Idaho Falls real estate agent elected to Women's Council of Realtors executive committee

Chris Pelkola Lee

Idaho Falls real estate dynamo Chris Pelkola Lee was elected to the executive committee of the Women’s Council of Realtors at its annual national conference, which ended Sunday in Orlando, Fla.

Lee is the owner of simpLEE Home. A native of the Chicago area, she has been a licensed Realtor in Idaho since 2007 and a licensed associate broker since 2011. Her certifications include:

• Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
• Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI)
• Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR)
• Performance Management Network (PMN)
• Short Sales and Foreclosure Resources Certification (SFR)
• REALTOR® Technology Certification (ePRO)

“I find I have become quite passionate about guiding my clients through the transaction process and helping them avoid potential pitfalls and inherent risks along the way,” she said. “The data is out there for everyone. My role is as a guide, trusted advisor and negotiator.”

The Women’s Council of Realtors dates back to the 1930s, when the National Association of Real Estate Boards witnessed a growth of women working in real estate and an increased participation of women at national conventions. A Women's Division had been created in 1924 by the California Real Estate Association, and in 1938 National President Joseph Catherine encouraged the formation of a national Women's Council after being impressed by the California group.

At the time, NAR was already 30 years old, but most decisions were still made by local boards — most of which were resistant to offering membership to women. However, the National Association was ready to recognize women in real estate, and a positive vote resulted in the formation of a women's division at the Annual Convention in Milwaukee in November 1938. Thirty-seven ambitious women represented nine states at that meeting for Women's Council's inception.

For more information about Lee, here is a link to her Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/IFListings/?pnref=lhc

Idaho Business Review seeking Women of the Year nominees

The Idaho Business Review is taking nominations through Nov. 14 for its annual Women of the Year honors.

The award honors women who are shaping Idaho's economic and community well-being through their outstanding leadership, mentoring efforts and community involvement. Now in its 12th year, IBR's Women of the Year is presented by Hawley Troxell Attorneys and Counselors.

Two eastern Idaho finalists honored earlier this year were Rebecca Noah Casper, mayor of Idaho Falls, and Dana Boothe Kirkham, mayor of Ammon. No  arguing with their selection, but perhaps it would be a good idea to widen our scope a little more this year.

Nominations are open to successful women from public, private and
charitable businesses in Idaho. The application deadline is Nov. 30 and the finalists will be announced Dec. 16. The gala will be held in Boise on March 9. Women can be honored up to three times, earning them a place in the Circle of Excellence.

Here is a link to the nomination form: http://idahobusinessreview.com/nominate/

Here’s a link to the program from last spring: 2016 Idaho Business Review Women of the Year

Madsens retiring from craft business after nearly 40 years

The sign at Madsen's store on West Broadway, which has been open since 1999. Before then, Dale and Pat Madsen were in the Skyline Shopping Center.

By CARRIE SNIDER
EastIdahoNews.com

After nearly 40 years of hard work and memories, owners Dale and Pat Madsen are retiring.

The Madsens have developed long-lasting relationships with their customers over the years.
Dale is often found on the floor of the store in his signature hat his children gave him several years ago. He’s a definite people person with a frugal nature and good business savvy, Pat said. Plus, he just loves what he does.

Their customers are not happy to see the store go. “We’ve had customers come in and say, ‘We aren’t sure how we are going to get on without you,’” said Dale.

The store as it is today got its start after Dale earned his degree in business management, and he found that working in the Sears management program in Utah wasn’t his cup of tea.

“I wanted to get back to where I grew up,” said Dale, who is originally from the Rigby area.
He and Pat had two small children at the time, and Pat remembers Dale calling her with the news.

“He told me he had quit Sears and had a job in Idaho Falls, and we didn’t even have a place to live yet,” said Pat.

But it all worked out just fine, she added. Dale went to work for the Ben Franklin store in the former Skyline shopping center at the corner of Broadway and Skyline in west Idaho Falls. It was a popular franchise variety store, and Dale thrived there. After four years, he bought the store from the owner.
As the business landscape changed, more people headed to big box stores for variety items, but

Dale’s store had a loyal following of those looking for unique crafts and fabrics. So in 1999, they bought the land and built the building where Madsen’s sits today, changing the name and focus to be crafts, fabric and framing.

“It was a big investment, but it worked out,” said Pat.

These days, Dale directs the day-to-day operations, while Pat takes care of payroll and ordering all of the fabric—a big job by itself, but one she has loved.

“I’ve been sewing since I was 8 years old,” she said. “People love our fabric. The quality is different.”

Pat said that the type of sewing people do has changed a lot over the years; many people used to sew their own clothes, but these days it is all about quilting.

“This has become the go-to place for the quilting groups in the area,” said long-time employee Sallie Hobbs.

Hobbs will miss the atmosphere of Madsen’s, where she will spend a lot of time cutting fabric up until closing day.

“Dale is optimistic and honest. It is a good place to work,” she said.

It’s also been a good place for the Madsen family. Dale and Pat have seven children and 24 grandchildren, and they fondly remember raising their children while juggling their time being small-business owners. In fact, the Madsens often brought their children to the store to help out with different things.

“When our kids get together they talk about all the stuff we made them do, like stocking yarn, building bikes, inventory, and building trampolines on Christmas Eve,” Pat said.

Although owning your own business is tough and isn’t something you do if you want to be a millionaire, it has its advantages, the couple said.

“Dale has been able to take the time to coach basketball and baseball,” Pat said.

Now, although Dale and Pat plan to keep their trampoline and swing set business open, they will be able to visit their family more.

“When it’s time to retire, you just know,” Pat said.

Remodeling permit issued for Black Bear Diner on 17th Street

The Black Bear Diner in Chubbuck, which opened earlier this year.

Looks like work has finally started on converting the Rusio’s building at 1610 E. 17th Street to a Black Bear Diner. In addition to the chain link fence around the work site, city records show a commercial remodel permit, applied for Aug. 12, was issued on Tuesday.

The general contractor on the 458,104 square-foot project is Bateman Hall. There is no set date for an opening yet. The space has been vacant since Rusio’s closed in 2015, but developer Shane Murphy of Venture One Properties announced in May he had lined up Black Bear, a company based in Redding, Calif., which already has a restaurant in Chubbuck.

The chain dates back to 1994 in Mount Shasta, Calif., when it was founded by Bob and Laurie Manley with help from Bruce Dean.  The franchise has grown to more than 76 locations in eight western states, including two in Idaho, in Boise and Chubbuck. Black Bear Diner was recognized in 2015 by Franchise Times as one of the smartest growing brands.

Black Bear features a rustic motif with "over-the-top bear paraphernalia". Every restaurant is decorated with a 12-foot-tall black bear carving by artist Ray Schulz. Additional murals and artwork are created for each restaurant by Steve and Gary Fitzgerald and Colleen Mitchell-Veyna.

The menu format mimics an old newspaper titled, “The Black Bear Gazette,” with articles on the front page. It offers family meals such as breakfast, burgers, salads, and shakes. Pies, bread and cobblers are prepared on site.


For a full menu and additional information, visit blackbeardiner.com.

Angel Fund reps to visit Idaho Falls Nov. 2

Kevin Learned, Mark Roberts and Vina Rathbone from the Gem State Angel Fund will be coming to Idaho Falls Nov. 2 to talk about the possibilities for angel investment in eastern Idaho.

The Gem State Angel Fund is a state-wide angel fund that claims as its mission investment in promising start-up companies from across the state. It is being organized by the Boise Angel Alliance, which was founded in 2004, a time when entrepreneurial activity in the Treasure Valley was anemic. The BAA not only created capital, but also became one of the prime encouragers of entrepreneurial activity. Members provided coaching and worked with other entrepreneurial support groups to further develop entrepreneurs.

Twelve years and three funds later, there is a entrepreneurial support system in place including many government and private programs, several entrepreneurial co-working facilities, and residential incubators.
Just as accelerators and incubators foster the development of novice entrepreneurs, angel funds incubate new angels. By participating in an angel fund, members learn best practices alongside more experienced angels, and reduce their risk through a diversified portfolio.

The Gem State Angel Fund is an investment fund seeking to pool the capital resources of accredited investors and invest those resources in early or pre-revenue stage companies located within Idaho. The fund’s objective will be to promote business and economic development in the region while providing its members with the potential for investment returns. The fund is selling up to 40 units of membership interest at $50,000 per unit.

The event in Idaho Falls is being sponsored by Key Bank, Research & Business Development Center, Moffat Thomas and the Idaho Small Business Development Center. To register, follow this link: Gem State Angel Fund Event Tickets.

City Bagel & Bakery now open in downtown Idaho Falls

City Bagel & Bakery, now open, involved extensive remodeling of an old downtown property.

It took a lot longer than they anticipated, but Lynn and Gene Winter and their family have opened City Bagel & Bakery in the 101-year-old Shane Building, at the corner of Shoup Avenue and A Street.

This is the space formerly occupied by Lily’s Consignment. With 1,200 square feet for the dining area (on two levels) and 800 for the kitchen, the overhaul has been a top-to-bottom enterprise. They tore out three ceilings and peeled away decades’ worth of changes. The only things remaining from Lily’s are two dressing rooms, which are now used for airbrushing cakes.

The Winters are joined in the business by their daughters Jill, who handles payroll and human resources, and Angie Suseno, who works in the kitchen, son-in-law Sigit Suseno, son Michael and chef Martie Jaramillo. They are serving bagels and baked goods, developing a menu for soups and sandwiches and waiting on a beer and wine license.

They wanted special for their coffee and landed upon Gillie’s Coffee Co., one of New York City's oldest and most successful coffee merchants. If you’ve never seen nitro coffee on tap, this is your chance.

The bakery opened Oct. 15 with a blessing from their pastor at St. John Lutheran Church. They are looking forward to a grand opening sometime later this year.

Baking is nothing new to Winter. Her mother, Marjorie Bidwell, and aunt, Beth McCammon, had a custom bakery in Pocatello, and in high school and college she worked in a German bakery inside the long-gone OK’s grocery store.

She later became the Post Register’s creative services director, but continued making custom wedding cakes, even winning prizes with them. “It’s just something I’ve always liked to do,” she said.

When she left the Post Register in 2007, she began baking more and charging for her work. The business grew, and she started looking at locations in earnest in 2013. “We’re really happy to be downtown,” she said.

JFoster & Associates earns special small business certification

Julie Foster

JFoster & Associates, a small business located in Idaho Falls, has been accepted into a federal program that makes it eligible to compete for and receive certain federal contracts and receive business development assistance.

The designation under the 8(a) Small Business Development program opens many new doors for JFA, said owner Julie Foster.

The 8(a) program was created to help underrepresented small business owners break into government contracting and give them assistance and resources. It involves a rigorous application process and usually takes two years to qualify. Foster managed to gain certification in a year and a half because she had more than 25 years in the construction, energy, and engineering industries, where she worked in contract, project, and program management. She also has a strong business development background. She opened JFoster & Associates, LLC in March of 2015.

Foster has also been highly involved in civic organizations and committees that benefit her community, and was recently named to the State of Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance  Communication and Outreach Task Force.

She was raised in Pocatello, and has lived in Idaho Falls for the past 15 years. She is a graduate of Idaho State University, and her sons are attending College of Idaho and Boise State University.

“I love Idaho and want to continue to serve and give back to my community wherever I can.  I want to help secure a better future for our kids and the next generations.”

The 8(a) program works in two phases over nine years and offers specialized business training, counseling, and marketing assistance and the opportunity to receive sole-source contracts. Additionally, the Woman-Owned Small Business federal contract program authorizes contracting officers to set aside certain federal contracts for eligible small businesses owned by women.

“These are amazing programs, and we are honored to be a part of them,” Foster said. Foster is excited about the certification and the doors and opportunities it allows for her business. Her focus has been on local business, including the Idaho National Laboratory and the Idaho Cleanup Project, but the program will enable her to launch into larger prime contracts for the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense.