July 2011


Current Issue: July 2011
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Anderson Builders and KM Building Company, led by Greg Anderson and Steve Faber, respectively, have joined with senior-level real estate and construction executives Kent Carlson and Arne Cook to form a new firm, Anderson-KM Builders.

Ramping up production on internal molding and tooling engineering support, Donnelly Custom Manufacturing has purchased a Super Mold Maker 2500i Vertical CNC milling machine, drastically reducing lead times and removing the need for subcontractors.

Launching the latest in inventory tracking for small- to mid-size distributors, JumpTech's JumpPOD cuts time and computers by using cloud-based software through smartphone technology.
Features
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Q: Syngenta Global is true to its name, with offices around the world, and headquarters in Switzerland. Why is the seeds operation in Minnesota?
Features

In the conference room of NatureWorks, paper cups and empty salad containers are placed just so on product display shelves, above a pair of children's shoes, socks and a package of diapers. Across the room, a small throw rug and blanket hang next to a fashionable white shirt that wouldn't be out of place at a downtown hipster hangout.
Features

Eide Bailly, the Fargo-based accounting firm, is the kind of office-tenant that landlords would like to find more of. In late October, the firm will move about 120 of its Twin Cities employees into a 40,000-square foot space on the 13th floor of US Bancorp Center at 800 Nicollet Mall.
After 5

On Sunday, Sept. 25, women will run the Twin Cities.About 2,500 women participate each year in the "Women Run the Cities" event, a fundraiser for charitable causes staged by MNCREW, a unique professional association for women in the commercial real estate industry.
Back Talk

David Shea is the owner and CEO of Shea, Inc., and perhaps one of the best-known designers and architects in the country. He founded Shea in 1978 with a perspective other firms were lacking: a focus on full integration of interior design and architecture.
Bottom Line

Imagine attending your company's annual rewards and recognition ceremony. More than half of the employees are personally recognized for specific accomplishments. Imagine that people take this so seriously that they are competing to achieve excellence every day. When recognized, the award recipients shed actual tears of joy and appreciation.
Bottom Line

There's an old saying: "Bad news sells." Perhaps it explains why media outlets continually barrage us with personal finance sagas. Whether it's stories on mortgage foreclosure, credit card abuse or even bankruptcy, there's no lack of time devoted to financial woe in America.
Communications
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If you're a small- or mid-size business with a goal of global expansion, you may not have to walk any farther than down the street to helpful resources. Locally based businesses-from law firms to accounting partners to communications agencies-have been preparing themselves for your global moment.
Family Business
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Do you need resources for your family business? Do you seek increased commitment from current and future owners? You can achieve both by inviting family members to participate in important business-related roles. Beyond president, CEO or manager, here are some functions you might consider:
Intellectual Property

Business lunches have sparked creative ideas and solutions for centuries. But what happens when David Kappos, director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), breaks bread with Jim Patterson, managing partner of Patterson Thuente, a leading Minnesota intellectual property law firm?
Leadership
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Matt Norman, President of Dale Carnegie Training Minnesota, has been asked by both small and Fortune 500 companies to help increase employee morale and drive productivity. Here's how Norman, a third-generation entrepreneur named 2010 Top Carnegie Sales Manager in the World, suggests you do it:
Technology

Proto Labs firmly believes there's a single good idea at the foundation of every innovation that changes our lives for the better. That's why the company launched Cool Idea!, an award program that's all about nurturing great ideas while they're fresh.