Catching up with Downtown Springfield
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JUNE 2016 INSIDE THIS MONTH 217-726-6600 • [email protected] www.springfieldbusinessjournal.com THE CORPORATE REVIEW 2016 District 186 p. 5 Catching up with downtown Springfield Graham Prellwitz John B. Clark Melissa Hamilton Brent Boesdorfer Lisa Clemmons Stott Women of Influence Awards p. 6 Sikich p. 18 Josh Sonneborn p. 23 PAGE 8 PHOTO BY DAVID HINE Nancy’s Chicago Pizza p. 27 COMING IN JULY SMALL BUSINESS FAMILY OWNED & MINORITY OWNED Special Feature: Forty Under 40 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED SERVICE CHANGE PERMIT NO 209 NO PERMIT SPRINGFIELD, IL SPRINGFIELD, Springfield, IL 62705 IL Springfield, PAID THE LIST: P.O. Box 398 Box P.O. U.S. POSTAGE U.S. PRSRT STD PRSRT SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL BUSINESS SPRINGFIELD BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2 | June 2016 | Springfield Business Journal PHOTO BY TERRY FARMER Meet Nathan Bishop Project director, Downtown Springfield, Inc. By Shannon O’Brien Imagine, if you will, a Friday night in interactive in order to draw families and decisions in a silo.” He provides an example from his various beverages such as craft beers. with no trouble and enjoy dinner at one of time in St. Louis. When a large university firsthand how they operate while sampling thedowntown neighborhood’s Springfield. excellent You find restaurants. parking hearkids. aboutHe sees frequently ways to deal at DSI. with the problem wanted to stabilize the neighborhoods give them a good enough reason, people of parking, a topic he and his colleagues surrounding it, his role was to investigate willDetails come are downtown,” still being heworked says. out. “If we State Capitol plaza, you come across an Bishop also finds great value in outdoorAfterward, ping-pong while walking table. Whothrough could the resist Old “We don’t want parking or parking the history of Springfield. “The city of stopping for a game or two? isknowledge unique. toWe be wanta barrier people to our to downtown have no beautification, safety and security. He and Springfield has a very rich urban history. Nathan Bishop has this vision for problembusinesses,” getting he downtown.”says. “Our downtown his colleagues had to ask themselves how downtown. He sees it as a destination Bishop earned a master’s degree in to breakThese downare some some ofof thethe questionsred tape and he see what it was...if it happened before, it urban and regional planning from the iskick-start now revitalization.addressing about downtown canOnce happen you look again,” at these he historic says. “Thephotos great and interesting shops and playful, interactive University of Colorado. He says urban opportunitiesfor residents inlooking select publicfor good spaces. food, As events DSI has planned. the new project director for Downtown about changes to their environments. Springfield,He and beginninghis colleagues with somehave startedunique iscities, a great I think, path forwardare the kind for downtown.” that meld the planners help communities make decisions historic and modern. I think that direction realizing this vision. event geared toward getting people into Shannon O’Brien is a writer Springfield, Inc., he is working toward “Planners are trained to look holistically at establishmentspreparations fordowntown. Blocktoberfest, Festival-goers an and photographer at the University he sees areas that could be made more how everything works together,” he explains, will stop by different businesses to see of Illinois Springfield. When Bishop looks at downtown “thinking about economic development, Springfield Business Journal | June 2016 | 3 public health, transportation – not making INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT Private equity in the capital city By David A. Kelm From the venerable Investopedia.com: The company is and the E.U. Cimbria investment opportunity for our clients,” “Private equity is a source of investment the brainchild of invests in companies capital from high net worth individuals and Rasmussen and Brian merging technology northern Europe are well suited for growth institutions for the purpose of investing and Iversen, managing with agricultural andRasmussen diversity continued. in our core areas.”“The Midwest and acquiring equity ownership in companies. director at Cimbria’s processes and water Providing clients with an international resources. “These scope is typically the purview of large, global and manage these monies to yield favorable odd thing is that Brian are two of the oldest returnsPartners for at theirprivate-equity shareholder firms clients.” raise funds isHouston also Danish, office. was “The an necessities – food investment deals. Similarly, smaller private and water,” explained banks and firms that do not focus on smaller home (or at least “co-home” with Houston, Rasmussen. “The In the last year, Springfield has become marriedofficer in an the American Danish world is running out andequity regional firms tendprospects. to provide Cimbria investors was started with a that brings a new corporate philosophy to woman,”military likeRasmussen me and of water and farming parochial strategy that identifies only local Texas) to a private equity investment firm noted. “But we didn’t must adapt to produce with relationships across the E.U. and the Rasmussen, one of two managing directors U.S.to provide that results the nimblenessin investments of awith small greater firm its international investment strategy. Henrik until we were both Agriculture and water impact for clients and companies. meet or work together more efficiently.” in the United States.” Henrik Rasmussen investing also tend Finally, Rasmussen and Iversen strongly for the new firm, hails from Denmark but Iversen – who has believe that corporate statesmanship can purposefully calls Springfield home. The bring about industry change and change new firm, Cimbria Capital, draws on the equity focused on the therebyto be overlooked giving Cimbria by for society. “Cimbria is an evangelist for thestrengths steppes of of itsnorthern founders Europe. but also finds energyworked sectorin – privateand Rasmussen decided to limited competition. private equity firms, how we do business predicated on the directionRasmussen’s from the fieldscareer of thebegan Midwest toin stretch their entrepreneurial wings with the Cimbria provides its investors with other three pillars,” Rasmussen said. “We Washington, D.C., consulting with sizable opportunities in products and innovative international corporations. “I largely Rasmussen and Iversen built the technology that may save water, energy or foundationformation of of a newCimbria type ofCapital investment upon firm.four both. The firm’s investment focus includes canare activedrive resultsin speaking in agriculture out on issues and water such regulation and branding,” Rasmussen pillars: value-added private equity, limited companies that improve water quality quality,as working and internationally, investors can thatplay technology an active explained.worked in In businesshis consulting development, capacity, with smart technology that drives value role in bettering companies.” By leading Rasmussen assisted companies in building scope and commitment to and returns for clients. the charge to transform how private equity solid cross-Atlantic relationships between corporatefocus on specific statesmanship. sectors, an international can drive change, Cimbria contends that the United States and the European Union. “Cimbria is not just about “We look to invest agricultural concerns As often happens, Rasmussen’s family in companies that thatThe firmare also supportingseeks out expanded and he and his wife, Kristina, society will benefit and investors will see noted.plunking down“We believecapital andwe already have a new biotechnology operatingprofitable rewards.in Europe and across the U.S. to raise their children. An opportunity bringwalking a talentedaway,” Rasmussen group of advancements.crop and livestock “We withare wouldAn leadinternational some to private believe equity that Newfirm decided to seek out a better location product and sales now executive vice president of the Illinois directly with our companies that grow soybeans or Cimbria. Rasmussen, however, argues that Policyopened Institute) for Kristina and thein Springfield Rasmussen (she family is toprofessionals support theirwho effortswork but with our raisenot looking cattle, atbut companies we are technologyYork or D.C. allows would himbe a andbetter his location colleagues for set down roots. to scale.” Cimbria is an interested in companies Rasmussen continued to advise clients assistance can move developing advanced feed on international matters and found that on substantive functions and fertilizer that positively or(like Houston Springfield or wherever. native Noah Rasmussen Sabich) to work also withinactive investora company that such takes as to the next level.” impacts agriculture,” said where they want to live, be that Springfield continue building his public relations Rasmussen. Springfield provided a great location to development or public – Rasmussen sees hope for Springfield’s business climate. it because of its location between Chicago branding, logistics, market With the Sangamon CEO program and the andbusiness. St. Louis,” “Springfield Rasmussen has a lotsaid. going “The for in companies that already have a product with a base of operationsCimbria’s in theSpringfield midst of “PeopleInnovate withSpringfield talent incubator,move where Rasmussen other airport is very convenient – it is easy to andrelations. sales but “We with look our to invest assistance can move agricultural innovation.offices