Kiger's Notebook

Not Westminster, but CeleBARK promises fun for dogs, familes

When the contests include worst doggy breath and owner/pet lookalikes, you know it isn't the Westminster Dog Show.

However, you can bet your last collar that Saturday's CeleBARK Your Dog Day in the "backyard" of Rochester's Eagle Club will be a lot more fun for both pets and their families.

Pam Miller, owner of the mobile Bone Appetit Canine Bakery Unleashed, is sponsoring the family-friendly event to honor beloved dogs of all kinds, even those that might have a bit of halitosis. People are encouraged to bring well-behaved dogs that are up-to-date on their vaccinations.

Look for local celebrity judges Marcia Fritzmeier and Dr. Vicki Hunt to brave the bad breath, measure the longest ears and select the most similar dog/owner pair.

Fritzmeier is the handler of Mayo Clinic's popular therapy dog, Dr. Jack. Likewise, Hunt works with the therapy dog, Hershey. Hershey is known "Mr. June" from his appearance in the Rescued Dogs Calendar put out by Paws and Claws.

To help mark the first anniversary of the mobile version of her gourmet dog treat business, Miller wanted to host a fun and different kind of bash.

"I'd like it to become kind of a signature event," she says.

For the humans, both young and old, there will be games, contests, demonstrations and food. There even will be a treasure hunt similar to the Rochesterfest Medallion Hunt.

While fun is a big part of the fest by Bear Creek, it also will be about helping dogs find homes with good families.

"Part of my passion is to try and help rescue groups with their mission," says Miller.

Six rescue groups from Southeastern Minnesota will show off dogs available for adoption, as well as raise money to support their organizations.

While Miller has been locally-known for her homemade, preservative-free dog treats, she began driving her canine bakery and dog accessories shop on wheels to Rochester dog parks last summer.

"We go where the dogs and their owners are," she said.

Miller prides herself on offering the most current and unique products for dogs and the people who love them.

She says CeleBARK is just another way to help her business stand out from the pack.

Woof.

Tag: Columnist, blogger and reporter Jeff Kiger tracks business action in Rochester and southeastern Minnesota every day in Heard on the Street.
Infobox headline: CeleBARK Your Dog Day
Infobox text: BACB Unleashed is sponsoring the free event. which is open to families and their well-behaved dogs.

• Saturday.

• From 11 a.m. to  2 p.m.

• Behind the Eagles Club at 917 15th Ave S.E. in Rochester.

For more information, go to www.BACBunleashed.com.

Mayo Clinic adds DC/NYC PR firm to rachet up 'thought leadership'

Interesting. It looks like Mayo Clinic is contracting a high-powered PR firm, Widmeyer Communications, to promote public appearances on a national stage for CEO Dr. John Noseworthy and other Mayo Clinic leaders.

Actually, Mayo doesn't call it promote. They say 'thought leadership.' I'm not certain exactly what that entails. I don't believe surgery is involved, but I could be wrong. Heh.

I should point out that I'm very impressed by Mayo Clinic's in-house communications team in Rochester. Very sharp, efficient and professional people as well as patient with annoying journalists. I'm not sure what Widemeyer can do that they can't. I guess we'll find out.

Here's some from a PRWeek article by Virgil Dickson that quotes Mayo Clinic's Chris Gade. I remember way back when Chris was merely a spokesman.

“We're an organization with a 150-year history in medicine, medical research, and education. As healthcare continues to change, we want to continue to be a resource for healthcare in the nation and around the world,” said Chris Gade, chair of the division of external relations at Mayo Clinic. “One way to do that is identifying the appropriate forums and places for thought leadership.

Mayo hired Widmeyer based on work it did for other clients. The contract is for one year. Gade declined to disclose the firm's budget.

A window on Mayo Clinic's business accelerator plans

It is getting close to the big reveal of the Mayo Clinic Business Accelerator in the City of Rochester's Minnesota BioBusiness Center.

The plan, as I understand it, is to announce the new tenants - possibly eight - in the 2,500-square-foot center at RAEDI's annual meeting on Thursday. Remember this new twist on a business incubator is designed to house early biotech start-ups as well as venture capitalists. The tenant names have been kept hidden from anyone outside of Mayo Clinic and the usual insider crowd of public figures.

And yet this morning, a couple of venture capitalist firms' names are as clear as glass as being part of this private/public project.

Sanderling Ventures and Versant Ventures are up on the window, along with Mayo Clinic Ventures, the City of Rochester and RAEDI.

The California-based firm has a lot of experience working with Mayo Clinic and Mayo-related companies, like Torax and Naviscan.

I don't know as much as about Versant Ventures, but it is also based in California. However, it also has an office in Minneapolis.

Here's some background on the accelerator:

Mayo Clinic is giving $100,000 to turn the unused space, which is owned by the city, into offices. RAEDI will handle the management and leasing of the space.

HGA, which was the architect firm for the building, handled designs for this space. Lots of glass walls, I hear. Rents are expected to range from $13 to $15 per square foot.

Highlights of Mayo Clinic's 2012 financials

Here are a few random, fun facts from Mayo Clinic's 2012 financials:

-----------

• Spent on charity care: $83.4 million, up from $61.8 million in 2011.

• Spent to support Medicaid: $321.7 million, up from $260.4 million in 2011.

• Revenue from retail pharmacy sales: $149 million, up from $134 million in 2011.

• Revenue from technology commercialization, health information and medical products: $34.1 million, down from $40.4 million in 2011.

• Revenue from cafeteria sales: $28.8 million, down from $30.3 million in 2011.

• Cash and cash equivalents: $59.6 million, down from $141.3 million in 2011

• Earned incentive from federal government for introducing electronic medical records: $44.7 million

S&P lowers Mayo Clinic outlook on "weaker" performance

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has lowered its outlook on debt issued by and for Mayo Clinic, citing Mayo's "weaker operating performance" in 2012 and unexpected debts.

"We revised the outlook to negative to reflect our opinion of Mayo Clinic's weaker operating performance, especially in the second half of 2012, and additional debt with this issue, which we did not expect and did not include in our last rating analysis," said S&P credit analyst Martin Arrick in a statement issued today. "In addition, Mayo Clinic had to absorb multiple impacts from a sharply lower pension discount rate for the second straight year that, in turn, drove large pension contributions limiting growth in unrestricted cash and investment and lowering unrestricted net assets while raising pro forma leverage to levels we consider high for the rating."

Download S&P rating of Mayo

S&P reaffirmed Mayo's AA long-term rating on Mayo's $300 million series 2013 taxable bonds and reaffirmed ratings on other debt issued for, or guaranteed by, Mayo, according to the statement. The reaffirmed ratings were based on the clinic's "solid revenue growth," debt service coverage and growth in unrestricted reserves.

But the statement says Mayo's "overall leverage and unrestricted net assets were hurt by the very large pension charge for the second year in a row due to a lower discount rate. Nevertheless, net patient service revenues and revenues overall improved significantly, as did unrestricted reserves despite a large cash contribution to the pension plan."

Mayo officials have scheduled a press conference to discuss its 2012 financial results for Wednesday in Rochester.

Downtown grocery, apt. complex shaping up

As the Rochester street work around it wraps up, it looks like construction is going full tilt on the Metropolitan Market Place complex at First Avenue and Sixth Street Southwest.

Wisconsin-based Gerrard Corp. is building the four-story apartment complex with the new People’s Food Cooperative (former Good Food Store) grocery on the main level.

It will have 62 apartments when all of the dust settles.

A little farther south on First Avenue, the University of Minnesota Rochester recently bought a two-story office complex in preparation for its long-term plan of building a 10.5 acre campus in that area.

I have more on that in an article in today's paper.

If I understand the future plans correctly, the Metro Market complex will be basically across the First Ave./Sixth St. intersection from the entrance to this future university campus. Not a bad place to be, I'd guess.

 

Mayo Clinic responds to children's hospital buzz

Mayo Clinic has three hospitals in Rochester - Methodist, Saint Marys and Mayo Eugenio Litta Children’s Hospital.

However, visitors usually count just two hospitals in Rochester. That's the Mayo Eugenio Litta is within Saint Marys. Mayo does have a children's hospital, but it is not easy to point out without its own building.

That's line of thinking that seems to drive waves of speculation that Mayo Clinic might one day want build a separate children's medical complex in Rochester. Rumors surface every couple years or so that just such a project is in the works among the internal teams within Mayo Clinic's elaborate and detailed long-term planning processes.

So recently the "Mayo Clinic is building a children's hospital in Rochester" rumor surfaced yet again. On face of it, it seems like a reasonable possibility.

Well, Mayo Clinic has now decisively resolved any discussion of such a project. I asked a Mayo communications expert about it. Here's the response directly from the source:

"I did some searching and there are no plans for Mayo Clinic to build a separate children's hospital."

There you go. No separate children's hospital will be built in Rochester.

That should resolve that… until talk pops up again a year or two from now. Heh.

BioBusiness accelerator center plans moving along

Remember the accelerator center that the City of Rochester, RAEDI and Mayo Clinic are putting together in the Minnesota BioBusiness Center?

That's the deal where 2,500 square feet of office space on the BioBusiness Center's second floor is being fitted up to house early biotech start-ups and venture capitalists. That's probably the spot where the MinneDemo event was held last week.

Anyway, an application for the buiding permits for the project were filed with the city on Monday.

The app doesn't have much info on it, like cost. It is interesting that the "Public Owned" box is not checked. I assume that's just an oversight.

Mayo Clinic is giving $100,000 to turn the unused space, which is owned by the city, into offices. RAEDI will handle the management and leasing of the space.

I was told before that it is expected to include about six offices plus a conference room and other public areas. HGA, which was the architect firm for the building, is working on designs for this space. Rents are expected to range from $13 to $15 per square foot.

The bottom line is that the project, which the Rochester City Council gave its blessing to a couple weeks ago, is coming to life.

Kennedy coming to see Jackson at Mayo Clinic

Here's a little from an AP story by Michelle Smith about Jesse Jackson Jr. in Rochester and how Patrick Kennedy, a former Mayo Clinic patient is coming to visit and support him here.

--------

Former Rhode Island Rep. Patrick Kennedy said Monday he plans to visit Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois on Thursday at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, where Jackson is being treated for bipolar disorder.

Kennedy was treated at the Mayo Clinic himself for addiction and depression in 2006 after a late-night car crash at the U.S. Capitol. He decided not to run for a ninth term in 2010 and retired from Congress last year.

Jackson took a medical leave two months ago, and the Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic said Monday he was being treated for Bipolar II, which is define d as periodic episodes of depression and hypomania. Hypomania is a less serious form of mania.

‘‘Jesse and I served together for many years, and I've spoken to him several times, and I'm looking forward to visiting with him personally ... just to impart for him my experience. There’s an ability for Jesse to be helpful to others who come after him,’’ Kennedy told The Associated Press on Monday. ‘‘I can share with him not only my experience in recovery, but I can also obviously relate what it’s like to struggle and be in public life.’’

Changes, honors for Roch. Area Builders

After more than five years as the high-profile public affairs director of the Rochester Area Builders organization, Tony Lehrman is moving on to a build a career on another foundation.

Lehrman, who will remain in the area, has taken a position with Mayo Clinic. His final day with the Rochester Builders is Aug. 10.

At the Rochester Area Builders networking event this week, Lehrman made his public good-byes, while a face familiar to the local construction community returned to the group to accept some honors.

Sandy Friend, who was the executive director of the Rochester Area Builders for 20 years, was inducted into the Builders Association of Minnesota Hall of Fame.

This is an honor reserved for people "who make a significant and lasting contribution to the Minnesota housing industry ... It’s about long-term commitment of service, time, and talent made to better the residential construction industry," according to the state Builders Association.

Friend, who retired at the end of 2010, is only one of 40 people who have been named to the Hall of Fame since it was created in 1994.

Beside the statewide honor, Friend was also presented with a lifetime honorary membership to the Rochester Area Builders by current Executive Director John Eischen at Tuesday's event.