For Jay McAninch, it’s not about bows and arrows. It’s family and teamwork. McAninch (pronounced MAC-an-inch), president/CEO of the Archery Trade Association for the last 12 years, manages an organization of about 600 manufacturer members, a few thousand retail members, an annual budget of more than $4 million, and an international headquarters in New Ulm.
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Elmer Rolloff wended his way between tables and shelves of boxes containing electrical items most of us have never heard of. He perched on a stool. Toothpick in mouth, he began to tell how the electrical business used to be back when he began seven decades ago.
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As you step through Schmidt’s Meat Market’s doorway under the “Willkommen” sign, the old-time smokehouse aroma quickens your taste buds. You walk past a wall displaying numerous awards, and your eyes feast upon the beef jerky, specialty sausages, fresh meat cuts, and other mouth-watering morsels.
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Brian Fowler is a storyteller—and not only with a camera. He shuts off his cell phone, which has a ring tone of James Brown’s line “I feel good,” and begins to answer a question about where he grew up with a description of his great-great-grandfather’s 1868 homestead claim. During the interview, he throws out a jaw-dropping line about getting a call from the White House to shoot photos of then-President George W. Bush. Fowler veers right past that explanation to talk about employees, friends—such as Free Press photographer John Cross—and wife Karen and three daughters, who work with him.
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Certified life coach business owner, House of Hope development director, North Mankato city council member, landlord, and community leader goes full throttle to help others improve.
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“It’s the Black Angus of pork, well known for superior quality,” said Jim Compart, president of Compart Family Farms in Nicollet, referring to the custom meat his family’s hogs produce. Our Compart Duroc branded pork is served at ‘white tablecloth’ restaurants like the Radisson in Minneapolis and Caesar’s Palace and Bellagio in Las Vegas.
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Stepping through the door of the Jarraff Industries office on the north side of St. Peter, the reporter first sees a four-foot-high stuffed giraffe. Too big to be a child’s toy, the giraffe wears a kerchief proclaiming the name of the business. It doesn’t take much imagination to make the connection between the long-necked animal and the tree-cutting equipment George Boyum began producing 35 years ago.
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“Growing older presents many challenges in health, lifestyle, and relationships. We help our clients meet those challenges with dignity and respect,” said Sharon Chader, the founder and owner of Elder Care Services, which operates from the Chader home on acreage on the edge of Madison Lake.
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What business has been around for more than a half century, serves the music needs of several south-central Minnesota communities and is owned and operated by people who work there without pay?
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