Leader-Telegram from Eau Claire, Wisconsin • 38

Business Business Briefs Collectors work with debtors I Km COLLECTORS from Page 1D He said the bulk of their collections take about six months to resolve. "We probably average 30 percent to 35 percent success in our collections overall, which I think is above average," he said. "Fifty percent or more of our accounts are written off because of bankruptcies, deaths with little or no estates, use of fictitious names, Or debtors moving from the area and can't be located," he said, adding that such a rate applies to most agencies. Denzel said they usually fail to collect when a debtor goes through bankruptcy, dies and the estate has no assets, or when income is too low even set up a reasonable credit plan. In some cases, the creditor will decline to pursue the bill, he said.

"The bill collector is a mediator," Denzel said. "We listen to the debtor while serving our client, and sometimes we can even reach a settlement, with the client's consent, that is less than the debt owed." Denzel has been in the collection business for 25 years, starting with Thorp Finance in 1964. He joined Bonded Collections in 1965 and started his own firm in 1981. "After being in the business for some years, you get a 'feel' by talking to a debtor if they really want to pay their bills or if they are trying to get by without paying them," he said. "Most people are honest, and often the problem is they just don't have enough money to take care of their obligations.

Most are relieved when satisfaction on the part of the debtor to have it resolved." LaBelle agreed. He said many debtors are upset when first contacted, but then are relieved when they realize a payment plan can be arranged. LaBelle started in the business in 1956, when he went to work for his brother Norman, who owned Bonded Collections. Norman bought the business in, 1951. LaBelle took over the business in 1967, when his brother died in a private-plane crash at Lake Holcombe He said they collect between 35 percent and 40 percent of their accounts.

"The old days of pounding on the door to collect a bill are long gone," he said. "It's much more professional now." Personal contacts make up less than 10 percent of Bonded Collections' business, LaBelle said. Three male employees, including himself, will make a personal contact when required, but one male employee usually handles most of those calls, he said. Casey and Denzel said they almost have gotten away from handling rental accounts, while LaBelle said his firm still handles a few. "There's too much dispute involved between landlord and tenants, with most involving security deposits," Casey said.

"Many renters skip town and are difficult to find." Denzel agreed, saying there are too many disputed rental accounts. When company representatives do handle an account involving a renter leaving town. Local restaurateur honored Keith Nergaard, owner of Brothers Three in Eau Claire, has beerv named 1990 Outstanding Restaurateur of the Year by the West Wisconsin of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association. Nergaard has been in the food-service business for 26 years, the last 10 at his present location, which he recently remodeled and expanded. The restaurant employs 25 people.

He also represents the restaurant association on the Eau Claire Area Convention Visitors Bureau and teaches baking and bartender awareness courses at Chippewa Valley Technical College. Members of the local chapter of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association include restaurateurs and suppliers in Pepin, Dunn, Chippewa, Clark and Eau Claire counties. AAA names district manager Kathleen Reetz of Chippewa Falls has been named district manager of the Eau Claire area office of the Wisconsin division of the American Automobile Association. She will oversee 'operations in the travel and insurance agencies as well as other travel-related services for AAA members and the public. A nine-year AAA employee, she previously served as AAA district manager in the Milwaukee South office and the Manitowoc office.

She started with AAA as a telemarketer and later became an insurance agent at the club's Eau Claire office. She holds a bachelor' degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and attended the Management Institute at UW-Madison. Clair Moeller Jim Willson we can set up a payment schedule for them DenzeLsaid that in only a few cases do they resoii4oDenzel said they eventually catch up with them. "They can run, burthey can't hide.JUie said. personal contacts to collect a bill, and he makes those LaBelle agreed rental accounts are difficult to collect.

Sometimes his firm rejects such accounts, but it accepts some as a responsibility to its creditors, he said. Denzel said about 150 collection agencies are licensed by the state. In addition, all agency employees must have a state collector-solicitors license. contacts. "Overall we have a 33 percent to 40 percent collection rate," he said.

"Today, most of our work is resolved by letter and over the telephone," he said. "When an account is settled, it is satisfying in two ways working to make arrangements for payments, and, believe it or not, Business Briefs policy reviewed NSP employees promoted Clair Moeller and Jim Willson have been promoted to general managers at Northern States Power Co. in Eau Claire. Moeller, previously manager of engineering, will retain those duties and also manage the system operations department. System operations personnel monitor and control NSP's electric transmission and distribution network and dispatch the company's hydroelectric plants.

He joined NSP in 1979 after earning a degree in electrical engineering from Iowa State University in Ames. His previous positions at the company were manager of power supply services, superintendent of system operations and engineer in protection electric maintenance. As general manager of the gas utility, Willson is responsible for natural gas supplies and the overall operation of the gas utility. Willson, an industrial electronics graduate of the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, joined NSP in 1964. He previously worked in commercial and industrial marketing and as a consumer services manager for the company.

Uniroyal plans improvements Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Co. recently added $160 million to its ongoing five-year program to retool and improve manufacturing operations, according to Rubber Plastics News. The increase from the $500 million originally allocated to the project is not a result of the proposed buyout of the tire maker by Michelin Group, Uniroyal Goodrich officials told the Akron, Ohio-based trade However, Michelin may add more capital improvements funding after the buyout is approved, officials said. One project being funded by the plan is the increase in radial tire production capacity under way at the Uniroyal Goodrich plant in Eau Claire. The publication also reported in its most recent issue that Uniroyal Goodrich and Michelin have turned over 360 boxes of documents to the U.S.

Justice Department for a study of whether the proposed buyout would violate antitrust laws. The department is required to respond this month. Concrete seminar scheduled MENOMONIE The University, of Wisconsin-Stout's fourth annual concrete seminar will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 1 in the Crystal Ballroom of the Memorial Student Center.

Topics at the seminar include factors influencing quality concrete, and applications and economies in concrete forming. The cost of the seminar is $55 until Wednesday and $65 after that date. Sponsors of the event are the School of Industry and Technology's materialsand processes department, -the Office of Continuing Education and Summer Session, and the Wisconsin Chapter of Associated General Contractors. For more information, contact the Office of Continuing Education at 1-800-45-Stout or 232-2693. Items about seminars or workshops of interest to the public or the general business community.

Announcements about the addition of new professionals such as doctors and lawyers. Items we don't accept: Routine annoucements of progression on the job or of people reaching sales Articles about employees who win awards from their own employer or its parent company, with rare exceptions for top national honors. Names of people who attend conferences or seminars. Announcements about the current business achievements of former Eau Claire residents. Items we accept: Announcements and photos of new business owners and people promoted to top management-level positions at area businesses.

(We can take a picture in our studio if no photo or only poor-quality ones are available.) Photos of newly elected presidents of business groups News about new businesses, business relocations, new building projects, major remodeling projects or government contracts won. Articles about appointments to business advisory groups or councils. News about significant layoffs or staff expansions. Major awards, usually from independent associations. Computer companies merge Imagineering Computer Consultants Inc.

of Eau Claire and Wisconsin Microsystems Inc. of Chippewa Falls recently completed a merger. Wisconsin Microsystems has provided health-care systems and support since 1979, while 2-year-old Imagineering specializes in business and networking systems. The firm retain the Imagineering name and occupy Imagineering's current facility in Highland Center. Short takes Cray Research Inc.

recently announced the election of. Michael G. Wilhelm to vice president and general manager of Americas Operation; Charles Breckenridge to vice president of government marketing; and Robert G. Potter, president of Monsanto Chemical to its board of directors. Mark Kasper, owner of Spanky's Supper Club in Barronett, has been elected president of the Va-cationland Chapter of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.

Tim Tyler of Nick's family Restaurant in Spooner was elected secretary-treasuter. Carlson Co. Integrated Services Inc. recently mpved into a new office complex at 623 Truax Blvd. It previously was located on Clairemont Parkway.

Krumrie's Green Lace Floral Gifts recently moved from 2510 London Road to 30 S. Barstow St. Jim Carter, owner of Jim Carter Ford-Audi-Volkswagen in Eau Claire, confirmed recently that he is involved in negotiations about a possible merger with Ken Loesch Oldsmobile-Pontiac-Cadillac-Buick-GMC Trucks Inc. in Chippewa Falls. Robert.

J. Wilson, president of Menomonie Farmers Credit Union, recently was appointed to the Credit Union National Association's State Credit Union Issues Committee Nancy Mckinley, a speechlanguage pathologist in the communication disorders department at the University of Wisconsin. Eau Claire and owner of Thinking Publications, has been elected vice president of planning for the Wisconsin Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The Leader-Telegram's Business Briefs column, published every Sunday is a way for readers to find out what's happening and who's making it happen in the local business community. We encourage people to send us information they think fits the guidelines for the column.

Please include a telephone number in case we have any questions. From time to time, the weekly column will include ShxStt Takes, a collection of shorter items such as advanced professional degrees and certifications, committee chairmanships for state and national groups, and other interesting business tidbits. Announcements received by noon Thursday generally will be included in the following Sunday's Business section, although publication may be delayed because of questions or space limitations. For announcements with photos, black-and-white prints are preferred, but color photos will be considered for publication. Information should be mailed to: Business Editor, Leader-Telegram, P.O.

Box 570, Eau Claire, WI 54702-0570. ig5 DAY FEB. 14 Doesn't he need new clothes? He'll look great In clothes bought at Cross Country. Suits' Sportcoats Dress Pants Purchase 2 Items and receive an additional 10 off each Item Although the appropriateness of some items must be determined by the news judgment of our staff, here is a brief overview of the guidelines we follow regarding the Business Briefs column: Sweaters Pants Jeans Casual Shirts Tops Outerwear Ill sA Gloves Introducing our spring season: Correction Fuller began inventing in grade school New Spring Arrivals, most 20 off All Gifts Returnable A headline in last Sunday's Business section about a labor election referred to the wrong post. Marjorte Bunce of the Communication Workers of America Local 4640 was elected president of the Eau Claire Area Labor Council.

Cross GoaoCmQ MEN'S CLOTHING KJ EE FULLER from Page 1D model, is custom-made to fit most domestic and foreign cars. The 33-year-old's creations have gained him national and international recognition. As president and founder of Innovisions Research he has combined inventiveness and marketing savvy to create a growing business. Innovisions, in operation slightly more than a year, employs seven rvrre full tim nH ml.AC -vf The influx of cash made it possible for Fuller to develop and market other creations: orthopedically designed pants for skiers with bad knees, a condo for cats, handles for skis, and mitts for ice scrapers. "I just look at different areas objectively," he said.

"Sometimes people in a specific industry are so close to the subject that they can't see the areas where improvements or additions are necessary. I. try to remain the observer so I don't get too" wrapped up in a product." Fuller said his inventions serve ine of two functions they're fun, like his Aqua Tunes, which allows lap swimmers to listen to music while they swim, or they provide a public service, like the Guardian Interlock. ond prize at a third-grade school fair. "Inventing was a way of getting things my parents or I couldn't he said.

Fuller's first commercial success, or so he thought, came at age 22. A sports fanatic, he designed a fold-away trailer to haul his motorbikes and other equipment too large to fit in compact cars. Only after taking out a second mortgage on his home to finance the venture did he realize he was losing $25 per trailer be cause of distribution problems. Still, he was undeterred. His first financial success was the Servitron Robot, a vinyl, 4-foot-tall, remote-control toy that serves drinks at parties.

It racked up nearly $3 million in sales its first year. about 20 subcontractors. Revenue for 1990 is projected at around $2 million. Fuller said. r.

1 1 i unci v-oicci as -ii iiivciuui or innovator, as he prefers to be called began when the drums he made from chlorine cans won sec I jJ jJ CillWilli 3 II i i I mmm Tandy 40,6 DX irf 4016 sx -mmmgmml ommr" nil Ml1l p. -X I i' i ii mm -L ccrr Enter your ideain the 1 990 "Creating Your Own Business, Eau Claire County's Business Competition Program. ie. receives second Place Winner, $500. Check these dates: 2800 HD ll v'- Tandv Tandy I i 2500 XL DMP240 -W "vi3 ills an mi, Jfanfdea GMora Entries must be postmarked on or before Reviews Completed Finalists Selected.

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usiness? For business plan guidelines and information, contact: Eau Claire County Industrial Development Corporation 505 Dewey Street 101 Eau Claire, WI 54701 (715)834-0070 We want to hear about It! PLUS COMPUTER CENTER 2808 London Square Eau Claire 835-1331 'Winners eligible for zero-interest loans. ji A DIVISION OFTANDY CORPORATION 3 3 2 1 1.