BusinessSeptember 4, 2018
Business Notebook: Morning Star Behavioral uses behavioral analysis to find people's gifts
Behavioral analysis isn't exactly a common practice, said Lindsey Radcliffe, majority partner and CEO of Morning Star Behavioral Associates -- although Radcliffe isn't big on titles. In fact, Morning Star is one of only about 20,000 entities worldwide that practice behavioral analysis...
Behavioral analysis isn't exactly a common practice, said Lindsey Radcliffe, majority partner and CEO of Morning Star Behavioral Associates -- although Radcliffe isn't big on titles.
In fact, Morning Star is one of only about 20,000 entities worldwide that practice behavioral analysis.
Morning Star helps individuals with special needs discover their gifts, and find "dignity of service," as Radcliffe puts it.
What sets the company apart, she said, is that it can work with individuals with autism, but the program can help people with a range of cognitive or behavioral difficulties.
Through behavioral analysis, the company's proprietary software collects and translates data to help track, then predict behavior or outcomes, then recommend paths forward.
It helps workers devote less of their time to paperwork, and more to helping individuals intensively, Radcliffe said.
The approach is pretty radical: "We have experts coming to us," Radcliffe said, a touch of wonder in her voice.
They've heard from experts in the United Arab Emirates and numerous other countries, she said.
And they've partnered with universities, among them Southeast Missouri State University, Southern Illinois University, Saint Louis University and other prestigious institutions.
"We get a lot of referrals," Radcliffe added.
They've come a long way from the days prior to winning the Marquette Tech District's 1st50K competition in 2017 -- the company had been in Radcliffe's basement in Anna, Illinois.
"When we won, we had three employees. Now, we're up to 14," Radcliffe said.
Radcliffe credits that growth with the "amazing" Codefi community, whose members have encouraged her and her team, and with finding several like-minded people who have decided to honor their gift and use it to do good in the world.
And Radcliffe has a family legacy: For five generations, her family has worked with individuals with special needs.
A walk through Morning Star's floor of Codefi reveals spaces built specially for Morning Star's approach, and individuals' needs.
The reception desk and common area open into a kitchen, with low counters and every appliance a person needs to learn how to cook, and to make better nutritional choices.
That can be a challenge for individuals learning independence, Radcliffe said, so staff members work hard to teach skills in choosing and preparing food.
And the kitchen has an induction cooktop, so the surface isn't hot to the touch, Radcliffe added.
From the kitchen, there's an exit into the hallway, where individual session rooms have several stations for therapies to help with functional skills.
Radcliffe said the rooms themselves aren't what's special; it's what happens in them.
The idea is, "it's not a place where we keep our degrees on the wall. We use them."
Besides, Radcliffe said, "Our goal is to get kids out of therapy, and comfortable in the mainstream." That means stations are open to the room, and anyone receiving therapy will also be learning to work around and with others, just as they would in a classroom.
The facility is about 3,000 square feet, up from 120 square feet just a few years ago, Radcliffe said.
"Along with our functional skills, we also teach technological skills," she said. "It's vocational training, and it can also open up our individuals' worlds."
Morning Star works with a select few individuals, Radcliffe said, in order to work as intensively as necessary to see the most improvement.
"It's really hard work, but the last time I checked, nothing good is easy," Radcliffe said.
Altenburg/Frohna business adds car wash
River Hills One Stop at 95 Route Y in Frohna, Missouri, has added a car wash to its grocery store and beauty salon, said Joe Holt, grocery store owner who also manages the car wash.
The car wash opened Aug. 6, and has a touchless automatic bay, an indoor self-serve bay and an outside self-serve bay for tractors, boats, campers or other large pieces, Holt said.
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An island in the parking lot has two vacuums, as well, Holt said.
"So far, so good," Holt said of the car wash. "It had probably been around five years since we've had a car wash in the area. It was time."
Holt said the car wash will have future promotions, especially centered around the East Perry Community Fair, set for Sept. 21 and 22.
Travel company earns distinction
Elite Travel Inc. was recently inducted into the Mark Travel Corp.'s 500 Club, according to a recent announcement.
The program was established more than 30 years ago and recognizes travel agencies that are top supporters and producers of TMTC's four brands, according to the release.
Buchheit Agri opens new grain location
Buchheit Agriculture has opened a new facility in Dudley, Missouri. The facility joins others in Biehle, McBride and Morehouse, Missouri, according to a recent news release.
The new Dudley facility is near Highway 60, 23 miles west of its Morehouse location. This location gives farmers in the area a place to deliver bushels at harvest and get their trucks back to the field promptly to keep their harvest equipment rolling, the release stated.
This new facility allows Buchheit Agriculture to increase bushel storage capacity by 2 million bushels.
Matt Zimmerman of Sikeston, Missouri, will manage the Dudley facility. He brings more than 10 years of grain-trading experience to Buchheit, is from the area and is familiar with the communities in and around the facility.
Buchheit Agriculture is a full-service feed mill, seed-cleaning operation, fertilizer blending facility and grain elevator in Biehle.
Miracle-Ear Centers earns award
Miracle-Ear Centers serving Southeast Missouri recently announced its ninth year receiving the distinguished Platinum Club Award. This national recognition signifies franchise excellence in several categories, including exceptional patient care and satisfaction, staff education on new technology, annual recertification compliance and market penetration.
Franchise owners Ken and Lisa Swinford and Joyce Hill-Cooley are proud of the level of excellence and the continuing achievements the franchise, the release stated.
Miracle-Ear Centers serving Southeast Missouri operates five full-time offices and three part-time offices in Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Perryville, Ste. Genevieve, Potosi, Farmington, Poplar Bluff and Sikeston. Business hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Ribbon cuttings
Elite Travel will hold a ribbon cutting at noon Wednesday at 354 S. Silver Springs Road in Cape Girardeau to celebrate 25 years in business.
Business licenses
Mike Harper applied for a license to operate Window World, a home-improvement business, at 762 Enterprise St. in Cape Girardeau. The business is relocating from 3527A Perryville Road, outside Cape Girardeau, and Harper said he plans to open by Sept. 30.
Virgil Jones Jr. applied for a license to operate Professional Commercial Solutions LLC, a cleaning service, at 623 S. Silver Springs Road, Suite 200, in Cape Girardeau. Open date was listed as Sept. 1.
People on the Move
Saint Francis Healthcare System has promoted Debby Sprandel, RN, BSN, MSN, MBA-HA, to the newly-created position of vice president of ambulatory nursing, according to a news release.
Sprandel previously served as the executive director of specialty practices.
She earned a Master of Business Administration with a health-care administration emphasis from William Woods University, and joined Saint Francis in 1984. Sprandel has been the patient-care manager of progressive care and intensive care units, the director of medical management, and neurosciences service line director, according to the release.
Saint Francis also recently announced the hiring of nurse practitioner Natalie Frazier-Cook, APRN, FNP-BC, to Immediate Convenient Care.
Frazier-Cook has been with Saint Francis for 22 years, and has served in many patient-care roles, most recently the manager of training and development.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and her Master of Science in Nursing from Southeast Missouri State University.
mniederkorn@semissourian.com
(573) 388-3630
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