The Economic Alliance The Economic Alliance (formally the West Central Economic Development Alliance) is a nonprofit that focuses on economic development in Wadena County and surround-ing communities. They were formed in 2011 from the need for a voice for economic development in our area of West Central Minnesota. With the goal of collaboration and flexibility in mind, the Economic Alliance was organized to represent both public and private interests, and not to be confined to a defined governmental boundary. Today, the Economic Alliance consists of an Executive Board of volunteers — representing banking, government, non-profit and private industry interests — and a full-time Executive Director, Katie Heppner, who carries out the day-to-day operations and strategic mission of the organization.
The mission of the Economic Alliance is to give a voice to the economic and business interests of Wadena County and surrounding communities by providing educational, networking and advocacy resources and opportunities. Through a series of interviews with key community members and stakeholders, the Economic Alliance identified three key priorities to drive their work in the upcoming years: Business Start-Up, Retention, and Expansion; Infrastructure Improvement and Workforce Development. Through this work, the Economic Alliance hopes to achieve its vision of making our communities the best place to do business.
In addition to its community-driven projects, the Economic Alliance offers personalized services including one-on-one small business consulting, grant writing and social media training. To learn more about the Economic Alliance, their upcoming projects and the resources available, contact Katie Heppner at 837-5950. You can also find information at www.thealliancemn.com and on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/TheAllianceMN.
North Central Alignment & Tire has been a fixture in Sebeka since 1981. Located on Highway 71, they offer alignments on trucks, cars and pickups, as well as tire sales, oil changes and tune-ups. They also work on suspensions and brakes. “We do pretty much everything,” said Tom Hjermstad, who owns and operates the business with his stepson, Greg.
Starting his own auto repair shop wasn’t always an ambition of Tom’s. “Before that, I wasn’t close to doing this type of thing,” he recalled. He worked in sales in Minneapolis for 11 years before coming back to his hometown of Park Rapids, where he became a Mobil oil distributor. After doing that for 29 years, Tom opened North Central Alignment & Tire. Greg joined the company 27 years ago.
The automobile industry has evolved quite a bit since 1981. “Every year, you need new equipment, and every year the analyzing of the engines changes, too,” said Tom. “When we first started in tires, there were a dozen different kinds. Now, there are 200 or 300 sizes.” Luckily, navigating the ever-changing industry is easier with West Central’s phone, internet and security services.
For all your auto repairs and maintenance, stop by North Central Alignment & Tire at 407 US Hwy 71 N, Sebeka or call 837-5121. You can also find them on Facebook.
Call West Central Telephone at 837-5151 to learn about our phone systems, internet plans and security systems for your business.
Business Address: 10 East Mason Avenue, Verndale, MN 56481
Business Phone Number: 218-445-6288
If you are looking for general motor repair and tire sales, look no further than Verndale Auto Sales & Service. Matt Elfstrum opened the business in December 2017. Starting his own business was a natural choice for Matt, since he grew up around cars and went to school for automotive service technology.
With 20 years of experience in the automotive industry, Matt is familiar with the ups and downs that come with it. While he admits keeping up with the work flow, especially as a one-man crew, is challenging, he’s proud of his success. “We’re known for our honesty and a reputation for doing high-quality work,” Matt said. His future plans include selling used vehicles and modernizing his business.
Matt counts on phone, internet, wireless networking and a security system from West Central Telephone to keep his business running. “Right from the initial phone call, West Central was more than willing to help get things running,” Matt said. He went on to add, “It felt like I had a business partner.”
For more information on Verndale Auto Sales & Service, call 445-6288.
Call West Central Telephone at 837-5151 to learn about phone, internet, security and other technology solutions for your business.
Business Address: 112 Aspen Avenue SE, Menahga, MN 56464
Business Phone Number: 218-564-2540 (office) or 218-255-3434 (cell)
Business Website: www.northcountrymotorsports.com
North Country Motorsports in Menahga is the place to go for quality used autos and motorsport vehicles. Since opening in July 2017, North Country Motorsports has accrued a small selection of used ATVs, motorcycles, snowmobiles, side-by-sides, cars and trucks.
Owned by Menahga native Trinity Junes, North Country Motorsports is the result of his lifelong interest in vehicles. ìIíve had a passion for anything with a motor my whole life,” Junes said when asked about his inspiration. His years of buying experience have taught him how to treat customers, too. ìI know what it’s like to be a customer, so I try to put out the best quality vehicles I can.”
They list all vehicles on their website and Facebook page. Customers can see the condition of the vehicles in addition to the make, model and other information. Junes updates the statuses of his vehicles regularly so that potential customers can see if the vehicle is still available.
Security is a top priority for North Country Motorsports, as well as fast and reliable inter-net. Leased security cameras help Junes keep a careful eye on things from any location. With our unlimited high-speed internet, they can upload pictures of vehicles quickly.
For more information on North Country Motorsports, visit www.northcountrymotorsports.com or Facebook @northcountrymotorsports.
Call West Central Telephone at 837-5151 to learn about phone, internet, security and other technology solutions for your business.
Business Address: 62312 State Hwy 29, Wadena, MN 56482
Business Phone Number: 218-631-1718
Business Website: https://www.moenchbodyshop.com
Quality work, reasonably priced: That’s the motto of Moench Body Shop, which has been providing the very best in auto body repair to the rural Wadena area since 1982. Owner Roman Moench started his business 35 years ago with a passion for quality repairs. He wanted to use his experience in small-engine repair and his interest in body-work to start a business that would “try and do the best repair it could.”
While striving to live up to its motto, Moench Body Shop has evolved into a business that offers a vari-ety of goods and services including:
• Auto body work
• Windshield repair and replacement
• Small engine repair
• Country Clipper zero-turn lawnmowers
• Echo chainsaws, weed trimmers, and blowers
• Factory Authorized Fisher Plow & Spreader Dealer
Since we expanded our fiber network into rural Wadena, Moench Body Shop has access to our services. Besides telephone service, Moench now has broadband internet and a Honeywell security system. Moench said the decision to get services from West Central was an easy one. “Our main form of marketing is an online presence, and having high speed internet makes it easy to maintain. The services are dependable, and having a local person to talk to if there is an issue is very important to me.”
For more information on Moench Body Shop’s quality auto body and repair work as well as Country Clipper, Echo, and Fisher products, visit www.moenchbodyshop.com.
Call West Central Telephone at 837-5151 to learn about phone, internet, security and other technology solutions for your business.
When sisters Andrea Yliniemi and Amanda Aho started their business in February 2017, they wanted to do something engaging and creative while having the convenience of staying home with their kids. Sister Stitches Embroidery, a custom embroidery service, is the result of that vision.
“We saw a need in the Wolf Lake area for an embroidery business after hearing many people say they were tired of having to go so far to get anything embroidered,” Andrea explained. She added, “We love being able to work in our pajamas and have the flexability to make our own hours.” The demand for custom embroidery has been so consistent since Sister Stitches was founded that the sisters count it as their greatest success so far.
In just a few months, Sister Stitches Embroidery has gone from the dream of two sisters to a thriving, dynamic business that does beautiful work not only for individuals, but also for businesses, organizations, and schools. Andrea and Amanda can embroider on a wide variety of material including (but not limited to) hats, coats, t-shirts, sweatshirts, blankets, towels, bags, camp chairs, and Cubbies (stuffed animals). “We aren’t afraid to try something we have never done before,” said Andrea. New challenges are just part of the fun; as Andrea enthused, “Every day is a new adventure!”
Sister Stiches Embroidery, like many modern businesses, relies heavily on the inter-net for marketing and communication. With West Central Telephone’s broadband internet service, they can do just that. Andrea said, “West Central Telephone has the fast, reliable service we need for communicating with customers, ordering from our wholesalers, and connecting to our embroidery machine.”
For custom embroidery, contact Sister Stitches Embroidery at sisterstichesemb@gmail.com or call Andrea at 218-252-5618 or Amanda at 218-841-2922.
Call West Central Telephone at 218-837-5151 to learn about phone, internet, and other technology solutions for your business.
Community First Bank (formerly First National Bank of Menahga and Sebeka) has been serving the area for 120 years. Its history traces all the way back to 1898, when it was the Bank of Menahga. Renamed the First National Bank of Menahga, it received its Bank Charter in 1922 and bought Security State Bank of Sebeka in 2005. Over the years, the bank has continued to provide customer service with the small-town, old-fashioned, and friendly attitude that people appreciate.
Community First Bank offers full-service banking including personal and business checking and savings accounts as well as loans, insurance, and internet banking options. Both locations have walk-up/drive-up banking available.
When asked about the reason for the success of Community First Bank, Loan Officer Justin Day said, “It’s our good and faithful customers. We never lose sight of our mission to provide community-oriented service.” The bank is also vigilant with fraud protections, regulations, and current technologies.
Community First Bank uses a wide variety of technology and business solutions from West Central Telephone. A business phone system ties the two locations together, and the internet service is used for marketing and online banking services. Community First Bank also uses a virtual private network (VPN) that securely relays information between the two buildings. In addition, West Central Telephone recently installed a speaker system at the Menahga location to pipe music into the building.
For all your banking needs, contact Community First Bank at 21 Main Street NE in Menahga, 218-564-4171; or at 115 Minnesota Ave W in Sebeka, 218-837-5171. You can also get more information at www.communityfirstbankmn.com.
Call West Central Telephone at 837-5151 to learn about our phone systems, internet services, network solutions, and other business technology.
Location: 201 Minnesota Ave East, Sebeka
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am–5:30pm; Sat, 8am-12pm
The site of a lumberyard since 1921, Clifford Gronlund began Sebeka Lumber Sales in April of 1960. At that time, rail cars brought in coal and rough lumber to be sold. Carpenters used the rough lumber to build rafters, windows, doors, cabinets and other projects.
Today, Sebeka Lumber Sales still supplies area carpenters and homeowners with materials for construction. This includes exterior siding and roofing materials, custom cabinets, countertops, molding and interior doors, drywall, paint, fixtures and more. They also supply prefinished garden sheds, garage doors, hand tools, hardware, cordless drills and storage and organization options.
Richard Gronlund bought the business from his dad in 1994 when Clifford retired. Richard said, “Sebeka Lumber Sales have supplied materials for many of the homes in the area, including Hill Top Villa Apartments, area churches and First National Bank of Sebeka. If you are ready to start your project, let us help you. Whatever it is you’re looking for, we probably have it.”
Sebeka Lumber Sales embraces technology, too. They use computer software to design and create estimates, and relay many through email. You’ll find them online at sebekalumbersales.com and on Facebook. Besides WCTA phone service, they have high speed internet and several IP surveillance cameras. Noted Richard, “It’s important to keep an eye on my business whether I’m at home, at a jobsite or out in the hunting stand. Working with West Central makes that easy to do.”
For all of your building and remodeling needs, visit Sebeka Lumber Sales in Sebeka. For help keeping an eye on your home or business, contact West Central Telephone at 837-5151.
Locations: Wadena and Perham
Hours: 11am to 9pm, Monday through Saturday
In the heart of every cowboy lies a dream. The dream in this case was Pizza Ranch, and it all began in the heart of a young man in Iowa. That dream now extends to thirteen states, including Minnesota.
Darren Kelderman liked the company’s mission, which was to “give every guest a legendary experience.” He opened his first Pizza Ranch in Wadena, MN in 1988. The restaurant was such a welcome addition to the community that he expanded his business, opening the second Pizza Ranch in Perham, MN in the early 1990s.
On May 4, 2016, Darren moved their downtown Perham location to a newly remodeled building at 720 3rd Ave SE. The new location is able to serve more customers and has a large parking lot, something that wasn’t available at their downtown location. Their menu includes the awesome buffet, Pizza Lover’s Pizza, the Country’s Best chicken, and their famous Cactus Bread.
The Keldermans are very focused on legendary service and quality food, and have installed West Central Telephone camera systems to help them with the day-to-day operations. The kitchen employees refer to the monitors to make sure the food bars are full and the dining area is well staffed. They also use the live and recorded footage for training purposes. Of course, the cameras also provide a level of security and allow the owners to remotely check on the business through their smartphones or other connected devices.
Darren said, “It was great to work with West Central Telephone. Their goals to provide a quality product and great customer service are very much in line with our goals.”
For great food in a great atmosphere, visit Pizza Ranch in Wadena or Perham. For information on security cameras, contact West Central Telephone at 837-5151.
Caring Hands Home Care Inc. has been in business since 1994. Owners Gary and Pat Johnson started the business to give people choices in the area for home healthcare. Caring Hands was a natural fit for the couple since Pat, an RN, also had experience in home healthcare, and as Gary noted, “There was a need for these types of services in the area.”
When Caring Hands began, there were about 800 Medicare certified agencies in Minnesota; that number has dwindled to around 400 or so. The decrease could be attributed to the ever-changing rules and regulations regarding Medicare and VA, insurance issues, and the State of Minnesota’s requirements. Caring Hands works hard to ensure that their clients receive the best care, and as a result have received a “no deficiencies” survey from the State and Medicare again this year.
Gary spoke highly of their staff; in particular he praised Marion Hanson for her hard work training staff and working with the surveyors, showing them all of the changes made in their business to stay current and compliant. This kind of dedication comes from all of the employees at Caring Hands, and that’s one of the reasons they are still a top provider of home healthcare service when other businesses have failed.
Caring Hands has our high speed Internet service, which helps them with state reporting requirements, insurance company submissions, and communication with clients and staff. They also have a business phone system from us, and a dedicated fax line. With an RN on call 24/7 365 days of the year, those phones get used a lot!
For more information on home healthcare, contact Caring Hands at 837-5572 or 732-0088. For more information on ways to use technology in your business, give West Central Telephone a call at 837-5151.