Palladium-Item Community Progress

your community, your home.

PROGRESSa Palladium-Item Media Group Publication

2 n Palladium-Item n Sunday, April 14, 2013 PROGRESS

Build from it. Recovery starts now.

mental illness and addiction treatmentthroughout the lifespan

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Appointments and Information: 800-344-8802

Crisis Line: 800-832-5442

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Thinking about refinancing?(Maybe you should.)

Home mortgage interest ratesare at historic lows!

PI-0000162013

It’s Springtime, and with the season comes our annual economic report card. In these pages you will read about the progress, advancements and improvements many local businesses have made over the past year. These are businesses and advertisers that have stood up to difficult economic challenges and have embraced that there is only one way to move; that’s forward.

3 - VanVleet Insurance Company4 - Stitching Nook5 - West End Bank6 - Warm Glow Candle Company7 - Koons Appliances8 - Reid Hospital9 - Reid Hospital10 - Georgia Direct Carpet

Welcome to Progress!

table of contents

Sunday, April 14, 2013 n Palladium-Item n 3PROGRESS

By Mike Bennett

The VanVleet Insurance Agency is vibrant and visible

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Home • Auto • Business • Life

WeHave Moved to Our New LocationSame Great People • Same Great Service • Same Great Coverage

VanVleet Insurance

It’s truly on the move since relocating in March to Glen Miller Parkway, just across from the park and golf course

along East Main Street. The increased visibility has helped spark a growth in volume, along with a strong marketing plan and pleased customers. “We are really happy,” said president Brad VanVleet. “This is the busiest road in Richmond. We’ve seen a substantial increase in activity in the month we’ve been here.” He and his father, Eric, became aware late last year that the former bank was for sale and were quick to make a deal. “It is a big step, a substantial investment in time and money, but well worth it,” Eric Van-Vleet said. “The hometown agency was growing anyway and needed more space. We were up last year in policy count and revenue. I suspect that will happen again.” “It’s fun to be part of the business when it’s growing. It has energized me.” The move already has facilitated the addition of an employee -- Michael Elor-

reaga, an Earlham College graduate -- to keep pace with the increased sales oppor-tunities. The agency was formerly located at 1110 South A Street for 32 years. The building is now occupied by Ameriprise. The new site offers VanVleet Insurance Agency more room for the 10 employees, more parking spaces and easy access with two street entrances, said Brad Van Vleet. “We want to offer a heartfelt thank you to all of the loyal clients who have made it possible for the business to relocate to such a desirable location,” he said. The building also features a drive-through, which allows customers to drop off payments or pick up paperwork with-out leaving their vehicles. Other amenities include a skylight above 60 percent of the space. That creates a more open and cheerier environment for employees and customers, Eric Van Vleet said. Six agents are licensed in Indiana and Ohio. They sell and service personal lines of insurance (home and auto) and com-

mercial lines (office, contractor and manu-facturer). Kyle Zajdel specializes in life and health insurance and Medicare supplements. Erie Insurance, along with Celina Insur-ance and a few other specialized companies, offer very competitive markets both in personal lines and commercially. Brad and Eric VanVleet are proud of the fact that the agency has six employees under the age of 35, a youth movement that is needed to succeed in a competitive market. “The engines of growth are young people. That’s how you create a future,” Brad said. Several marketing strategies engineered by Kelly VanVleet have helped the agency be positioned well, too. The agency has a strong media presence and also works hard to service customers. “She’s done a super job,” Eric Van Vleet said. “She said if we invest in the current base, we actually make them ambassadors, bring-ing us more customers.” The strategies include a VIP party for those who make referrals, a car wash for clients and a Christmas party that is open to all clients and held at the Wayne County Museum. Strong word-of-mouth testimonies are essential in the growth of the company. “We have a wonderful referral program ... 30 were made last month,” Eric VanVleet said. “We work it. It’s a very active program that pays dividends.” The VanVleets invite anyone to stop by and see the new office.

The agency phone numbers are (765) 935-5655 and toll free (866) 935-5655. More information also is available on the company Website at vanvleetinsurance.com

“It’s fun to be a part of the business when it’s growing. It has energized me”


Stitching Nook draws its base of customers from eastern Indiana and western Ohio, but there often are

visitors from around the region and the nation. Interstate 70 is nearby. The store carries a full line of Viking-Husqvarna sewing machines and sergers. It is certified in the repair and service of them. New owners can take a free class and five years of free service is also offered with any machine purchase of more than $500. The Stitching Nook hosts a variety of events through out the year. The “Stars over Indiana” shop hop is scheduled June 7-15. On June 25, Pat Knoechel will give a lecture and demonstration. She is the sister of Eleanor Burns from Quilt in a Day. The location of Knoechel’s event will be announced. Additional details, and more information about the store, can be found at the website www.stitchingnook.com. The stitching attraction -- or addiction - is reaching more younger woman. “We’re

getting a bunch of 30-somethings,” Bruns says. “Young women have kids who may be starting school (and now have more time). We have some mother-daughter combina-tions. It’s a connecting thing.” The store is all about connecting. There was a constant flow of phone calls and drop-ins from friends and customers on a recent morning. Besides making purchases and chatting about the weather, they asked for sewing tips and told about recent trips. Another Stitching Nook strong point is a wide variety of product selections, from handbags to wall hangings, from books to bolts of material, from cotton batting to colorful bibs, from totes to table runners. “We try hard to keep things fresh and new,” Bruns says. “We have to be versatile. We stay positive and look for new things.” Other strong points include an experi-

The Stitching Nook is all about ConnectingTh

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100% Cotton for Quilting • Machine Embroidery, Threads and StabilizersFully Certified in Software and Repair • We service all makes and models.

Schedule of classes available in store and online.PI-0000162014

Let’s Start Something Beautiful!From Beginner to Advanced

Sewing • Quilting • Embroidery

140M

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By Mike Bennett “Classes are an integral part of Stitching Nook’s mission to provide the best services and education.”

enced, helpful and creative staff that is knowledgeable about all aspects of the business. The five employees have decades of experience in stitch-ing and in serving customers. They advise customers on products that include threads, fabrics, notions and everything necessary to finishing quilts. She likes to mix it up with a variety of classes for all levels, but there always are some aimed for beginners. “There’s always some-body new to this,” Bruns says as she smiles while hearing happy chatter coming from a class that is going on at the back of the store. “When they leave, they’ll have a quilt top done and they’ll be so excited. Hopefully, they’ll be addicted.” Classes are an integral part of Stitching Nook’s mission to provide the best services and education, says owner Diana Bruns. “ I think

that’s one of our strong points.” They learn. They laugh. They leave with finished products -- and hopefully a love for the craft that’s enjoyed by millions. Students

attending the classes—weekdays and Satur-days—receive a 20% discount on supplies. Updates are made often to the store’s website and Facebook page, Bruns says. “We constantly update our Facebook page,” she says. “You’d be amazed how many people in their 80s are doing that.” Customers can sign up through the web-site for a regular newsletter that is filled with information about classes, new products and upcoming special events.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The store is closed Sundays.

The phone number is (765) 963-7678 and email is [email protected].


“Home to aDistinctive

Style of BankingSince 1894”

Richmond - Main Office962-9587

34 South 7th St.

Liberty458-6485

207 North Main St.

Hagerstown489-4011

10 East Main St.

Richmond - Eastside966-0328

101 S. 37th St.

www.westendbank.comToll Free 1-866-962-9587

By Mike Bennett

It’s carved in stone at West End BankW

est End BankWhat’s good for the community is

good for the bank.Simply put, that means every

bank team member is focused on serving the needs of the community. “That’s our culture,” President John McBride said. The culture extends to individuals as well as institutions, businesses as well as non-profits, younger people as well as older. “Our best commitment is to support the community,” said McBride. “The bet-ter they do, the better we do. Community banks are essential to the fabric of a small community.” In that “essential” realm, the new West End Bank Founda-tion has reached out to help two commu-nity organizations in Richmond by approv-ing sizeable donations to Wernle Youth & Family Treatment Center and the Third Grade Academy summer reading program founded by leaders Rick Ahaus andVic Jose. Wernle is in the midst of an unprec-edented growth, including a three-year campaign that will add buildings, grow employment and help to heal more local young people and their families. The Third Grade Academy is show-ing success in tackling an identified need by getting more children to read at grade level. “Statistics show that most can’t catch up if they can’t read well by the third grade,” McBride said. The West End Bank Foundation was created in January of 2012. “The dona-tions are in addition to the commitments we’ve always made,” he said. “They’ve increased, not just shifted.” The bank has two sites in Richmond, one in Hagerstown and one in Liberty. McBride is noticing an uptick in the

local economy and is feeling a bit better about the near-future. The bank has seen an increase in mortgage financing, signal-ing more optimism by consumers. “The sky-is-falling scenario hasn’t oc-curred,” McBride said. “The public said to our government representatives, ‘we want you to get something done now.’” West End Bank is getting things done in a variety of new ways, with a strong emphasis on financial education. • The bank reinvented its Web site, which appeals to a multi-generational

group of customers. “Now, it includes investor relations,” McBride said. “You can experience all of our products from our latest “Centsable” application for finan-cial literacy for children to determining a couple’s mortgage payment online. I am convinced that current and future bank customers will continue to demand new and innovative electronic services deliv-ered to them at their convenience and time. West End Bank, S.B. is committed to that type of innovative services.” • West End Bank, S.B.’s student-oper-ated branches have been expanded in all elementaries for Richmond Community Schools as well as our current student-op-erated branch at Richmond High School. Over 220 students are active in maintain-ing savings accounts. In addition, West End Bank donates 1 percent of these sav-ings balances back for the academic clubs for Richmond Community Schools. • The bank provided all fourth-graders with the book “Three Cups.” The truth-

based book teaches “the idea of financial discipline with examples of what we are talking about,” McBride said. That includes saving, spending and charitable giving. • With “student operated branches,” West End Bank, S.B. provides these stu-dents with their first real experience in interviewing for a job, in “dressing for suc-cess,” basic math skills, providing customer service and thinking about their future. “We have employed nine graduating seniors,” McBride said. Annually the branch students attend one of our monthly team meetings and report, just as our branch managers do, on their activities, deposit growth and community involvement. “Our team members enjoy this event greatly,” McBride said. This program with the schools has been fulfilling for West End Bank employees as well as the students. “They have done great with the kids. They bond well,” he said. Employees are encouraged to get in-volved with any volunteer activities. The bank, in turn, awards them “logo dollars” that are used to acquire bank wear. “I am amazed at the amount of new team members already involved,” McBride said. Most boards of directors for charitable groups in the community have a West End Bank member contributing in some manner for a better future. The bank has displayed its commitment footprint in the area in recent years by building or upgrading all of its sites. Reno-vations were finished in fall of 2011 on the Hagerstown office. Before that, new sites were built in Richmond and Liberty and the main office was renovated. West End locations are at 34 South Sev-enth St. and 101 S. 37th St. in Richmond, 10 E. Main St. in Hagerstown and 207 N. Main St. in Liberty. Call (765) 962-9587 or visit westendbank.com for more information.

“Our best commitment is to support the community,” said McBride. “The

better they do, the better we do. Community banks are essential to the

fabric of a small community.”

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Visitors and regular customers can see it up close. Travelers can see it while driving along Interstate 70.

They all can’t help but notice that the Warm Glow Candle Co. Store is aglow with growth. “There are wonderful things going on out here,” confirms owner Jackie Carberry. Those wonderful things include construction toward the east that is nearly doubling the size of the main building. It also includes a garden center that opened in De-cember, new products, an increasingly informative Website and the popular Spring Open House, which will fill the grounds May 3-5. The main addition is expected to be finished by the end of summer, but Carberry said she is nearly certain that space in it will temporarily be open for the open house that draws thousands for a weekend of fun activities that include food, entertainment and one-of-a-kind sales. “Sometimes it feels like a whirlwind,” Carberry said. But, an increase in space and products “creates

new momentum.”That momentum also will bring a boost in employ-ment by three or four team members. The new garden center, called The Watering Can, offers a variety of unique gardening and home decor items for customers. “We have lots of statuary and lots of herbs, higher-end gazing balls and birdbaths,” Carberry said. The center offers a wide range of year-round items. There are plans to add bedding plants soon, but not tools yet.The construction used some materials from the original building that was taken down last year. “We repurposed all of the doors and windows from the original,” Carberry said. “The ceiling is tin from the old barn. We tried to repurpose as much as possible.” The main store will be rearranged when the construction is finished. It will feature two musts for visitors -- a top-notch, down-home restaurant and unique restrooms. New products will include offerings that range from wines to chocolates to floral designs. “Six dif-

ferent wineries have committed to us. We’ll have a nice variety to offer,” Carberry said. “We’ll have a gourmet food section.” The extra space will allow many products to stand more on their own. “Right now, some candle fragrances (the store features about 75) have to share cabinets. We have found they work better in one,” she said. “We will be bringing in more of what is selling well.” The store serves a wide range of returning customers and new ones. Many come from word of mouth, many from advertising efforts and many from buses that stop in off the Centerville exit to Interstate 70. “We are so blessed,” Carberry said. “Our location and our marketing is top notch.” The store seeks to create a destination feel for shoppers of all ages and economic positions in life. “You have to meet everyone’s budget (with prod-ucts),” she said. “We are pulling many different per-sonalities and budgets. That is really a challenge.” The challenge is being met. “It makes me happy to see growth,” Carberry said. “I am surrounded with a wonderful team. There is nothing else that’s I’d rather do.” The success allows her the luxury of bringing her four dogs to work with her at the candle factory in Centerville.The dogs, which include three Labradoodles and a rescue pup, helped christen the garden center. Their paw prints can be seen in the floor because they ran around in the wet cement after it was poured.The dogs have been like family to customers and team members alike. “A lot of folks bring them treats,” Carberry said. “They are part of who we are and what we do.” The Warm Glow Co. Store started in 2000 and major additions were finished six years ago. The Spring Open House started then and have grown every year since. Carberry said this year’s event will deliver a great time. The store offers items that aren’t normally

carried on that weekend. “They are good buys that I have made that we can give a discount,” she said. “We want to make it more of an event than a sale. We’ll have wonderful artisans and entertainment. We’ll give away hot dogs and popcorn.” She expects a continued growth at the corner of Centerville Road and Interstate 70. The updated Stuckey’s site - with a gas station, Dairy Queen and Godfather’s Pizza - is a plus for the area, Carberry said. “It is very upscale, eye-appealing,” she said. “Whenever you have that great visual air, it gives another reason for people to pull off the interstate. I don’t think the development is finished yet.” The Warm Glow Candle Outlet is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. It is located off exit 145 of Interstate 70 and has a street address of 2131 N. Centerville Road. Call (765) 855-2000 or visit www.warmglowstore.com

There are wonderful things going on at Warm GlowW

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o By Mike Bennett


Celebrating 47 Years

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Receive an allowance for installation charges as indicated on sales or installation invoice,up to $150 per appliance, up to above started maximum. Expires June 30, 2013

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221 S.W. 18th Street • Richmond, Indiana

765-966-2616Mon-Thurs 9-6 • Fri 9-8 • Sat 9-5

By Mike Bennett

Shop Koons, the store that cares after the sale Koons Appliances

The one overriding mission for Koons Home Cen-ter is matching customers with the products that are perfect for them.

“We fulfill needs here,” says Ron Koons, owner of the 47-year-old store in west Richmond. “What is your need? That’s what important.” The home center fulfills lots of needs after consulting with customers with a large array of products that range from fridges to freezers, from mattresses to microwaves and from washers and dryers to waste disposers. There also is a wide array of popular product names, such as Amana, Frigidaire, Maytag and Whirlpool. But, Koons also carries German-engineered Bosch and Miele brands. Culinary favorites include Wolf and Sub Zero. The newest in the appliance repertoire is Jenn-Aire. The store also carries self-adjusting leisure beds by Tempurpedic and Serta. Koons says it’s vital to match up with each customer’s desires when they pick out and purchase a product and then equally vital to continue the relationship by giving great service after the sale. “First, we find out their needs,” Koons says. “We are all different.” He’ll ask, for example, does a customer that’s wanting to buy a stove bake more or use the burners more. How important is cooking speed? With a washer, the questions would include how many loads of washes do they do and what kinds of materials are usually washed? It goes for other appliances, too. “Not everybody needs a large fridge or a front-load washer,” Koons says. New governmental regulations and factory efforts to save on operation costs affect many appliances and how they work. For example, phosphates have been removed from detergents, so that means clothes must be washed differently than they were before. Many people use too much soap. Some consumers think that cold water works well for all clothes, but there is a minimum tempera-ture needed to release the cleaning enzymes in many detergents. There are people who could save a lot of money by properly using the newer machines. “We make sure they know how to operate them before they leave after purchasing one,” Koons says. He never wants to hear someone say after a sale: “I wish I had known that. Then, we haven’t done our job,” he says. “We want them to tell their friends how good of a job that we’ve done.” Things must be working: “We have a lot of repeat customers,” he says. “We have several families where we are in the third generation of fulfilling their needs.” He recently sold an appliance to a grandchild of one of the first people to buy at the store. “That makes me feel good that families have that much faith in me. I’m honored.” In keeping with a recent trend, Koons continues to sell a lot more leisure beds, ones that can be adjusted for personal preference. People spend eight hours a day in them, so it’s critical to find the right one. There are people who think nothing

of spending $35,000 for a car to spend an hour a day in it, Koons says, so many are seeing it’s worthwhile to spend more on what he calls leisure or spoiler beds. “They spoil a person,” Koons explains. “Once you have one, you won’t want to live without one. It would be like living in a house without air conditioning.” An excellent leisure bed from brands such as Serta and Tempur-Pedic ranges in cost from about $1,500 to $10,000. If someone uses their bed eight hours a day, that would compute to about a dime a day for 10 years -- the time they are guaranteed. A mattress purchased at Koons is guaranteed for 25 years. The growth in them makes sense, he believes, because how people sleep affects so much how they live their everyday lives. Koons also is seeing a rising popularity in high-efficien-cy washers that are top-loaded as well as front-loaded. Induction cook-tops from most manufacturers are picking up in popularity, he says. “It’s been much more popular in Europe,” he says. “They are fast, respond much quicker.” Koons offers many unique products. For example, it is the only Jenn-Air dealer in the area. The new electronic billboard can be easily seen from cars traveling at the intersection of U.S. 40 and S.W. 18th Street. It lists specials and passes on other store informa-tion. Koons still sees many people who are remodeling their homes, rather than buying new ones. They are personal-

“We have serveral families where we are in the third generation of fulfilling their needs”

izing their needs and stepping up to more efficient products. Koons Home Center is unique around the region in that it offers delivery, installation by factory-trained tech-nicians for the large variety of products that it sells. “The box stores have done away with trained techni-cians for after-the-sale service needs. Imagine going to an automotive dealership, purchase a new car/truck, the dealership did NOT have a service department to service the needs of their customers, you have to call an 800 number and trace out your own problems. Would you support such a dealership? Koons said this is same scenario in purchasing appliances from the big box stores! That’s our niche, being full service,” he said. Shop at a store who cares about your appliances as much as you do. Our motto, ‘Tired of 1-800-NO-Help?...Shop Koons, the store that cares after the sale!’” The store has a large variety of parts available for old and new products. Koons Home Center is located at 221 S.W. 18th Street.

The store is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and offer approved credit terms to fit most anyone’s needs.

Call (765) 966-2616 or visit www.koonshomeappli-ances.com <http://www.koonshomeappliances.com/> for more information.


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Less than five years ago, Reid Physi-cian Associates did not exist. Today, it is a rapidly growing network of

primary care physicians and specialists that represents what is a national change in how physicians provide care. “The rapid growth of Reid Physician Associates illustrates a change in physician expectations for practice management and work-life balance,” said Dr. Thomas Huth, Reid vice president, medical affairs. An “old-school” model of doctors caring for patients both in the office and in the hos-pital, often meaning extremely long hours and major impact on their personal lives, has shifted to a model where doctors often choose either outpatient or inpatient care – but not both, he said. Craig Kinyon, Reid President/CEO, said Reid began addressing the challenge of keeping physicians in the community years ago by keeping a full-time recruiter on the team. The team was expanded as it became more challenging to attract doctors to the area when private practice became less desirable for doctors, he said. At the same time, doctors in practice in Richmond and the area began seeking out employ-ment rather than running their own small business. “Local physicians have continued to work harder and get paid less,” he said, “while continuing to cover all the costs of running their practices.” Increasing regula-tion and reimbursement reductions have meant doctors in private practice have seen their incomes decline. “RPA was formed as a result of physi-

cians requesting to be employed or risking having them relocate to other areas that would employ them,” Kinyon said. “Almost all new physicians we recruit are seeking employment as a base requirement before considering our community.” Meanwhile, newer doctors are graduat-ing with an expectation of being able to choose employment and often limiting their services to outpatient care. This is the major factor behind the implementation and growth of the Reid hospitalist program in the past decade. “To be able to attract new recruits, we had to be able to offer op-tions that included a hospitalist program, where we have a team of physicians who take care of patients in the hospital – rather than have doctors try to see patients in a practice and in the hospital,” Huth said. Reid recruitment efforts have been more successful because of the proactive approach to provide employment and a choice to prospective physicians of working either as an outpatient or inpatient physi-cian. These efforts are also benefitting the ar-eas surrounding Reid’s home county. Reid has developed collaborative relationships with some other providers in order to meet each community’s specific needs. The result is a carefully thought out strategy that strengthens Reid, other regional hospitals and the communities they serve. Reid has a presence in several other neighboring communities, including in Indiana — Brookville, Connersville, Hag-erstown, Liberty and Winchester — and in

Eaton and Greenville in Ohio. All of these practices are part of RPA, an organization that also is vitally impor-tant to the hospital’s long-term stability and growth. RPA has 32 primary care and subspecialty practices in the region and employs about 108 physicians and providers..“RPA is a way for Reid to retain and grow its primary and specialty care physician base as well as introduce new spe-cialties that have not been in the communi-ty previously but are in great demand, such as infectious disease and endocrinology,” said Dr. Huth said. “Additionally, unlike a solo practice, RPA has the resources to develop critical tools such as our network-wide electronic health record system.” Huth adds that Reid and RPA also have put significant resources and effort into encouraging patients to become engaged in disease prevention and wellness. This will help reduce health care costs for the community in the long run but more importantly improve the quality of life for individual patients suffering from, or at risk for, chronic disease. In today’s rapidly evolving field of health care, these are the kind of investments that will allow dynamic and proactive hospi-tals such as Reid to thrive, Kinyon said. “We want Reid Hospital to be the region’s number one choice for health care,” he ex-plained. “Everything we do, from investing in community partnerships to strengthen-ing the RPA, is focused on that goal.”

Growth part of a national trend to keep doctors

Hagerstown Family Practice4829 North State Road 1, Hagerstown

Union County Medical Center950 North Market Street, Liberty

617 Main Street, Brookville Whitewater Valley Primary/Urgent Care1473 East State Road 44, Connersville

Randolph Medical Center400 South Oak Street, Winchester

Eaton Family Care Center500 Hallmark Drive, Eaton

Bethel Cardiology of Greenville130 Martz Street, Suite B, Greenville

Reid Specialty Physicians109B Washington-Jackson Rd., Eaton


Your partners in wellness

What is ReidPhysician Associates?Reid Physician Associates (RPA), a group ofphysician practices owned by Reid Hospital,provides a network of primary care andspecialty physicians to serve east centralIndiana and west central Ohio.

RPA physicians are able to better focus ontheir patients because business concernsare managed by a central office. Theymanage sudden illnesses as well as chronicdiseases, but particularly want to preventillnesses by encouraging regular checkupsand screenings.

Our missionReid Hospital & Health Care Services aimsfor wholeness in body, mind and spirit forall those served in our communities.

RPA exists to support and extend Reid’smission by providing high quality physicianservices that are complete, convenient andaffordable.

Reid About WellnessWhat is wellness? It’s about takingcharge of your health. An important partof wellness is to have a Wellness Visit - avisit to your health care provider beforeyou get sick.

Scans and tests that detect problemsearly, while they are easier to treat, are acritical element of the Wellness Visit idea.

Wellness Visits are preventativemaintenance for your body!

Discuss with your health care providerwhich screens are appropriate for you,including:

Heart CT Scan, Vascular Screening, Lung Scan, LabScreenings, colonoscopy, digital mammogram, PAPscreen, osteoporosis and more!

Contact your health care providerto schedule your Wellness Visit today!

WinchesterGreenville

Hagerstown

Richmond

Eaton

Rushville

ConnersvilleLiberty

Oxford

CardiologyBrookville, IN:Richmond Cardiology Associates

(765) 962-1337Connersville:WhitewaterValleyMedical Center

(765) 827-5690Eaton: Reid Specialty Physicians

(937) 456-4400Greenville:Bethel Cardiology of Greenville

(937) 316-6350Hagerstown:Richmond Cardiology Associates

(800) 456-3176Richmond:Richmond Cardiology Associates

(765) 962-1337Oxford:Richmond Cardiology Associates

(765) 962-1337Winchester:Randolph Medical Center

(765) 584-6600

Cardiothoracic SugeryRichmond:Reid Cardiothoracic Surgeons

(765) 983-3427EndocrinologyRichmond:Reid Endocrinology Center

(765) 935-8941General SurgeryRichmond: General Surgeons

(765) 962-6053InfectiousDiseaseRichmond:Reid Infectious Disease(765) 935-8928

IntensivistRichmond: Reid Intensivists(765) 983-3080NeurologyConnersville: Dr. Bojarski

(765) 939-7711Greenville: Dr. Guo

(765) 939-7711Richmond:Reid Neurology Associates

(765) 939-7711OrthopedicsEaton:Reid Specialty Physicians

(937) 456-4400Connersville:WhitewaterValleyMedical Center

(765) 827-5690Greenville:Reid Orthopedics

(877) 935-8905Richmond:Reid Orthopedics

(765) 935-8905

OncologyConnersville:WhitewaterValleyMedical Center

(855) 935-8773Eaton: Reid Specialty Physicians

(937) 456-4400Richmond:Reid Oncology Associates

(765) 935-8773Winchester:Randolph Medical Center

(855) 935-8773

Plastic SurgeryEaton: Reid Specialty Physicians

(765) 962-4872Richmond:Allure Center for Plastic Surgery

(765) 962-4872

PsychiatricConnersville: Dr. Khan

(765) 983-3298Eaton: Dr. Shinwari

(765) 983-3298Greenville: Dr. Shinwari

(765) 983-3298Richmond:Reid Psychiatric Associates

(765) 983-3050Winchester: Dr. Polavarapu

(765) 983-3298PulmonaryRichmond:Reid Pulmonary Care(765) 935-8943

RheumatologyGreenville: Dr. Flaugher

(765) 935-8923Richmond:Richmond Rheumatology Center

(765) 935-8923

UrologyRichmond: Urological Care

(765) 962-8551Rushville: Urological Care

(800) 962-8552Vascular SurgeryRichmond:ReidVascular Surgery

(765) 939-9331

Specialty care - right here foryou in your community

Primary CareProvidersEatonEaton Family Care Center550 Hallmark Drive(937) 456-4181HagerstownHagerstown Family Practice4829 North State Road 1(765) 489-3935WinchesterRandolph Medical Center400 South Oak Street(765) 584-6600LibertyUnion County Medical Center950 North Market Street(765) 458-5191ConnersvilleWhitewaterValleyPrimaryCare1473 East State Road 44Dr. Tan (765) 825-2229Dr. Gardner (765) 827-6612Dr.White (765) 825-0511WhitewaterValleyUrgentCare1475 East State Road 44(765) 825-8686

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ReidMedicalAssociates1350 Chester Blvd, Ste. A(765) 935-8914

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PI-0000161798


PI-0000161978

The CabinetShowroom

Authorized dealerof

Hardwood,Tile, Laminate,

& Carpetmany colors and styles

available

Southside: 1530 South 9th,Richmond,Indiana 47374

765.966.2548

Eastside: 406 Commerce Dr.,Richmond,Indiana 47374

765.966.9825We offer financing! 6 months same as cash with payments!

experienceddesignerson staff

Georgia Direct Carpet,inc.

0%FinancingAvailable

like us onfacebook

AuthorizedMohawk ColorCenter Dealer

rrrr

Corian, Granite,Quartz, and Laminate

Countertops

Shaw, Armstrong,Tarkett, Congoleum,

Dal-Tile, andLouisville Tile

Georgia Direct Carpet is growing. It’s expanding its regional reach. It’s adding jobs.

It’s working to boost its marketing and social-media presence. It’s considering adding stores in In-dianapolis and Muncie, where Georgia Direct already has strong commercial presences. But, no matter what, promises second-generation owner Tony Bledsoe, the 36-year-old business will always be local. Walk-in customers and contractors always will be able to shop for the best in floor-ing and cabinets in at any of their two locations in Richmond. “We never want to lose that small-town feel,” Bledsoe said. “We are a fam-ily-based business. We live here. Most of us go to the same church,” he continued about his family and management team.Richmond always will be the home base with its two stores. The Bledsoe family has owned Georgia Direct since 1977. The original site was a 7,000-square-foot building on South Ninth Street that has since nearly doubled in size.Georgia Direct added its eastside site at 406 Commerce Drive -- next to Putt-Putt -- in 1999. The new site is a showroom for local and regional customers. The eastside location mostly focuses on cabi-nets, but has flooring as well. “We have friendly showrooms at both places,” said Johnnie Barrett, who works in sales and marketing and also special-izes in kitchen designs. “It’s a lot more condensed here (eastside). Still, we have several hundred products. There are thou-sands of flooring options at the big store.” Georgia Direct offers top products such as Mohawk carpets, KraftMaid Cabinetry, Dal tile, Bruce hardwood floors and other flooring products fromShaw and Armstrong. “We have pretty much everything to fit their needs,’ Bledsoe said. “We try to keep a wide enough variety to keep people interested.” That includes hundreds of different

patterns and col-ors for carpets, ceramic tiles and countertops. Georgie Direct gets its granite and quartz out-side of Cincin-nati and keeps it local by using co-rian tops that are fabricated here in Richmond. Georgia Direct can help find the perfect carpet or cabinets for single-family homes. But, it also can handle large projects. Georgia Direct performs work for many colleges and uni-versities in Indiana -- including Earlham, Ball State and Butler. It does commercial work for Richmond Community Schools, Seton schools and the Lawrence schools in Indianapolis. “We do 90 percent of the work at Ball State. We have guys working there every week,” Bledsoe said. “Reid Hospital has become a big client.”Commercial work is very busy now. “Our market in general is picking up,” Bledsoe said. What keeps big and small customers coming back year after year? It’s personal service, Bledsoe said: “We base everything on relationships. Our word-of-mouth referrals and repeat customers are what makes us successful and always has been strong. We want all of our customers to be customers for life.” Georgia Direct is working to expand its personal presence.That includes adding Facebook and an interactive Web store. That includes a new Web site at www.georgiadirect.biz “We’re using social media to get the name out there and doing more home

shows,” Bledsoe said. Having a strong Internet presence is a necessity in today’s world. “Eighty percent of people un-der age 50 start shopping online first,” Bledsoe said. “We need to have a more informative website and use Facebook and other social media outlets to our advantage.”Georgia Direct works to keep its advan-tage by staying ahead of the trend in designs and materials. “People still are pretty traditional around here, and we are very sensitive to that,” he said. “ But, we also stay up on the latest trends.” It also helps to carry top-level prod-ucts. “KraftMaid and Mohawk are the No. 1 manufacturers nationwide. You know they are on top of that (the latest trends),” Bledsoe said.

For more information about Georgia Direct, call the store at 1530 South Ninth St. at (765) 966-2548 and the Commerce Drive store at (765) 966-9825. The toll-free number is (800) 878-3133. Visit the Web site at www.georgiadirect.biz.

By Mike Bennett

Georgia Direct Carpet is a growing businessG

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