Monthly Archives: November 2009

More from Lee Anderson…

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As is often the case with news stories, we couldn’t get everything we would have liked into our recent story on entrepreneur Lee Anderson who won a prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the year award.

Anderson, 70, is owner and chairman of APi Group, Inc., which has more than 30 companies in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, including several in Duluth. He’s also is a partner in A&L Properties, a Duluth-based commercial real estate development business that’s helped develop local projects such as the Wieland Block and Technology Village.

In a rare interview with Anderson from his home in Naples, Fla. , he also shared with us his greatest safisfaction, some thoughts about business partnerships and advice to aspiring entrepreneurs.

 On his legacy
You’d think that building his father’s small plumbing supply business into a $1.6 billion privately held corporate conglomerate would be Anderson’s legacy. APi Group, based in New Brighton, Minn., is successful, profitable and continues to grow.

But Anderson said his greatest satisfaction comes from giving up one-third of his stock 25 years ago to make the corporation partly employee-owned. As a result, many of them are wealthy today.

“I get a lot of satisfaction out of that,” he said. “Employees work harder because they’re shareholders and revel in our success as much as I do.”

“I think that is my legacy,” he continued. “the fact I’ve been able to share the ownership of this company.”

 On partnerships
When it comes to business investments, Anderson would prefer to use his own money.

“I’ve been very lucky or successful in doing business deals on my own, rather than rely on others to invest for me,” he said. “I get a lot of calls from people, asking me if I would like to do this or that. I inevitably turn them down. I would rather be in charge. If I’m going to lose my money, I want to do it myself.”

 Advice to aspiring entrepreneurs
If you’re going to start a business, try to do it on your own, Anderson says.

“It’s almost impossible to do, maybe you don’t have the capital, but if you can, I recommend that you do it without taking partners,” he said.

And do persevere, he says.

“Of course, you never give up,” he said. “You have to keep working at it until you make it happen.”
 

Tennessee woman trampled during Black Friday shopping

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Black Friday in Duluth was injury-free — from what I observed. That wasn’t the case in Tennessee.

One woman fractured her knee while shopping at Toys R Us in Clarsville, reported WSMV-TV in Nashville.

Police spokesman Jim Knoll said that Amy Serna was trampled. She was taken to the hospital.

In Duluth, I didn’t even see a disgruntled face, much less a fracture.

Serna told the Leaf Chronicle shoppers got unruly after the store delayed the midnight opening because it wanted police to get there before it let people inside. Toys R Us was unavailable for comment.

 

 

 

See Duluth woman in Target ads

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Target has posted the TV commercials with Duluth native Maria Bamford.

In the five commercials posted online, Bamford plays the roles of two sisters — one who will be first in line at Target for the "door buster" sales and the other is more casual and will shop when its convenient for her.

My favorite ad has the "door buster" sister intensely training for Black Friday on an elliptical exercise machine.

"The Target two-day sales is almost here and the last thing that is going to stop me is weak thighs," Bamford says sternly. "Mountain series. Level 10. Backwards."

Buying local

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Want to help the state’s economy?

Then buy and serve products — like artisan cheese, wine, craft beers and and locally grown apples — that were produced in Minnesota.

That’s the message coming today at a 10:30 a.m. news conference in Duluth, presented by Minnesota 2020, a progressive lobbying group. It will be held at Northern Waters Smokehaus which carries speciality foods produced in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

It’s no coincidence that the message comes just as the holiday shopping season is getting underway.

Buying these products will keep more jobs and money in the Minnesota economy at a time when the state really needs it, says John Van Hecke, executive director of Minnesota 2020.

According to Minnesota 2020, these industries generate more than $160 million in Minnesota annually. Minnesota breweries and wineries alone provide more than 550 jobs, the report says.

“A lot of these products are made with ingredients from here, keeping even more money in the community,” noted Nora Ferrell, a Minnesota 2020 spokeswoman.

For a list of local producers, visit www.mn2020.org/giftguide.
 

Cliffs acquires chromite company

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Cliffs Natural Resources, owner of Northshore Mining and United Taconite, will acquire a Canadian-based company that mines chromite, a mineral used for industrial purposes.

Cleveland-based Cliffs is set to buy three chromite deposits from Montreal-based Freewest Resources, said a news release today.

“This long-term project is consistent with Cliffs’ stated strategy to broaden its mineral diversification and opens the door tp a new universe of customers," said Cliffs’ Chairman, President and CEO Joseph A. Carrabba in a news release. "In addition to furnishing the raw-material needs of carbon steel producers, we will become a supplier to producers of stainless steel."

 

More green, less plastic

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If you’re anything like the 8,700 people surveyed by the National Retail Federation, you’ll be paying with cash more this holiday season.

The 2009 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Action Survey, taken in early November, found that 25 percent will be paying for gifts with cash this year, compared to nearly 23 percent last year.

Fewer say they’ll rely on credit cards: 28.3 percent this year compared to 31.5 percent a year ago.

Shoppers are focused on spending within their limits, explained Tracy Mullen, National Retail Federation president and CEO.

While cash appears to be making a comeback, debit or check cards are king. About 43 percent plan to pay for most of their holiday purchases with them, a 2.5 percent increase over last year.

With the convenience of check cards, checks seem to be going out of style. Only 4 percent say they’ll pay for most purchases with checks.

 

Survey suggests improving economy in Midwest

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OMAHA, Neb. — For the third straight month, a survey of rural bankers in the Midwest and Plains suggests the weak economic conditions are strengthening, if slowly.

A report issued Thursday by economist Ernie Goss of Creighton University says the overall index for the Rural Mainstreet economy rose to 38.4 this month, compared with 37.5 in October and 36.5 in September.

The new figure is well below the growth-neutral score of 50 but far above the record low of 16.9 set in February.

The index runs 0 to 100. Organizers say a score below 50 suggests the economy will contract in the next few months; above 50 indicates the economy will expand.

The survey covers Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

This story is from the Associated Press

There’s always a catch

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While the beginning on Friday of Allegiant Air’s non-stop flights between Duluth and Orlando is welcome news, there’s a catch.

The flights do not go to the Orlando International Airport but to the more distant and smaller Sanford International Airport, 18 miles northeast of Orlando.

That means extra costs if you take a taxi to Disney properties in Orlando. One commenter on this blog claims the taxi ride costs about $140.

While we can’t confirm that, Brian Ryks, executive director of the Duluth Airport Authority, says the secondary travel cost depends on where you’re going. Orlando Beach, for example, isn’t that far, he says.

He said Allegiant flies in and out of the Sanford airport because it’s less costly for the airlines and allows it to offer its signature low rates. Flights between Orlando and Duluth generally cost $99.99, but a special one-way fare of $79.99 is being offered for many flights taken by March 1 when tickets are purchased by Dec. 2.

“The one thing you’ve got to remember, is this is a low cost carrier service,” Ryks said. “They go there (Sanford airport) so they can offer a lower fare.”
 

Ryks says people like flying in and out of Sanford airport because it’s smaller than the main airport while still offering amenities such as car rentals.

 

Minnesota unemployment rate climbs in October

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ST. PAUL — Minnesota’s three-month streak of falling unemployment was broken in October when the rate climbed to 7.6 percent, although accompanying job gains left officials optimistic.

The updated figure was announced Thursday by the state Department of Employment and Economic Development. It compares with a seasonally adjusted 7.4 percent rate for September. The country’s unemployment rate for October was 10.2 percent.

As the state’s rate fell the last few months, officials cautioned that some of the drop was a result of out-of-work people giving up on job searches.

The latest update said employers in the state added a net 2,200 jobs, with the biggest gains coming in professional and business services. Most of those are classified as temporary hires.

Department Commissioner Dan McElroy said growth in temporary hiring is an indicator of economic recovery. He said it is similar to what experts saw the last time the country was pulling out of a prolonged economic slump.

“I wouldn’t claim we are out of the woods or definitely experienced a turning of the corner,” McElroy said on a conference call. “But you’ve got to start some place. This is a good place to start.”

Six of 11 industry sectors the state tracks added jobs, ranging from education and health services to leisure and hospitality. Logging and mining employment was flat and losses were seen in sectors like construction and manufacturing.

Minnesota is still down 100,000 jobs from this point a year ago.

Non-stop Duluth-to-Orlando

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Those taking the first-ever Allegiant Air non-stop flight from Duluth to Orlando Friday morning will get a send-off they’re not likely to forget anytime soon.

Lots of hoopla and fanfare, a 10 a.m. press conference featuring Mayor Don Ness and airline officials and, of course, a party.

It’s the start of the carrier’s regular non-stop flights between Duluth and Orlando. Flights will depart Duluth International Airport every Monday and Friday at 11:15 a.m. and arrive in Orlando at 3:45 p.m., considering in the time difference. Return flights will leave Orlando the same days at 8 a.m. and arrive in Duluth at 10:35 a.m.

One-way rates can be gotten for as low as $99.99.

The low cost carrier also offers regular flights between Duluth and Las Vegas.