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FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2013

BUSINESS
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BUSINESS Q&A
Chris Johnson is the operations manager for IllinoisAmerican Water Co. in Peoria. We recently checked in to see how things were going with the areas water supply. Whats the top priority for Illinois-American to central Illinois? Ensuring that we protect our water resources while providing reliable water service to our customers homes and businesses and for re protection when needed is our priority. Illinois American Water and its predecessors have been here providing water service to the Peoria area, every day, for 115 years. Are we facing a lot of infrastructure costs pipe replacement, etc. in the near future? Illinois American Water continues to invest annually in its systems to ensure that local water quality and service continues to be as good as or better than local, state and federal quality standards. Our main replacement program focuses on replacing mains where leaks occur, corrosion has caused damage or the size of the pipe is no longer Occupation: Operations sufcient to meet manager, daily demands. IllinoisMany of the mains American we replace are over Water Co. 50 years old. in Peoria Investing prudentAge: 40 ly and proactively Resihelps to prevent dence: a crisis situation, Peoria which many water systems across the Family: Married with two nation are facing. children The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that the nations water utilities will need to make more than $384 billion in infrastructure investments by 2030 to ensure public health. We hear about water shortages in other parts of the country. Could it happen here? While there are seasonal variations in the amount of water in the Illinois River, we do not anticipate shortages such as have been experienced in other parts of the country. That said, water is a precious resource, and we encourage our customers to use water wisely. Water conservation do we need to do more? Illinois American Water has a strong environmental stewardship program that includes public/private partnerships for community programs like the Peoria rain garden, pharmaceutical disposal programs and education for students through the Sun Foundations Clean Water Celebration to help educate thousands of students about wise water use. According to EPA WaterSense, by simply turning the tap off while brushing your teeth in the morning and at night, you can save more than 100 gallons of water per person each month. How do you rate Peorias water supply compared to other cities? Central Illinois is not facing water shortages that other parts of the country face. An important aspect to delivering water service is having an available water source. Also critical is the necessary infrastructure to collect, treat, test and deliver quality, reliable water service. Illinois American Water excels in water quality, performing 18 times better than the average drinking water system in Illinois last year, based on EPA data. In 2012, there were 795 drinking water notice of violations issued in Illinois, with 290 drinking water systems receiving at least one notice. Not one of Illinois American Waters 40 systems received a drinking water violation notice.

Chris Johnson

Samantha Ramsdens service called Go-fer Girl will run your errands for you. The Germantown Hills resident will do the shopping, pick up and drop off prescriptions, make banking deposits and perform many other services.

Central Illinois go-to gal

Samantha Ramsden has built a business by running the errands others dont want or have time to do
GERMANTOWN HILLS Most people dread squeezing errands in around a full-time job, but Samantha Ramsden has made a career of doing just that. I wont do anything illegal, but other than that, I dont think theres anything I wouldnt do, said Ramsden of Germantown Hills, the founder of Go-fer Girl, a personal concierge service ready for almost any task. Most of those tasks arent particularly unusual, Ramsden said just the mundane chores most people would skip if they had the chance. A lot of my clients are people who work 40-plus hours a week. Theyre really busy , so when they have free time, theyd rather spend it having fun or doing something with their kids, she explained. Ramsden initially ran a business cleaning houses but stopped when her second son, now nearly 2, was born. Cleaning let her set her own schedule and spend more time with her kids, but it was backbreaking work, said Ramsden. Cleaning other peoples houses isnt the same as cleaning your own
theres a lot more detail involved, she said. Some former clients had asked her to run errands, so she knew there was interest but had no idea what to expect. She and her husband, who works in IT at Caterpillar Inc., worked out a business plan, but she was still nervous, Ramsden said. The market was much bigger than expected, partly because shes one of the rst to offer such an errand service. When she started Go-fer Girl in November, she couldnt nd any similar businesses in the area. Some of my clients know Im a godsend, Ramsden said. Others know they need help but dont know where to go. One of her biggest challenges has been marketing her business. Many people arent familiar with personal concierges one prospective client mistook her for a dating service, she said. Her husband helped in the creation of her website, but otherwise marketing has been mostly word of mouth along with word on car. Her orange Hyundai Sante Fe SUV sports the Go-fer Girl logo and phone number, and she hands out business cards to almost everyone she meets. When Ramsden gets a new client, the initial meeting is like an interview, she said. Shes learned that details matter, especially when it comes to groceries. Some customers like specic brands, or only eat organic. But her work doesnt stop at the supermarket, picking up groceries. She also has to know where a customer wants those items stored in their kitchen. Its hard work, Ramsden said. She logs a lot of hours in her car and has memorized the layout of every grocery store she visits. But the perks far outweigh the downsides, she said. Shes her own boss, gets to set her own hours and spend more time with her kids. Ramsden confesses that she genuinely loves helping people, plus now she knows where the canned green beans are in every store in town.
Lauren Zumbach can be reached 686-3194 or lzumbach@pjstar.com. Follow her on Twitter @laurenzumbach.

STORY BY LAUREN ZUMBACH PHOTOGRAPH BY RON JOHNSON OF THE JOURNAL STAR

REPORTS AND SHORTS Northwoods to offer back-to-school events

best digital health resources. MyMethodist.net received a merit award for hospitals with 300 beds or more.

FARM NOTES Will cool weather affect crops?

Late planting and cooler-thannormal temperatures continuing into August have many wondering if the corn and soybean crops will reach maturity and harvest moisture within a reasonable time this fall. While conditions remain good for both crops, crop development, including pod formation and lling in soybeans, and grain ll in corn, remains well behind normal, said University of Illinois crop sciences professor Emerson Nafziger. Corn is 10 days to two weeks behind normal, and soybeans are two to three weeks behind normal. The number of days behind will stretch as the weather cools, so late crops get even later, he said. ture noted that 3.4 million acres of corn were wiped out for this season because of heavy rains. On the other side of the coin, dry weather has settled into parts of Iowa and Illinois, the two states that grow the most corn in the country . While corn prices are down 35 percent this year compared with 2012, prices have crept back up in the last week.

Northwoods Mall will hold Back at It festivities on Saturday with fashion shows by CJ Banks and Christopher and Banks at 1 p.m., and by Rue 21 at 3 p.m in Sears Court. A video gaming event and job fair sponsored by GameStop also will be presented Saturday . Shoppers also can register to win products from mall retailers.

AT&T touts investment

In the rst half of 2013, AT&T invested nearly $625 million in its wireless and wired networks in Illinois. The company also expanded and enhanced its 4G mobile network, providing highspeed Internet connections. The 2013 year-to-date investment builds on the $3.25 billion that AT&T has invested in its Illinois wireless and wired networks from 2010 through 2012.

OSF emergency receives recognition

The emergency department at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center has received the Lantern Award presented by the Emergency Nurses Association. The award recognizes emergency departments that exemplify exceptional practice and innovative performance in the core areas of leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research. OSF Saint Francis is one of only nine hospitals nationwide, and the only one in Illinois, to earn the honor this year. Only 37 hospitals nationwide have earned the designation since its inception.

Chinese buying soybeans

China continues to be the U.S. soybean farmers best customer. The Asian nation imported a record 7.2 million tons of soybeans in July , according to the USDA. China is expected to import 69 million tons of soybeans in the upcoming season, up from 59 million tons last year. Chinas appetite for soybeans isnt restricted to the United States. The country also imports soybeans from Brazil. The South American nation is expected to displace the United States as the worlds largest soybean grower this year.

Endotronix gets patent for wireless monitor

Peoria-based Endotronix has received a patent for its wireless sensor reader. The patented technology is a key component of Endotronix technology that measures pulmonary artery pressure that can prevent worsening congestive heart failure. We are working to transform the way information is collected, transmitted and used to optimize the management of heart failure patients around the world, said Endotronix CEO Harry Rowland. Endotronix was founded in 2007 by Rowland and Dr. Anthony Nunez.

Prices on the rise?

A combination of dry weather and information on the number of acres that farmers abandoned because of wet weather this spring has led to a rise in grain prices. The U.S. Department of Agricul-

Methodist wins Web Health award

UnityPoint Health-Methodist was selected as a winner in the 15th annual Web Health Awards program, recognizing the nations

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