Business Briefs

Bolton & Menk, Inc.
Bolton & Menk, Inc., ranked in the Top 500 Engineering Firms by Engineering News Record (ENR), provides services in the areas of civil, environmental, transportation engineering together with water resources and land surveying services. Established in 1949, our staff of professionals and technicians is available to assist clients in meeting the ever-increasing demand for quality engineering and surveying services. With the corporate office in Mankato, the firm also operates offices in Fairmont, Sleepy Eye, Burnsville, Willmar, Chaska and Ramsey, Minnesota; and Ames, Iowa.

CenterPoint Energy
CenterPoint Energy is Minnesota’s largest natural gas utility, providing safe, reliable supplies of clean-burning natural gas to more than 240 communities. As a provider to energy services for more than 130 years, CenterPoint Energy helps bring comfort and efficiency to more than 760,000 people. The company has served Greater Mankato since 1937.

Central Concrete
Serving the Greater Mankato for over 50 years, Central Concrete supplies ready mix, ICF forms for concrete homes and other related products to local and regional contractors, dealers, and homeowners. Through Superior Concrete, Central’s sister company, they also offer landscaping materials, agricultural products, and concrete block. In addition to Mankato, Central and Superior Concrete have locations in St. Peter, New Ulm, and Sleepy Eye. Visit their website at www.cencrete.com for more information.

Charter Communications
Charter Communications, Mankato’s local broadband communications company provides a full range of services to the home and business; including: digital cable, HDTV, DVR, OnDemand, High Speed Internet and telephone (coming 2007).
Charter is proud to serve as a local business that provides many resources and donations to the community: free cable and internet to schools, broadcast of local high school and college sports, scholarships and donations/sponsorships for local organizations. MSU recently awarded Charter with their Philanthropic Award, an award presented to businesses that have made significant contributions to the University. Visit www.charter.com for more information or call (888) GET-CHARTER.

Corporate Graphics Commercial
With over 225 employees and 20 years in the marketplace, Corporate Graphics Commercial is the largest commercial printer in southern Minnesota. CGC is recognized for its high-quality, direct-to-plate, full-color printing. An array of presses and finishing equipment allows CGC to produce a variety of products including brochures, corporate ID products, greeting cards, direct-mail pieces, manuals, catalogs, and folders. CGC is also one of the few companies in the United States which manufactures library-bound, juvenile-sized books.

Eide Bailly
Eide Bailly provides a full array of services, including tax, audit, accounting, employee benefits, human resources, financial planning services, technology solutions, forensic accounting and investigative services, and business- and industry-specific consulting services. The firm has offices located in Phoenix, Ariz.; Boise, Idaho; Dubuque, Iowa; Madelia, Mankato and Minneapolis, Minn.; Billings, Mont.; Fargo and Bismarck, N.D.; Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Okl., and Sioux Falls and Aberdeen, S.D.

First National Bank Minnesota
First National Bank Minnesota offers a full range of financial services and products to meet all your financial needs. Locally owned & managed, the entire staff at First National Bank Minnesota strives to meet your financial needs in a highly personal and professional manner. Experience banking the First National Bank Minnesota way. Contact us at 507.625.1121 for additional information.

Fisher Group

HickoryTech
HickoryTech, headquarters in Mankato, MN offers competitive communications solutions to business and residential customers including local voice, long distance, high-speed Internet, DSL, Digital TV, computer repair and IP data networking services. The Company has 400 employees with operations in Minnesota and Iowa. HickoryTech is proud to have been serving the Greater Mankato area for more than 110 years. HickoryTech's Foundation provides grants to non-profit organizations serving the community as part of its vision to help the communities in which it does business. HickoryTech's main office is located at 221 East Hickory Street in downtown Mankato. For more information, visit www.hickorytech.com or call 866-HICKORY.

HyVee
Hy-Vee is a local employee owned supermarket dedicated to serving their customers and community and is proud to be a part of Greater Mankato.

I&S Engineers & Architects
Providing complete design services from start to finish, I&S Engineers & Architects, Inc. has evolved into the most comprehensive, professional design firm in Southern Minnesota. With offices in Mankato and Faribault, I&S provides civil engineering, land surveying, natural resources management, landscape architecture, architecture, interior design, and structural, mechanical, & electrical engineering throughout the region. The advantage of "One Firm - start to finish" is that we offer our clientele simplicity and efficiency as they compete in their respective markets.

ISJ-MHS
Immanuel St. Joseph's includes a 272-bed JCAHO-accredited hospital, primary care physician clinics (ISJ Clinic - NorthRidge and ISJ Clinic - EastRidge) and a specialty physician clinic (ISJ Clinic - Marsh Street). It is also the center of a regional network of three other hospitals and eleven primary care clinics serving south central Minnesota as part of Mayo Health System. Immanuel St. Joseph's also has a management services agreement with St. James Health Services, Inc. a hospital and physician clinic in St. James.

Katolight Corporation
Katolight Corporation manufactures engine generator sets, which are distributed worldwide to various applications ranging from agricultural to commercial, healthcare to telecommunications. Katolight Corporation was founding in 1952 and remains a family-owned business. Katolight Corporation employs over 200 people. Dependable Power Solutions…It’s All We Do. Contact 507.625.7973 or visit www.katolight.com for additional information.

Kato Engineering
Kato Engineering designs and manufactures electric generators for prime, standby and peak-shaving power generators. From turbines on off shore oil rigs to deep inside the hulls of US Navy ships, Kato’s innovative products can be found around the world in industrial, mining, transportation and military applications. A subsidiary of Emerson Electric, Kato Engineering was founded in 1926.

Mankato Clinic
The Mankato Clinic is a physician-owned clinic that has been serving the community for over 80 years. The main clinic is located at 1230 E. Main St. in Mankato with satellite clinics in North Mankato, Mapleton, Lake Crystal, Blue Earth, St. Peter and Wickersham Health Clinic.

Mankato Lutheran Homes
MLH began in 1922 when the Mankato Area Chamber of Commerce asked the Lutheran Church to build a retirement home for the community's elderly. Fifteen years later, Mankato Lutheran Home opened as a 39-bed home for women. Since that time, Mankato Lutheran Homes has expanded its mission to meet the changing needs of older adults. Over 400 people a day are served through programs and services including skilled nursing care, assisted living, home health care and adult day services. Technology innovations such as Lifeline® and Quietcare® are also available through MLH and are designed to keep seniors healthy, independent and living at home.

Mankato New Car Dealers
The Mankato New Car Dealers is a consortium of new car dealers working to promote the automotive industry in Greater Mankato. Participants include: Clements Auto Company, Heintz Toyota Inc., Lager’s of Mankato Inc., Mankato Ford, Mankato Honda and Snell Indoor Auto Center.

McDonald’s
McDonald’s restaurants are locally owned and operated by Jerry and Marilu Bambery. They have been proud supporters of Greater Mankato since 1985.

Midwest Wireless
Midwest Wireless is a leading regional wireless services provider based in Mankato, Minnesota. The company serves an 85-county area in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa with its voice and data services. Considered a pioneer in providing the newest in technology to rural areas, Midwest Wireless has more than 400,000 customers who take advantage of everything from wireless phone service to high-speed wireless Internet for their homes to mobile Internet service. More information is available at midwestwireless.com.

MinnKota
Johnson Outdoors Inc., formally known as Johnson Fishing/Johnson Worldwide Association has had a strong presence for over 30 years in the Mankato area. The name has changed over time, but the commitment to the Mankato area remains strong.
We are the manufacturer and marketer of recreational products for the Marine Electronics Market. The brands represented in the Marine Electronics Group of Johnson Outdoors include Minn Kota, Cannon & Humminbird. The Minn Kota Trolling motors and Cannon downriggers are both manufactured locally. The Humminbird Fishfinders are manufactured in Eufaula, Alabama. All products are consolidated & shipped from our distribution center here in Mankato for distribution to our world wide customer base.
We are located in 3 facilities within the Mankato area. The main offices and manufacturing are located at 1531 Madison Ave. Our main production center is located at 706 Holly Lane and our Distribution Center is located at 121 Power Drive in the Eastwood Industrial Park. Johnson Outdoors locally employs over 200 people.
Johnson Outdoors takes great pride in providing our customers with products that enhance the outdoors experience with innovation and passion.
For more information visit www.johnsonoutdoors.com.

Minnstar Bank
MinnStar Bank National Association is a locally owned commercial bank which has been serving the area for over 70 years.  With offices in Mankato, Lake Crystal and Good Thunder, we offer all types of loans, deposit products and other financial services.  MinnStar Bank is committed to its customers, employees and the communities it serves by giving back to those communities and encouraging its employees to do the same.  We are proud to be a part of the redevelopment of Downtown Mankato through our investment in a new facility located at Riverfront Drive and Poplar Street. MinnStar Bank: ‘There for you – Making Your Dreams Come True’. 

Orthopaedic & Fracture Clinic
With 14 board certified/board eligible physicians, 100 employees, office in the four cities (Mankato-Wickersham Health Campus, Faribault, Hutchinson and Northfield) and outreach clinics throughout Southern Minnesota, OFC is one of the largest orthopaedic groups in Minnesota. The physicians at OFC specialize in adult reconstructive surgery and joint replacement surgery, physical therapy/sports medicine center, chronic back and neck center, pediatric orthopaedics, hand and wrist surgery and microsurgery.

Paulsen Architects
Understanding, exploring, responding and embracing. That is where great design begins and what we believe in at Paulsen Architects. We take the time to: truly understand our clients needs for today and tomorrow, explore and respond to new and exciting methods that bring function, creativity and efficiency to the spaces we design, embrace opportunities to help our clients save our environment with innovative designs, earth-friendly construction techniques and green-conscious materials. The result is superb design that allows our clients to succeed. To learn more about how Paulsen Architects has become Southern Minnesota's premier, award- winning, full-service design firm, visit www.paulsen-arch.com.

Ridley, Inc./Hubbard Feeds
Ridley Inc. and its wholly owner subsidiary, Hubbard Feeds Inc., is one of North America’s leading commercial animal nutrition companies. From 45 production plants in the United States and Canada, Ridley manufactures and distributes a full range of animal nutrition productions under a number of highly regarded trade names. Proud to be headquartered in Mankato, Ridley’s common shares a listed on The Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol: RCL.

RW Carlstrom Construction

Schwickert’s Incorporated
Schwickert’s is a commercial / residential, Mechanical and Roofing contractor serving the Upper Midwest region for 99 years. The company provides complete Design/Build mechanical services and construction. Schwickerts works with all types of roofing types and applications, we offer preventative maintenance programs, we have a full service plumbing department and 24/7 service and maintenance; in roofing, HVAC and plumbing and also a residential HVAC department.

Snell Motors
Snell currently operates three stores in Mankato, Minnesota. Snell Indoor Auto Center, located at 1900 Madison Avenue, features a 70-car indoor showroom and over 450 vehicles on site. Inventory includes Buick, Pontiac, GMC and Cadillac vehicles and a wide selection of pre-owned vehicles. Snell provides its customers with Finance, Service, Parts, Body Shop and Custom Accessories. Snell’s second store, Mankato Credit Yes, at 800 North Riverfront Drive, specializes in vehicles under $5000 and guaranteed credit approval using Credit Acceptance Corp. - a Snell owned funding source for people with challenged credit. The third location, Snell’s Quick Lube Plus, at 228 Poplar Street, offers a convenient location for vehicle maintenance.

United Prairie Bank

Valley Bank
August 1, 1963, Valley National Bank opened for business staffed with four employees in a converted mobile home while the permanent facilities were under construction. Today Valley Bank has four locations, and a staff of 40 whose top priority is to provide their customers with the highest level of service possible whether in person, by phone or via Internet. We are proud to be a community bank that builds relationships with our customers and takes the time to know their customers and understand their financial situation. Visit us at www.valleybank.net. Member FDIC.

Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo is a leading provider of financial services in Greater Mankato and southern Minnesota. We offer a full array of products and services to satisfy the financial needs of our customers, including banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance. Wells Fargo's Community Banking approach means that decisions are made at the local level on behalf of our Mankato and North Mankato customers and the communities we serve. Our mission at Wells Fargo is to help our customers become financially successful and to meet all of their financial needs.

Offices located conveniently at 206 Hickory Street East and 1600 Madison Avenue in Mankato and 1760 Commerce Drive in North Mankato, we invite you to stop in to meet us. Our team members will work closely with you to understand your financial needs and find the right solutions to help you meet your financial goals.

Westman Freightliner
Westman Freightliner is a franchised Freightliner truck dealership specializing in truck sales, service and parts sales to the trucking industry. Owner, Randy Westman, whose education includes both diesel mechanics and management, has been an icon in the trucking industry since 1976. Westman Freightliner has locations at 2200 4th Avenue N, Mankato, MN, 1150 Torgerson Drive, Fairmont, MN and 1501 N. Hwy 59, Marshall, MN. The business also operates Diesel Systems, which specializes in turbo chargers, fuel injectors and diesel pump repair for agricultural applications, commercial trucks and all diesel engines, and Kato Radiator, which is the area leader in radiator repair.

Winland Electronics, Inc.
Winland Electronics, Inc. designs and manufactures custom electronic controls and assemblies primarily for original equipment manufacturer (OEM) customers. The company also maintains a presence in the security/industrial markets with the sales of its own line of proprietary environmental security products. Winland is a public company that is traded on AMEX under the symbol WEX. Visit our website at www.winland.com.