Governor talks cooperation for rural economic development

RANDOLPH – It’s not every day you have a regional economic development meeting at a funeral chapel.

Having the governor pop in to share his thoughts may be just as unusual.

Gov. Jim Pillen stopped at Cardinal Express prior to speaking at the meeting and enjoyed talking with locals.

“I was asked, ‘Are you here for a funeral? There’s a bunch of cars up there,’ ” he said with a smile.

Randolph was on full display Sept. 20 for the Nebraska Development Network Northeast Region meeting from the setting at the new Stonacek Funeral Chapel to the samples of honey, handmade goodie bags and bee-themed cupcakes. After the business meeting, attendees toured the funeral chapel, Cardinal Kids Learning Center and the Middle Logan Creek Floodplain project - all Randolph economic development successes.

During his talk, Todd Stonacek, owner of the new funeral chapel, was complimentary of City Administrator Ben Benton and the Randolph City Council in their work to make their new location possible. The building now stands where the former Cedar Motel used to be along Highway 20.

“Back in the day, it (the motel) was a landmark and I remember how neat it looked with cedar trees growing out in front,” Stonacek said.

The building was in such disrepair it had to be demolished but the location was attractive for expansion into Randolph - a town where the Stonaceks were already doing business.

“Visibility is a big part when you have a business, being on the highway and having those cars drive by you and the name recognition,” he said.

City officials negotiated and purchased the motel who then sold it to the Stonaceks for development.

Stonacek encouraged attendees from other areas to go back to their communities and work on clean-up to make it attractive for potential new business growth, including dealing with vacant lots.

Another key component for success is to entice young people to come back to rural communities.

Pillen said local economic developers need to switch their focus from bringing companies in to more of a home-grown approach.

“The new way of doing business is going in and engaging and start recruiting and matching up with young people in high school,” he said and investing in them individually to continue their education. In return, they promise to stay on at the business for a defined amount of time.

Each of Stonacek’s sons have a role in the family funeral home business which happened by mistake.

“We’re just busy,” Stonacek said. “Everybody’s doing something. But I think they see value bringing their families back and raising them in their hometown.”

Pillen is also fortunate to have two of his children take over the family business, Pillen Farms based in Columbus.

“The coolest thing that took place is all of a sudden my two oldest children got old enough, got through college and so forth and a few years after said, ‘Hey Dad, I want to come back home.’ I didn’t expect that to happen,” he said. “I woke up one day and looked across the table at my kids. They were arguing with me about something and I realized they were 100 percent right and I just said, ‘You know, these guys are the best partners I’ve ever had in my life.’ ” Operating a multi-generational family business happened naturally for both men but they urge others to be more intentional - to have the hard conversations related to succession.

“I tell you what, I was the last person that wanted to do it. Once you get a certain age you just don’t want to look at the end is near,” Pillen said. “My children drove it which I was thankful for. . . . It’s hard to do when someone is sick, terminal or after a funeral.”

Communities also need to focus on attracting workforce with adequate childcare and housing, Pillen said. (Although the governor could not attend, other economic developers toured the Cardinal Kids Learning Center as part of the day’s events.)

He urged community leaders from across the region to put their competitiveness aside and work for the greater good.

“What’s more important to us, Randolph or Nebraska?” Pillen asked for a show of hands. “When I’m in Omaha, I ask the same question. What do you hope they say in Omaha? . . . Obviously Randolph has to be successful. If every one of our thoughts is totally focused on our place and not Nebraska, if Nebraska doesn’t win, we’re up a creek. And so attitudinally, I think it’s really important we’re all on the same page.”