84.To put into context, a current CPI of194.5 means a market basket of goods and servicesthat cost $100 in 1982-84 now costs $194.50.

U.S. city averageSept 09 216.0

Midwest urbanSept 09 205.6

SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

95949392919089

96979899

100101102103104105106107108

D J A M J J A

’07

S OA M J J A S O N D J

’08

F M A M J J A S O N

’09

F M

U of I FlashIndex

The Flash Index is an early indicator of the Illinois economy’s expectedperformance. It is a weighted average of growth rates in corporate earnings,consumer spending and personal income. An index above 100 indicatesexpected growth; an index below 100 indicates the economy is contracting.

Oct 09 90.7

Home sales Total units sold, including condominiums

SOURCE: ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

Alexander 6 4 p 50.0% 17 32 q 46.9% $37,450 $30,240 p 23.8%Franklin 67 84 q 20.2% 276 332 q 16.9% $59,500 $48,000 p 24.0%Gallatin 7 6 p 16.7% NA NA NA $40,000 $42,500 q 5.9%Hamilton 1 2 q 50.0% 7 8 q 12.5% $142,500 $117,450 p 21.3%Hardin 4 1 p 300.0% 0 0 0% $76,500 $30,000 p 155.0%Jackson 128 137 q 6.6% 383 467 q 18.0% $104,500 $104,500 0.0%Jefferson 81 98 q 17.3% 332 381 q 12.9% $84,200 $70,000 p 20.3%Johnson 16 22 q 27.3% 78 92 q 15.2% $44,000 $86,250 q 49.0%Massac 13 27 q 51.9% 112 128 q 12.5% $56,500 $68,000 q 16.9%Perry 23 36 q 36.1% 126 149 q 15.4% $42,500 $56,500 q 24.8%Pope 2 3 q 33.3% 10 9 p 11.1% $75,750 $73,000 p 3.8%Pulaski 2 3 q 33.3% 13 4 p 225.0% $47,500 $75,000 q 36.7%Randolph 34 34 0.0% 149 136 p 9.6% $68,500 $74,250 q 7.7%Saline 28 33 q 15.2% 80 78 p 2.6% $54,200 $35,000 p 54.9%Union 27 26 p 3.8% 101 91 p 11.0% $79,000 $70,250 p 12.5%Williamson 186 168 p 10.7% 639 705 q 9.4% $98,750 $99,500 q 0.8%ILLINOIS 32,460 32,358 p 0.3% 107,075 140,378 q 23.7% $165,000 $189,500 q 12.9%

Q3 09 Q3 08 Change 2008 2007 Change Q3 09 Q3 08 ChangeMEDIAN SALES PRICE

SOURCE: INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Hotel/motel statsTotal amount of revenue generated in Carbondaleby hotels and motels for room rentals only.

New vehicle sales Total cars, trucks sold based on title applications filed.Excludes motorcycles, trailers.

SOURCE: ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE. LATEST DATA AVAILABLE.

Alexander 9 8 p 12.5% 169 195 q 13.3%Franklin 64 126 q 49.2% 1,341 1,247 p 7.5%Gallatin 12 22 q 45.5% 294 225 p 30.7%Hamilton 13 18 q 27.8% 287 260 p 10.4%Hardin 11 7 p 57.1% 109 135 q 19.3%Jackson 84 167 q 49.7% 1,969 1,622 p 21.4%Jefferson 55 99 q 44.4% 1,270 1,105 p 14.9%Johnson 26 36 q 26.0% 481 419 p 14.8%Massac 19 39 q 51.3% 422 407 p 3.7%Perry 32 56 q 42.9% 689 638 p 8.0%Pope 6 8 q 25.0% 123 111 p 10.8%Pulaski 11 17 q 35.3% 221 199 p 11.1%Randolph 43 97 q 55.7% 1,208 1,126 p 7.3%Saline 45 78 q 42.3% 1,064 920 p 15.7%Union 28 47 q 40.4% 596 534 p 11.6%Washington 29 37 q 21.6% 621 595 p 4.4%White 32 61 q 47.5% 721 664 p 8.6%Williamson 111 218 q 49.1% 2,515 2,292 p 9.7%REGION 630 1,141 q 44.8% 14,100 12,694 p 11.1%

Sept 09 Sept 08 Change 2008 2007 Change

$722,378 $1,298,545 q 44.4%

$3,793,841 $6,900,380 q 45.0%

June 09 June 08 Change

2007 Change

YTD TOTALS

MONTHLY TOTALS

$7,520,985 $7,330,500 p 2.6%

2006ANNUAL TOTALS

www.samroninc.com

Economic ConditionsDECEMBER 2009SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL14

State of confusion: Time for Illinois to get its financial house in order

The state ofIllinois needs tobegin the process ofgetting its financialhouse in order. It isstarting to causeproblems, and theseproblems will onlyget worse if not dealtwith soon — and Imean soon. I think

waiting until after the primary electionshows a lack of leadership to fix ourproblems in Illinois.

These problems are not small. The PewCenter on the States report “BeyondCalifornia: States in Fiscal Peril” portraysIllinois and eight other states as facingsignificant fiscal hardships. Authors of thereport cited Illinois for “its lack of fiscaldiscipline to balance its state budget.”Illinois’ $13.2 billion budget gap for fiscalyear 2010 was among the top three in thecountry. On Oct. 1, the state was nearly$3 billion behind in paying its bills. Morerecently, that figure has ballooned to$4.2 billion.

Illinois hurts its small businesses byoften not paying invoices until they aremore than 100 days past due. Thisincreases the cost of business operations

and can cause a business to not hire newemployees, lay off existing employees orraise prices to account for the lack of cashflow. Several businesses have shut theirdoors because they don’t have the nest eggto subsidize the state’s slow pay.

Schools, nursing homes, pharmaciesand others are being threatened. That ourstate is doing nothing is intolerable to saythe least. I think our state legislature needsto be in special session now.

Our state’s problems are simple. Ourrevenues are not enough, and we spendtoo much money. Sure, I think lower taxeshelp the economy, but Illinois has nochoice but to increase its revenue andlower its cost of operation.

Here are a few ways to start:First, raise the Illinois income tax to 4

percent. The state first considered anincrease of this tax to 4.5 percent, and itdidn’t go over very well. Then onepolitician stated that maybe 5 percent wasa better alternative. I didn’t understandhow an even higher tax would be morepalatable to the residents of Illinois. A 4percent rate would be a 33 percent increaseand is a good start.

Second, all Internet transactions shouldbe taxed. When this first was brought up10 years ago, legislators didn’t want toimpede the success of an infant industry.That was smart. There is no chance of itfailing now. I also believe it might level the

playing field with our local smallbusinesses.

Third, lower the state estate tax. It hascome down on the federal level, but themaximum rate in Illinois is 16 percent onthe upper bracket. The state of Illinois haslost the Workmen’s Compensation tax ratecompetition to our neighboring state, andwe sometimes lose businesses to ourneighbors. However, if we lower the estatetax, it would follow those older, wealthierfamilies would move to Illinois. I thinkthat would be good for our state’s coffers.

I believe we do not need to raise thesetaxes at the poverty level, but everyoneelse needs to pay. We all live in this greatstate and all should pay. We do not needour state to be known for class warfare andonly raise the tax on the wealthy. Society isvery mobile, and we don’t want to chaseaway successful people in our state.

We also have to cut expenses. For toolong we have spent money we don’t have.First, we should bring in McKinsey andCo., a well-respected consulting firm, andcut the waste in our state. We have morethan 70,000 state employees.

We can’t afford to either keepemployees we don’t need or to cutemployees we need. I am only saying thisneeds to be looked at. Look at all stateemployees and spending includinguniversities, corrections, Secretary ofState and all the patronage jobs. Cuts have

to be made.Second, a $31 billion appropriations bill

seems nice, but it is a lot of money, moneywe don’t have. Some of the projects,however, are long overdue and necessary. Idon’t think it would be too much to ask tocut that down to a mere $20 billion fornow.

Third, borrow what you have to for nowto pay your bills. Even though it wouldcost interest, it would save late fees, keepbusinesses from folding and help maintainpayrolls so you don’t have to pay all theseemployees unemployment.

Fourth, cut out all the gaming of thesystem in retirements and pension. This isour money the state is giving away.

The last house that needs cleaned is ourlegislature. We need term limits. There isno sense of urgency if they just keepcoming back. There is too muchgerrymandering in our state.

Lastly, moving the state primaries toFebruary makes it difficult for anychallenger against an incumbent. I call itthe Illinois State Legislature JobProtection Act of 2007.

— Michael P. Tison is an investment adviserand registered principal with Raymond JamesFinancial Services, Inc., with offices inHarrisburg and Marion. He can be reached at618-253-4444 or [email protected].

Tison

BY MICHAEL P. TISONSBJ CONTRIBUTOR

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deficits by about $72 billion and by asmaller amount in the following decade.After 2029, however, the program wouldstart contributing to the federal deficit,but by a small amount compared to otherprovisions of the bill.

Some senators have expressedreservations about the CLASS Act. Sen.Kent Conrad, D-N.D., called the CLASSAct “a Ponzi scheme of the first order, thekind of thing that Bernie Madoff wouldhave been proud of.” Other senatorsstated: “We have grave concerns that thereal effect of the provisions would be tocreate a new federal entitlement programwith large, long-term spending increasesthat far exceed revenues.”

The insurance industry is fighting toremove the CLASS Act from health reformlegislation, arguing that its modest benefitwill not adequately protect Americanswho need nursing home care or 24-hourhome health care services.

But some forward-thinking long-termcare insurance agents believe the Act willbe a net boon to their industry. They

believe that just as millions of olderpersons purchase health insurance tosupplement Medicare, the CLASS Act willsend a strong message to seniors thathealthcare reform does not include freelong-term care.

While passage in the House of thehealth care reform legislation is good newsfor champions of health care reform, along road still lies ahead. If the Senate isable to pass its health care reform bill,House and Senate negotiators will havemany differences to resolve in aconference committee. One of thosedifferences on the current horizon appearsto be over the CLASS Act. At the core ofthe debate will be the issue of whetherCongress will get Medicaid out of thelong-term care business and give seniorsand their families a viable alternative toMedicaid.

— Richard Habiger is an elder care attorney,who focuses on estate protection, Medicaidand VA benefits, Alzheimer’s and life careplanning – all in collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team dedicated to helping seniors and their families navigate the long-term care system. You may contact him at 618-549-4529 [email protected].

HEALTH CAREFROM PAGE 9

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WorkplaceDECEMBER 2009SOUTHERN BUSINESS JOURNAL16

In-house rehab can reduce costs, prevent further injury

Have you everconsidered howmuch time andmoney is lost whenyou send yourinjured employees torehabilitation? Bythe time theemployee drives tothe facility, receivestreatment and drives

back to work, the company loses anaverage of one to two hours ofproductivity. After an injury occurs, thelast thing employees want to do is travel allover town to get the treatment andtherapy they need.

An alternative exists with on-sitetherapy programs. Current researchindicates such programs aren’t justhelping workers heal; they’re also helpingto prevent injuries in the first place.

Benefits of on-site programsOn-site therapy programs have

numerous benefits for the worker and theemployer. Successful programs can:n Prevent possible injuries from occur-

ring by using the tools of employee train-ing, job coaching, safety facilitations andergonomic assessments.n Provide appropriate early intervention

and first aid for musculoskeletal soreness,injuries or illnesses resulting from work-

and nonwork-related activities.n Provide the best care possible by

matching the needs of the worker to theappropriate treatment using a “stay atwork” mentality for the industrial athlete.n Provide appropriate prescribed treat-

ment utilizing all recommended modali-ties, but using the workplace as a means offunctional and productive rehabilitation.

On-site programs also offer flexibility soworkers can easily fit treatment into theirlives. Instead of having to rearrange theirwork schedules and home life, they canhead to therapy while they’re at work;perhaps on a lunch break or before or aftertheir shift.

This convenience allows the workers toattend the needed sessions and heal fromtheir injuries. Studies have shown thatworkers who do not have convenienttherapy schedules may not be willing tofollow their treatment plans as closely.

Getting started By networking with an occupational

health and rehabilitation program,employers are provided with innovativeservices to reduce costs associated withinjury in the workplace and lost-timework days. Utilizing effective health caremanagement strategies may include avariety of services:

DDaattaa aannaallyyssiiss:: An occupational healthconsultant can assist the employer withanalyzing and reviewing current injurydata. This includes assessing the history ofclaims, OSHA record keeping logs, safety

and ergonomic programs, the injuryprevention process, medical providernetwork and review of medial utilization.An action plan is then developed andcustomized to meet the needs of thecompany. This will assist with promptidentification of potential areas requiringintervention.

EErrggoonnoommiiccss aanndd jjoobb ssiittee aannaallyyssiiss::Physical and occupational therapists canbe available to study and observe workstations in progress and perform ananalysis of high risk areas.Recommendations are made for avoidanceof hazards related to the specific job taskand modifications employees can make toreduce the risk of injury while on the job.In addition, therapists can also identifyand qualify essential job functions forcurrent and prospective employees.

EEmmppllooyyeeee eedduuccaattiioonn aanndd ttrraaiinniinngg:: Backeducation and body mechanics trainingequips the employees with anunderstanding of their anatomy and bodymechanics to teach them the proper wayto handle the materials when lifting. Italso provides them alternative means oflifting to reduce possible back injuries andstrains.

WWoorrkkssttaattiioonn ddeessiiggnn aanndd ttrraaiinniinngg::Teaches employees how to set up correctworkstations independently. This reducesthe risk of musculoskeletal and posturaldisorders like carpal tunnel syndrome.Injury prevention techniques also includestretching programs.

TTrraaiinn tthhee ttrraaiinneerr:: Education and

training is implemented with managerialand supervising personnel to integratethem into the role of an on-site injuryspecialist. These educational programscan also be implemented by anoccupational or physical therapist duringemployee training and safety meetings.

EEaarrllyy iinntteerrvveennttiioonn pprrooggrraammss:: Being ableto identify potential injuries before theyoccur is important. An experienced andlicensed physical or occupational therapistis placed on-site for prompt attention ofthose employees who may experienceearly signs and symptoms of amusculoskeletal disorder. The on-siteheath care professionals play a key role inthe prevention process to decreaseincidence of workplace injury and illness.Job coaching is a critical component ineliminating at-risk behaviors andpromoting safe work habits.

OOnn--ssiittee tthheerraappyy:: The primary goal ofthe on-site therapy program is to “stay-at-work” not “return-to-work.” On-sitetherapy is an industry trend that provideson-site medical intervention from alicensed occupational or physicaltherapist. The benefits of a transitionalon-site return to work process includereducing lost work hours and medicalcosts.

— If you are interested in implementing on-siteservices at your facility or would likeinformation regarding the financial impact,contact Dena Kirk at FIT FOR WORK in Herrinat 618-942-3088 or [email protected].

Kirk

BY DENA KIRKSBJ CONTRIBUTOR

Be cautious in seeking medical information from applicants

The Americanswith Disabilities Actapplies to allemployers with 15 ormore employees.Employers coveredby the act areprohibited fromdiscriminatingagainst employeesor potential

employees who have disabilities or areperceived to have disabilities.

The ADA limits the types of questionsyou can ask job applicants as well as thekinds of physical or medical testing jobapplicants can be required to undergo. Toavoid a violation of the ADA, it isimportant to know what you can andcannot do when obtaining medicalinformation about a job applicant.

First, the simplest rule. Before a joboffer is made, you cannot require anapplicant to take a medical examinationor answer any questions about physical or

mental conditions. You can ask questionsabout an applicant’s ability to performspecific job functions, such as lifting 50pounds or climbing a ladder. Thosequestions must relate to actual functionsof the job the applicant is seeking and notintended to determine if the applicant hasa physical limitation. In other words, ifthe job doesn’t require the lifting of 50pounds, you can’t ask if the applicant isable to lift 50 pounds.

Be aware of how questions related tojob functions are worded. You can ask,“Are you able to lift 50 pounds above your

shoulders?” You cannot ask, “Do youhave a disability or physical limitationthat would prevent you from lifting 50pounds?” Although you may get the sameresponse using either question (forexample, the applicant may state that shehas a herniated disc that prevents thelifting), the first question is permitted,and the second is not. If the applicantsimply states she is unable to lift 50pounds, you cannot ask why.

Of course, you may have a job applicant

Renshaw

BY ED RENSHAWSBJ CONTRIBUTOR

SEE EMPLOYMENT / PAGE 19

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AchievementsA W A R D S | P R O M O T I O N S | R E T I R E M E N T

Company receives safety awardAmerican Coal Company is the recipient

of a mine safety award from John E. JonesCouncil of Joseph A. Holmes SafetyAssociation.

This award, presented quarterly for thebest safety performance in the SouthernIllinois region, recognizes American CoalCompany’s incident rate of only 3.99 for401,325 man-hours worked during thethird quarter of 2009. American CoalCompany is an independent operatingsubsidiary of Murray Energy Corporation.

American Coal Company’s Galatiacomplex consists of two undergroundmining operations, New Era Mine and NewFuture Mine, as well as a preparation plant,and employs 732 people. The operationproduced more than five million tons ofbituminous coal in 2008 for shipment tovarious customers in both domestic andinternational markets.

McGrath receives awardTim McGrath, a financial advisor for

the Anna office of Edward Jones, recentlywon the firm’s Ted Jones ProspectingAward, which recognizes first-yearfinancial advisors who achieve high levelsof success.

McGrath was one of only 426 brokers inthe firm to receive the award. There aremore than 12,000 brokers in the firm.

The award is named after Ted Jones, sonof the firm’s founder, who recognized theneed to sell securities to individualinvestors and established the firm’s one-person branch office concept.

McGrath received the award at theEdward Jones regional meeting in St.

Louis. James D. Weddle, the firm’smanaging partner, said the award is astrong indicator of a financial advisor’sfuture success.

Three attend rallyGlenda Swalls and Carol Diane

Yancey, both of Herrin, and Karla Hale ofVienna recently attended a CelebratingHome conference in Nashville, Tenn.

All three are designers for CelebratingHome.

Headquartered in Marshall, Texas,Celebrating Home offers high-qualityproducts to decorate homes, includingstoneware pottery, candles, wall décor,dining and entertainment pieces, andhome and garden accessories.

Waste disposal business opensA new business, Southern Illinois Waste

Container, recently opened at 9148Crenshaw Road in Marion. The service areais made up of Williamson, Jackson,Franklin, Saline and Perry counties.

Southern Illinois Waste Containerprovides waste removal for businesses. Itcould be for weekly service, multiple pick-ups per week, bi-weekly or monthly.Dumpsters of various sizes are available tocustomers.

The business also provides a roll offservice, offering a variety of roll off sizes.The length of time for the roll offcontainers varies. These roll offs can beused for many different projects, such asconstruction projects, home clean-up, roofremovals and permanent installations forbusinesses with a high volume of waste.

For information, call 618-942-7222.

Sluzevich named branch managerDavid Sluzevich of Benton has been

promoted to branch manager of FirstBank’s Carbondale office. He previouslyserved as branch manager of the JohnstonCity office.

Sluzevich has more than 17 years ofbanking and financial services experiencein the Southern Illinois region, includingsix years at First Bank. He will manage themarketing, business development and salesactivities for the Carbondale branch.

Tippett joins Herbalife sales teamCarlyn Tippett of Creal Springs has

become an independent consultant andcertified wellness coach with Herbalife.

Herbalife has been in business for 27years. As an Independent consultant,Tippett offers personal coaching, bodyanalysis and cellular nutrition.

For information, contact Tippett [email protected] or 888-709-9811.

Coffey achieves status Suzzette Coffey of Royalton recently

achieved the status of independent salesdirector with Mary Kay Inc.

Independent sales directors buildsuccessful businesses on a part-time orfull-time basis with the income potential,freedom and flexibility that accompaniesan entrepreneurial business opportunity.

In preparation for the next phase of herbusiness, Coffey was invited to attend abusiness and leadership developmentseminar in Dallas, home of Mary Kay Inc.world headquarters, where she receivedinformation and advice regarding business

management and personal development.Dealer candidate graduates

Jerkins Creative Consulting hasannounced that 17 participants completedthe JCC 2009 Dealer Candidate Course.

Graduates of this three-year dealerdevelopment course include RandyMetrunec, Webb Machinery; YvonCaouette, Caouette & Sons; Lucy Smith,Caouette & Sons; Jaret Nelson, NelsonMotors & Equipment; Marlyn Stevens,Nelson Motors & Equipment; JeremiTweed, Tweed Country Ag; BrendanWawro, Moker & Thompson; DarrelBitz, Schroeder Bros. Imp.; WendyAckerman, Schroeder Bros. Imp.; KeithEvans, Atkinson Implement; MikeWalker, Catons, LTD; Cameron Martin,Martin Equipment; Vincent Shank,Martin Equipment; Dwight Logeot,Miller Farm Equipment; and MikeVanderWal, VanderWal Equipment. Twoparticipants were recognized for theiroutstanding performance throughout thethree years. Rolly Richard, Tweed FarmEquipment, received top honors. AntonKrys, Webb Machinery, received honors.

Jerkins Creative Consulting is located at1002 Vale St. in Benton.

Let the region knowHave you been promoted? Has a

colleague at work completed an intensive continuing education program?Others in the business community willwant to know it, so please considerpassing on your milestone employmentnews to the Southern Business Journal.

Feel free to e-mail the information [email protected] or fax a writtenupdate to 618-457-2935.

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who immediately informs you of adisability or whose disability (e.g., use ofa wheelchair, blindness, missing limb) isevident. In those cases, you can ask if theapplicant would need some type ofaccommodation to do the job.

If the applicant says he doesn’t need anaccommodation, you cannot inquire anyfurther on that subject. But if theapplicant says an accommodation isneeded, you can ask specific questionsabout the type of accommodationneeded. You cannot ask questions to getinformation about the nature of thedisability beyond what is evident or whatthe employee has voluntarily provided.

If it seems the applicant would be agood employee, you can make the

applicant a “conditional” job offer. Oncethat offer is made, the rules change, andit becomes permissible to ask questionsabout the applicant’s medical conditionand require the applicant to undergo amedical examination. But the employercan do these things only if it does themfor all new employees in that job category.You can’t choose which potentialemployees will be given medicalexaminations.

It is not always clear exactly what a“medical examination” is. For example, ifan applicant is tested to see if he can lift50 pounds over his shoulders —remember, the lifting must be a jobrequirement for you to do the test— thattest is not a medical examination. But ifsomeone is given that same test and thenhas her heart rate or blood pressure taken,

the test is then considered a medicalexamination. So a skills or strength testcan be given before a conditional offer ismade so long as there is no monitoring ofthe applicant’s physical reaction to thetest.

Once the medical examination iscompleted, the employer cannotwithdraw the job offer simply because theexamination revealed a disability thatconcerns the employer — unless certainrequirements are met. The job offer canbe withdrawn, if the disability wouldprevent the applicant from doing the jobeven if reasonable accommodations weremade to assist her. The job offer can alsobe withdrawn if the applicant, because ofthe disability, would pose a significantrisk of great harm to himself or others,and the risk cannot be reduced through

some type of accommodation.Finally, if you hire the applicant, make

sure any information about her medicalcondition is kept strictly confidential.Only those in your company who have aneed to know the information should betold of the medical condition. And if youhave any written medical informationabout the employee, it cannot be kept inthe employee’s personnel file; a separatemedical file must be used.

— Edward Renshaw is a partner with theCarbondale law firm of Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan. F/M/G/R is a general practicelaw firm offering a full range of legalservices, including labor and employmentlaw, commercial transactions, banking, realestate, workers’ compensation, municipallaw and estate planning.


EMPLOYMENT: Be cautious in seeking medical information from applicantsFROM PAGE 16

Entrepreneur’s MailbagOur economic landscape has changed:

Nonprofits now mean business

Recently, I waslistening to a reportfrom Capitol Hill inwhich U.S.Secretary of theTreasury TimothyF. Geitner defendeda host ofadministrationdecisions,including re-

establishing the housing market,reviving banking, economic recoveryand the much debated $787 billionstimulus bill passed in February.

Among the programs, $50 million wasbudgeted for the arts, $53.6 billion foreducation, $3.9 billion for job trainingand $16.8 billion for energy efficiencyprograms. The idea of accessing some ofthese funds has many peoplecontemplating side-stepping their

original plans in favor of establishing anonprofit organization.

What’s your purpose?If you have set your sights on setting

up a nonprofit, the first thing you willwant to determine is your organization’spurpose. Nonprofits can be organizedfor any of a number of reasons includingcharitable, educational, civic, religious,research and industry development,among others. Once you have definedthe organization’s purpose, you shouldbegin drafting your mission statementaround that purpose. The Boys & GirlsClub of America’s mission statementreads, “To enable all young people,especially those who need us most, toreach their full potential as productive,caring, responsible citizens.” Make sureyour mission statement conveys themost important social values thatgovern what you do. Give the readers ofyour statement a glimpse at the problemyou are looking to address. Lastly,

affirm that your organization exists tocarry out the solution.

Nonprofits have changedIn navigating the development of

your nonprofit, it is important to keepin mind that the landscape has changedsignificantly. With increasedcompetition for grant funding, morenonprofits are operating like traditionalsmall businesses or social enterprises.Social enterprises combine the passionof fulfilling a social mission but are runlike a well-oiled business machine.

In 2002, Monk Bernard McCoy saw abusiness opportunity for his CistercianAbbey when his printer ran out of toner.From that experience Laser Monks wasborn. The Web site run by the monkssells printing and imaging supplies andis doing about $500,000 a year in sales.All profits go to Cistercian’s charitablemissions around the world. So,remember, being a nonprofit does notmean that you don’t make money.

Today’s nonprofits are having to workharder than ever before, pursuingcountless new opportunities that helpserve the organization’s mission andkeep it moving forward. They muststrive for a new level of accountabilityto the constituencies they serve andengage in a continual process ofinnovation, adapting and learning. Ifyour organization keeps these things inmind then it could be well on its way todoing a lot of business while doing a lotof good at the same time.

— Cavanaugh L. Gray is the director ofbusiness development for The Entrepreneur Café, L.L.C. in Carbondale.He can be contacted at [email protected] or 618-206-7013. For moreinformation on establishing your nonprofit organization or for daily tips on how to start, grow and succeed in small business, follow The Entrepreneur Cafe, L.L.C. on Twitterwww.twitter.com /TheECafe.

Gray

BY CAVANAUGH L. GRAYSBJ CONTRIBUTOR

www.eeca.coop



Building permitsMurphysboroPam and Daniel Graham, 342 Murphy, $12,000Gene Basden, 2225 Commercial, $30,000Marion Lynn, 1025 Maple Street, $1,600Tonya Baker, 53 Crescent Drive, $7,000Eric Kennedy, 2103 Clay Street, $4,200Knights of Columbus, 606 Plum, $21,500Claude Worthen, 429 North Street, $2,100Rhonda Chiang, 2043 Gartside, $3,456Lighthouse of Faith Ministry, 1420 South Street,

$700CJ Calandro, 321 N. 4th Street, $1,500Jack Wilson, 1930 Wall Street, $1,000Ann Wuest, 1911 Walnut, $1,000Robert S. McCormick, 2020 Walnut Street, $13,000Charles and Jonie Hillesheim, 1830 Spruce Street,

$7,564Luella McComb, 1102 Steven Lane, $4,000Jeff Daniel, 312 N. 19th Street, $4,500Shawn Kennedy, 2008 Spruce Street, $4,058Thomas McBride, 210 S. 20th Street, $12,725Matthew and Heather Hines, 531 N. 15th Street,

$600Marie Shoemaker, 720 N. 20th Street, $2,900Barbara Cosgroves, 1611 Spruce, $6,500Gene Bost, 1212 N. 16th Street, $8,900Charles Boucher, 413 N. 4th Street, $5,729Earl Baskin, 2032 Pine Street, $7,620Gary Martin, 721 Maple Street, $6,000Gary Martin, 724 Maple Street, $6,000Dennis Niemann, 138 Niemann Lane, $40,000Amos Baggot, 1302 Illinois Avenue, $6,500Brian Camden, 2041 Spruce Street, $12,000Judith Tweedy, 1817 Spruce Street, $12,000Michael Barrick, 523 Lucier, $886Don Buedel, 2118 Division, $100Karen S. Berkey, 2035 Alexander Avenue, $800Christopher M. Doody, 1924 Bishop Drive, $200Mark Farmer, 823 Illinois Avenue, $5,100Arnold Mueller, 1918 Pine Street, $4,500Greg Kerns, 2028 Spruce Street, $6,700Terrance Svec, 2104 Walnut Street, $20,000Gene Bost, 1212 N. 16th Street, $8,000Richard LaReau, 407 N. 11th Street, $10,000Feigenbaum Trust, 1500 Grace Street, $67,476Amber Williamson, 444 N. 9th Street, $5,000John Warren, 11 Westwood Lane, $4,800Patricia Krawczyk, 904 N. 7th Street, $1,662Tony’s Restaurant, 550 E. Industrial Park, $8,900Jim Ritcheson, 2103 Pine Street, $7,500

Mount VernonCountry Crafted Furniture, 4704 Broadway, $0Mount Vernon Crossing, 101 Davidson Avenue,

$6,000Armed Forces Career Center, 101 Davidson Avenue,

$7,700Bugsy’s Chicago Dog, 311 E. Broadway, $0Greg Backes, 25 Northbrook, $5,200Don Sol 2, Inc. 300 S. 44th Street, $0Jason Kippenberger, 1014 Mick Road, $5,000Dale Mick, 808 Buffalo Lane, $1,000Ivan’s Upholstery, 501 S. 10th Street, $12,000

Mac McClanahan, 2504 Casey, $800Brady Moore, 611 S. 13th Street, $0Jarrod Stroud, 2113 Cherry Street, $0Jarrod Stroud, 2113 Cherry Street, $2000Oma D. Jones, 1810 Briarwood, $5,000Cindy Welch, 2921 S. 13th Street, $8,000

MetropolisRonald and Emily Casper, 315 Oak Drive, $5,000Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. P.O. Box 36290,

$515,000James Phelps, 941 Country Club Road, $4,500Eastland Baptist Church, 716 E. 3rd Street,

$3,500Roe T. White, 18 Hilanoa Drive, $25,000

BankruptciesChapter 7David King, 225 E. Main St., BellmontRobert Tiffin, 426 E. Jefferson St., AnnaStacy Tiffin, 246 E. Jefferson St., AnnaTriple R. Logistics LLC, P.O. Box 1094, MetropolisBDR Services Inc., P.O. Box 1094, MetropolisTriple R. Express LLC, P.O. Box 1094, MetropolisDouglas Sumpter and Cynthia Sumpter, 14673 N.

Illinois 37, Mount VernonChristopher Butler, P.O. Box 135, JoppaRobert Warren and Betty Warren, 108 Buchanan St.,

ZeiglerJoyce Jone, P.O. Box 556, HurstFrank Hall and Jennifer Hall, 917 E. Sixth St.,

MetropolisMichael Gantner, 178 Kinyon Road, AddievilleAnthony Sebastian, 181 N. Carolyn Drive,

CarbondaleGarland Smock, 707 Stewart St., CarmiRobert Pair and Connie Pair, 412 N. Summers St.,

Du QuoinMelissa Mosley, P.O. Box 2723, CarbondaleGregory Nichols and Christine Nichols, 527 W.

Goodner St., NashvilleBrandon Shands and Emily Shands, 307 Casey St.,

WoodlawnKristy McIntosh, 200 W. Clark St., HerrinElaine Burgess, P.O. Box 181, BucknerKyle Murray, 1209 Marion St., CartervilleJerry Davis, P.O. Box 15, NashvilleHoward Alford and Martha Alford, 950 Old Route

146 Loop, ViennaJoe Searcy and Jennine Searcy, 717 Girard St.,

MetropolisEsther McDuffee, 307 Oak Drive, MetropolisJames Cissell and Angela Cissell, 702 Public St.,

EvansvilleIrene Dalton, 808 Sherman Drive, MarionRalph Beaver and Gayla Beaver, 3102 W. Main St.,

MarionRandall Chitwood, 803 Main St., CartervilleApril Wolff, P.O. Box 37, SesserMary George, 9814 Surman Lane, ChesterAlvis Howell, 535 Murphy St., MurphysboroEleanor Smith, 412 E. College St., MarionJason Stutes, 610 County Road, PinckneyvilleJames Clark and Deborah Clark, P.O. Box 414,

Shawneetown

Josefina Navarra, 5 Union Ave., McLeansboroGanice Skropka, P.O. Box 254, WoodlawnGary Chamness, 2509 Bethel Road, VergennesMarsha Smith, 202 Texas Ave., CartervilleDominick Overy, 301 S. Van Buren St., MarionAlbert Walker and Debra Walker, 854 Big Four St.,

EldoradoSally Walker, RR 4 Box 290D, McLeansboroGeorge Payne and Ruth Payne, 785 Feazel Road,

HarrisburgJohn Heath and Diana Heath, 604 N. 10th St.,

HerrinSheila Schubert, 516 Lucier St., MurphysboroMichael Harvel and Melinda Harvel, 18545 Pittsburg

Road, Johnston CityMelanie Perez, 17 Orchard Drive, HerrinCora Rumsey, 1502 Fosse Road, MarionSteven Perry, P.O. Box 174, CartervilleRonald Jordan and Julia Jordan, 608 S. 24th St.,

HerrinDedrick Cooper, 2253 Sharp Rock Road, AvaRick Wininger, 324 Elmwood St., West FrankfortKathy Burns, 325 Little Creek Loop, DongolaJoshua Qualls, 203 E. Lindell St., West FrankfortDavid McCourt and Barbara McCourt, 90 Caraway

Lane, GorevilleElizabeth Herron, 904 S. Buchanan St., MarionMark Mobley, 4576 N. 1300 Blvd., Mount CarmelMichael Ferrell, 227 S. Capitol St., HarriburgSusan Emery, 2103 Morgan Ave., MarionChristopher Newman and Amy Newman, 1971 Stave

Mill Road, MurphysboroKenneth Cook, 100 Tyler St., McLeansboroJerry Cochran, 110 N. Sparta St., SteelevilleDavid Lauderdale, P.O. Box 62, BuncombeRobert Twente, P.O. Box 355, OlmstedVichai Jangjirawat, P.O. Box 292, CairoShataka Jangjirawat, 2731 Park Ave., CairoMary Henderson, 903 Terrace Lake Drive, AuroraHarry Wideman, 2206 Saline Ave., EldoradoTimothy Wittenbrink, 690 U.S. Highway 51, Du QuoinDanny Dunklin, 128 N. Oak St., Du QuoinDavid Peters, 302 W. North St., Du QuoinDavid Arnett and Debra Arnett, 409 Orchard St.,

ZeiglerBenjamin Seed and Karen Seed, 608 N. Monroe St.,

MarionLindell Norwood and Marsha Norwood, P.O. Box 903,

MetropolisMichael Moore and Gaile Moore, Illinois 2 Box 157,

CisneHeather Taaka, 16873 N. County Farm Lane, Mount

VernonPatricia Runyon, 19477 E. 700 Road, Mount CarmelMark Welch and Sherry Welch, 1305 Noah St.,

Johnston CityShonna Schaal, P.O. Box 272, Creal SpringsEdward Belva, 200 Marlynn Court, SpartaKeith Gibson, 100 Front St., AnnaBrian Swinford and Christina Swinford, 713 Katie

Lane, HerrinShane Matlock and Victoria Matlock, P.O. Box 86,

McClureDallas Keller, 708 North 35th St., HerrinJay Salmon, 301 Roberts St., AnnaKeri Deaton, 200 E. Patrick St., Marion

Betty Gibbs, 223 Second St., New BurnsideGlendell Lovellette, 1515 Trolley Road, EldoradoStephen Ginger, 501 Girard St., MetropolisSheryl Mayberry, 407 E. Dayton Ave., HarrisburgLarry Smoot, RR3 Box 140, AlbionColin Campbell, 2006 Arthur Ave., CharlestonTonja Hood, 305 N. Line St., Du QuoinJarrod Koontz and Angela Koontz, RR2 Box 693,

FairfieldPhilip Lingle and Susan Lingle, P.O. Box 568, CobdenFrank Skalski and Amy Skalski, 301 Cole St.,

WaltonvillePatrick Morgan and Janet Morgan, 1801 E. St. Louis

St., West FrankfortJeffrey Money and Bethany Money, 255 Co. Road

500 N., Norris CityJimmie Beachel, 1007 Anna St., BentonMichael Halliday and Patricia Halliday, 700 Manitou

St., Benton

Chapter 13Ignatius Dolce, P.O. Box 714, SesserCharlene Vaughn, 3609 Elm St., CairoMarcia Perryman, 3155 W. Harrison St.,

MurphysboroAndrew Green and Tammy Green, 1828 Pine St.,

MurphysboroPaul Null, 917 S. Virginia St., MarionDerrick Legereit and Penny Legereit, 1200 Ophia St.,

MetropolisMichael Cottonaro and Cari Cottonaro, 1106 S.

Buchanan St., MarionTim Hall, 211 N. McDyby St., BucknerJay Woodrome, No. 4 Parker Drive, Mount VernonTodd Smith and Darla Smith, P.O. Box 146, CoelloJohnny Hayes and Becky Hayes, 8282 Ezra Road,

West FrankfortAngela Chambers, 309 W. Brewster Road, HerrinMary Bramlett, 210 Wilcox St., ZeiglerTina Phillips, 400 Murphysboro Lake Road,

MurphysboroGladys Presutti, 45 Iris Lane, PomonaTiffany Johnson, 416 S. 28th St., HerrinDeloise Adams, 2337 Roblee Ave., MurphysboroToni Zettle, 601 E. Fifth St., West FrankfortKevin Collins and Katina Collins, 111 Karen Ann

Lane, Carrier MillsJames Geary and Brenda Geary, 6437 State Route

152, Du QuoinDavid Woodside, P.O. Box 134, TamaroaDelilah Pope, 5691 Country Acres Lane, MetropolisBrian Simmons and Terri Simmons, 170 Simmons

Lane, DongolaKeith Harbison, 305 W. Raymond St., HarrisburgDavid Hill, 1111 Murray St., EldoradoMelissa McKinney, 1100 Brush St., Johnston CityThomas Ferguson and Wendy Ferguson, 602 W.

Water St., PinckneyvilleEugene Gregg, P.O. Box 733, EnergyEdgar Haertling, 16 Westwood Drive, SteelevilleRobert Burke and Kimberly Burke, P.O. Box 541,

MurphysboroJames Thompson and Terri Thompson, 12580 N.

Sparrow St., Mount VernonApril Boaz, 2341 Childers St., MarionJeff Schultz, 3109 Peach St., Mount Vernon

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www.thesouthern.com/top20

Does moneyactually buy a degreeof happiness? In thisrecessionary holidayseason, it is worththinking about theeffect money has onour lives. What roledoes money play inour happiness? Isthat role overrated?

Most psychologists and sociologists willtell you that our happiness comes largelyfrom social interaction. But studiesindicate that there is a direct correlationbetween wealth and a kind of mentalhealth.

As Pearl Bailey immortally quipped,“Honey, I been poor, and I been rich. Andlet me tell you, rich is better.” Having awell-paying job, being successful at whatyou do — these are definite cornerstonesof self-esteem and to happiness.

So is Warren Buffett happier than weare? The math is not quite that simple.

American wealth grew remarkably in thelate 20th Century, but surveys found thatAmericans on average weren’t any happierthan they’d been decades before.

Does spending money make peoplehappy? It depends on the purpose.Perhaps you’ve heard of the “hedonictreadmill” theory, an economic theorywhich holds that the middle-class and theaffluent exhaust themselves and diminishtheir happiness through endless pursuit ofthe latest material goods. Americans areproudly competitive, and can’t help butmeasure their wealth in relation to theirfriends and neighbors. We have to havemore than the next guy.

Does spending money on others makepeople happy? Yes, according to theresults of a study published in March 2008in Science magazine. Researchers took asample of 600 Americans. Theyinstructed 46 to spend a $5 or $20 bill on aparticular day. Some were told to spendthe money on others, and the study foundthat they were happier at the end of theday than the ones who spent the moneyon themselves. The study also tracked 16workers who got profit-sharing bonuses,

and observed that employees who gave amajority of their bonus to others ended uphappier than those who spent it onthemselves. In fact, the main forecaster ofhappiness was not the size of the bonus,but how it was spent. The Science studyalso discovered that spending more moneyon gifts and charity correlated withincreased happiness.

Are we ultimately only as happy as wewant to be? Perhaps. Researchers nowincreasingly feel that people have a genetic“baseline” or “set point” of happiness anddeviations from this norm are temporary.In other words, how the stock market doesdoesn’t rattle our basic level of happiness.Even life-altering tragedies or seemingmiracles don’t ultimately budge us muchfrom the norm. (Studies of the brainindicate that people with more activity intheir left prefrontal cortexes seem to behappier than some others.)

Recently, University of Virginiapsychology professor Jonathan Haidtwrote a classically rooted book called “TheHappiness Hypothesis.” Haidt observedthat within a year of their life-changingexperiences, “lottery winners and

paraplegics have both, on average,returned most of the way to their baselinelevels of happiness.” He feels thathappiness can grow from “vitalengagement” with other people and one’spassions, and from a spiritual and moral“coherence” in yourself and your life.

How about some Gross DomesticHappiness (GDH)? No joke: since 1972, thegovernment of Bhutan has dedicated itselfto boosting GDH, Gross DomesticHappiness, via a platform of equitable andsustainable economic growth, culturalpreservation in the face of the West, goodgovernment, and environmentalism.Other nations have studied Bhutan’sexample; in fact, conferences have beenheld on the concept in Bhutan, Mongoliaand the Netherlands.

— Scott McClatchey is a founder and LPLfinancial advisor with Alliance InvestmentPlanning Group, a Carbondale-basedinvestment firm at 115 S. Washington St. Hecan be reached at 618-519-9344 [email protected] offered through LPL Financial,Member FINRA/SIPC.


Money MattersMoney and happiness: Do they always go hand-in-hand?

McClatchey

BY SCOTT MCCLATCHEYSBJ CONTRIBUTOR

Robert Morse and Shannon Morse, 546 CherryLake Road, Du Quoin

Gary Wright and Lynette Wright, 203 Paradise Drive114, Carterville

Randy Rheinecker and Sarah Rheinecker, 651 WestAlton St., Nashville

Lester Carter and Sheila Carter, 10009 ForrestBaptist Church Road, Benton

Michael Taylor and Cheryl Taylor, 336 Creal SpringsRoad, Creal Springs

Donna Berendt, 301 S. Goldhimer St., BentonLeroy Madden and Sheryl Madden, 310 E. Parker

Ave., Du QuoinJack Huff and Billie Huff, 14596 Allen Road, HerrinFrances Stanley and Shawn Stanley, P.O. Box 1023,

Du QuoinJean Vannoy, 1215 Stonington Dr., HerrinRonnie Zettler and Carol Zettler, 8423 Hidden Oak

Lane, TamaroaJohn Forbes and Marsha Forbes, P.O. Box 102,

CartervilleAlfred Rich and Blanca Rich, 3898 Deering Road,

West FrankfortBobby Burdel, 212 Illinois St., PinckneyvilleAmy Lyerla, 2117 Rainbow Dr., MurphysboroGary Roach and Emilye Roach, 60 Shephard Lane,

AnnaGeoffery Rose, 12931 N. Shorelane Drive, MarionJessica Metzger, 1065 S. Heaman St., NashvilleGregory Lewis, 1945 New Era Road, CarbondaleDavid Spurlock, 21005 9 Blacktop St.,

ThompsonvilleWilliam Wilson, 129 Baggott St., ZeiglerJoe Falmier, 6213 Bayer Circle, CartervilleGary Clutts, 634 Illinois Ave., MurphysboroJoan Van Baber, 1309 S. Webster St., HarrisburgAnthony Leone and Melissa Leone, 616 S. 14th St.,

HerrinRandy Kirt, P.O. Box 564, AnnaMichael Melcher, 105 Circle Drive, HerrinJamie Melcher, P.O. Box 44, HerrinSamaline Fark, 1021 West Laurel, CarbondaleSharon Humm, RR 1 Box 1321, GolcondaAllyson Cannon, 1210 E. Main St., West Frankfort

James Clark and Rita Clark, 8225 Lily Pad Lane, DuQuoin

Shawn Haynes and Christina Haynes,506 SycamoreSt., Anna

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SBJ - December 2009