by Ryan Kring | Jul 5, 2016 | Ancon News
Ancon Construction & JTS Architects out of Elk Grove, IL have recently broken ground on a multi-tenant building being constructed on North Main Street, Mishawaka, IN. The property is next to the existing La-Z-Boy Furniture location. The shell of the building is currently underway and two tenants have already signed to fill the space. The tenants that will fill the spaces will each bring their unique food offerings to the Mishawaka region. Potbelly Sandwich Shop & Pie Five Pizza Co. have recently been announced as the new tenants for the space.
Bringing in new restaurants that are not familiar in our region helps increase the diversity of offerings for both local residents and visitors. These two new restaurants add to a growing “Foodie” culture in our region.
Potbelly and Pie Five Pizza Co. will fill two of the four available spots within the building. There are several other businesses currently in talks to fill the remaining two spots. The project is expected to be completed this September. Check out the article in the South Bend Tribune HERE to learn more! Ancon Construction is proud to continue to build our region and is excited to taste these new unique food offerings!
Ryan Kring|Problem Solver|Vice President of Business Development
by Ryan Kring | Jun 8, 2016 | Ancon News
Time, talent & treasure are all things that one can give. ANCON Construction believes in giving all of these and we are proud to be involved, not only in our local community, but engaged throughout our entire region. Saying you are involved with the community puts a warm fuzzy feeling in your heart but recent research proves that companies that are involved in the community tend to be more respected and successful. The May 2013 study by Cone Communications & Echo Research found that 82% of US Consumers consider Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) when deciding which products or services to buy and who they want to do business with.
According to a recent Entrepreneur Magazine article written by Lindsay Lavine, there are four major things to consider when incorporating community service in your business plan:
1. Build relationships within your community.
Look at your community to see what’s important. Are the schools struggling? Does the animal shelter need donations? For example, Cody Pierce, Vice President of Marketing for Orange City, Iowa-based Pizza Ranch franchises, says the restaurants host “community impact” nights, where friends and family members bus tables to support a local cause, such as raising money for a class trip. Pizza Ranch donates the night’s tips and 5 to 20 percent of the profits to the cause, while community members often provide additional donations.
The business benefits because it fills the restaurant on a typically slow night. He says building relationships starts by making genuine connections with your customers, then finding ways you can contribute.
2. Get your employees on board.
Giving employees an avenue to give back is important to morale and builds a collaborative and inspired team. When your employees love what they’re doing, they do a better job. One recommendation is that businesses offer employees an opportunity to volunteer during work hours or participate in get-togethers after work, which is more fulfilling than just meeting for drinks.
Volunteering also provides leadership opportunities for employees, which leads to increased staff performance and fulfillment and, ultimately, increased productivity and sales.
3. Create a custom volunteer plan.
It is recommended that business owners evaluate their business and employee strengths and select volunteer activities that draw upon those strengths. For example, if you own an accounting firm, you could volunteer to help a nonprofit set up their accounting practices or do their taxes.
Likewise, if you own a restaurant, consider catering a school staff meeting to show your appreciation for your local teachers. Pierce says this may open the door to future catering opportunities, an incremental way to increase revenue. Decide how much time your employees can volunteer through the business on an annual basis, taking into account your operation demands.
4. Let customers know how you’re giving back.
Once you’ve implemented your volunteer strategy, let current and prospective customers know what you’re doing by including this information on your website. Giles suggests putting a dollar amount of how much your donated time or services would normally cost next to the number of hours your employees have spent giving back so it’s easy for customers to understand how much your company gives to the community.
As a 100% Employee Owned company our employees have a stake in the outcome and are heavily involved in our community. We, as owners, realize the importance of giving back to our community. A quick snapshot of where our people give of their time, talent, and treasure include:
- Concord Rotary (Past President)
Each year Ancon Construction celebrates our Not-For-Profit Program. This program offers 10 not-for-profit organizations in Elkhart & St. Joseph County two to three days of free labor and up to $250 in materials to complete a small construction project or repair.
- Economic Development Corporation (Executive Board Member – Secretary)
- Goshen Chamber of Commerce (Board Member)
- Faith Lutheran Church (Past Council Chairman, Building Committee Chairman)
- Goshen, Fairfield, Elkhart, Concord Schools (Career Days, Community Leadership Councils, Etc.)
- Goshen Kiwanis (President Elect)
- Ryan’s Place (Board Member)
- Walnut Hill Mennonite Church (Past building Trustee)
- The Vineyard Church (Coordinator of Maintenance, (3) Haiti Relief trips, Food Pantry Coordinator)
- Building Better Communities (Town of Bremen)
- St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (Youth Choir Director, Church Organist)
Our Corporate Social Responsibility here at ANCON Construction is widespread and very diverse. Many of the organizations we work with are also clients. It is a great feeling not only to design and build their buildings but then continue to play a part in their success. Our past, current and future clients recognize the passion in which ANCON gives and we have built a reputation of trust and integrity because of that. We love our region and are proud to play a part in building our future.
by Ryan Kring | May 27, 2016 | Ancon News
Memorial Day is the official day that we honor those that have served, and are currently serving, in our armed forces. Officially, Memorial Day is celebrated on a specific date each year but as Americans, we celebrate the freedoms that our soldiers have sacrificed for every moment of our lives.
Have you ever wondered about the origin and history of Memorial Day? Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and the first city to officially celebrate Memorial Day was Waterloo, New York in 1966. The origin was borne out of the Civil War and the desire to honor those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. The official holiday was proclaimed on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan. To learn more about Memorial Day check out the Memorial Day info website.
Have a safe holiday weekend, enjoy time with family and friends and honor those that have allowed us the freedoms we enjoy.
-The Ancon Construction Team
by Ryan Kring | May 27, 2016 | Ancon News
This Friday Ancon Construction is sponsoring a summer film series at the Goshen Theater. We are proud to present Raiders of the Lost Ark and bring Indiana Jones back to the big screen! Bring your families out to the Goshen Theater this Friday and enjoy the movie complete with free admission! To learn more check out Goshen Theater’s website. Ancon Construction is a proud supporter of the Goshen Theater and we invite you tomorrow to be our guest.
