Deal Maker. Dogged Developer. Downtown Player…
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BIZ TRAVEL’S BIG NEW PERK | Q1 ECONOMY: PESSIMISM | INSIDE THE GAS STATION BIZ FEBRARY 2016 TCBMag.com Deal maker. Dogged developer. Downtown Player… Abdul also recently purchased one of the area’s potentially hottest properties, the Minneapolis Armory. Today’s LED lighting. Uses less energy, resulting in lower costs. Extended lifetime reduces maintenance cost. Dimming and control capability. Color closely resembles daylight, making colors crisp. Generates less heat, reducing cooling costs. Why upgrade now? LEDs produce an even, bright light, which can improve the comfort and productivity of employees. for brilliant USE US lighting upgrades. Get improved light quality with fewer fi xtures. Automatic controls can reduce lighting costs even further. Did you know that business facilities waste approximately 30% of the energy they pay for? Ineffi cient, conventional lighting can account for over half of this annual energy waste. 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By Nancy Crotti Dee Thibodeau, p. 39 Departments Features 6 Starters 22 Northern Exposure | Populating Cook County Gas station strategy County leaders want to entice more young people and entrepreneurs Who will support the MOA’s expansion? to the area, but there’s at least one big challenge: Where will they live? Fridge magnet revival By Gene Rebeck 11 A & E 24 Who is Ned Abdul? Springsteen and the E Street Band come to the X with The River Tour; And why is he so busy? Learn about this bold player in the intensely enjoy Eastern spirituality and Western spectacle with Shen Yun. competitive arena of commercial real estate. By Burl Gilyard 12 Concierge | The Play’s the Thing Treat your out-of-town clients to a local theater performance. 30 Escape Route By Melinda Nelson Airport clubs are a hot growth business, and MSP travelers are getting a taste of the competition. 13 Plugged In By Adam Platt Spend the day in a series of interactive sessions with some of Minnesota’s top innovators at the MNovation Seminar Series. 34 TCB Women’s Leadership Awards By Kate LeRette Meet five accomplished women who serve as role models in how they lead their companies and how they serve their communities. 15 Beyond These Pages By Suzy Frisch and Fran Howard Celebrating 2015 Person of the Year Omar Ishrak, CEO and chairman of Medtronic; check us out on YouTube: tcbmagvideos. TWIN CITIES BUSINESS, Vol. 23, No. 6. © 2016 MSP Communications. The opinions of columnists are their own. Unsolicited manuscripts or artwork will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Telephone 612-339- 7571. Fax 612-339-5806. E-mail: [email protected]. TWIN CITIES BUSINESS (ISSN 1072-673X) is published monthly by MSP Communications, 220 S. Sixth St., Suite 500, Minneapolis, MN 55402-4507. Subscriptions available for $24.95 per year; foreign subscriptions, $169.00 per year; back issues, $10.00. To subscribe or change address, visit tcbmag.com/subscriptions.aspx. For back issue requests, contact [email protected] or 612-339-7571. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (see DMM707.4.12.5); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to TWIN CITIES BUSINESS, Subscription Processing, P.O. Box 5846, Harlan, IA 51593. 2 TWIN CITIES BUSINESS tcbmag.com FEBRUARY 2016 Commentary 5 Editor’s Note Time to end sugar subsidies? 14 Personal Brand By Roshini Rajkumar Little things matter in how the world perceives you. 16 Economic Indicators GIVING Economic pessimism persists at the outset of 2016. 20 Performing Philanthropy By Sarah Lutman What are the ripple effects from Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan’s charitable giving? 21 Explanation of Benefits Y U By David Burda MORE Employers should back up their wellness push with weight-management benefits. TARGETED 54 Marketing Mash-Up By Glenn Karwoski Big data is marketing’s next holy grail. SAVINGS 55 Corner Office By Mark W. Sheffert AIM TO SAVE WITH REBATES Why should anyone want to follow your leadership? Natural gas equipment rebates help you save with 56 Open Letter better efficiency and an improved bottom line. By Vance Opperman Rebate savings include: In politics as in business, it’s mostly about who shows up. Let your voice be heard at precinct caucuses on March 1, and you can make a difference. • Boiler systems and boiler system components • Boiler tune-ups • Steam trap repair/replacement • Unit and condensing unit heaters Special Advertising Section • Forced-air furnaces Milestones • Infrared heaters 16 Minnesota companies mark a milestone celebration of their business success. • Linkageless controls • Energy recovery wheels and plates • Condensing water heaters MARCH • Foodservice equipment Insights from Minnesota’s fastest-growing companies. Not sure where to start? Have a Natural Gas Energy Analysis completed on your facility. Correction: Visit CenterPointEnergy.com/EnergySavings In January’s issue of TCB, Emergent Networks, Edina, should have been included among or call our Business Customer Hotline at the finalists for the 2015 Small Business Success Stories. Founded in 1985, Emergent Networks has continuously kept abreast with the accelerating pace of change in business 612-321-4939 (877-809-3803) for complete details. IT. The company’s broad range of products and services includes IT strategy and support, unified communications, mobile app management and software development. Having experienced its biggest year-over-year growth rates in the past few years, Emergent Networks has recently opened offices in Mankato and Rochester. tcbmag Archives Tax incentives could make Minnesota more attractive to Hollywood. The real reason Punch Pizza raised wages. ©2016 CenterPoint Energy 150715 Ten stories of small business success throughout the state. FEBRUARY 2016 tcbmag.com TWIN CITIES BUSINESS 3 vice 29th Year Twin Cities Business Magazine Staff of Ser Editor in Chief Publisher Dale Kurschner Shelly Elmore Sure Stop Floor Safety [email protected] [email protected] “your fast and dependable solution to any slippery floors and steps” Executive Editor Adam Platt [email protected] call 763 571-1769 Trending Editor Liz Fedor [email protected] We do building entrances employee and Senior Writer Burl Gilyard [email protected] customers, pool decks, locker rooms, Online & E-Newsletter Editor Andre Eggert [email protected] lavatories and restaurant floors! Online & E-Newsletter Writer Sam Schaust [email protected] Northern Minnesota Correspondent Gene Rebeck [email protected] www.surestop.com Copy Editors Judy Arginteanu [email protected] Sherri Hildebrandt [email protected] INDUSTRY EXPERTS Editorial Intern Kate LeRette [email protected] Design Director Chris Winn [email protected] Senior Account Executive Traci Auger [email protected], 612-336-9214 Senior Account Executive Rian Heaslip [email protected], 612-336-9215 Say hello to a box of exhilaration. Account Executive Theo Johnson [email protected], 612-336-9211 This is chocolate, after all. Marketing and Events Manager Caitlin French [email protected], 612-336-9288 Sales and Marketing Coordinator Hailey Johnson [email protected], 612-373-9584 More than what you grabbed and gobbled as a child. Contributing Writers David Burda > Nancy Crotti > Suzy Frisch > Fran Howard > Glenn In every sense, this is a gift for Karwoski > Sarah Lutman > Melinda Nelson > Roshini Rajkumar > Mark W. Sheffert> Tad Simons > Megan Wiley the senses. Velvety and lush. MSP Communications CEO & General Counsel VP, Manufacturing & Delivery Systems Vance K. Opperman Mary K. Authier 651.644.3823 CFO Charles F. Thell VP, Creative Director Jayne Haugen Olson [email protected] COO Nathaniel Opperman VP, Finance & Administration John Bienias www.chocolatceleste.com President Gary Johnson VP, Project Management Frank Sisser VP, Publishing Deborah Hopp VP, Digital Director Kevin Dunn Contact us about gifts and custom chocolates. Credit Manager Dave Gschlecht Manager, Social Media & Audience 01-16 TCB Chocolate Celeste.indd 1 12/3/15 4:22 PM Office Manager Dustin Tuley Engagement Carly Reynolds Senior Accountant Anne McPhillips Social Media & Analytics Specialist Administrative Assistant Patty Mikres Isabelle Wattenberg Congratulations Production Manager Tim Dallum Corporate Circulation Director Production Supervisor Paul Marihart Bea Jaeger to Kim Nelson of Production Assistant Allison Cook Director, Circulation Marketing Digital Prepress Group Colleen Puent SPS Commerce on her > Steve Mathewson Fulfillment Coordinator Valerie Asante > Bill Sympson Circulation Manager Carin Russell