The Chamber of Commerce congratulates Wendy’s Wonder Works for its new location at 1229 Hennepin Avenue in downtown Glencoe.  Owner Wendy Klaustermeier is excited about the new location with the business being located at the intersection of Hennepin Avenue and 13th Street.  The business offers fresh flowers and is known for its distinctive arrangements and unique flower selection.

With the recent acquisition of the Farm Store division of Double L Group, Ltd., in Dyersville, Iowa, Miller Manufacturing Company (Miller) is again expanding its manufacturing and distribution presence in Glencoe. This is the company’s second expansion in the last six months bringing new jobs to the State of Minnesota.

“We are excited about the purchase of the Farm Store Division of Double L Group, Ltd. and look forward to the additional growth opportunities it will bring Springer Magrath and our distributor and retail partners.” says Dan Ferrise, CEO of Miller. “With the addition of these product lines we expect to bring more jobs to the Glencoe, Minnesota community, and will be welcoming employees from the Garnavillo, Iowa manufacturing facility to the Miller team. The Garnivillo facility will continue to operate in Iowa under Miller.”

This announcement followed the company’s decision in November of 2011 to relocate its manufacturing operations from McCook, Nebraska to Miller’s Glencoe facility. At that time, Dan Ferrise said “As a result of the success we have had running our Miller Manufacturing operation in Glencoe, we made the decision to relocate Springer Magrath expanding our presence and employee base in Glencoe.”

Miller Manufacturing relocated to Glencoe, purchasing the former Nordic Track property in 2005, resulting in extensive renovations to the 285,000 square foot facility. The facility is located along State Highway 22. Miller worked with the City of Glencoe to qualify for the State of Minnesota’s JOBZ business development program to meet the company’s relocation needs.

The company employs approximately 144 full time workers plus 57 temporary workers with more than half of the employees being hired since their relocation to the community. Miller currently has 9 vacant positions they are recruiting for that can be found at www.miller-mfg.com.

About Miller Manufacturing Company:

Miller Manufacturing Company is a market-leading manufacturer, distributor and marketer of farm, ranch and pet products which are sold under the brand names of Little Giant®, Hot-Shot® Springer Magrath® and Pet Lodge™. Today, Miller’s catalog features over 900 products which are sold through a large network of farm and animal health supply distributors in the United States and over 30 countries around the world. Miller started as a family-owned business in 1941 and today is owned and operated by Frandsen Corporation of North Branch, MN.

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For the forth year in a row, McLeod County Businesses worked together during the month of March to help raise donations for the McLeod Emergency Food Shelf. The Glencoe Area Chamber of Commerce, Hutchinson Area Chamber and CVB, and the Business Associations of Lester Prairie, Silver Lake, Plato, Stewart, Brownton, and Winsted competed in a friendly challenge collecting over 107,000 pounds of donations to feed the hungry in McLeod County.

Based on the per capita challenge, the City of Plato won this year’s challenge collecting nearly sixteen pounds per resident. The City of Silver Lake claimed second place with roughly five and a half pounds donated per resident. Close behind in third place was the City of Glencoe with an average of five pounds being donated on a per capita basis.

There was approximately 20,000 more pounds collected in 2012 compared to last year’s challenge. Most importantly, the donations collected during the month of March are matched by Minnesota Food Share Network. “The support from local businesses and residents was impressive, thank you to everyone that donated, it is greatly appreciated. The need for food is still there, and this food drive should help us make it through the middle of summer. With kids home from school the needs grows. Again thank you for your donations on behalf of all of those that use the food shelf!” said Marietta Newman, McLeod County Food Shelf.

Thank you to everyone that donated as part of the 2012 McLeod County Food Drive Challenge. Those wanting to make additional donations throughout the year can drop off donations at the following locations here in McLeod County.

105 2nd Avenue Southwest
Hutchinson, MN 55350
PHONE NUMBER: (320) 587-4796

808 12th Street East
Glencoe, MN 55336
PHONE NUMBER: (320) 864-2088

2011 Drive Results – Pounds/Dollars & Per Capita
Brownton = 1,394; 1.83 per capita
Glencoe = 30,081; 5.34 per capita
Hutchinson = 42,990; 3.03 per capita
Lester Prairie = 6,900; 3.99 per capita
Plato = 4,974; 15.55 per capita
Silver Lake = 4,568; 5.46 per capita
Stewart = 1,004; 1.75 per capita
Winsted = 9,546; 4.05 per capita
Other Donations = 5,601; n/a

The BBDPI program focuses on job creation and retention through the growth of new bioscience businesses. It provides grants to local governmental units on a competitive basis statewide for up to 50 percent of the capital cost of the public infrastructure necessary to expand or retain jobs.

In Glencoe, the grant will be matched with local resources to expand the industrial park’s second addition with the construction of Gruenhagen Drive. The new street will service an expanding Midwest Porcine Recovery (MPR) facility, which was built in 2010. In addition to bringing new jobs to the community, MPR’s growth has provided an opportunity for the City of Glencoe to make further investments to the industrial park’s infrastructure.

As well as servicing MPR, the new road will make two adjacent lots ready to build sites for prospective companies. Glencoe’s Industrial Park is located on the east side of the community along four lane US Highway 212 with rail service available through Twin Cities & Western Railroad.

“With the support of the State of Minnesota, the City of Glencoe is in a unique position to expand its industrial park” said Mark Larson, Glencoe’s City Administrator. “As a community, we recognize how important jobs are to our future and we believe this investment will help build a strong foundation for growing Glencoe’s economy”.

Glencoe is a growing community of nearly 6,000 people located just 50 miles west of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. It features a diverse economy with a skilled workforce. Whether considering expansion or relocation, the City of Glencoe invites you to discover the benefits of doing business in Glencoe’s industrial park.

Further details on Glencoe’s industrial park and other business development opportunities can be found by visiting www.glencoemn.org. Those wanting to review pricing, incentives, and other business assistance programs can contact Dan Ehrke, Glencoe’s Business Development Specialist, in the Chamber of Commerce office by calling (320) 864-3650.

Glencoe’s downtown commercial district is experiencing a renewal following two significant redevelopment projects that added two new businesses to Glencoe’s business community. The projects included the redevelopment of the former Oriel Theater building across from the McLeod County Courthouse and the former Shell Convenience Station on 10th Street next to NAPA Auto & Do It Best Hardware.

Mike Redden and Scott Nokes, Glencoe Law Office

The Glencoe Law office is a full-service law firm. Attorneys Mike Redden and Scott Nokes handle criminal, traffic, family, estate planning, business, bankruptcy, debt collection and civil litigation matters. Their staff comprises of two attorneys, a paralegal, a legal secretary, and a law clerk. The 2011 renovations of the former Oriel Theater Building, now Nokes Law Building, included demolishing the entire interior of the building, replacing the roof, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical/HVAC systems. The interior of the building was completely renovated, and include: a reception area, waiting atrium, seven office spaces, conference room, library loft, and various other features. The exterior of the building was painted and new windows were added on the second floor facing the McLeod County Courthouse.

Aiding in these projects, Glencoe’s City Council approved tax abatement agreements for both properties. In approving these agreements, the City of Glencoe recognized the projects would increase property taxes and provide employment opportunities, while redeveloping two properties.

The agreements are a win-win for both the City and property owners. The City offered an incentive that will help the businesses during their first five years of operations. After the five year tax abatement agreements expire, the City will then capture the full amount of real estate tax, including the tax from the increased value from the completed investments.

New businesses moving to the community are important milestones. Congratulations to Glencoe Law Office and PureLife Chiropractic and Wellness Center for their new business operations within the City of Glencoe. The City of Glencoe is dedicated to fostering growth for new and existing businesses. Plain and simple, City leaders are committed to seeing your business succeed.

Those interested in exploring business development opportunities can contact Dan Ehrke at the Glencoe Area Chamber of Commerce office, (320) 864-3650, to schedule an appointment. Details on available properties and other economic development resources can also be found at www.glencoemn.org

In addition to modernizing its facilities and technology, GRHS continues to recruit new health care providers, giving patients better access to care. In 2011, they welcomed a new internal medicine physician and began offering nurse midwife services. In all, nearly 600 people are employed by GRHS, including 21 health care providers.

“We are proud to be a part of the Glencoe community,” said Jon Braband, GRHS President and CEO. “We are committed to this region and as health care continues to grow and change, so will we.”

Starkey Hearing Technologies, a world leader in manufacturing hearing devices, has a long history of innovation. The company’s Glencoe facility is a testament to this approach. The facility’s most recent investments added another paint spray drum coater. The coater, installed in January of 2012, allows the company to double its painting capacity to over 4 million plastic parts annually.

There are only two of these German built machines in North America and both are located in Starkey’s Glencoe facility. The machines play an important role in the company’s Injection Mold Department. The Injection Mold Department enhancements along with the Machine Shop, which was relocated to Glencoe from the Eden Prairie corporate campus in 2010, resulted in building renovations and equipment investments in excess of $1 million.

The company currently occupies 34,000 square feet and recently acquired 34,000 square feet of additional warehouse space in the building previously occupied by Young America Corp. Starkey began its operations in Glencoe in 1980 with 13 full-time employees. The company now employs 166 full-time employees at their Glencoe facility.

The facility now supplies space for All American Hearing Call Center, which relocated from Minneapolis to Glencoe’s facility at the end of December bringing jobs to the community. Starkey Glencoe is also home to a Pin Drop Hearing office, which previously was in Hutchinson. Pin Drop Hearing offices are located throughout MN. Clients schedule appointments with Pin Drop Hearing and can come to the Glencoe facility for hearing tests and fittings.

Starkey is the hearing aid industry’s only American owned and operated company. From their research and development work to their American-made craftsmanship, Starkey continues to solidify itself as a world leader. This standard of excellence was on display at their Innovation Expo in Las Vegas, January 3 – 6, 2012, where Starkey introduced the latest products to over 3,000 domestic and international customers. One of the stars of the expo was the Starkey’s Wi Series™ wireless technology.

The Wi Series™, Starkey’s most advanced hearing aid on the market today, features their latest noise reduction and speech preservation system designed to deliver improved sound clarity even in the noisiest situations.

“The last two years significantly changed the face of our Glencoe operation, reinforcing its mission in the global Starkey Operation. Our proximity to the corporate campus makes Glencoe an attractive extension of the location. I look forward to Glencoe’s continued development as Starkey grows” Bruce Shamla, Director of Global Manufacturing.