Jim Hess
Jim Hess has been owner and publisher of the Morgan County Business Leader since 2011 and owner and publisher of the Town Planner Community Calendar since 2008. In both businesses Jim aspires to connect, promote and support the local small business community. As a successful small business owner himself, he knows the challenges entrepreneurs face, the thrill of achievements reached, and the appreciation felt for support and encouragement. That understanding, along with his mission of building relationships, is reflected in the purpose and pages of his publications. Jim’s success began when he graduated from Olivet Nazarene University and embarked on a career with Northwest Airlines. While there, he received numerous awards for his work including the 2003 President’s Award for Employee Support and Inspiration. Several years later, he accepted a position in the manufacturing industry where he was tasked to manage corporate relationships with many different entities ranging from the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce and Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. to employee relations. Jim continually strives to contribute to the business community through his participation in civic organizations such as the Mooresville Chamber of Commerce where he has served as both vice president and president. Jim can be reached at jim@morgancountybusinessleader.com.
Elaine Whitesides
Elaine Whitesides brings a unique perspective to her position as writer for the Morgan County Business Leader. With an extensive background in real estate finance and the restaurant industries, she understands the corporate and business perspective of small business owners and entrepreneurs. As an elementary school educator, she has the skills to take the complex and make it simple and clear. As a writer, she loves nothing more than to tie all the information about an enterprise up into a story that reflects not only the business, but the business owner as well. Elaine held management positions for First Financial Savings and Loan and Inland Mortgage Corporation, a division of Inland Real Estate, before obtaining her teaching credentials. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, both from National Louis University. After leaving the education field in 2003, Elaine pursued her interest in writing. It evolved into a business, Whitesides Words, LLC, which she has owned and operated since 2009.
Merrill Roberts business is training winners
Located in the northeast corner of Morgan County and sprawled out over 187 acres of lush greenery sits MC Roberts Racing Stables, the home and training center to over 60 thoroughbred race horses. Taking just over a year to build, the farm was completed in December 2007 and has been evolving into a thriving breeding and training facility ever since.
Scary happenings at Greendell Mulch
Come ‘round the campfire and I’ll tell ya’ a story. You see that-there Greendell Mulch store? Legend has it that ‘round back is a seven-acre corn maze—harmless enough by day. Small kids can walk through it, finding their way through the path by answering trivia questions. But after dark… All through October, by the light of the moon, the corn maze turns haunted! And that’s not all. They say that-there mulch store takes people away on haunted hay rides, dragging victims by the hundreds to the trailer of terror. No sir, unless you’re looking for lots of scares and excitement, I’d stay well-clear of that-there mulch store in October after dark!
Gregory Orchard prospers for three generations
Raymond Gregory planted the first trees for Gregory Orchard in 1926, caring for 15 acres of land and harvesting a huge variety of apples to sell to the community and local wholesalers. A respected agriculture professor at Purdue University, Raymond knew the science of caring for the land. Bob Gregory, who took over the Orchard in 1950, recalled, “At that time, it was a turnkey operation, with Dad employing and supervising farmers to harvest the fruit each season.”
25 Years of ‘accident- and violation-free flying!’
It started with a vision of better crops and less manual labor. Now it’s a fully operational business. Growing up on a farm near Centerton, Brent Milhon, a sixth generation grower, saw a better way to grow crops and ease the workload of farming.